ATTRACTIONS
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition, honor, and preservation of Long Island’s music and entertainment heritage. Since 2004, the organization has inducted more than 120 music artists and related professionals who are now recognized in a permanent home. The space—covering 8,800 square feet—features a large exhibition area and theater, as well as an official “Hall of Fame Museum.”
The official “Hall of Fame Museum” contains displays of original musical instruments, famous awards, apparel, and other memorabilia from many of Long Island’s favorite artists. The wide variety of talent includes inductees such as 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 Billy Joel Exhibit. NOW OPEN!
· Explore over 5 decades of rare memorabilia.
· Experience Billy Joel’s decades-long career through his albums, tours, inspirations, and personal experiences.
· Filled with over 50 years of rare memorabilia, videos, awards, recordings, instruments, and photos, many of which are donated from Billy’s personal collection.
· Only at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame! Get your tickets and gift packages at TheBillyExhibit.com
Mill Pond Fishing Club, Inc.
Please note: The Mill Pond Fishing Club is not operating at this time.
The Stony Brook Mill Pond is fed by clear woodland streams and by the pure delight of the members of the Mill Pond Fishing Club. Members enjoy the social aspect, spending a few hours by the pond before sharing a meal in Stony Brook Village.
What if you’d like to join them, but don’t know how to fish? The Club will be happy to teach you. There’s always something to learn, even for those who’ve been fishing for years.
At the Mill Pond, strict catch-and-release policies are upheld as Club members prioritize environmental conservation. The Pond is regularly stocked with trout, while carp thrive alongside a notable resurgence of largemouth bass. Beyond fishing, members delight in observing diverse wildlife, including deer, turtles, and various aquatic birds, all calling the Pond home.
Membership costs $40 a year. The Club runs several fishing contests each year, awarding trophies to the winners. It’s an easygoing competition among friends.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Mill Pond Fishing Club can call Joe Lamberti at 516-315-2122, or email [email protected].
Discovery Wetlands Cruise
From May – October, The Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s 27-passenger pontoon boat cruises through the organization’s 88-acre wetlands preserve for a 1 1/2-hour tour. An on-board naturalist describes the wildlife as well as the natural and human history of the area.
Cruises are scheduled according to the tide table.
Kayak & Paddle Board Rentals
Stony Brook Grist Mill, Circa 1751
Please note: The Stony Brook Grist Mill is temporarily closed for the season.
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.
It has been a community staple of the Three Village area for over 300 years.
Learn about the mill’s mechanical ingenuity and rich cultural history. Shop for artisanal products, such as jams and local honey as well as colonial and educational toys. Tour admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children.
Hercules Pavilion
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, the U.S.S. Ohio was decommissioned, destroyed, and sunk in Greenport, Long Island, during the late 19th century. However, its 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. Acquired by Ward Melville in 1954, he deeded it to The Ward Melville Heritage Organization for preservation.
Polaris Whaleboat (part of Hercules Pavilion) Also in the Hercules Pavilion 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.
Click here for more information about the Hercules Pavilion
The Brewster House, Circa 1665
Listed on on the New York State and National Register of Historic Places, the Brewster House was built in 1665 and is considered the oldest house in the Town of Brookhaven. Home to six generations of Brewsters, over the centuries
the Brewster House transformed from a one-room cottage to its present saltbox structure. During the American Revolution, Joseph Brewster operated the house as a tavern and inn, entertaining British troops inside. American Patriot Caleb Brewster, cousin of Joseph Brewster and presumably a frequent visitor to the house, was a member of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring. By appointment, The WMHO hosts education programs at this location.
Find out more information about the Brewster House here.
The Stony Brook Yacht Club
The Stony Brook Yacht Club was founded in 1913, when a group of Stony Brook permanent and summer residents met regularly to pursue their boating interests and other summer activities. A membership organization, today it offers slips, tournaments, catering, and more.
Stony Brook Village Center
The Stony Brook Village Center, located at Main Street on the Harbor, is the creation of philanthropist Ward Melville. Recognized as the first planned business center in the United States, its inviting crescent-shaped design includes a sweeping village green as well as several unique shops and eateries. Atop its focal point, the Stony Brook Post Office, resides a mechanical eagle that flaps its 20-foot wingspan every hour. 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 Jazz Loft
Thursday – Saturday : 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
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.
Three Village Inn
Known as the Old Homestead, the original structure of Mirabelle at Three Village Inn was built in 1751 by Richard Hallock. In the mid-19th century it was owned by Jonas Smith, who is considered Long Island’s first millionaire. Repurposed as Three Village Inn by Ward Melville, it now offers a tavern, overnight accommodations, and a four-star restaurant. Its Master and Signature Suites are the ideal getaway retreat for that perfect occasion offering luxury accommodations, complimentary high speed internet access, breakfast at Mirabelle Tavern, and courtesy discounts towards the Stony Brook Village Shopping Center. A Lessing’s property, the Three Village Inn is also a unique setting for weddings, private events, or special occasions in their manicured gardens overlooking scenic Stony Brook Harbor. Click here for additional information about the Three Village Inn
T. Bayles Minuse Mill Pond and Park
Please note: While the collapse of Harbor Road has unfortunately resulted in the damage of Stony Brook Mill Pond, the park remains open and available for public enjoyment. Thank you for your understanding.
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. 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 both sighted and visually impaired visitors.
Avalon Nature Preserve
This arboretum/preserve was created by its founder in memory of his son. It is a nature lover’s paradise with more than 80 acres of trails, a wildflower meadow, habitat for numerous woodland animals, many species of ferns, and massive oak trees. It is located on Harbor Road, off Main Street, across from Stony Brook Grist Mill.
The Park is closed Mondays and open Tuesday – Sunday. The hours vary seasonally.
~Spring: 7AM – 7PM (April – May) ~Summer: 6AM – 8PM (June – August) ~Fall: 7AM – 7PM (September – October) ~Winter: 7AM – 5PM (November – March)
You can also visit the Avalon Nature Preserve website for more information and details.
Stony Brook Post Office
The Stony Brook Post Office is also home to the Mechanical Eagle. Stationed on its pediment, it flaps its wings every hour, almost on the hour (from 8am – 8pm) – as it has done since 1941, welcoming thousands of visitors to the village’s specialty shops and restaurants. The hand-carved wooden eagle has a wingspan of 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. The Stony Brook Post Office is the site of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization’s holiday tree lighting. Generations of local couples have used it as premier wedding photograph location.
All Souls Episcopal Church
This historic church was designed by famous architect Stanford White in 1889. Two special points of interest are the stained glass window behind the altar and the Tracker pipe organ. The window (which was fabricated by the Mayer Company of New York City) represents the ideal of Caritas (Charity) by depicting a wealthy woman giving a coin to a beggar. The window is dedicated in the memory of Jonas and Nancy Smith of the Smith family, from whom Smithtown takes its name. The Smiths donated funds for the stained glass windows. In 2001, All Souls Episcopal Church was placed on the National Historic Registry of historic sites.
Long Island Museum
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 site that now houses The Jazz Loft. As its collections grew, the museum was moved to its current location. The Long Island Museum of American Art, History and Carriages (informally known as the Long Island Museum) is renowned for its collection of over 200 carriages and its extensive array of work by famed painter William Sidney Mount. It is also home to over 4,000 other paintings, sculptures, and prints. Since 1973, the museum has been accredited by the American Association of Museums for excellence in exhibitions, programs, and collection care. In 2006, the museum joined a small group of institutions nationwide as a Smithsonian Affiliate.
Visit the Long Island Museum website.
The Thompson House, Circa 1709
Built in 1709, this five-room saltbox farmhouse was home to five generations of Thompsons, including Doctor Samuel Thompson. A notable member of the Setauket community, he was an American Patriot, farmer, and physician. Doctor Thompson treated many local residents, including members of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring, who are listed in his “Cash Receipt Book,” (c. 1787. Available by appointment only, The WMHO hosts different educational programs at the Thompson House, such as “Medicine: Past, Present and Future.” This program gives students the opportunity to discover medicine from the 18th through the 21st centuries. The Thompson House is listed on the New York State and National Register of Historic Places.
Find out more information about the Thompson House here.