Oyster Bay New York

Long Island Railroad Depot

The story of Oyster Bay New York goes back to the very early days of European exploration. It has been fairly well documented (as well as any routes for the early explorers of that time can be documented by contemporary historians attempting to de-cipher the various notes and descriptions left by these pre GPS travelers) that the expedition led by Giovanni de Verrazano, a Florentine sailing under the French flag, was the first to sail up the south shore of Long Island Sound in 1524. In 1639, a Dutchman, David deVries, named the bay he found in this location “Oyster Bay.” This was about the same time that the Dutch formally established their colony which they called “New Netherland.” In the same year that de Vries named the bay, several Dutch settlers “purchased” a parcel of land on the western fringes of present day Oyster Bay from the local Native American tribe.

In 1653 some New Englanders purchased land on the other side of the bay from the Native American Chief Mohannes and established a “town” (note the present-day seal of the town carries this 1653 date). In so doing, two settlements, one Dutch and one English, were established in close proximity to each other. Thus, Oyster Bay became the northern point of separation between the English and Dutch on Long Island. This division ended when the English took control of all of New Netherland (including Long Island) in 1664 as a result of their war with the Dutch.

During the Revolutionary era, this area was quickly conquered by the English and became known as “Loyalist” territory. However, there were a few brave patriots in the area, two of whom, Robert Townsend and his sister Sally, functioned as spies for George Washington. Reportedly, it was Robert, code name “Culper, Jr.” using information obtained by Sally, who blew the whistle on the Benedict Arnold’s plan to defect to the British and turn over the fortress of West Point New York as well. The Townsend Home Raynham Hall is now a museum.

In the 1880’s the Long Island Rail Road (note this is not a mistake, this is how the original charter spelled it) extended service into Oyster Bay from Locust Valley. This idea represented an attempt by the railroad's management to return to their "roots." In 1832, when the road was founded, the idea was to build a line offering New York to Boston service via Long Island. This early “mission” for the Long Island was rendered unprofitable in 1850 when a rail line was constructed through the hills of southern Connecticut connecting New York City with the coastline on Connecticut.

However, as is often the case in railroad corporate history, new times, in this case the 1880’s, and new management resulted in the renaissance old ideas, specifically the idea to construct a “New York to Boston via Long Island route.” The plan as it evolved under the new regime was to build to Oyster Bay, and from there ferry the passengers across to Connecticut where they could board the New Haven to complete their trip to Beantown. On June 21, 1889 the first train arrived in Oyster Bay at the station pictured above which had just been completed. The following year, the regular New York to Boston service via Oyster Bay commenced. Alas, it only lasted about a year before giving way to other, more direct connections.

About the same time as the arrival of the railroad in Oyster Bay, Theodore Roosevelt, an up-coming politician, later to be New York Governor and the 26th President of the United States, chose a farm to the east of this town as the location for his home Sagamore Hill. He lived here from 1886 until his death in 1919. His widow, Edith, continued to live here until her death in 1948. Sometime in the 1950’s a movement was begun to make Sagamore Hill into a site to honor Theodore Roosevelt. In 1962 the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site was created by Congressional Legislation.

The Long Island Railroad still runs to Oyster Bay. However, the line is not a line to a ferry link-up to Boston, nor is it a line to a resort, or to a well-known and well-visited national landmark. It is mainly a commuter line. Accordingly, in keeping with the current thinking of “Transportation Experts,” the 1889 station no longer serves the Long Island Railroad. Instead, it has been restored for "other uses," and when I was there in 2006 it appeared to be headed toward a role in an emerging railroad museum in Oyster Bay.

Instead of using the 1889 structure, modern-day riders of the Long Island Railroad use a “bus stop” type of station. While during my visit in the summer of 2006 I found it pleasant to sit in this “shelter” and enjoy the scenery of Oyster Bay, I wondered how much protection from the winter winds coming in off the harbor, this edifice truly provides for those waiting for an incoming train.

If you desire to take the train out to Oyster Bay in order to visit Sagamore Hill, you will need to catch a cab when you arrive at the station. IMHO Sagamore Hill is a little too far to walk. However, the 1851 Octagon Hotel which served as the “Little White House” (according to a plaque on the building) during TR’s presidency is in the downtown area within easy walking distance of the station.

Oh yes, according to one source, Oyster Bay still produces Oysters.