The land to the south of this moraine to the South Shore is the outwash plain of the last glacier. One part of the outwash plain was known as the
Hempstead Plains, and this land contained one of the few natural prairies to exist east of the Appalachian Mountains. The
glaciers melted and receded to the north, resulting in the difference between the
topography of the North Shore beaches and the South Shore beaches. The North Shore beaches are rocky from the remaining glacial debris, while the South Shore's are crisp, clear, outwash sand.
