I imagine the lawn area for the Hamptons mansions figured into that. And golf courses. (I noticed it too -- even thinking that the name should be changed from "Long Island" to "Lawn Island" -- but isn't that how most of the locals pronounce it anyway?)
I don't know. My wife is from there, but her accent is all her own.
I note that Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo all appear as green dots, connected by a green line, wondering if the line is the median of I-90, though that seems too ridiculous for words. And the new growth along I-85 corridor through NC, which is becomeing way too crowded, shows up rather well.