Stony Brook, New York
(631) 751-2244

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Properties

The Brewster House, c. 1665

18 Runs Road
East Setauket, New York 11733

Built in 1665 and considered the oldest house in the Town of Brookhaven, the Brewster House was home to six generations of Brewsters. The house has transformed over the centuries from the one-room cottage to its present saltbox structure. During the American Revolution, Joseph Brewster operated the house as a tavern and general store, entertaining British troops inside. American Patriot Caleb Brewster, cousin of the Joseph Brewster and presumably a frequent visitor to the house, was a member of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring during the Revolutionary War.

On December 7, 2015, Supervisor Ed Romaine, Councilwoman Valerie M. Cartright, Town Clerk, Donna Lent, and Town Historian, Barbara Russell, joined members of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) Board of Trustees to commemorate the 350th Anniversary of the Brewster House, 1665.

Photo Credit: Dr. Ira D. Koeppel, 2013

The Thompson House, c. 1709

91 N Country Road
East Setauket, New York 11733

Built in 1709, this five-room saltbox farmhouse is one of the largest houses in the Town of Brookhaven. The Thompson House was home to five generations of Thompsons. American Patriot, Farmer and Physician, Doctor Thompson was a prestigious member of the Setauket community, who treated many local residents. Members of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring are listed in his “Cash Receipt Book,” c. 1787, which was a list of his patients. WMHO education programs are held here by appointment including “Medicine: Past, Present and Future” where students are given the opportunity to discover medicine from the 18th through the 21st Century. The Thompson house is listed on the New York State and National Register of Historic Places.

The Stony Brook Grist Mill c. 1751

100 Harbor Rd
Stony Brook, New York 11790

The Stony Brook Grist Mill, Long Island’s most completely equipped working mill, is listed on the National and New York State Register of Historic Places.

The Stony Brook Grist Mill has been a community structure of the Three Village area for over 300 years. During the late 1800s, a vineyard was planted on the island in the Mill Pond. Catawba grapes were pressed and fermented in the Stony Brook Grist Mill, bottled in Brooklyn and sold at a nearby tavern. In earlier times, the mill was the center of community life. People exchanged news and gossip as they waited for the miller to grind their grain.  Alois Kopriva, who emigrated from Poland, played the violin and entertained his guests with gypsy music. Kopriva was also an advocate for women’s right to vote.

As recently as the 1950s, farmers still brought their wheat and corn to be ground at the mill. Miller Schaefer ground natural wheat at the mill and shipped his “health food” to customers in 42 states.

The Stony Brook Grist Mill is open to the public for guided tours with a miller or tour guide, and a Country Store from 1pm – 4:00pm on Sundays, April through October. 

Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children. 

The Stony Brook Grist Mill is a cash only establishment. 

Hercules Pavilion

Village Center Environs
97P Main St, Stony Brook NY 11790

Overlooking Stony Brook Harbor, the Hercules Pavilion on Main Street, Stony Brook, houses the figurehead and anchor from the prestigious U.S.S. Ohio, the first ship launched from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1820.  Toward the end of the century, the U.S.S. Ohio was decommissioned, destroyed and sunk in Greenport, Long Island. However, the figurehead was saved.  The massive bust was first sold for $10 to the Aldrich family of Aquebogue; then to Miles Carpenter, owner of the Canoe Place Inn in Hampton Bays for $15, where it remained for decades. The figurehead was acquired by Ward Melville in 1951, who deeded it to The Ward Melville Heritage Organization for preservation. It is said if you kiss the brow of Hercules, you’ll be married within a year.

Polaris Whaleboat (part of Hercules pavilion)

Sharing the Hercules Pavilion with the historic figurehead is the Polaris whaleboat, thought to be the only surviving artifact from the Charles Hall expedition to the Arctic in 1870.  Commander Robert Peary recovered the Polaris during his 1905 Arctic expedition and subsequently placed it with the American Museum of Natural History in New York.  Some forty years later, naturalist Robert Cushman Murphy was instrumental in transferring the Polaris to Ward Melville.  It is now a property of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization.

Photo Credit: Dr. Koeppel

Shore Road (by Main St.)
Stony Brook, NY 11790

The Stony Brook Post Office / Mechanical Eagle

129 Main Street
Stony Brook, NY 11790

The Stony Brook Post Office is also home to the Mechanical Eagle that resides on its pediment, and flaps its wings every hour on the hour (8:00 am – 8:00 pm) as it has done since 1941 welcoming thousands of visitors to the village specialty shops and restaurants.  The eagle was hand carved and its wings span 20 feet. The post office, a traditional hub of community activity, was the core of Mr. Melville’s original vision and project, his “living Williamsburg.” It is located in Harbor Crescent, where a series of connected shops overlooks the Village Green, and the site of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s holiday tree lighting and a premier wedding photograph location for generations of area brides and grooms.

Erwin J. Ernst Marine Conservation Center

Trustees Road
East Setauket, New York 11733

Explore the 88-acre wetlands preserve around Stony Brook Village. You will delight in the land and seascapes of blossoming trees, grasses, waterways and bird life that only can be found in Spring on this pristine eastern section of Long Island’s North Shore.

The Ernst Marine Conservation Center is happy to host fun and educational field trips for both students and adults.

For more information, please call 631-751-2244.

T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond and Park

Main Street
Stony Brook, New York 11790

Across the road from the Stony Brook Grist Mill is one of Long Island’s environmental treasures. The eleven-acre Mill Pond, or Lower Pond, is spring fed from the Upper Pond located on Rhododendron Road. an indigenous group called the Setalcott called this aquatic linkage ‘Cutsgunsuck’ which translates as “brook laden with stones” or Stony Brook, as the entire area is known today. Low Island, in the middle of the pond, is a nesting place for local waterfowl. In the late 1800s, the owner of the Stony Brook Grist Mill at the time, Edward Kane constructed a bridge from the area where the park is to Low Island. He grew grapes for winemaking there as well as other harvestables. The water from the Mill Pond has driven the wheel at the Grist Mill since 1699. T. Bayles Minuse Park is a popular spot where generations of children have visited the ducks and swans. The park’s Sensory Garden features plants with a variety of scents and textures for the enjoyment of all visitors.

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame

97P Main Street
Stony Brook, New York 11790

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is proud to open its doors to an awe-inspiring new facility in Stony Brook, NY that is dedicated to the recognition, honor, and preservation of Long Island’s music and entertainment heritage. Since 2004, their organization has Inducted over 120 music artists and related professionals who will now be recognized in a permanent home. The space—covering 8,800 square feet—features a large exhibition area, theater, and an official “Hall of Fame Museum.”

Their official “Hall of Fame Museum” features displays of original musical instruments, famous awards, apparel, and other memorabilia from many of Long Island’s favorite artists. The wide variety of talent represented by the 120 inductees includes names like Billy Joel, Blue Oyster Cult, KISS, LL Cool J, Debbie Gibson, Louis Armstrong, the Stray Cats, and Run-DMC, among many others.

Come visit their 30 Years of Everybody Loves Raymond exhibit. NOW OPEN!

  • Bring Your Family and Become Part of the Barone Family!

  • Stroll the studio sets, explore the Barone house, you can even sit on the couch!

  • Get up close and see Ray and the family’s original clothing and iconic objects including the fork and spoon, the Christmas toaster, and more classic items from your favorite episodes.

  • Watch rare video outtakes and behind the scenes photos.

Get your tickets and gift packages at www.limusichalloffame.org/everybody-loves-raymond-celebrating-30-years/

Long Island Museum

1200 NY-25A
Stony Brook, NY 11790

Toward the end of the Great Depression, Ward Melville, his wife Dorothy Melville, Robert Cushman Murphy, Winifred Curtis and O.C. Lempfert created the Suffolk Museum on the very site that now houses The Jazz Loft. As their collections grew it was moved to its current location. The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, and Carriages, informally known as the Long Island Museum, is known for its collection of over 200 carriages and its extensive array of work by famed painter William Sidney Mount and over 4000 other paintings, sculptures and prints. The museum has been accredited by the American Association of Museums since 1973 for excellence in exhibitions, programs and collection care. In 2006 the museum joined a small group of institutions nationwide as a Smithsonian Affiliate.

Kayak & Paddle Board Rentals

1175 N Country Rd
Stony Brook, NY 11790

The Country House Restaurant, c. 1710, is located on the corner of Route 25A and Main Street in historic Stony Brook. Whether it be fine dining, a special party or just a night out, the Country House will make that occasion memorable. Beautiful details abound in each room from the centerpieces to the hand painted murals and intricate details of the carved gilded fireplace. In the 1800’s it became home to the famous English actor Thomas Haddaway. Spiritual séances would be held there, with neighbor William Sidney Mount trying to conjure up past spirits, a popular practice at the time. Known to have a ghost of one of the original owners, the story is now published in the book, “Ghosts of Long Island.” The Country House is open 7 days a week serving lunch and dinner daily and was voted “Most Romantic Restaurant on Long Island,” by AOL City Guide 2007.

(631) 751-333

Three Village Inn

150 Main St.
Stony Brook, NY 11790

Stony Brook Village Center

111 Main St.
Stony Brook, NY 11790

The Stony Brook Village Center, located at Main Street on the Harbor, is the creation of philanthropist Ward Melville and was recognized as the first planned business center in the United States. Its many unique features include a sweeping village green and crescent shaped design. In its early years, the American Institute of Architects hosted an annual conference in Stony Brook to meet with Mr. Melville and study his creation. The eagle on the Post Office pediment flaps its wings every hour on the hour from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily as it has done for 75 years. It continues to welcome thousands of visitors to the village center’s specialty shops and restaurants.

The Country House Restaurant

1175 N Country Rd
Stony Brook, NY 11790

The Country House Restaurant, c. 1710, is located on the corner of Route 25A and Main Street in historic Stony Brook. Whether it be fine dining, a special party or just a night out, the Country House will make that occasion memorable. Beautiful details abound in each room from the centerpieces to the hand painted murals and intricate details of the carved gilded fireplace. In the 1800’s it became home to the famous English actor Thomas Haddaway. Spiritual séances would be held there, with neighbor William Sidney Mount trying to conjure up past spirits, a popular practice at the time. Known to have a ghost of one of the original owners, the story is now published in the book, “Ghosts of Long Island.” The Country House is open 7 days a week serving lunch and dinner daily and was voted “Most Romantic Restaurant on Long Island,” by AOL City Guide 2007.

(631) 751-333

Stony Brook Medicine

Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY 11790

Stony Brook Medicine integrates and elevates all of Stony Brook University’s health-related initiatives: education, research and patient care. It includes five Health Sciences schools — Dental Medicine, Health Technology and Management, Medicine, Nursing and Social Welfare — as well as Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and more than 90 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County. Stony Brook University Hospital is Long Island’s premier academic medical center. With 603 beds, SBUH serves as the region’s only tertiary care center and Regional Trauma Center and includes Stony Brook University Heart Institute, Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and Stony Brook University Neurosciences Institute.

Staller Center for the Arts, named in memory of Max and Mary Staller, offers a wide variety of world class performances from September through May and presents the Stony Brook Film Festival every July. Over 50 professional performances, as well as approximately 450 events generated by the departments of Art, Theater Arts, and Music, are part of the Staller Center season. In 1994, the center introduced 35mm film presentations in the Main Stage Theater, complete with Long Island’s largest screen and a Dolby sound system. In 2013 the center introduced Digital Cinema Projection and remains at the forefront of projection presentation. The Main Stage theater seats approximately 1,050, the Recital Hall seats 380, and the three “black box” theaters have a seating capacity from 75 to 225.

All Souls Episcopal Church

61 Main St.
Stony Brook, NY 11790

The Jazz Loft

275 Christian Avenue
Stony Brook, NY 11790

Preservation, education and performance are the mission of The Jazz Loft, dedicated to honoring this distinctly American music. A 6,000 s/f venue leased to this not-for-profit organization by the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, The Jazz Loft is located at 275 Christian Avenue, Stony Brook (next to the Three Village Inn). President and Founder Tom Manuel offers a treasure trove of memorabilia including thousands of archives from some of the greatest jazz musicians of their day. On display are instruments, diaries, autographed pictures, original sheet music, and even an orchestra stage that was constructed from the original Roseland Ballroom dance floor. The Jazz Loft includes a full calendar of musical performances, as well as classes for special needs people with autism, learning disabilities, dementia and Alzheimer’s. Visit thejazzloft.org for full information, details and upcoming events.