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.

Monday, July 1, 2024

Newsletter: July 2024

 Happy 4th of July!

Independence Day! Welcome to July! 
Meadow Croft House Tours are happening each weekend from 2:00-4:00 so stop by and check out what life was like in the early 1900s. Lots of updates and improvements to view including updates to the servants quarters, which will now be part of the tour. There is also a John Hodge exhibit. John Hodge was a local artist, among many other things, and his unique style of paintings and artwork are a sight to see.

The BBPHA has many exciting things happening this summer. We have our second FREE concert happening in July featuring The Lazy Bunny Band. See more info below.

Our historic sunset boat cruise is back! Last year was so much fun and a gorgeous night plus we learned so much about the history of homes and happenings on the Great South Bay. We hope you can join us again this year, check out the details and more happenings below.

BBP Scholarship Winner
Congratulations to Gianna Echervarria who is the recipient of the 2024 Gene Horton Memorial Scholarship! The BBPHA is pleased once again to be awarding a $1000.00 scholarship to a deserving HS student from the BBP High School. This award is given in the name of our dear friend, local historian, and former director, Gene Horton. The candidate must be a graduating senior who has a record of community service and plans to pursue a degree in History. Congratulations Gianna and best wishes in all that you do!

FREE Summer Concert
Join us for our second FREE Summer Concert of the season. The concert will be on July 18th at 6:00 in Bayport Memorial Park and will feature The Lazy Bunny Ukulele Band. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets, refreshments and bug spray! This is for families of all ages! Dancing is encouraged! We hope you can join us and enjoy this FREE concert!
Event Information
FREE Concert in the Park
When?
Thursday, Jul 18, 2024, 06:00 PM
Where?
Bayport Memorial Park, Paulanna Avenue, Bayport, NY, USA

Academy Street Elementary visits Meadow Croft
On Friday June 14th, the 4th grade class from Academy Street Elementary School came to Meadow Croft to learn a little bit about our local history. Thanks to Jen Economos, Mary Bailey, Beth LaMarca, Sandra Iden and Roy Fedelem who helped show the boys and girls the estate and surrounding buildings. The students were clearly excited, well behaved and asked great questions!

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to learn a little bit about our local history!Save the dates!
Check out all of these happenings sponsored by the BBPHA! Information will be on our website and in our monthly newsletter. Share with your friends and neighbors!

June-October: House tours of the Meadow Croft Estate. 2-4 every weekend.
July 18th, 2024: FREE concert; Lazy Bunny Ukulele Band. 6:00pm at Bayport Memorial Park
August 21st, 2024: Historic Summer Boat Cruise. More information in our August newsletter.

TBD: BBP Historic Walking tours ~ new dates announced soon!
TBD: Browns River Environmental Kayak Tour. Starting at the MC estate.

September 21st, 2024: Gatsby Gala; held at MC. 7-9:00pm More info to follow on this event.

Ongoing: Teddy Roosevelt Augmented Reality at MC. See details on our website
December 7th & 8th, 2024: Christmas at Meadow Croft: A Candy Coated Christmas, 12-4:00

Become a member and get our monthly newsletter!
All information on our website and on social media!Student Docents for a Day
We were so fortunate to have the Sayville High School History Club come to Meadow Croft and act as docents for the day! The students had training about the Meadow Croft Estate and the rich history of our community and the Roosevelt family and jumped right in and gave tours to guests on our opening day, June 1st. Bright, articulate and passionate about history! We were so lucky to have them join us. 
Of course, you all are welcome back anytime!

Model A Ford Club visits Meadow Croft
What a treat! On June 15, the BBPHA played host to about 20 members of the Model A Ford Club of Long Island who visited Meadow Croft. They drove in with their beautiful antique cars and enjoyed a tour of the Meadow Croft Estate. It was such a pleasure hosting this group for a fun afternoon! Thank you for visiting and we hope to see you again!

Roosevelt Great-Grandson visits Meadow Croft
We were so lucky to have a surprise visitor take a tour of Meadow Croft, the summer home of John Ellis Roosevelt. On June 9th, Philip Roosevelt, the great grandson of JER came to visit and reminisce about his family, summer memories and more. We were delighted to host and share a special tour for Philip and his guests. Thank you for stopping by and sharing a love of local history and of course, the Roosevelt family!

Christmas at Meadow Croft
We know it's only July, but planning has already begun for this year's Christmas at Meadow Croft! The theme this year will be A Candy Coated Christmas and the dates are 
December 7th & 8th, 2024. 
Our chairperson, Leanne Berg is looking to create a list of volunteers who would like to help with the set-up, and cleaning both before and after the event. If you are interested and would like more information, please call Leanne at 631-235-1702.

Summer Solstice Walking Tour
Residents once again celebrated the first day of summer with a stroll through historic Blue Point, sponsored by the Bayport Blue Point Public Library. The tour was led by Frank Giebfried of BBPHA, who continues the tradition that our great historian Gene Horton began many years ago. Over one hundred Blue Pointers and Bayporters signed up for the tour. It’s great to see so many interested in our heritage!

The tour began at our beautiful library, formerly the site of the South Bay House. Along the way many beautiful homes were visited, as well as the sites of the great summer hotels from last century. Some of the historic spots included Avery’s Five Mile Look Hotel, Grandview Gardens Private Beach, the Monterey Hotel, the Megill estate, and the home of Anna Davis, our former library director for 23 years who also happened to be married to Nobel Prize winner Raymond Davis, Jr. 
We visited the homes of Ballington Booth, jazz clarinetist Johnny Mince, and steamboat pilot Noah Mason. 
Thanks to the homeowners whose lovely properties were highlighted on our stroll. We were welcomed with open arms and are grateful for their enthusiasm for the history of their houses. Special thanks to Mrs. Davis who welcomed us from her porch, the Geoghans who showed us around their unique property, and the Parrot family for creating a beautiful display of historic postcards of their home. We also appreciate Wendy Bennett from the library for her help in organizing the tour.

We hope to see you all next year!


2024 Heirloom Garden Dedication
The Bayport Blue Point Heritage Association has decided to dedicate the 2024 Meadow Croft Heirloom Garden to Sylvia Harenberg, a cherished and devoted member of the BBPHA since its inception. Sylvia's passion for preserving our local history and her tireless efforts in nurturing our community's heritage have left an indelible mark. The garden stands as a tribute to her memory, reflecting the beauty she brought to our lives. We encourage you to visit.
BBPHA
www.bayportbluepointheritge.org🎆 Happy Independence Day!