July 27, 1890, pg. 9
Beauties of Freeport
An Enterprising Village on the South Side
The home of the famous Prospect Gun Club—attractions of
Randall Park—a venerable homestead
If there is one name on Long Island more than another
that calls up pleasant memories, especially to the epicure, it is
Freeport. Who has not heard of the
famous Freeport oyster? Thousands are
acquainted with this superior bivalve who have no knowledge whatever of the
beautiful village which sends it forth. And yet, although without large
reputation, Freeport is destined to become as well known for its attractiveness
as a summer resort as for the products of its waters. Distant only twenty-one miles from Brooklyn,
on the southern branch of the Long Island railroad, it possesses very many
features that give promise of large growth and prosperity.
The land is rolling and well timbered. In consequence of the high ground the
contractors in laying the pipes of the Brooklyn water extension have to dig
deeper passing through Freeport than any other section. The soil is sandy, the air pure and general
health of the place so good that the able local physicians must drive long
distances to find remunerative practices.
Even the playful mosquito that is said to abound at certain nameless
spots on Long Island finds a poor living at Freeport and obtrudes his unwelcome
presence as little as possible.
Possessed of all the advantages of bay and meadow, with
wealth of game and facilities for fishing and sailing, yet old Neptune comes so
close that the roar of the breakers is easily heard at night and the breezes
come direct form the ocean cool and invigorating. Enterprising men, backed by abundant means
and with clear headed business sagacity, have opened up tracts of land for building
purposes, have laid out broad avenues and started such improvements that must
eventually count for much in the growth of the place. This work is not a scheme for land
speculation. There is no “boom” in villa
sites and none proposed. There have been
no auction sales with brass band and clambake attachments. No effort is being made to induce a speedy
rush of city prospectors. As lots are
prepared ready to build upon a fair price is set on them, together with numerous
restrictions which will insure a good class of houses, and the owners wait
patiently for buyers who know a good thing when they see it.
The village has a population of nearly 2,000. It has three churches, Methodist,
Presbyterian and Baptist. The Methodists
are erecting a new church that will cost over $15,000. The Presbyterians have a commodious church
and handsome chapel. The pastor, Rev.
Mr. Bell, is the finest bicycle rider in the town, and he is as good a preacher
as he is a cyclist. Rev. Mr. Hand, the
Methodist dominie, is eloquent in the pulpit and popular among the people. Freeport has a brass brand that is envied by
all the south side villages and drum corps that is the pride of the town.The local fire department has a good record and the base ball team and the young men’s athletic club are organizations with reputations extending the length of the island. The athletic grounds recently opened are as fine as any in the county.
To the summer visitor the attractions of the bay are principally sought after. If there is anyone whose authority on the subject of fishing and gunning is unquestioned it is certainly Henry Adams, county treasurer of Kings County. He says that Freeport is pre-eminently the finest fishing and hunting ground on Long Island. It is not surprising, therefore, that Mr. Adams and his friends have a club house there. The Prospect gun club is one of the attractions of the place. It was organized twelve years ago as the Bedford bowling club. As a social organization it was a success and its development into the Prospect Gun Club, with buildings and paraphernalia, was an easy step. The club house is located on the meadows one mile from the village of Freeport and about two miles along the coast from Long Beach. It is reached from the Freeport dock by a short sail in the club’s yacht, Marjorie sailed by Captain Abe Smith. The club owns twenty-four acres of land and a club house that is commodious and attractive and supplied with every convenience. A steward is on hand the entire season to cater to the hungry fisherman. From ten to twenty members of the club are at the house daily and on Saturdays and Sundays the number is more than doubled. The duck and snipe shooting is excellent this year in particular, while the blue fishing has been the best in many seasons. That the members of this club are experts in all these sports goes without saying. The membership of the Prospect is said to represent a wealth of $2,000,000. Here are the names, and anyone so inclined can satisfy himself on this point.
Messrs. C. F. Dotter, president; W.E. Trott, vice
president; John Lee, secretary and treasurer; C. E. Sneviley, W. M. Sawyer, H.
H. Adams, G. A. Raisbeck, P. Sutter, C. G. Street, F. Steiner, J. D. Adams, F.
W. Rebham, E. Haydenreich, W. M. Ellsworth, M. R. King, John J. White, W.
J. La Roche, A. A. Jeannot, W. C. Horn,
Francis H. Bawo, George J. Gordon, John P. Hudson, M. F. McDermott, A. F.
Allen, John J. Moran, Dr. F. R. Newman, William A. Furey, P. Renaud, C. F.
Whitney, A. Busch.
Until four years ago there was little about the village
of Freeport engage the attention of the traveler on the railroad. Now Randall park on the north side of the
tracks with its wealth of foliage and handsome cottages, is certain to attract
the notice of the passerby This park,
which comprises many acres, is regularly laid out with broad avenues lined with
shade trees and already has nearly forty cottages, many of them models of
architecture and costly in construction.
The park is owned by Mr. J. J. Randall and Mr. W. G. Miller, two well
known builders in Greenpoint. Two of the
handsomest houses and both just alike are occupied by Messrs. Randall and
Miller. Mr. Seth L. Keeney and family
occupy a handsome cottage in the park and also Mr. John McNamee, member of the
Brooklyn board of education. Both of
these gentlemen are interested in the water works extension. Mr. Kenny, deputy controller of New York
City, owns an attractive villa. Among
other Brooklyn residents in the park are Mr. Ousterhout, city surveyor; Mr. George
Van Riper, Mr. J. H. Coons, Mr. G. L. Burnett and Mr. Baker. Messrs. Randall and Miller recently purchased
the farm owned by Mr. Samuel Carman, which contains about 260 acres of land
fronting on the bay and extending from Randall park to the water. Streets are being laid out; those toward the
bay will extend to deep water, thus doing away with the present tedious method
of sailing on the narrow winding creek.
New cottages will go up as soon as possible, and within a few years, if
the improvements proposed are carried out, residents of Freeport will have much
to be proud of.
Many Brooklyn people have sought summer homes in
Freeport, and not a few have, in recent years, become permanent residents. One of them is owned by Mr. George W. Bergen,
who has spared no expense in building and in laying out the grounds, and has
the satisfaction of knowing that he has one of the finest places in town. Mr. Bergen is superintendent of the
Presbyterian Sunday school, and is one of the elders of the church. Just west of his house is the old Carman
homestead, where Mr. Bergen’s wife was born.
The house is 175 years old, and is one of the notable landmarks on the
island. It is situated on Long Beach
Avenue, and is in the excellent state of preservation.
At the corner of the old South Side Turnpike better
known, perhaps, as Fulton Street, and Long Beach Avenues is the substantial
residence of Mr. Elbert Verity, who came from Brooklyn a few years ago, having
for many years resided on Carlton Avenue.
The grounds are spacious, revealing well kept lawns and abundant
shrubbery. There is a small colony of
Brooklynites who are enjoying this summer the comforts of this hospitable
home. Among the number are Mr. and Mrs.
William B. Higgins (Mr. Higgins is a brother of ex-Bridge Trustee Charles
Higgins, and, while not as good a fisherman as his well known brother, he is
far handsomer and is more honest story teller), ex-Member of the Board of
Education George E. Moulton and wife, Mr. and Mrs. William E. Bailey of South
Fifth Street; Mr. William Verity and family, of Hancock Street, and Mr. H. F.
Gunnison and family.
New by is the handsome residence of Mr. Frederick Braman,
who has recently given up his Brooklyn home to enjoy the pleasures of suburban
life. Mr. George Shaffer and Mr. Carman
Pearsall are other ex-Brooklynites.
Among other Brooklyn people who are spending the summer in Freeport are:
Mr. and Mrs. George Bogart, Mr. and Brs. Burr, Professors Holt and Brown, both
of the Adelphi academy, the former being the teacher of elocution and the later
the head writing master; and Mr. J. Cheshire and family. At the residence of Mr. D.T. Bond, next to
the Bergen mansion, are stopping for the summer Mrs. Rush and Mrs. Parson, both
of Chicago. The Wallace brothers, known
throughout Long Island, are residents of Freeport.
