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Port Jefferson Village

Hometown History: Port Jefferson’s Bay View Pavilion

by Kenneth Brady - July 16, 2021

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Bay View Pavilion; Wilson's Sail Loft — The Bay View Pavilion, left, and Wilson’s Sail Loft, right, are pictured on the waterfront off Port Jefferson’s East Broadway. Photo from the Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

Once a lively Port Jefferson hotspot, the Bay View Pavilion was located in the village on the north side of Water Street (East Broadway).

The building was situated on shorefront property leased from Brookhaven Town by the Ladies Village Improvement Society (LVIS) of Port Jefferson, which also funded Bay View’s construction.

The two-story pavilion was 20 feet wide and 40 feet long, open on all four sides and protected from shoreline erosion by a stone seawall.

Bounded by a small lawn on its east and west, the building was painted green and adorned with a decorative sign, “Bay View,” donated by gifted local artist William M. Davis.

Opening to the public on July 4, 1901, the pavilion soon became a village landmark and well known for its summertime activities including ice cream socials, bazaars, cake sales, band concerts, dances and church outings.

Bay View Pavilion was located on the north side of Port Jefferson’s East Broadway. Shown decorated for Old Home Week, 1911, the building was the center of summertime activities in the village. The site of the former pavilion is known today as Mary Bayles Park. Photo by Perry; Photo from the Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

Water carnivals were also held at Bay View’s public dock which had been built by LVIS in cooperation with the Port Jefferson Yacht Club.

During the Old Home Week celebrations of 1908 and 1911, the pavilion hosted swim meets, boat races, diving contests and other aquatic activities.

Because of its prime waterfront location near Wilson’s Sail Loft, the Harbor View Hotel, F. F. Darling and other establishments, people were drawn to Bay View where they took in the ever-changing sights, but unfortunately the pavilion was also a magnet for rowdies.

The situation had gotten so out of control by 1924 that Leopold Cordier, who ran a paint store next door to Bay View, was appointed a deputy sheriff with authority to keep order at the pavilion.

Bay View also suffered from neglect and was in such poor condition that in 1927 the Port Jefferson Business Men’s Association called for the pavilion’s immediate removal.

After the Bay View eyesore was razed, the plot where it had stood remained largely unimproved until 1943-1944 when Brookhaven Town developed the property as parkland and the Suwassett Garden Club of Port Jefferson landscaped and maintained the grounds.

The site of the former pavilion is known today as Mary Bayles Park.

Kenneth Brady has served as the Port Jefferson Village Historian and president of the Port Jefferson Conservancy, as well as on the boards of the Suffolk County Historical Society, Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council and Port Jefferson Historical Society. He is a longtime resident of Port Jefferson.

First event to be held at PJ Community Garden

by Julianne Mosher - July 14, 2021

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garden 2, julianne mosher — Photo by Julianne Mosher

Everything is planted and growing in nicely at the new Port Jefferson Community Garden.

Located on Beach Street, dozens of local volunteers helped create and institute the home for homegrown veggies and other plants that were planted in 16 raised metal beds.

And now, after a lot of dirt, sweat and elbow grease, eggplants, heads of lettuce and different flowers are starting to sprout up.

Trustee Rebecca Kassay, who planted the seed for this pilot project earlier in the year, said that it’s going to be more than just your typical garden.

“To build the physical infrastructure of a community garden is one thing, but from early in the planning process, the committee agreed that dynamic educational programming for both the Beach Street gardeners and the community at large was essential to our mission,” she said. “When we gather to open our minds and learn together, we benefit both as individuals and as a community.”

This Monday, on July 19, Port Jefferson Village Community Garden is hosting its very first program, “Best Practices for Organic Vegetable Gardening” at 6 p.m.

A representative from Cornell Cooperative Extension will be discussing tips and techniques to get the most out of your organic vegetable garden and will be held on the garden grounds.

“Whether you’re a novice or a pro, eight years old or 88 years old, come down and learn something at this Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County program, sponsored by the Port Jefferson Free Library,” she said. “We ask that attendees bring their own chair if they wish to sit during the presentation.”

The program is free for Port Jefferson residents and non-residents. For anyone so inclined to contribute, there will be a jar to collect donations for the community garden to fund future programs and garden projects.

“This is the first of many programs on offer from the Garden to help locals —Port Jeff residents and beyond — make the most of their personal and shared green space,” she said. “I’ve been gardening since I could walk, but especially because it’s Cornell Cooperative Extension program, I’m sure that I’ll learn something new on Monday.”

Suwassett Garden Club partners with Port Jefferson library for plant swaps

by Julianne Mosher - July 8, 2021

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flowers 1, julianne mosher — Susan Lobacz, Joanne Wright and Kim Olenick at the new Port Jefferson Plant Cutting Swap Station inside the library. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Sharing is caring.

Recently, the Suwassett Garden Club partnered up with the Port Jefferson Free Library to bring the community together with plants.

“What we’re doing is we are encouraging the community to swap plant cuttings,” said Susan Lobacz, co-president. “We’re asking people to bring them in, and then take a new one home.”

Inside the library, a small table stands with mason jars filled with leaves and roots. Plastic cups are on the bottom shelf, so people who want to plant something different at home can bring a piece of it back with them.

The fun and different idea comes with the hope that new members could potentially join.

“We’re hoping that with this collaboration, we’ll be able to encourage people to become part of this Suwassett Garden Club,” said co-president Kim Olenick. “So, there’ll be applications right next to the plants.”

The Suwassett Garden Club is a small local club, started in the 1940s, that serves Port Jefferson, Belle Terre and the surrounding communities. Known for their annual fundraisers, Antiques and Garden Weekend — with the historical society — and wreath makings for holidays and the Port Jefferson Dickens Festival, things were different over the last year.

Lobacz said that pre-pandemic, the club would host field trips and hands-on gardening tips. They have sponsored fashion shows, luncheons and participate in an annual “garden therapy” program with veterans at the Stony Brook Veterans Association.

Alternate years, the garden club plants a tree in either Port Jefferson or Belle Terre and on Arbor Day this year, they planted a new one by the basketball courts near Rocketship Park.

On top of all that, the Suwassett Garden Club also sponsors a high school scholarship and maintains the flower garden at the Mather Museum. They are currently supporting a new children’s garden that is being pursued by the village.

Meetings are usually the first Wednesday of the month at 11 a.m. in the Belle Terre Community Center. Due to COVID, meetings have been held via Zoom.

Past co-president Joanne Wright said she joined the club years ago because it sounded different.

“I had recently retired and wanted to meet new people,” she said. “Even though I was local, I didn’t know a lot of people and it was a good way to meet new people.”

Other perks are learning new things with different workshops.

People who are interested in joining can pick up a plant at the library, or email [email protected].

New BYOG spot opens up Down Port

by Julianne Mosher - July 8, 2021

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byog 1, julianne mosher — Photo by Julianne Mosher

It’s time to bring your own glass to Port Jefferson village.

Lisa Harris — owner of several village dining spots including Torte Jeff Pie Co., East Main & Main donuts, Prohibition Kitchen and the new taco shack at East Beach — has just opened up her newest endeavor, BYOG Wine Bar.

“I haven’t seen anything like this on Long Island yet,” she said.

The idea, Harris said, is for customers to bring their own glass and taste from 20 different wines she and her team handpicked.

“The reason that it’s bring your own glass is because we can’t have a dishwasher here,” she said. Glasses are available, but if a customer brings their own there’s a discount.

In the space, five machines hold four different bottles of wine. Customers redeem their credit cards for a wine card, which allows them to taste, sample or grab a full glass of any of the 20 wines.

“We did a pretty extensive research to come up with 20 of what we think are the best wines that are a blend of very affordable, up to a little bit more exclusive,” she said. “They are bottles that you would never normally be able to taste by the glass unless you purchase the bottle, so this system allows you to do that.”

But it isn’t just wine — charcuterie boxes are available to snack on, as well as desserts, like their donut fondue.

BYOG Wine Bar is now in the spot where Harris’ donut shop originally was at 250 E. Main St.

“The synergy between the pie shop and the donut shop during COVID made the most sense to cut back on staffing and be able to incorporate the two businesses together,” she said.

After combining the two earlier this year, she thought about what could go in her new empty space.

“I thought because of the limitations, there aren’t a lot of businesses that can run in this type of space,” she said.

While visiting South Carolina, she found a place with a similar experience.

“We fell in love with it,” she said.

While Prohibition Kitchen also has a collection local of wines, Harris said BYOG will have a different variety.

“It’s more about the smaller batch lines that you won’t necessarily see in national distribution,” she said. “They’re more exclusive and unique.”

Compared to other spots throughout the village, she said the new wine bar is just a different setting for wine drinkers.

“I think this is a different type of experience,” Harris said. “This is an experience that you can share with friends when it comes to your tastes, purchase something you really enjoy, and also chat about the wine.”

Garant, Snaden, Loucks sworn in for next village terms

Port Times Record

by Julianne Mosher - July 7, 2021

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swearing in 1, julianne mosher — Photo by Julianne Mosher

Shortly after the festivities of the Port Jefferson Fire Department Independence Day Parade, residents and visitors gathered near the front steps of Village Hall to watch the swearing in of Team Unity on July 5.

Village clerk Barbara Sakovich kicked off the oath of office by thanking the fire department for hosting the event.

“Thank you to the Port Jefferson Fire Department for always putting on a fabulous parade and incredible display of patriotism,” she said. “And of course, we thank them for their service to the Village of Port Jefferson by keeping all of us safe.”

Sakovich welcomed the three incumbents and their families to the podium, thanking them for their work “for a common good.”

Trustee Stanley Loucks was the first up.

“Stan works tirelessly every day and is the perfectly liaison to the recreation department, as he has a passion for all things recreation, as well as to the Port Jefferson Country Club, which is our treasure here in the village,” Sakovich said. “He works around the clock for us, and he is always the first to volunteer to get the job done.”

Loucks thanked his wife, Peggy, for all of her support, and the community for allowing him to do this all again.

“It’s great to be back up here,” he said. “I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to continue to make this village better than it is now — that’s our goal. We have a lot of unfinished business to do, and I thank you again for allowing me to come back and stand here … and then after I stand here, go back to work.”

Trustee Kathianne Snaden won her second term last month due to her close work with the school district, parking committee, BID and as the commissioner of public safety.

“She listens closely to our residents and works to bridge communication and cooperation within our community,” Sakovich said.

With her husband and three daughters by her side, she was filled with gratitude to be standing at the podium.

“Thank you for the opportunity to be up here again and to serve all of you,” she said. “I often get asked, why do you do this thankless job? And to me it’s not thankless. This is the thanks. And this is why I do it — because of all of you. So, thank you for having me here yet again to serve you for two more years. It’s my honor and my pleasure.”

Sakovich concluded the ceremony with Mayor Margot Garant, who now begins her seventh term.

“I tell her all the time that she runs a small country,” she said.

Emotionally taking the oath alongside her father and mother, former Mayor Jeanne Garant, she addressed the crowd with a smile.

Garant said she is now the longest running village mayor, officially surpassing former Mayor Harold Sheprow — who served 12 terms and sat in the crowd — while thanking her supporters for allowing her to do this once again.

“We’re family. We stick together. We work hard, and we support one another,” she said. “I want to thank my core supporters, many of who are lifelong friends, who’ve worked hard to support this administration, and who value, respect, and appreciate the work we do.”

Garant added she couldn’t do this without her team.

“We are here to work for you to protect and preserve our quality of life,” she said. “And when making a decision, we will always do our best to make sure that decisions bring us closer together in unity, and make us a stronger community.”

Port Jefferson Fire Department Independence Day Parade finally makes a comeback

by Julianne Mosher - July 7, 2021

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With restrictions finally lifted, people from across Suffolk County — and even Connecticut — were able to finally celebrate the Fourth of July with a favorite traadition.

The Port Jefferson Fire Department Independence Day Parade was cancelled, along with most other events, last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But this year, things seemed back to normal with hundreds of people gathered on the sidewalks of Port Jefferson village, decked in their most patriotic wear, to celebrate America’s birthday.

“I’m just glad that we’re back to some sort of normalcy,” said Todd Stumpf, department chief. “We’re glad to see the public back together to help celebrate the country’s birth.”

Vintage cars drove down the road, waving American flags out of their windows as excited kids and their families waved from the sidewalk. Children ran to their parents who marched in uniform when they spotted them from the sidelines. Dancers waved red, white, and blue pom poms whiles pipes and drums played their sounds. Even the Batmobile made an appearance.

Although the parade included Port Jeff and Terryville, members from South Shore, eastern, and western Suffolk County departments joined together to march along Main Street on July 5.

Since the Fourth of July was on a Sunday this year, the fire department decided to host the parade a day later, on Monday, to respect the local churches throughout the village.

“From our end it ran really smooth,” said Steve Erland, third assistant chief. “It’s just so nice to bring it back to the community.”

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Hometown History: The long reign of the Emperor: Sloop sailed from Port Jefferson, 1829-1898

by Kenneth Brady - July 5, 2021

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Wreck of the Sloop EMPEROR — The wreck of the sloop Emperor, pictured on the east shore of Port Jefferson Harbor, is no longer visible. The packet sailed between New York City and Port Jefferson carrying freight and passengers. Photo by Arthur S. Greene, photo from the Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive.

Sailing from Port Jefferson, the sloop Emperor reigned in local waters from 1829-1898.

Contracted by Captain Caleb Kinner of Port Jefferson, the 60-foot Emperor was built in Derby, Connecticut, by Zephaniah and Israel Hallock.

Launched in 1829, the Emperor ran as a packet, carrying freight and passengers on regular trips between Port Jefferson and New York City.

At the Emperor’s inception, Port Jefferson was without rail service, the packet providing a vital link between the village and the metropolis.

The Emperor typically left Port Jefferson on Tuesdays and returned on Fridays, distinguishing itself during New York City’s cholera outbreak in summer 1832 by transporting panic-stricken people fleeing the epidemic and escaping to the country.

While steamboats eventually replaced the Emperor on the profitable Port Jefferson-New York route, the sloop remained a moneymaker in the coastal trade, sailing from Long Island to ports as varied as New Haven, Connecticut, and Haverstraw, New York.

The Emperor, left, is shown anchored off the east shore of Port Jefferson harbor. The packet was the subject of a poem by William M. Davis. Photo by Arthur S. Greene, photo from the Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive.

Although tossed on the beach during a September 1892 storm, and reportedly “wrecked beyond repair,” the battered Emperor was on the Sound the next month bound for New York with a load of cordwood.

Described as a “decrepit, played-out sloop” in “Old Drown’ Meadow Packet,” an 1895 poem by William M. Davis, Port Jefferson’s foremost painter, the Emperor was still considered a good buy in spring 1895 when she was purchased by Captain Caleb Norton of Mount Sinai, New York.

The tired, sea-soaked Emperor somehow held together until 1898, the last year she was listed in Merchant Vessels of the United States, ending her days as purportedly the oldest sloop then afloat in Brookhaven Town.

The wreck of the Emperor, long a subject of amateur and professional photographers, sat for years on the east shore of Port Jefferson Harbor, but is no longer visible.

Four people arrested during SLA inspection

by Press Release - July 4, 2021

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police-car-siren-lights-stock — Stock photo

Suffolk County Police arrested four people during a New York State Liquor Authority Inspection at a Port Jefferson bar early Saturday morning.

On July 3, 6th Precinct officers, in conjunction with, New York State Liquor Authority Investigators, Port Jefferson Village Fire Marshal and Port Jefferson Village Constables, conducted an inspection at Barito, located at 201-C Main St. at approximately 12 a.m.

The owner of the bar, Matthew Murray, 40, of Ronkonkoma, was charged with NYS General Business Law: Employing an Unlicensed Security Guards, an unclassified misdemeanor.

Brandon Pressley, 34, of Bellport, Jeremy Marrero 34, of Bellport, and Dustin Mariboe, 32, of Patchogue, all of whom were security guards at the bar, were charged with NYS General Business Law: Unlicensed Security Guard, an unclassified misdemeanor.

There were 348 people in the bar, which was over its capacity of 120 people, and the establishment was closed for the night.

The four men were issued Field Appearance Tickets and will be arraigned at a later date.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Six people arrested at Port Jeff Station sobriety checkpoint

by Press Release - July 4, 2021

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Six people were arrested at the start of the holiday weekend in Port Jefferson Station.

Highway Patrol Bureau Selective Alcohol Fatality Enforcement Team (SAFE-T) officers conducted a sobriety checkpoint at the intersection of Route 112 and Hallock Avenue during the overnight hours of July 3 into July 4. from 11:05 p.m. until 2:15 a.m.

The checkpoint was part of an ongoing holiday weekend enforcement initiative targeting alcohol and drug impaired driving. A total of 435 vehicles went through the checkpoint.

The following people were charged with Driving While Intoxicated:

Cesar Ortiz, 32, of 54 Carver Blvd., Bellport
Erik Anderson, 38, of 208 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station
Richard Russo, 61, of 12 Mark St., Port Jefferson Station
Hashim Qayyum, 23, of 619 Hawkins Road, Selden
Alexia Smith, 23, of 3540 Gregg Court, Wantagh
Salvatore Laduca, 58, of 7 Blueberry Ridge Road, Setauket

All six will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on July 4.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

How the PJFD saved a teen stuck in an old bank vault

by Julianne Mosher - July 1, 2021

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pjfd 1, julianne mosher — Photo by Julianne Mosher

Sometimes there are other events that happen Down Port that require assistance.

Along with the car accidents, fires, and animal rescues, the Port Jefferson Fire Department had to get innovative last week when a 14-year-old girl accidentally got locked in a dressing room.

At approximately 1 p.m. on June 22, Suffolk County Police 6th Precinct officers responded to Kate and Hale, located at 227 Main Street, to help Giavanna Diesso, of Hauppauge, get out of an unusual situation.

Diesso’s mother, Danielle, said that while she was checking out at the counter, Giavanna was finishing inside the dressing room — which nearly a century ago was the First National Bank of Port Jefferson bank vault.

Giavanna Diesso after being saved. Photo from PJFD

When her friend, Ava, 14, left the dressing room, the group joked that they should lock Giavanna in — and her 7-year-old brother Vincent took it literally, giving the door a shove.

“The door shut, and I was terrified,” Danielle said. “I wasn’t sure how long it would take to get her out. I wasn’t sure of the measure they would need to go in order to get her out. I was concerned about air, concerned about her feeling safe, but she maintained such composure. It’s unbelievable.”

The teen stayed cool and collected while the fire department headed inside to assess.

“I was just wondering how long it might take before someone would come to get me out,” Giavanna said.

The department headed into the store, where her family and friends were frantically worried.

“The first arriving rig was our rescue seven, and obviously as soon as they walked in, they realized something was going on,” said third assistant chief Steve Erland.

The team assessed that Giavanna was safe inside and had plenty of oxygen. Then, they got to work.

“Once we knew she had air, we were able to step back and kind of reevaluate, and take the time, to come up with a plan,” he said.

Through the metal door, firefighter Tom Meehan asked the girl to record her surroundings with her iPhone to see how much room they had as they planned a way out.

“She was great,” Meehan said. “She followed directions.”

Ex-chief Brennan Holmes got the air chisel off from the rescue truck to work on the 100-year-old wall. When the first hole was made, he was able to see Giavanna inside, where he was able to assess how big the next opening should be. Through the hole, they handed her a bottle of water and an N95 mask.

With some more chiseling, Holmes and Captain Christian Neubert were able to pull her out — which was caught on film and has since gone viral online.

“This is not something anybody does every day,” Homes said. “But once that first hole was through, and we were able to see her and realize everything was going to work out, it was a great feeling.”

Joined with help from the Terryville Fire Department, Erland said the whole rescue took about 90 minutes.

And considering this type of event is not something firefighters are typically trained for; they were proud of how it all ended up.

“What makes it odd or challenging is this is not something we’ve ever practiced or talked about,” Neubert said. “We’ve never talked about, like, all right … what do we do if we get a girl locked up in a dressing room?”

But with teamwork, the whole procedure went smoothly.

Holmes said the closest training they would typically get in a similar nature would be for a building collapse — so that’s why a plan was needed from the start.

“Having a plan was the big step one because we don’t normally do that,” he said. “But then when it was breaking concrete, we knew that we could do this.”

Cookies sent to the PJFD as a thank you from the Diesso family . Photo by Julianne Mosher

Danielle was happy to have her daughter out and said she will forever be grateful to the Port Jefferson Fire Department.

“First responders certainly are not given the credit and gratitude that they really deserve,” she said. “They leave their families to come across a situation. They’re not even probably 100% sure what they’re getting into so, it’s incredible.”

While the tale of Giavanna and the vault has made national headlines since her Tuesday rescue, Holmes said it was a happy ending.

“It worked out,” he said. “And that’s the best part of the whole story.”

The Port Jefferson Fire Department is always looking for volunteers. If interested, visit them on Facebook or call 631-473-8910.

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