Manor of St. George Comes Back to Life

The Manor of St. George is getting a new lease on life as major improvements, growing public interest and a series of upcoming events put one of Long Island’s most historic properties back in the spotlight.

“We’re bringing the manor back to life,” said Manor representative John Scott Prudenti, who has spearheaded improvements at the 127-acre Mastic estate. “Remembering our past is very important to our future.”

Six new cedar roofs have been installed on buildings at the property, along with painting and other restoration work. Nearly 200 gallons of a specially prepared stain were blended with the help of Mike Cavanaugh at East Moriches Hardware to protect the new wooden shingles while maintaining the historic appearance of the structures dating back to Colonial times.

“The idea is to protect these buildings without changing what makes them special,” Prudenti said. “Everything we do has to respect the historic integrity of the manor.”

Community businesses have joined the effort. Olish Farms in Eastport donated dumpsters for construction debris, while Shirley Feed has provided supplies for the manor’s goats, chickens and pheasants, animals that help recreate the agricultural character of the property.

The pheasants, along with abundant wild turkeys, purple martins and bats, also contribute to a natural system of insect control. Prudenti said the manor does not use chemical pesticides on the grounds for ticks and mosquitoes.

The work comes as visitation is surging.

Participation in the Long Island History Hunt, funded by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation and encompassing 26 historic sites, has helped produce what Prudenti reported as a fivefold increase in visitors to the manor. Seventeen participants have already completed visits to all 26 locations, making them eligible for a $1,776 prize drawing.

“It’s the busiest it’s ever been, and it’s getting busier as we speak,” Prudenti said. “There are Saturdays when the parking lot is full and people are lined up to learn about our history.” While the manor has dedicated tour guides, Prudenti has had to fill in to accommodate the crowd.

Local Scouts have also become an important part of the manor’s revival, creating more than 3.5 miles of walking trails during the past two years connecting the manor property toward the neighboring Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. Scouts are expected back for a cleanup ahead of the fall festivities.

The renewed attention comes at an appropriate moment as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.

“This isn’t just Mastic history or Brookhaven history,” Prudenti said. “This is American history.”

The original land patent associated with William “Tangier” Smith encompassed the majority of what is now Brookhaven Town and the Fire Island barrier beaches. Smith, the manor’s founder, received his royal patent in the 17th century after establishing himself in Colonial New York.

The estate later became Fort St. George during the Revolutionary War when British forces occupied the strategically located property on Bellport Bay. In November 1780, Continental troops commanded by Col. Benjamin Tallmadge attacked and captured the fort before heading across Long Island along the route now remembered as the Tallmadge Trail.

That history will take center stage this fall.

On Sept. 26, the manor will host a free children’s Colonial crafts and painting program for ages 3 through 15 led by retired Patchogue-Medford kindergarten teacher Kathy Loschiavo.

On Oct. 3, the 3rd New York Regiment Provincial Forces Long Island Companies is scheduled to encamp on the grounds and present a historic military reenactment, reviving a tradition once associated with the manor.

Then comes the centerpiece: an Oct. 24 Harvest and Heritage event tied to Suffolk County’s commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.

Prudenti credited Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Legislator Jim Mazzarella with helping highlight the manor as part of the county’s celebration. Plans being discussed could provide one of the day’s more colorful moments: Mazzarella and other officials dressing in Colonial garb and leading residents down the Tallmadge Trail into the festivities.

“It would bring the history to life,” Prudenti said. “You’re walking the trail connected to what actually happened here and arriving at the place where it happened.”

Organizers are seeking vendors, volunteers and people with appropriate professional and historical skills to participate in the Harvest and Heritage event.

For Prudenti, the improvements and events are part of the same mission—making sure a property whose story stretches from Colonial settlement through the American Revolution remains a living part of the community.

“We have something here that played a role in the founding of the country,” he said. “People should be able to come here, walk the grounds, see the buildings and understand what happened here. That’s why preserving the manor matters.”

For more information, contact the Law Offices of John Scott Prudenti at 631-909-4669.