Body of water
Sheepshead Bay is a bay separating the mainland of Brooklyn, New York City from the eastern portion of Coney Island, the latter orignally a barrier island but now effectively an extension of the mainland with peninsulas both east and west.
The bay itself was originally the easterly entrance to Coney Island Creek but filling of the central part of this waterway during the 1930s in conjunction with construction of the Shore Parkway portion of the Belt Parkway eliminated access to the creek. At the same time the bay was widened at its western end, deepened and bulkheaded. It is now the home of recreational fishing fleets.
Sheepshead Bay is named for the sheepshead, an edible fish once found in the bay's waters.
Community and location
The community on the mainland shore of the bay is also known as Sheepshead Bay, while that on the Coney Island side is known as Manhattan Beach. Sheepshead Bay is a mostly residential community, with significant restaurant and tourist facilities near the shore, businesses which had fallen into decline after World War II but have enjoyed substantial revival.
Sheepshead Bay is located at 40°15'N / 72°57'W.
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