Not long ago, a jaw-dropping image flashed across my phone screen – a breathtaking shot of the Twin Towers in Manhattan, with a stunning beach right in the foreground.

People were lounging in the sand, as if they were on a tropical paradise. But could this really be true?

New York City’s forgotten beach oasis
Today, if you stroll along the waters near Battery Park, in the vicinity of where the Twin Towers once stood, it’s nearly impossible to imagine that a beach once stretched along the shore.

Now, the area is lined with sleek buildings and bustling streets, with the sound of the city filling the air. The water laps quietly against a modern promenade, offering views of the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

But the truth is, people once sunbathed here, basking in the warmth of the sun and the shadows of the World Trade Center. A forgotten beach oasis with its very own sandy shoreline, where the bustle of the city seemed worlds away, and the waters of Manhattan’s harbor embraced those seeking a rare slice of tranquility.

But, this sandy haven wasn’t part of any grand plan – it was an accidental oasis born from the construction delays of the World Trade Center in the mid-1970s.

Wasn’t meant for public use
As the massive foundation for the Twin Towers took shape, workers excavated earth from the nearby basin, creating a temporary beach along the waterfront.

Though it wasn’t meant for public use, Manhattanites quickly claimed it as their own, turning it into an unexpected retreat. Sunbathers lounged in the warm glow of the sun, volleyball games popped up in the sand, and readers found their peaceful spot by the water, all under the towering shadow of the World Trade Center.

What was once a construction site became a hidden gem and the stretch of sand became known as Battery Park Beach.

Incredibly, there are still people who remember what it was like to bathe on that beach — one of them being Suellen Epstein. Growing up in the nearby Tribeca neighborhood, she’s the one in the picture below, soaking up the summer sun in 1977.

In an interview with Tribeca Citizen, Suellen shared her memories of the beach, noting that the sand wasn’t exactly the soft, fine kind you’d find on a tropical shore. The sand was a bit rough, and of course, it was never kissed by the ocean waves.

But hey, it did the trick.