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————————————— The Peconic Bay Shopper • Preserving Local History • June 2013 —————————————————2

publisher/editor — Michael P. Hagerman art department — Rita M. Hagerman, [email protected] sales — Sherri Baker, 631-278-8526 office manager — Lori McKiernan: 631-765-3346 regular contributors — Antonia Booth, Southold Town Historian Gail F. Horton, Daniel McCarthy, Bob Kaelin, Norman Wamback

A division of ACADEMY PRINTING SERVICES, INC.42 Horton Lane - POB 848, Southold NY 11971

www.academyprintingserv ices.comThe Peconic Bay Shopper is published monthly eleven months each year. (There in no January issue.)

On the Cover

P R E S C R I P T I O N S • V I TA M I N S • G R E E T I N G C A R D S

H E A L T H & B E A U T Y A I D S * F I N E L O T I O N S & S O A P S

A P R I L C O R N E L L L I N E N S • S T O N E WA L L K I T C H E N

F I N E G I F T S * S O Y C A N D L E S • H E R B A L T E A S

B E L G I U M C H O C O L AT E S • E S S E N T I A L O I L S

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THE MATTITUCK YACHT CLUB REGATTAContestants and speCtators, august 11, 1914.

The Mattituck Yacht Club Regatta was a popular annual event. Most stores in

town called it a holiday and closed for the afternoon. The young men on the left

participated in the jousting contest. A crewman stood in the bow with a long

punting pole while the other paddled. The object was to upset the opponent’s

canoe and crew in the joust. (Courtesy of Peter Kren.)

Reprinted with permission from Images of America: Mattituck and Laurel, by Nor-man Wamback, Jeffrey M. Walden and Gerard M. Matovcik. Available from the publisher online at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling 888-313-2665.

————————————— The Peconic Bay Shopper • Preserving Local History • June 2013 ————————————————— 3

Long Island The Sunrise HomelandThe information on the following pages is taken from the 160 page guide book to Long

Island, published in 1942 by the Long Island Association (explained in the box below, also

from the booklet). We have extracted the information from the North Fork towns and

villages and think you will enjoy reading the statistics from over 70 years ago. A few of

the advertisements from the book are also included. Enjoy!


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C U T C H O G U E 7 7 7

Suffolk County Southold Town 87.3 m. from N.Y. Population, 903 Number of trains, 6. Running time, 2 hrs., 7 mins. Cutchogue’s ideal location and many advantages combine to make it attractive. Within its limits can be found all fea-tures essential to real country life. Both Long Island Sound and Great Peconic Bay are within easy access at Cutchogue, and travelers need but cast a glance at the superb scenery along these shores to be roused to expressions of praise and appreciation. It has three churches, as well as a school, bank and public library. The North Fork Country Club, with an excellent 18-hole golf course, attracts many followers of the game. Here is to be found the “Old House” built in 1649 and now restored to its original condition of early Colonial architecture. Open in afternoons to the public.

E A S T M A R I O N 7 7 7

Suffolk County Southold Town 99 m. from N.Y. Population, 206. For railroad data see Greenport. A charming old-time village on Long Island Sound 2.5 miles east of Greenport.

G R E E N P O R T 7 7 7

Suffolk County Incorporated Village Southold Town 96.3 m. from N.Y. Population, 3,259. Number of trains, 6. Running time, 2 hrs., 25 mins. Bus line to Orient Point. An interesting town ideally located on the north fork of Long Island, Greenport

is both an important business center and a popular summer resort. The view one gets from the bluff a mile to the north of the village is expansive and exhilarat-ing. Dancing in the sunlight are the waters of the Sound stretching away to the green shores of Connecticut and to the south Peconic Bay, a glittering sapphire set between the green heights of Shelter Island and Greenport’s tree-clad shores. Greenport’s harbor has sufficient depth of water for the largest ships and yet is so sheltered that the smallest boat can navigate in safety. An important industry is shipbuilding. Greenport has several of the most modern and sanitary oyster opening shops along the coast and shipments of oysters are sent to the Pacific Coast and elsewhere. A frequent ferry service to Shelter Island across the bay, connects with all trains. The New London Ferry at Orient Point is connected by bus with Greenport. Greenport has excellent school facilities, fine churches, light and water plant, hospital, improved roads and sidewalks, hotels, free public library, theatre, newspaper and national banks.

J A M E S P O R T 7 7 7 Suffolk County Riverhead Town 80.3 m. from N.Y. Population, 251. Number of trains, 6. Running time, 1 hr., 55 mins. This old town has become very popular for summer holidays. It is situated on Peconic Bay, where several hotels are located. Its proximity to the bay makes it particularly attractive to lovers of boating and fishing. Extending from the railroad station to Peconic Bay, are the premises of the Brooklyn North District Epworth League, with homes for children, camp meeting grove, summer cottages, and public buildings for its Institute and other gatherings.

Long Island —The Sunrise Homeland...


L A U R E L 7 7 7

Suffolk County Riverhead Town 81.9 m. from N.Y. Population 39. Number of trains, 5. Running time, 1 hr., 59 mins. This is a homey village, “at peace with all the world.” Contentment exhales from it as fragrance from the flower which bears its name. It always has a goodly following of summer people. This village lies midway between Long Island Sound and Peconic Bay, and is notable both historically and by reason of its natural attractions.

M A T T I T U C K 7 7 7

Suffolk County Southold Town 84.4 m. from N.Y. Population, 1,937. Number of trains, 6. Running time, 2 hrs., 3 mins. A little way down the narrow pen-insula into which the north side of Long Island tapers, Mattituck is located. On the north is Long Island Sound, on the south Peconic Bay, giving the village fine water advantages. Mattituck Inlet on the Sound has recently been dredged, making a fine harbor for yachts. The winding shores of Mattituck Creek are lined with boarding houses, bungalows and cottages. The waters of the Sound and the bay lure the angler, for here the fish are found in quantities -- blue, black bass, porgies and snappers. Located in the prosperous farming community, Mattituck has comfortable homes, well-stocked stores, garages, adequate banking facilities, high school, free public library, a fine village hall for entertainments, and other features that have won deserved repute. The Mattituck Chamber of Commerce is an active civic organization.

N E W S U F F O L K 7 7 7

Suffolk County Southold Town 87 m. from N.Y. Population 65. Railroad station at Cutchogue. Sea-side community with frontage on the Peconic Bays. Identi-


fied with the sport fishing interests of Eastern Suffolk and long a popular summer resort. Excellent accommo-dations for fishermen.

O R I E N T 7 7 7

Suffolk County Southold Town 101 m. from N.Y. Population, 616. Railroad station at Greenport. Five miles east of Greenport on State Route 25. Residen-tial and farming commu-nity. Quaint homes border Orient Bay which affords bathing, sailing and fish-ing under ideal conditions. Many productive farms are nearby. Long Island Sound is a mile distant. Two miles eastward is Orient Point, north-eastern tip of Long Island and the terminus of the ferry to New London. Orient Beach State Park occupies a slender peninsula extending from the Point along Gardiner Bay. Bathing and picnic facilities are provided here.

P E C O N I C 7 7 7

Suffolk County Southold Town 89.8 m. from N.Y. Population, 631. Number of trains, 6. Running time, 2 hrs., 12 mins. Peconic, proud of its unsophisticated 1942 advertisement


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beauty, has long been a farming community, some of the most productive and prosperous potato and cauliflower farms on the Island being located here. Fertile fields surround the little village, stretching on the north to Long Island Sound and on the south to Peconic Bay.

R I V E R H E A D 7 7 7

Suffolk County Riverhead Town 75.3 m. from N.Y. Population, 5,396. Number of trains, 8. Running time, 1 hr., 47 mins. Commuters per month, 7. One of the largest and richest towns on Eastern Long Island, Riverhead, takes its name from the fact that it is situated at the head of beautiful Peconic River, which runs into Great Peconic Bay. It is the County Seat of Suffolk County and the center of the Town of Riverhead. The country cultural districts in the State. As county seat, Riverhead is the center financially, agriculturally and industrially. The fields about the village produce crops of the finest quality. Famous Long Island ducks are raised by thousands near Riverhead. The village is a center for fishing and duck hunting parties on the bays, and sound and the streams. As a business center Riverhead leads its section of Long Island. It supplies the outlying communities and its excellent and varied stores draw shoppers from many neighboring villages. It serves also as the shipping point for vast quantities of produce. For residential living its municipal facilities are complete, with a lighting company, water, gas, and sanitary sewers; police and fire protection. Its public grade and high schools are unsur-passed. Two progressive newspapers serve a wide circle of readers. A community-financed hotel is popular with visitors. The receiving station

of the Radio Corporation of America is at Riverhead. This is one of the largest in the world. In the village also are several prominent title-searching companies with beautiful buildings adjacent to the county buildings. The new County Court House rivals all other buildings of its kind for beauty and service. Riverhead is one of the richest banking villages in the State of New York. There are four banks and several important mortgage companies. The annual Suffolk County Fair is held in Riverhead where a large and well kept fair ground is maintained for the purpose. To the fair come crowds of people from all over the country and for a week the county seat is the vivid center of life for the entire end of the island. The Suffolk County Historical Society maintains an attractive building, devoted to the display of interesting and valuable historical documents and articles. Its museum is open to the public. Riverhead has excellent train service. Bus lines connect it with other important villages not served by the railroad. The Riverhead Yacht Club is a popular boating center. Here is the headquarters of the East End Surf Fishing Club, one of the largest groups of anglers in New York State.

S H E L T E R I S L A N D 7 7 7

Suffolk County Shelter Island Town 97.3 m. from N.Y. Population, 1,250 For railroad data see Greenport. Shelter Island lies snugly between the North and South


forks of Long Island. A ferry connects the Island with the Greenport terminus of the Long Island Railroad and there is also a ferry from Sag Harbor via North Haven. It has two post offices, Shelter Island and Shelter Island Heights. Its forested hills, precipitous bluffs, fertile farm land, and extensive beaches along sheltered waters make it a haven for lovers of the out-of-doors. Carefully conducted camps for adults and for juniors have been maintained here many years. Here are facilities for salt water bathing, sport fishing, and sailing in safe waters which make the Island a popular vacation resort. While there are more than thirty miles of improved highways on Shelter Island, there still are abundant opportunities for hiking and nature study in a region as yet not densely populated. Artists delight in its marine views, vistas and atmospheric effects and find subjects for sketches and painting in great variety. The shore line is so irregular that it is about 40 miles around the island, though it greatest length is about seven miles. It was one of the first Long Island areas possessed by the English. Its historic associations are centered about Sylvester Manor, founded in 1651 by Nathaniel Sylvester, an advocate of religious liberty. The present Manor House was built about 1735 and is an excel-lent example of the Long Island type of colonial architecture. An old windmill built in 1795 is still in operating condition on the Manor grounds. Shelter Island has four churches, schools, and library. The Shelter Island Heights Association conducts the Island’s largest community, consisting of hotels, boarding houses, stores, Beach and Country Club with golf course, also the Shelter Island Yacht Club on Dering Harbor. The incorporated village of Dering Harbor is a select summer community with a country club and golf course. Ram Island peninsula is developing as an attractive summer cottage area. Several excellent small hotels and boarding houses offer pleasant accommodation amidst this ideal vacationland.

S O U T H O L D 7 7 7

Suffolk County Southold Town 92.1 m. from N.Y. Population 1,651 Number of trains, 6. Running time, 2 hrs., 17 mins. Southold points proudly to the fact that its first settlers secured a concession from the Indians and formed a settlement in 1640. The first Presbyterian Church organization, dating from 1640, claims to be the oldest church society in New York State. The Tercentenary of Southold was appropriately celebrated in 1940. This is an attractive, well kept village, extend-ing to Little Peconic Bay. Its streets are beautifully shaded by grand old trees. A village park is maintained at Founders’ Landing, on the shore of the Bay, to com-memorate the landing in 1640 of settlers from the Massachusetts colony. Southold has a savings bank, a business bank, stores, a progressive newspaper, hotels, a free

public library and five churches. There is a fine school as well as social clubs, fraternal organizations and a motorized fire depart-ment.

1942 ad.

[7\


Recycling may appear to be a recent concept, but here in Mattituck it’s been a tradition. It’s an expression of resourcefulness, and that’s one

of the outstanding characteristics of Mattituck people. It is conspicuous throughout their history, particularly in the way they mange to relocate, reuse, remodel, revitalize their buildings. Take the North Fork Theater for example. A hundred and fifty years ago, according to Rev. Craven in his History of Mattituck, the Presbyterians de-cide they’d outgrown their 115 year old meeting house, and so made plans to start on a new one. They voted to raise $1,500 and hired the brothers Salter and Thomas Horton of Peconic for the job. By 1853 they were building again, this time under Master builder Andrew Gildersleeve. The 1830 structure was sold to Thomas Hallock and the newly organized Methodist Episcopal group, and was relocated just west of the burial ground, fronting Sound Avenue. At first it was under the charge of Cutchogue pastors, then the local group separated and hired its own. It steadily grew in membership, especially during W.A. Layton’s revivals in the later 1800’s. Though their religious and ethnic roots were so close, and their chapels separated only by a few gravestones of their common ancestors, the Meth-odists and the Presbyterians of Mattituck for many years found themselves growing very far apart. In fact, says Craven, some Presbyterians were even reprimanded and disciplined before the session of the Elders for attending

NFCT

the service of “others”. Eventually, conflict and competition gave way to friendship and cooperation. In 1896 the Methodists moved the 1830 structure past the south end of their lot to serve as a chapel joined by sliding doors, to their new Church- this combination is basically the building we see today. The extra land they needed for their expansion was a gift from the Presbyterians. All too soon, hard times began to cloud their successes. Just before Christmas of 1900, the M.E. Trustees reluctantly consented to sell the parsonage and one lot to help ease their financial burdens. Having studied some of their minutes of their conferences from the turn of the century, I’m inclined to conclude the decline of the Mattituck Methodist Church occurred as a result of three factors. The members were not numerous enough, and their contributions not sufficient enough to meet the operating expenses, or the “enormous” debt of $3,500.00 they had incurred to erect their new church. Sometime around 1914, most of them joined the Presbyterian congre-gation. Incidentally, Reverend Craven exceptionally broad-minded and ecumenical in spirit, had consistently advocated and practiced a policy of brotherly love and mutual respect between the two groups. He welcomed them as if they were his own family. Around 1918, it was the Junior Order of United American Mechanics who bought the building for their new meeting hall. They renovated the interior, and turned the old chapel into a dining room. For the next thirty

This year’s NFCT Gala will celebrate the purchase of our “Home Sweet Home,” and look to the NFCT’s future. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards improvements to the NFCT. The 5th Annual NFCT Building On Tradition Gala will be held on Saturday June 15. (See our Calendar of Events for more details.)To help celebrate, we are reprinting the following article that ran in this publication in October 1979.

“From Sermons to Socials to Scenes”North Fork Community Theatre Buildings’ History


years “The lodge was the ‘goingest’ organization along the North Fork,” says Donald Gildersleeve, “... they carried on their stated meetings, played pool, cards, and volley ball, held suppers and ladies’ night, when they had entertainment, dancing and refreshments.” By the mid-fifties, the lodge membership had dwindled - some stayed home with their TV’s, some joined the Lions.

The Methodist Church on Sound AvenueThis church was built in 1830 as the second ediface of the Presbyterian Church on the site of the present church. In 1852 the Presbyterians sold it to the Methodists who moved it west of the cemetery. The Methodists added the small steeple and stained glass windows. In later years the Methodists moved the church to the rear and built a larger church connected to it. It is now the North Fork Playhouse. The entrance is through the 1830 Presbyterian Church.

Around 1960 the Presbyterians regained ownership and came to an agree-ment with J.S. Moreno, from Smithtown’s Old Two Theatre, to convert the lodge into a theatre that would be used for summer productions - rent free. Ever since the North Fork Theatre opened its doors in June of 1961, it has been welcome by both local people and summer visitors as an institution that is carrying on the best traditions of three such places in Mattituck’s past - Apollo Hall, Fischer’s Hall, and Library Hall. So a place that is almost as old as the town has not merely survived, but lived several useful lives, “recycled” through Mattituck resourcefulness.

— The End (October, 1979)

Mattituck Methodist Church, 1915

Editor’s note: We are searching for any better quality photos to help docu-ment the building’s history. If any readers can help, please share! We will scan and return your original while you wait. Thank you!

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