Photo of the Week
—– Week of June 27th —–
FROM THE SCHS LIBRARY ARCHIVES
“How shall we know it is us without our past?”
– John Steinbeck
Summertime at Avery’s Beach, Blue Point, c. 1912
by Wendy Polhemus-Annibell, Head Librarian
Summertime at Avery’s Beach, Great South Bay, Blue Point, circa 1912. (Image from the Brookhaven Pictorial Collection of the Suffolk County Historical Society Library Archives. Copyright © Suffolk County Historical Society. All rights reserved.) Avery’s Dock, also known as Five Mile Look, was built in the early twentieth century and was destroyed by fire in 1939.
The name “Blue Point” may have been first used by seventeenth-century baymen who noticed a distinct blue haze over this point of land that juts out into the Great South Bay. Some claim that the name dates back to when local Native Americans made wampum from the blue chips of the seashells found here.
In 1752, Humphrey Avery of Connecticut purchased the Blue Point and Patchogue areas from John Still Winthrop for £2600. In the early nineteenth century, Blue Point was rural and sparsely populated; most residents were farmers or baymen. There was no schoolhouse, post office, railroad, fire department, or churches at this time. Robust wild oysters were found in the local waters. As everywhere else, Blue Point oysters didn’t last long as New York City quickly devoured them. In 1824, the Gazetteer of NY State was referring to “Bluepoints” in the past tense.
By the turn of the twentieth century, Blue Point underwent major changes – two churches were built, the railroad added a depot, and the resort era began.
Be a Witness to History! The Suffolk County Historical Society invites you to be a witness to our living history. Please consider sharing your COVID-19 experiences for our historic archives.
Email your stories to: librarian@schs-museum.org. Be sure to put “COVID-19” in your subject line and to include your location and contact information.
CLOSURE NOTICE: The Suffolk County Historical Society Museum will remain closed based on the closure order issued by NYS Governor Cuomo in response to the COVID-19 crisis. We are also suspending all upcoming events at this time, and will continue to monitor the situation closely.
The health and safety of our visitors, members, and staff remain the Suffolk County Historical Society’s priority. Every day brings new developments related to the virus, and we understand that uncertainty can be unsettling. Our thoughts are with the entire Suffolk County and Long Island communities and with all who have been impacted by COVID-19.
During our closure, we invite the Long Island community to visit our website for updates and special offerings, including a free subscription to our historic Photo of the Week series and our Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube content: www.
From all of us at the Suffolk County Historical Society, thank you for your continued support through these uncertain times. Stay tuned, and stay safe!
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To View 2014 Photo of the Week pages click here.
To View 2015 Photo of the Week pages click here.
To View 2016 Photo of the Week pages click here.
To View 2017 Photo of the Week pages click here.
To View 2018 Photo of the Week pages click here.
To View 2019 Photo of the Week pages click here.
To View 2020 Photo of the Week pages click here.
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www.suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org
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AAQ / Resource: Otis Ford, Since 1946, Quogue
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