Harbor Hill - Roslyn

 Among the largest estates ever amassed on Long Island was the enormous Renaissance –style mansion known as Harbor Hill designed in 1899 by Stanford White and built in 1900 to 1902 for Clarence H. Mackay and his wife Katherine. Clarence Mackay was the son of Comstock Lode magnate John William Mackay, and inherited much of an estimated $500 million fortune upon his father's death in 1902

 The 576-acre estate was built in 1900-1902 and was divided into formal gardens and terraces surrounding the main house and a 70-acre farm.  A description of the house was given in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. This is a brief excerpt: “Early in the course of the preparations of plans Mr. Mackay made known his preference for the natural wildness of the estate and of his desire to preserve this feature as much as possible. It was decided that the house should be built on the very apex of the hill.” At the bottom of the west garden, Mackay commissioned two replicas of the famous Marly Horses statues. The 26-foot statues and pedestals were carved by sculptor Franz Plumelet and installed in 1920.

Social events held at the house included a grand party for the then Prince of Wales and Charles Lindbergh, was feted at a banquet and dance Mackay held the night of transatlantic aviator's ticker-tape parade on 5th Avenue.

With Clarence Mackay’s death in 1938, the Harbor Hill estate was left to his son John Mackay III. Due to vandalism during the World War II, the mansion was demolished in 1947. The property was sold in the late 1950s and became the Country Estates housing development.

The remaining structures associated with the Harbor Hill Estate are: Mackay Estate Dairyman's Cottage, Mackay Estate Gate Lodge, Harbor Hill Water Tower, John Mackay III House and retaining walls throughout Country Estates.

 

 

Sources:

“Harbor Hill.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Dec. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbor_Hill

“Harbor Hill Country Home.” Roslyn Landmark Society, 1 Jan. 1969, www.roslynlandmarks.org/profiles/harbor-hill-estate

“Mackays and Harbor Hill |.” The Bryant Library, www.bryantlibrary.org/local-history/from-the-bryant-room/places-and-events/harbor-hill-for-the-mackay-estate/. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024

The Mansion at Glen Cove

 The Mansion at Glen Cove was designed by architect Charles Adams Platt in 1910. The 55-acre estate was the home of John Teele & Ruth Baker Pratt. John Pratt was an attorney and an executive with John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company. Ruth Baker Pratt was the first woman elected to Congress from New York. The area surrounding the Mansion is scattered with former Pratt estates. John Pratt’s brothers were also his neighbors. George developed “Killenworth,” a Gothic Tudor mansion, which is currently the Russian Consulate’s quarters. Frederic’s stone mansion, “Poplar Hill,” which is now a home for seniors. Herbert’s waterfront home, “The Braes,” is now the Webb institute of Naval Architecture and Harold’s Neo-Georgian mansion is now Nassau County’s “Welwyn” Preserve.

Originally known as The Manor, The Mansion features a stately two-story portico entrance, an elegant, baronial double staircase, imported paneling and antique fixtures. Portions of the movies “Sabrina” and “North by Northwest” were filmed at the mansion.

The estate was maintained by the Pratt family until 1965, when Ruth passed away. Two years later, in 1967, the Harrison Conference Center bought the mansion and transformed it into a conference center and hotel.  In 1967, it became one of the very first conference center hotels in the United States. In 2018, it added 60 more rooms to its accommodations, making the room total 187.

 

Sources:

“The Mansion.” The Mansion at Glen Cove -, 9 Apr. 2022, themansionatglencove.com/the-mansion

Ryan, Caroline. “A History of the Glen Cove Mansion.” Glen Cove Record Pilot, 29 Aug. 2019, glencoveoysterbayrecordpilot.com/a-history-of-the-glen-cove-mansion

The Christeen

 Christeen, a 38-foot gaff-rigged sloop, is the oldest oyster sloop in America and a National Historic Landmark. She was originally built in 1883 for Captain William Smith in Glenwood Landing for harvesting oysters in Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor. The vessel was licensed to work the offshore oyster beds of Long Island and to participate in the coasting trade in 1884. In 1894, then owned by Henry W. Schmeelk, Jr., Christeen was licensed to work the Connecticut Oyster beds.  The sloop continued to oyster and carry cargoes under sail until 1914, when a small engine was added and she was converted to an auxiliary powered motor vessel.

In 1936, Christeen was sold on the occasion of Capt. Bond's death. The sloop worked in the New Jersey fisheries.. After a brief service as an excursion and sightseeing charter boat in the 1970s, Christeen was sold again and became a liveaboard at New London, Connecticut, when discovered and purchased by the Connecticut River Museum, who restored the vessel's  appearance and.rehabilitated her to return to sail, and occasionally dredge for oysters. On December 4th, 1991, Christeen was officially certified as a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Over her 125 years, Christeen served not only as an oyster dredge but also as a cargo carrier and live-aboard between Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. After surviving 16 major hurricanes, numerous nor’easters, two sinkings, and severe neglect, Christeen was returned home to Oyster Bay in 1992. A dedicated group of volunteers worked tirelessly on the restoration of Christeen.

Christeen was completely restored and launched in 1999. Christeen’s new mission is to serve as a floating classroom for The WaterFront Center. Programs offered on the ship include sunset cruises, harbor tours and marine ecology classes. During daytime harbor tours and golden-hour sunset cruises, passengers aboard Christeen set out on a two-hour boat ride that allows them to experience Oyster Bay and the Long Island Sound from a new perspective.

While on board, crewmates will offer visitors information about the surrounding towns, waters, houses and boats.

Sources:

“History.” Oyster Sloop CHRISTEEN, www.sailchristeen.org/history. Accessed 12 Jan. 2024

 “Sail Aboard Christeen.” Long Island Weekly, 26 July 2022, longislandweekly.com/sail-aboard-christeen

WBLI

 WBLI-FM, located at 106.1 on the radio dial first emerged in 1971, replacing WPAC-FM. They originally broadcast from a trailer before moving to the Wedgewood Building on Main St. in Patchogue, and later from a custom building in Medford. 

The station had Block Party Weekends. Held every Labor Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July, the station would play one artist for an entire hour, all weekend long. It had a Saturday Night disco show called "Club 106" during the disco days, and a Sunday Night Oldies show known as "Only Gold" during the 70's through the mid 80's hosted by Don Nelson.

DJs from the '70s & '80s included Barry Neal, Randi Taylor, Bruce Michaels, Nick O'Neil, Chris Tyler, Bill Terry (was PD in the '80s), Jeff Thomas (also the PD), Scott Taylor, Don Nelson, Rick Sommers, Keith Allen (now of B103 Long Island), Rob McLean, Mary Ann (aka J.J. Kennedy of WLTW/New York City),Carl Dayton, TK Townsend, Brooke Daniels, Larry Adams, Scott Miller and Kelly Hart.

Its most recent incarnation began in 1996. Under Doc Medek and Al Levine as M-D/night jock the station redeveloped it's sound, voiced by Billy Moore, and a new jingle package, playing the current records, and had night show features like the "Fresh 5 at 9", and the "New Music Challenge" return. When Cox Radio took over 'BLI they evolved into a more mainstream playlist voiced by Kurt Flood, Mark Driscoll, Jennifer Vaughn, and Brian James. In 2006, Beau Weaver took over as voice of 106.1 BLI.

In 1996, the station dropped the Syndicated weekend Program "Open House Party" on Saturday nights in favor of a disco show hosted by Party Marty Mitchell, also the longtime host of the B-103 Disco Party, and currently, The K-JOY All Request Party Marty Saturday Night Show. Open House Party continued on Sunday nights until November of 96. Party Marty's show would continue until 1998 when "CLUB BLI" would begin, playing current club music. CLUB BLI is the current Saturday night show featuring occasional live broadcasts from popular Long Island clubs.

The morning program, known as "BLI in the Morning" features Dana DiDonato, "Big Gay Randy", Drew,and Ted Lindner with news and traffic. The show has benchmarks such as Dana's crush of the week, Randy's Happy Horoscopes, the Dirt report, Phoney-Phone crank calls; a staple of former co-host Steve Harper, and Hersday, a feature that was pioneered by former co-host Maria Garcia.

WBLI, which is currently owned by Cox Radio and licensed to Patchogue, New York, is programmed by Jeremy (J.J.) Rice who has been with the station since 1998. 

Sources:

70sKid. “WBLI-FM.” Long Island 70s Kid, 23 July 2013, www.longisland70skid.com/wbli-fm

“WBLI.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Dec. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBLI#:~:text=History-,Early%20years,off%20the%20air%20at%20sunset

Brooklyn Water Works - Freeport

 

The City of Brooklyn purchased Milburn Pond to supply the Ridgewood Reservoir in the 1880's. After the pond was enlarged, a new pumping station was needed to accommodate Brooklyn's growing need for water and the Brooklyn Waterworks, also known as the Milburn Pumping Station, was born. Brooklyn Water Works, located on the west side of North Brookside Avenue in Freeport, was a three-story brick Romanesque Revival building

Designed by Brooklyn architect, Frank Freeman, it was completed in 189. It housed five steam pumps and could deliver up to 54 million gallons of water a day.   Piping ran down the length of Sunrise Highway, continuing down Conduit Avenue in Brooklyn.

Once Brooklyn became part of New York City, however, the need for the new pumping station diminished.  In 1898, Brooklyn began receiving its water from the Croton Aqueduct system and in 1929, the Brooklyn Waterworks was used only as a backup water supply for emergencies.  Its two huge smokestacks were removed at that time.

The pumping station continued as a backup supply until it was decommissioned in 1977. The property was bought up by Nassau County. The property was then bought by developer Gary Mileus in 1989, for 1.4 million dollars to be used for 48 condos; construction to be completed in 1990.  However, a housing market collapse halted the project and, not long after, the building was severely damaged by fire.

The Brooklyn Waterworks was torn down on August 30, 2010.  According to an article in L & M Publications, the Brooklyn Waterworks had landmark status since 1986, but was found to be beyond repair. In 2012, Nassau County purchased the land for $6.22 million.  The site, which is south of the Brookside Preserve, cannot be developed.  The South Shore Audubon Society currently maintains the property.

 

Sources:

Brooklyn Waterworks, Freeport, Long Island, NY, clydesguides.blogspot.com/2010/12/brooklyn-waterworks-freeport-long.html. Accessed 16 Dec. 2023

Feeney, Regina. Libguides: Freeport History Encyclopedia, libguides.freeportlibrary.info/Encyclopedia/b. Accessed 16 Dec. 2023

Jupiter Hammon

 Jupiter Hammon was born enslaved on October 17, 1711, at Henry Lloyd Manor House. The Lloyd family encouraged Hammon to attend school, where he learned to read and write. He became a bookkeeper and negotiator for Henry Lloyd and the family’s business. After Henry Lloyd died in 1763, Hammon remained enslaved by Lloyd’s son, Joseph, with whom he moved to Connecticut. There, he became a leader in the African American community and attended abolitionist and Revolutionary War societies.

He published his first poem, An Evening Thought, in 1761, he was nearly 50 years old. Hammon spent years in bondage, apparently working as a servant, clerk, and courier for the Lloyds while composing revolutionary poetry and essays. In addition to authoring two unpublished poems, he published at least six poems and three essays. He was the first African American poet to be published in the United States. In 1784, he was the featured speaker at the first recorded meeting of the African Society of New York City.

Jupiter Hammon’s death was unrecorded, but historians place it somewhere around 1806. He spent his final years living with John Nelson Lloyd, a great-grandson of Henry. He was buried on Lloyd land, in an unmarked grave. In 2020, United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association, designated Lloyd Manor a Literary Landmark.

Sources:

Fink, Lisa. “Honoring Jupiter Hammon, the First Published African American Poet.” National Council of Teachers of English, 1 Oct. 2020, ncte.org/blog/2020/10/celebrating-black-poetry 

“Jupiter Hammon.” Lloyd Harbor Historical Society, 14 Oct. 2023, lloydharborhistoricalsociety.org/jupiter-hammon

“Jupiter Hammon.” Poets.Org, Academy of American Poets, 16 Oct. 2019, poets.org/poet/jupiter-hammon 

 “The Life and Works of Jupiter Hammon.” Preservation Long Island, 14 Oct. 2022, preservationlongisland.org/the-life-and-works-of-jupiter-hammon-1711-before-1806

Pembroke Mansion

 The Pembroke Mansion was built in 1916 by architect C.P.H. Gilbert for Captain Joseph R. De Lemar. 

The Pembroke Mansion had a palm court, cave, 70 foot water tower with an elevator leading to a tea house, indoor tennis court, and stained glass windows designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

This 60,000 square foot Gold Coast Mansion included 12 bedrooms, 12 baths, a billiard room, den, dining room, mirrored breakfast room, long party rooms to entertain hundreds of guests. It was situated on 46 acres of land. De Lamar enjoyed playing an intricate pipe organ at the base of his stairway. Large windows overlooked gardens, the private bathing casino and boat landing on the Long Island Sound.

There was also a bowling alley, squash courts, shooting ranges, a gymnasium, a private movie theater with murals from then popular silent movies such as "The Sheik." Gilbert gave the house two distinct faces, one on its public side and a much more subdued one on its garden side. DeLamar was an incredibly wealthy man, and built Pembroke towards the end of his life as his country retreat. One side of the house contained the winter garden. Encased in glass, this building featured an abundance of wildlife, rare birds that flew freely around the interior.

It was sold Marcus Loew of Metro Goldwyn Mayer and Loew's Theaters in 1920.

The mansion was demolished  in 1968 and eventually became the Legend Yacht and Beach Club. The water tower and stables remain.

Sources:

“Gold Coast Mansions.” Pembroke Mansion - Gary DeLemar, www.goldcoastmansions.com/PembrokeMansion/PembrokeMansion.htm. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023

L., Zach. “Pembroke.” “Pembroke,” www.oldlongisland.com/2008/02/pembroke.html. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023