Bellport is a well preserved historic south shore village that is one of the stars of the south shore estuary. Settled in the 16th century by English settlers, it was best known for its salt hay that grew on the nearby marshlands. The small village was isolated until the Long Island Railroad brought residents from New York City to the village. By the late 1800s there were several hotels, most of which burned down. Today there is one hotel remaining. The village was incorporated in 1910.
The village is unique because it has its own private beach on Fire Island. Residents of the village can visit the beach using a village owned ferry boat. Other village attractions include a historic gazebo, theatre and a historical society.
There are numerous summer homes in the Village historic district and other parts of town. Examples include bungalows located at 19 & 21 N. Howells Road, named after Captain Josiah Howell who lived in Bellport in the early 1800s; 2 Circuit Road which was part of a bungalow community built c. 1933; and 14 Brewster Lane built c. 1910.
In Bellport stands the original Bellport Hotel, which is now home to the Chowder House, a new tenant in the historic 1898 hotel. As surveyor Jayme Breschard wrote, “The Hotel Bellport offered indoor and outdoor events that made Bellport a favorite summer colony on Long Island. The Hotel Bellport gained notoriety for hosting the annual Christmas dinner of the Brookhaven Game Protective Association.”
Learn more at the Bellport Brookhaven Historical Society - https://bellport.com/historicalsociety/
