DeStefano Secures $50,000 for Historic Preservation

Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano has secured a $50,000 state grant to replace the roof of the historic Avery Homestead barn in East Patchogue, joining Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Legislator Dominick Thorne in announcing the funding.

The grant represents another step toward restoring the 11-acre estate, which Suffolk County and the Town of Brookhaven purchased in 2023 to protect it from redevelopment.

“The Avery Homestead is a remarkable piece of Long Island’s history, and we have a responsibility to preserve it for future generations,” said DeStefano. “Securing $50,000 in state funding for the restoration of this historic property is an important investment in preserving our community’s heritage.”

According to the assemblyman, “The homestead offers a rare glimpse into Long Island’s past, and we owe it to future generations to protect these irreplaceable treasures. I want to thank the Greater Patchogue Historical Society, County Executive Romaine, Legislator Thorne and everyone else involved in bringing the Avery Estate back to life.”

“There’s so much history here,” Thorne said. “We even found stencils of the original roof shingles so we could duplicate them exactly as they were. Thank you to Assemblyman DeStefano for getting this funding to keep this history alive.”

The property traces its roots to 1752, when Humphrey Avery acquired land that became part of the family's extensive Long Island holdings. Charles W. Avery established the Swan River Nursery in 1898, eventually operating approximately 200 acres devoted to horticulture.

The Dutch Colonial Revival barn, constructed in 1930, later housed miniature horses raised by Barbara Avery, the family's last resident, who died in 2017.

Romaine, a former history teacher, has long supported preserving the property. “We need to protect heritage sites such as the Avery Estate so future generations don’t lose sight of our history.”

The estate was designated one of Preservation Long Island's endangered historic places in 2019, prompting efforts to prevent demolition and protect its surviving buildings.