Thursday, May 16, 2024
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
~May 2024 Newsletter~
General Membership Meeting
The Wickedest Man in Bayport
In the late 19th century, New York City businessman Theodore ‘The’ Allen established his summer estate on South Fairview Avenue in our lovely hamlet of Bayport. ‘The’ was beloved by local residents, despite being known as the “Wickedest Man in New York.” His criminal career began as a butcher boy for Bill “the Butcher” Poole, leader of the Bowery Boys, one of the famous gangs of New York. He went on to commit fraud, run bookkeeping rings, pool halls, gambling houses, various saloons and dance halls - not to mention houses of ill repute. ‘The’ eluded the law for decades, survived murder attempts, ran for political office, and acquired quite a fortune during his life. Join BBPHA’s Frank Giebfried as we explore one of the more notorious members of our town.
Date: May 19, 2024
Place: BBP Library
Time: 2:00
Presenter: Frank Giebfried
NO Registration necessary!
Join us for this informative meeting!
Place: BBP Library
Time: 2:00
Presenter: Frank Giebfried
NO Registration necessary!
Join us for this informative meeting!
Connetquot Library Visits Meadow Croft
On April 25, several members of the Connetquot Library staff took a tour of Meadow Croft. Our wonderful docents; Jerry, Frank, Sandra, and Leanne gave a very informative tour of the house and grounds sharing the history of John Ellis Roosevelt and what life was like in 1900 at the Meadow Croft estate.
We thank them for joining us and learning a little bit of our community's history. If your group would like a personal tour, please contact us!
Updates at Meadow Croft
Every year after the tour season is over, the BBPHA starts planning for next year. In a home that was built over 130 years ago, there are many repairs that need to be done.
This year our focus was on the servant's quarters at the back of the great estate. We have been lucky enough to have hired an amazing and talented man to help us with the job. Martin LaVelle is a master at repairing plaster, painting, and making the old look new again. Martin has helped us update many rooms at Meadow Croft and we are thankful that he loves this home as much as we do.
This year our focus was on the servant's quarters at the back of the great estate. We have been lucky enough to have hired an amazing and talented man to help us with the job. Martin LaVelle is a master at repairing plaster, painting, and making the old look new again. Martin has helped us update many rooms at Meadow Croft and we are thankful that he loves this home as much as we do.
Come visit us at the Meadow Croft estate from 2:00-4:00 on weekends from June through October to see it for yourself. Martin LaVelle can be reached at 631-546-8048 or mwlavellepainting@yahoo.com
Another important update to Meadow Croft has been the addition of a video surveillance system located in several places on the outside of the historic estate. This project has been in the works for awhile and it is now complete. Special thanks go to Matthew Juvet of Sayville for his efforts. Thank you!
Another important update to Meadow Croft has been the addition of a video surveillance system located in several places on the outside of the historic estate. This project has been in the works for awhile and it is now complete. Special thanks go to Matthew Juvet of Sayville for his efforts. Thank you!
Clean up at Meadow Croft
On April 27th, we had a nice turnout of volunteers to help clean up Meadow Croft Estate's historic heirloom garden. It truly was a team effort and wonderful green-thumb volunteers came together to help preserve a part of local history.
Special thanks go to: Maureen Riordan, Linda Engleman, Steve Jones, Sandra Iden, Denise Coscia, Mary Lou Cohalan, and Mary Bailey. Erich Haesche has agreed to do the planting of the new flowers and they will be planted shortly.
Special thanks go to: Maureen Riordan, Linda Engleman, Steve Jones, Sandra Iden, Denise Coscia, Mary Lou Cohalan, and Mary Bailey. Erich Haesche has agreed to do the planting of the new flowers and they will be planted shortly.
Membership Now Due
It's that time of year! The BBPHA is now requesting your membership dues. To pay for this year, please mail payment to:
Bayport Blue Point Heritage Association
PO Box 4
Bayport NY 11705
PO Box 4
Bayport NY 11705
Please include your name, address and email on all correspondence. Make checks payable to Bayport Blue Point Heritage Association. You can also make payment directly from our webpage. Any questions can be directed to bbphistorical@gmail.com.
Your membership dues go a long way to support and maintain our mission of preserving our hamlet's heritage. It also allows us to provide our communities with free events, like our two summer concerts. Thank you to all of our generous members! New members welcome! Support your communities!
Membership Type
Annual/Family: $25.00
Senior: $10.00
Corporate: $100.00
Donation: $___
Annual/Family: $25.00
Senior: $10.00
Corporate: $100.00
Donation: $___
Save the dates!
Lots of planning going on and some fun activities sponsored by the BBPHA are happening in the coming months. Keep up to date by reading the newsletters, & following us on social media. Here are some of the events planned already:
FREE concerts in the park: June 13, Jack's Waterfall & July 18, Lazy Bunnies
Summer tours: every weekend June through October
Historic Boat Cruise: August 21, 2024
Historic Walking Tour: June 20, 2024 (sign up at library)
General Membership mtg: May 19, 2024 @ BBP Library
Ongoing: Teddy Roosevelt Augmented Reality @ Meadow Croft
Christmas at Meadow Croft: December 7 & 8, 2024
Summer tours: every weekend June through October
Historic Boat Cruise: August 21, 2024
Historic Walking Tour: June 20, 2024 (sign up at library)
General Membership mtg: May 19, 2024 @ BBP Library
Ongoing: Teddy Roosevelt Augmented Reality @ Meadow Croft
Christmas at Meadow Croft: December 7 & 8, 2024
Bayport Railroad Station
These stories were first printed in the Bayport Blue Point Gazette and were written by Gene Horton. They are reprinted here with permission.
May 2002
This long-gone but handsome LIRR station was located about 200 feet west of Snedcore Ave. in Bayport on the south side of the tracks. The station opened in August, 1903, and cost $8000 to build. The brick and stucco building was 80 feet long and 25 feet wide. Notice in the picture the unique curve in the station's roof-line over the ticket office. The platform canopy roof, supported by slender wooden columns, extended 50 feet from both sides of the main station building. Under the canopy roof, there was a concrete block platform. Cinder platforms extended 300 feet along the track.
Inside, there was a large waiting room with wooden-paneled walls and ceiling. The waiting room was heated in winter and well furnished. Old-timers tell of oriental carpets and wicker furniture among the station's benches. The waiting room could accommodate 50 people. The station and platform were lighted by electricity even in 1903. The photo below was taken in the 1930's.
Sad to say, after World War 2, commuter traffic from Bayport dwindled. In 1964, the LIRR demolished this beautiful building and replaced it with an ugly metal shed. Today, even the shed is gone and there is no LIRR service in either Bayport or Blue Point. Bayport Heritage Association was founded in 1983. Too bad no such organization existed here in the 1960's. Maybe our hamlet's beautiful railroad station might have been preserved.
These stories were first printed in the Bayport Blue Point Gazette and were written by Gene Horton. They are reprinted here with permission.
May 2002
This long-gone but handsome LIRR station was located about 200 feet west of Snedcore Ave. in Bayport on the south side of the tracks. The station opened in August, 1903, and cost $8000 to build. The brick and stucco building was 80 feet long and 25 feet wide. Notice in the picture the unique curve in the station's roof-line over the ticket office. The platform canopy roof, supported by slender wooden columns, extended 50 feet from both sides of the main station building. Under the canopy roof, there was a concrete block platform. Cinder platforms extended 300 feet along the track.
Inside, there was a large waiting room with wooden-paneled walls and ceiling. The waiting room was heated in winter and well furnished. Old-timers tell of oriental carpets and wicker furniture among the station's benches. The waiting room could accommodate 50 people. The station and platform were lighted by electricity even in 1903. The photo below was taken in the 1930's.
Sad to say, after World War 2, commuter traffic from Bayport dwindled. In 1964, the LIRR demolished this beautiful building and replaced it with an ugly metal shed. Today, even the shed is gone and there is no LIRR service in either Bayport or Blue Point. Bayport Heritage Association was founded in 1983. Too bad no such organization existed here in the 1960's. Maybe our hamlet's beautiful railroad station might have been preserved.
www.bayportbluepointheritge.org
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