Centerport

Discover the Deco estates, summer camp spots, and stunning landscapes that Long Island's North Shore coastal community of Centerport has to offer.
Once known as Little Cow Harbor, the coastal community of Centerport on Long Island's north shore is rich in natural resources, including a beautiful harbor with several freshwater streams surrounded by wooded hills. Centerport was originally the site of several important mills, but in the late 19th century, it became a summer retreat for both the rich and the not so rich. Youth camps, most notably the Franciscan Brothers' Camp Alvernia; guesthouses; and resorts as well as popular restaurants dotted the shoreline. In the early 20th century, large estates were established by the Vanderbilt, Van Iderstine, Burling, Morse, DeBrabant, Whitney, and Corbin families on the Little Neck peninsula. As the 20th century progressed, modest and generously sized houses replaced the small farms and many of the large estates. The unspoiled natural beauty and rich history has for centuries drawn residents whose love of Centerport continue to make our village a great place to live.

David C. Clemens was the director of the Longwood Public Library in Middle Island and has served as a trustee of the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association, the Huntington Historical Society, and the Suffolk County Historical Society. He is the historian of the Centerport Yacht Club and the Centerport United Methodist Church. Suzanne Johnson served as the local history librarian, assistant director, and director of the Longwood Public Library. They are coauthors of Camp Upton, an Images of America book published in 2017.