Port Jefferson

Port Jefferson

Just 50 miles east of New York City, is one of the East Coast's most beautiful port towns. Steeped in American history and known for its rich maritime past, Port Jefferson is an oasis of quaint shops, comfortable inns and fine restaurants, under a blanket of classic architecture and stunning harbor views. Within its three-mile radius, Port Jefferson has managed to maintain its historic character, while becoming one of the most successful business centers in Suffolk County.

The birth of Port Jefferson can be traced back to the mid-1600s, when the Setauket Indians sold a tract of land known as Suwassett, which means "land of small pines," to the area's original settlers. In 1682, Suwassett was settled by an Irish shoemaker from Queens, named John Roe and re-named Drowned Meadow. Although the area maintained its small rural character through the 1700s, boasting just five homes, Drowned Meadow was a bustling commercial center by the mid-1800s.

Drowned Meadow residents played an integral role in the Revolutionary War, participating in George Washington's Culper Spy Ring and, after the war, Washington even traveled to the area to thank the residents for their support. In 1836, Drowned Meadow was renamed Port Jefferson, in honor of President Thomas Jefferson and in 1852, the town was designated an American port of entry, complete with a customs building which still stands today.

Through the 1800s, Port Jefferson was a major shipbuilding town, but when steamships began to dominate the seas, Port Jefferson's shipyards were abandoned for larger ones that could handle the production of iron-hulled vessels. During WWI, Port Jefferson experienced a shipbuilding revival, producing war vessels for the Federal government, but the end of the war marked the end of the shipbuilding industry.

Taking advantage of the P.T. Barnum's Bridgeport - Port Jefferson Steamboat Company (now known as the Port Jefferson Ferry, which links the village to Bridgeport Connecticut) and the Brooklyn - Greenport railroad line (completed in 1844), Port Jefferson reinvented itself as a tourist destination.

Incorporated in 1963, Port Jefferson continues to be one of the hottest destinations on Long Island with fine restaurants, a mix of quaint retails stores & popular chains, live music venues, pristine beaches, marinas and an array of activities for the entire family, which is underscored by a new Harborfront Park and village center. For a great holiday getaway, visit Port Jefferson in early December for the village's annual Dickens Festival in which the area is transformed into a 19^th century holiday dream for young and old alike.

Regardless of when you visit Port Jefferson, we're confident that you'll fall in love and you'll come back again and again.