Bayport Heritage Association

Join us for our General Membership meeting on May 6th at 2:00 in the BBP Library. Our guest speaker will be Ray Reilley. Ray, a Bayport Fire Department ex-chief, retired from the NYFD and Education Director of the Islip Town Fire Fighters Museum, will give a presentation on the history of our American Fire Services and a brief introduction to the Fire Fighters Museum. The museums goal is to maintain as much of Islip Town’s Fire Service history as possible. The museum's mission is a commitment to the historical preservation of Fire Departments, Public Safety Education, and Fire Fighters Safety programs. Islip's 21 fire departments and 5 Ambulance corps have been working diligently collecting donated historical artifacts for the museums displays and exhibits for everyone’s enjoyment and for the preservation of the fire services history. The “Islip Town Fighter Fighters” museum’s home is located at a site next to Duck’s stadium, in Central Islip. They look forward to a partnership with other Community, Organizations, Businesses, Friends and Government support, in order to help reach their goals and to share their proud heritage with Long Island families. Looking forward to this event!

Join us at Meadow Croft on June 9th from 6:00-9:00 PM and enjoy a glass of wine or an iced cold beer as you listen to soft jazz and delight in the company of your friends and neighbors. This event will be held outside and in the historic carriage house. Tables and chairs will be provided. Cheese platters and finger sandwiches will be served. The price is $30.00 per person and proceeds will benefit the continued efforts of preservation and restoring the Meadow Croft Estate.

If you are interested in attending, please send your check, with the names of those guests attending and a contact phone number to:

Bayport Heritage Association

P.O. Box 4

Bayport NY 11705

This event will occur rain or shine so please dress in comfortable clothing and note bug spray may be needed. We hope to see you there!

The BBP Library has a wonderful series of audio files of people and memories from the Bayport and Blue Point communities. This month's feature is about the BBP Library, shared by the one-time director, Anna Davis. Mrs. Davis began working at the library in 1959. As a significant institution in our communities, Mrs. Davis shares her memories of her time working there. We hope you enjoy it!

The BHA is always looking for volunteers or new members to fulfill the vision and mission which is dedicated to the preservation, history and future of our BBP hamlet. If you are interested and have some time, we need you! All levels of help welcomed.

** Tour Guides (docents)** ~ if you love history then we have a job for you! Docents or house guides are needed two days a month, June through October, to show the historic Meadow Croft to visitors. It is not much of a time commitment and training will be provided. For more information or if you are willing to help, please call Harriet Mihlstin at 631-475-2118

** Garden help ** ~ Meadow Croft's heirloom garden is in need of some hands to dig in the dirt. This garden is a replica of the original garden at the Meadow Croft estate dating back to the early 1900's. If you can spare some time and some muscle, bring your gardening tools to Meadow Croft on Friday mornings (weather permitting) starting at 9:00 AM. Call Lorraine for more details at 516-459-0140.

Local historian Monica Randall has a wonderful display of Gold Coast 1920's dresses that will be on display at Meadow Croft on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00-4:00 in the ladies parlor. There is a $5.00 donation requested for this display. This will run from June through October.

During the sixties and seventies hundreds of the great estates were bulldozed to make way for new housing developments. The attics of these doomed palaces were often littered with steamer trunks filled with the most expensive gowns money could buy. These gowns, which could cost as much as $20,000, were worn in the heyday by the God Coast ladies of high society who hosted elaborate masquerade balls. Clothing items on display were worn by notable North Shore women such as the ladies of the Woolworth, Tiffany, Hutton, and Woodward families, as well as the Countess of Bismarck.

We hope you have the chance to come to Meadow Croft and view these beautiful historic gowns on display.

Every October the BHA organizes an Autumn House Tour of unique or historical homes found in our Bayport or Blue Point communities. If you have a home that might be featured or would like more information, please reach out to bbphistorical@gmail.com.

The Bayport Heritage Association will again march in the Bayport Memorial Day Parade. If you would like to join us, the line up begins on Connetquot Rd before 11:00 and the parade will march to the Bayport Memorial Park where the BHA will present a wreath. All members are invited to march. More information can be obtained by calling 631-472-4625.

The publication, Bayport Heritage, originally published in 1997, is still available. The Bayport Heritage Association's book from Arcadia Press sold out its original order of 2500 copies. If you didn't have a chance to purchase one and would like to get one now, email Bbphistorical@gmail.com. The cost is $20.00. This is a great resource and chock full of Bayport history. It makes a great gift for Bayporters who have moved away. They are also for sale at Meadow Croft.

On Sunday and email went out in reference to the passing of Barney Loughlin. The BHA regrets that an error was obtained in our research stating that Barney was an editor of the Suffolk County News. He was a typesetter there. Thank you to Michael Jahn for the correct information. Our apologies for the mistake.

Follow us.... Come and visit us....

Email: bbphistorical@gmail.com
Website: www.bayportheritage.blogspot.com
Location: Meadow Croft Estate, Middle Road, Sayville, NY, United States
Phone: 6314724625
Facebook: Facebook.com/BayportHeritageAssociation
Twitter: @BayportHistory