Did You Know?
The story of Hallockville includes Native Americans, Puritans, Polish immigrants and many others who have touched this land. It includes the men and women who tilled the soil, fished off its shores and lived off its bounty – and those who attempted to develop it. They all had a vision for the future – whether it was of providing rich farms for their descendents or inexpensive nuclear power for the region. And, whatever their vision for the land, they left behind visible evidence of their presence, ranging from prehistoric artifacts and historic farm buildings to the detritus of modern industrial operations. What follows is their story.
In the late 20th century, the approximately 520 acres in the northeast corner of Riverhead Town and a small portion of adjacent Southold Town came to be known as the “KeySpan Property.” It included about 300 acres of farmland, 200 acres of woodland (mostly old fields and second-growth forest) and over 5,000 feet of shorefront on Long Island Sound, backed by high bluffs of sand and clay. Some parts of this area were highly disturbed by recent activities, but it also included the pristine Hallock Pond and large areas of wooded and semi-wooded wildlife habitat. In the first decade of the 21st century, this became the site of a remarkable preservation story that created Hallock State Park Preserve and permanently prevented development on the adjacent farmland.
As a result of that preservation effort, this incredible view out over open fields behind the museum’s Naugles Barn will be there for many future generations to enjoy.
(Written by Hallockville Historian Richard Wines.)
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