Bayport Blue Point Heritage Association: 2022

The Bayport Heritage Association was formed in 1983 and is dedicated to the preservation of the history of Bayport. The association has an extensive collection of archival photographs, vintage clothing, artifacts and books. Through the years, the group has been particularly active in the restoration of Meadow Croft, a John Ellis Roosevelt summer home and now a historical museum on the border of Bayport and Sayville. The association provides lectures and resources- educational, historical, environmental and social programs and services for the community and interested public. In June 2018, Blue Point joined the Association to include both communities.

Tour Meadow Croft information here.

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Newsletter ~ December 2022

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Holidays!

Christmas at Meadow Croft

The Meadow Croft elves have been very busy these last few weeks planning, decorating, volunteering, organizing and making Meadow Croft BEAUTIFUL to celebrate Christmas at Meadow Croft 2022. We are so grateful to be able to open this home, once again, for the holiday season.

On Saturday December 3rd and Sunday December 4th from 12:00-4:00, Meadow Croft will be open to the public. Come see each room of the John Ellis Roosevelt estate alive with festive holiday decorations! There will be music played on the original Roosevelt piano and pictures with Old Saint Nick in the Carriage House. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served! Many raffle baskets will be on display and holiday decorations and the baskets will be raffled off at the end of the weekend. A special sale of historical gifts will be on sale as well. We have great items including; local history books by author Gene Horton, ornaments, note cards, tote bags, and Meadow Croft prints. All of these items would make great holiday gifts! The admission fee is $5.00 per person.

We thank our chairperson Leanne Berg for her efforts in coordinating this event. We thank our many volunteers who have put in countless hours preparing for this weekend. We look forward to seeing YOU at Meadow Croft this weekend to celebrate the season.

Nominations for BBPHA

The nominating committee is developing a slate of members for the 2023 board. There are open seats; including directors. Any current paid BBPHA member may serve on the board. It requires only one meeting per month. If you would be willing to serve for the 2023 year, please contact us at bbphistorical@gmail.com

We are also looking for members to serve on various committees throughout the year. You can work from home! If you have a particular skill or interest (house tour, special events, light clerical and organization) please contact us at BBPhistorical@gmail.com.

Digitizing of Previous Newsletters

FYI: As reported in a previous newsletter, we have completed the project to digitize our newsletters from years 1894 to 2009. Now you all have viewing access to these newsletters from you computer. We are thankful to the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation who funded the program which was administered by the graduate history department of Long Island University, headed by Dr. Greg Hunter. The hard copies of the newsletters were sent to LIU and the students digitized them for web access. We are proud to offer them to all of our members for a look back in time. Follow these instructions for access. There is no log-in needed.

1. Use the link https://liu.access.preservica.com

2. Click on "Browse Collections."

3. Click on "Bayport-Blue Point Heritage Association."

4. You will see the years in chronological order with the image of the front page.

5. Click on the year you would like to view

6. IMPORTANT: Click on "View Gallery" This tab allows you to scroll through the pages.

7. Scroll through the pages using the "Previous" and "Next " buttons at the top of the page.

Have fun looking into the past. The current board members want to thank the previous members for their hard work in creating the interesting stories and posting the photos which make these items the valuable artifacts that they are. Thank you!

Environmental Planting at Meadow Croft

The Long Island Conservancy, with the support of Spadefoot Design and Construction, has been engaged to restore habitat here at Meadow Croft. With the direction of Suffolk County Parks Director of Historical Services, Richard Martin, the original Historic Landscape plan was followed.

Eleven red maples were planted along the western spur of the driveway in keeping with the John Ellis Roosevelt Estate's original planting design from the early 1900's.

In addition, a native wildflower bed was planted where historically there had been a garden. Lemon balm, broom sedge, and bergamot were planted. These new plantings will help restore native habitat and provide an educational experience for Suffolk County residents. Invasive plants including mugwort and tree of heaven were also removed. More plantings are planned and contemplated.

The Stillman Barge at the Foot of Blue Point Avenue

These articles first appeared in the Bayport Blue-Point Gazette and were written by Gene Horton. They are reprinted here with permission.

December 2008

Only a few old-timers would remember the STILLMAN BARGE. It was located at the foot of Blue Point Avenue tied up to the town pier. It was there from the 19-teens until the 1930's. It was only open during the summer months and was owned and operated by Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Stillman.

In April 1939, the NY WORLD TELEGRAM ran a story about the Stillman Barge. "There tucked securely into a shoulder of piling and lashed to dockside, is the Stillman Houseboat. There has been a Stillman Houseboat in that berth for 20 years, although this, the second, is only about 14 years old. Stuart Stillman, a thin, white-haired boatman goes out every day and digs up the clams, while Mrs. Stillman, an amply proportioned woman with a kindly manner and a somewhat worried expression, turns out clam chowder. "It's the New York kind, but I don't make it like they do in New York," she tells you and clam fritters and fried fish, and crabs and splendid small donuts which she calls snowballs, and applesauce cake, which is her husband's favorite.

I don't know how you describe direction in a houseboat; nothing with such uncompromising ends can have anything to do with fore and aft...but the eating cabin occupies the inshore half of the boat and the rest of it is given over to the kitchen and storage space and a small back room where Mrs. Stillman presumably sits whenever she has a moment to sit (they don't sleep aboard). The dining cabin contains two long, rather narrow tables aligned on opposite sides of the room, each set between two benches. If Stillman's is anything like crowded, you would want to be on good terms with your companions!

The large sign on the roof of the Stillman Barge advertised clam chowder, clam cocktail and clams on the shell. The smaller roof sign advertised sandwiches, frankfurters, tea & coffee, soft crab sandwiches, NEAR BEER, soft drinks. Stillman's Barge is long gone now, but not entirely forgotten, as part of Blue Point's shoreline history.

Sunday, November 20, 2022

~ Christmas Update 2022 ~

Christmas at Meadow Croft

It's almost time for our Annual Christmas at Meadow Croft! This year's event will be held on December 3rd & 4th, 2022. There will be special exhibits, electric trains, dolls, wood carvings, and of course St. Nicholas will be there. The Roosevelt piano will be filling the air with holiday music and the festive decorations and baskets & decorations will be raffled off.

The theme this year will be;

Christmas by the Bay!

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

~ November 2022 Newsletter ~

Next General Meeting- Join us!

Friday, October 7, 2022

~ October 2022; Special Edition ~

Please join us... November 5th, 2022, 3:00pm

A special dedication in honor our local historian, Gene Horton.

The Blue Point Fire Department will be holding a memorial and street dedication ceremony for lifetime member and Blue Point native, Gene Horton. As we all know, Gene was a local treasure as an historian, neighbor, fire fighter, and friend. Please join us if you can. Details below.

Saturday, October 1, 2022

October 2022 Newsletter

October General Membership Meeting

Welcome to October! This is our last month for house tours, happening every weekend from 2:00-4:00. Come check out Meadow Croft and see all of the updates and displays.

Join us for our October General Membership Meeting featuring speaker Chris Kretz. Chris will be speaking about Long Island and the Spirit of the Times in the early 1800's. The meeting will be held at the BBP Library on October 16th from 2-4:00. Light refreshments are served. All are welcome!

Before the great estates and the Gilded Age, Long Island was a rustic sportsman's paradise. Nowhere was this more evident than in the pages of the Spirit of the Times, America's first popular sporting magazine. This talk will present Long Island as it appeared in the pages of the Spirit - the taverns, the woods, the racetracks - as well as the lively characters that frequented them.

31st Autumn House Tour

We're Back! Tour 6 magnificent homes in Bayport and Blue Point, plus Meadow Croft Estate, summer home to the Roosevelts.

On October 23rd, 2022 from 1:00-5:00, beautiful historic homes will be on full display! Tickets are $30.00 pp and will go on sale starting October 1st at these locations: BBP Library, Bayport Flower Houses, and at the Meadow Croft Estate (only Sat & Sunday from 2-4:00). There are a limited number of tickets available so don't delay!

Please note that out of respect for the generous homeowners, children under 12, pets, high heels, cameras, and food and drink are NOT permitted. Thank you!

For more information, check out our webpage www.BayportBluePointHeritage.org

Bicycle Tour

On Saturday, September 17, our own Frank Giebfried led the first of what will be many historic bike tours through the twin communities of Bayport and Blue Point. About twenty riders participated in the approximately ten mile tour that went from Meadow Croft on the Bayport/Sayville border to Bergen Lane in Blue Point. There were many stops along the way that showcased the rich history of our area.

The group visited many Bayport locations, including the site of the former estate of Julius Liebman, brewer of Rheingold beer, the home of Broadway actress Effie Shannon, and the building that once housed the Moonrise Restaurant, run by German immigrant Ma Moon. One of the highlights (or lowlights) was what might be the final visit to 19th century bottling titan John Morgan’s mansion on Ocean Avenue before it crumbles to the ground.

Blue Point locations included the former sites of the South Bay House and Avery’s Five Mile Look, with its beautiful view of the Great South Bay. Bergen Lane’s rich history was also enjoyed, as riders learned about Dr. Raymond Davis, co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, and Maud and Ballington Booth, founders of the Volunteers of America.

Special thanks to Mary Bailey and Jennifer Economos for guiding our riders along the way. And thanks to Bill Bailey for designing and mapping our route.

Christmas at Meadow Croft

Save the dates! December 3rd & 4th 2022 for this year's theme; Christmas by the Bay! Planning is underway and volunteers are needed. Also we need pianists to volunteer their time for an hour or so to play on the Roosevelt piano. If you are crafty or have any unusual displays related to our theme and would like to be involved, please all our chairperson Leanne Berg at 631-235-1702.

A New Historic Sign in Bayport

These articles were first printed in the Bayport Blue Point Gazette. They were written by Gene Horton and reprinted here with permission.

October 2006

Take a drive up Sylvan Ave. in Bayport and look for this beautiful new sign outside the historical home and agricultural business now known as "The Sunshine Shop." The property now owned by John and Anne Zelenka at 482 Sylvan Ave., Bayport, north of the Montauk Highway, was part of the Nicolls Estate that was originally inhabited by the Indians who lived in this area.

In the early 1800's, Nicoll VI provided a quit claim deed for land previously conveyed in Bayport to William Arthur who created the agricultural business on this site. William B. Arthur, son of William Arthur, was born March 24, 1817, and died in his Bayport home March 1, 1896. The Zelenka's home was owned by William B. Arthur. The home, property and outbuildings and agricultural business were willed to the heirs of William B. Arthur.

In the year 1975, John & Anne Zelenka bought the property and restored the house and greenhouses. The Zelenka family is still conducting the agricultural business that was established there in the early 1800's. It is known today as "The Sunshine Shop." It opens every year on May 1 and remains open until all of its home-grown plants are sold out.

John & Anne Zelenka researched all of the above information and have placed this beautiful historical sign on their Sylvan Ave. property. Dominic Savino of "Smart Signs" in Bohemia created and crafted this sign for the Zelenkas.

BBP Heritage Association

Instagram: @bbpheritage

Twitter: @BayportHistory

FB: @BayportBluuePointHeritageAssociation

Meadow Croft Estate, Middle Road, Sayville, NY, USA

bbphistorical@gmail.com

631-472-4625

BayportBluePointHeritage.org

Friday, September 30, 2022

Tour the Meadow Croft Estate

~~~

Meadow Croft is open for tours Saturdays and Sundays from 2-4, June through October.

Group and specialty tours can be arranged by calling 631-472-4625. As Meadow Croft is a Suffolk County Park, the grounds are open year-round.

Meadow Croft is rare example of South Shore summer house architecture prior to the turn of the 19th century. The summer estate of John Ellis Roosevelt and his family, Meadow Croft is comprised of a 19th century farmhouse and a magnificent 1891 addition designed by Isaac H. Green, Jr. of Sayville. Additional structures are a carriage house, an auto house, a caretaker's cottage, and a swimming pool.

Meadow Croft is owned by Suffolk County and is part of the Suffolk County Parks Department. The care and restoration is shared by the Bayport-Blue Point Heritage Association which first envisioned its potential as a museum in 1984. The organization literally saved Meadow Croft from the wrecker's ball. Many hours went into the painstaking restoration of the house and outbuildings you see today. In addition to the buildings, the colonial revival garden has been restored to its original beauty with heirloom plants.

Using John E. Roosevelt's ledgers, family photos, and evidence left in the house, Bayport-Blue Point Heritage Association was able to have a furnishing report prepared that became the guide to restoring the house. Reproduction wallpaper and carpets were purchased, as well as period antiques. The Roosevelt family generously donated original pieces, most notably the beautiful grand piano. The Loughlin family returned the original dining room table and chairs, at which President Theodore Roosevelt, John Roosevelt’s famous cousin, had lunch with the family in 1903.

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

September 2022 Newsletter

General Membership Meeting

Welcome fall! It was a wonderful summer season with free outdoor concerts, Meadow Croft tours and our historic boat tour of Fire Island! Thank you to all of those who have attended house tours and learned a little bit about life in early 1900's. Tours will continue every weekend, from 2:00-4:00, until the end of October. If you haven't had the chance to check out Meadow Croft, the summer home of John Ellis Roosevelt, now is the time!

These meetings are open to all and are presented at the Bayport-Blue Point Library.

Save the dates!

George Munkenbeck

Tracing Your Homes History

September 11, 2-4pm

Every structure has a history, a genealogy. How does one go about discovering the history of the home you live in? It is both easy and difficult as in New York State the records are not in a central location, but that makes the hunt for information an adventure in research! This program is designed to let you know where to look, give you some hints on where information is housed and tips on how to trace the story of the property you live on. Please join the Bayport Blue Point Heritage Association and Islip Town Historian George Munkenbeck for this fascinating discussion. All are welcome to attend.

Chris Kretz

Long Island and the Spirit of the Times in the Early 1800's

October 16, 2-4pm

Brian Maher

My Father and Theodore Roosevelt

November 20, 2-4pm

Historic Boat Tour

"A great night!" was the consensus of the guests for this year's historic boat tour of Fire Island. The weather was in full cooperation...thank you Mother Nature! and everyone was relaxed and in good spirits. John Amato shared the history of our barrier island paradise as the Sayville ferry made its way from Sunken Forest to Davis Park. Special thanks to Gene Horton, a past member of BBPHA and local historian who wrote the historical text used for this tour.

It was a glorious sunset as the ferry docked at Davis Park so our guests could enjoy some time at the Casino Bar & Grill. A full moon, also know as a Blue Moon or a Sturgeon Moon, was on full display as we made our way back to Sayville. It was a great night on the Great South Bay!

Bicycle Tour

On Saturday September 17th, 2022, the BBP Heritage Association will be hosting an Historical Bicycle Tour. The tour will begin at Meadow Croft (299 Middle Rd Sayville NY) at 8:30 AM.

A former summer hot spot for the rich and famous, this locality has been home to Nobel Prize recipients, actors, singers, entrepreneurs, and famous families and leaders. Did we mention the best beer and oysters??

Join us as historian Frank Giebfried leads the tour throughout Bayport and Blue Point. This will be about a 10 mile tour into our South Shore communities past. Highlights include not only stunning water views, but the former homes and playgrounds of the likes of Roosevelt, Morgan, the founder of the Salvation Army, the Noble Prize recipient in Physics, and some famous musicians and actors of years ago.

To register for this event, please visit our website found here. There is a limited number of riders and a $10.00 fee. An FAQ is also available. Join us for this event!

Historic Autumn House Tour

Save the date! On Sunday October 23rd the BBPHA will once again host an historic house tour of some beautiful homes in Bayport and Blue Point. More information and details where to purchase tickets will be in the October newsletter.

We are in need of volunteers to help with this event. If you can donate 2 hours of your time to become a docent for one of these homes, please email us BBPhistorical@gmail.com . We need support to make this a fun, safe and educational event! Thank you!

Christmas at Meadow Croft

Save the dates! December 3rd & 4th 2022 for this year's theme; Christmas by the Bay! Planning is underway and volunteers are needed. Also we need pianists to volunteer their time for an hour or so to play on the Roosevelt piano. If you are crafty or have any unusual displays related to our theme and would like to be involved, please all our chairperson Leanne Berg at 631-235-1702.

1950 View of the Blue Point Fire House

These articles first appeared in the Bayport Blue Point Gazette and were written by Gene Horton. They are reprinted here with permission.

September 2003

The Blue Point Fire House was built between 1921-22. This building, located on the east side of Blue Point Ave., where the Fire House is located today, was dedicated on June 7, 1922. It cost $17,400 to construct. In the old photograph (below), part of the Payne homestead can be seen to the left.

The Fire Department would purchase the Payne property in 1969. To the right in the old photo, Blue Point Cemetery can be seen in the distance. Additions were made to the Fire House in 1953, 1975, and more recently, 2002.

September and October are the last months for house tours! Every weekend from 2:00-4:00! Hope to see you there!

Meadow Croft Estate, Middle Road, Sayville, NY, USA

bbphistorical@gmail.com

631-472-4625

BayportBluePointHeritage.org

Monday, August 1, 2022

August 2022 Newsletter

The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer! We hope you are enjoying your summer and all that it has to offer! The BBPHA has been busy with lots of summertime events and planning for even more.

House Tours of Meadow Croft are happening every weekend from 2:00-4:00. Come check out the summer home of J.E. Roosevelt and what life was like in 1900. Lots of updates and additions.

Our General Membership meetings will continue in September-November. Check out the dates and schedule below. We have our Historic Sunset Boat Cruise happening on August 10th. This event has just sold out! An Historic Bike Tour is also planned on September 17th through Bayport and Blue Point. It is about a 10 mile ride that will cover all of the historical & significant homes in our area. You'll need to sign up on our website as there is a limit for the number of riders and a nominal fee on our website, check it out for more information.

Our traditional Autumn House Tour is in the planning stages and we still need a couple of homes to round out the day. If you have an historical or architectural significant home, please consider your home for our tour. contact us for more information. Finally, our yearly signature event, Christmas At Meadow Croft will be held on December 3rd & 4th this year. Mark your calendars for another wonderful festive event.

More information on all of these events can be found on our webpage or below. Mark your calendars for these wonderful community events!

General Membership Meetings

These meetings are open to all and are presented at the Bayport-Blue Point Library.

Save the dates!

George Munkenbeck: Tracing Your Homes History

September 11, 2-4pm

Chris Kretz: Long Island and the Spirit of the Times in the Early 1800's

October 16, 2-4pm

Brian Maher: My Father and Theodore Roosevelt

November 20, 2-4pm

BBPHA Bike Tour

On Saturday September 17th, 2022, the BBP Heritage Association will be hosting an Historical Bicycle Tour. The tour will begin at Meadow Croft (299 Middle Rd Sayville NY) at 8:30 AM.

Join us as historian Frank Giebfried leads the tour throughout Bayport and Blue Point. This will be about a 10 mile tour into our South Shore communities past. Highlights include not only stunning water views, but the former homes and playgrounds of the likes of Roosevelt, Morgan, the founder of the Salvation Army, the Noble Prize recipient in Physics, and some famous musicians and actors of years ago.

To register for this event, please visit our website found here. There is a limited number of riders and a $10.00 fee. An FAQ is also available. Join us for this event!

Christmas at Meadow Croft

The Lost Buildings of Middle Road

When you drive, walk or jog along Middle Road, you may notice many beautiful old homes. Progress and development are inevitable in many cases. While many of Bayport's old homes along Middle Road still exist today, there are several which are no longer standing as a result of private sale and development. Here, we will take a look at two such homes.

The John Hawkins house: In 1858 John Hawkins built his farmhouse on the south side of Middle Road on the current site of the Methodist church's community center just east of East Lane. John Hawkins, son of Gersham Hawkins, one of Bayport's early settlers and a Civil War veteran, owned this home pictured below from 1858 until 1871. The home was built using interlocking frame construction with wooden pegs holding timbers together. Mary Coger took ownership of the home in 1871. The Coger family owned the home from 1871 until 1910 when John Hamburger bought the home. The house was sold to the Bayport Methodist Church in 1956. The church used it as a Sunday school and community house called Wesley House until 1960 when the home was demolished to make room for a parking lot which is still in use today.

The Homan Farmhouse: On the North side of Middle Road at the site of what is now Sloan Court, stood the farmhouse of Walter Homan, pictured below. In 1840 Daniel and Nancy Howell conveyed a 50 acre farm to Charles Homan. At that time, the farmhouse or part of it was probably there. By 1858, Charles's son Walter is shown on maps as the owner. Walter Homan is listed as a farmer in census records of the time. For the years 1892 to 1894, Walter Homan served as Bayport's postmaster using part of his home as Bayport's fourth post office. In later years it was the Isaac Homan homestead. By 1902 the home and property were owned by Wood and Brown. On a map of 1938 the house was still shown but by 1946 the house was gone. The property is currently occupied by #545 Middle Road and the Sloan Court development.

This story was written by John Amato using resources created by Don Weinhardt. This begins a series on the lost homes of Middle Road.


The John Hawkins House		The Homan Farmhouse

Special Thanks!

Special thanks to our two bands for playing in our FREE Summer Concert series for 2022. We had two beautiful evenings and some great crowds for these events. Huge thanks to SOUNDSWELL and ALBUMS WE LOVE for two great shows. Check out the attached article from Suffolk County News found here. Thanks to all who came out and enjoyed the music! See you next year!

Blue Point in the 1950's and Today

These articles first appeared in the Bayport Blue Point Gazette and were written by Gene Horton. They are reprinted here with permission.

August 2015

Here is an old photo of a Montauk Highway icon on the Blue Point-Patchogue border for the 1950's: Carvel. This Carvel outlet stood on the north side of Montaul HIghway right across the way from Atlantic Avenue.

Technically, the address was in Patchogue but it straddled the Patchogue-Blue Point border. Everyone who remembers the 1950's can easily remember that Carvel Cone on the roof of each Carvel outlet.

This photo (which was sent to me by Bob Parente in 2012) was probably taken at the grand opening of this Carvel sometime in the 1950's. And who can forget Tom Carvel and his gravel-like voice pitching his soft ice cream on the media.

Over the years, this building has actually been extensively renovated to house various businesses. For awhile, it was Guy's Ristorante & Pizza place. More recently, it was the home of Meson Ole, and now a new business, Don Quijote, is getting ready to open there.

But old-time Blue Pointers fondly remember this place when it was Carvel.


How it started...	Devastation!	How it's going...

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Christmas at Meadow Croft

Nominations for BBPHA

Digitizing of Previous Newsletters

Environmental Planting at Meadow Croft

The Stillman Barge at the Foot of Blue Point Avenue

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Christmas at Meadow Croft

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Thank you!

31st Annual House Tour

Grape Arbor Update

How it started...

Devastation!

How it's going...

Gene Horton Memorial & Street Dedication

Thank you Docents!

BBP Chamber of Commerce Community Expo

Megill's Lake, Blue Point Avenue, Blue Point

Friday, October 7, 2022

Please join us... November 5th, 2022, 3:00pm

Saturday, October 1, 2022

October General Membership Meeting

31st Autumn House Tour

Bicycle Tour

Christmas at Meadow Croft

A New Historic Sign in Bayport

BBP Heritage Association

Friday, September 30, 2022

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Historic Boat Tour

Bicycle Tour

Historic Autumn House Tour

Christmas at Meadow Croft

1950 View of the Blue Point Fire House

Monday, August 1, 2022

General Membership Meetings

Historic Boat Tour

BBPHA Bike Tour

Christmas at Meadow Croft

The Lost Buildings of Middle Road

The John Hawkins House

The Homan Farmhouse

Special Thanks!

Blue Point in the 1950's and Today

BBP Heritage Association