August, 1910 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



305 



on its westerly side. 

 It adjoined on the 

 west Oakwood, in 

 the village of Port 

 Jefferson, and was 

 bounded on the 

 south by the north 

 or lower road from 

 Port Jefferson to 

 Wading River. 



As the name 

 Crystal Brook Neck 

 was not a pleasant 

 sounding name for 

 a summer home, 

 we discarded the 

 last and called the 

 place " Crystal 

 Brook," thinking we 

 had done something 

 very original. But 

 in looking over old 

 records, deeds, 

 wills, etc., between 

 1700 and 1800, I found that the 

 place had been called Crystal 

 Brook long before, though the 

 name was spelled in many different 

 ways — Christial, Christal, Cristle, 

 Cristal, Crystle; and "Brook" was 

 frequently made Brooke. 



The home attracted so many 

 men as well as women and chil- 

 dren, and the place was so liked 

 for its beauty and restfulness, that 

 in 1890 I formed a company, 

 which was incorporated in 1891 as 

 "The Crystal Brook Park Associa- 

 tion," which bought the property. 



So a co-operative country cot- 

 tage community was started. Suit- 

 able restrictions were established 

 and the place was kept healthful; 

 natural beauties were preserved. 

 Fountains and other artificial con- 

 trivances were discouraged. It is 

 not a fashionable place, and we 

 who appreciate Crys- 

 tal Brook, hope that 

 it never will be of 

 that type. It is a sea- 

 shore and inland coun- 

 try combined, in which 

 there is good society, 

 and plenty of amuse- 

 ment and health are 

 to be had in sailing, 

 fishing, bathing, riding, 

 walking and all out- 

 door games. There 

 is no better region for 

 botanizing, sketching 

 and photographing. 

 it is an ideal plare for 

 a summer school, 

 where the wonders 

 and beauties of na- 

 ture, its trees, flowers, 

 birds, shells and aquatic 

 plants, can be studied. 

 It is just the place for 



Bridge leading to "Point Silence." 



The chapel 



Interior of chapel 



one who is running 

 down in strength, 

 or who feels that he 

 needs a change and 

 a rest. Children 

 are welcome and it 

 is a royal place for 

 them. Delving 

 among old records 

 I found the fol- 

 lowing: "Christial 

 Brooke belonging to 

 the tracke of land 

 commonly called 

 Ould Mans in ye 

 towne of Brook- 

 haven in ye Province 

 of New York, in 

 the east Rideing of 

 Yorkshire, in ye 

 island of Nassau, 

 sold 10 of June 

 1664 to the inhabi- 

 tants of Setawke 

 and their succesores forever by 

 Massetewse and the Sunke squaw, 

 native proprietors and owners of 

 the lands, is a goodly parsell of 

 upland and medo." 



Yes, its 100 or more acres of 

 upland and meadow are a goodly 

 parcel. Two-thirds of the land is 

 well wooded with oak, chestnut, 

 pine, cedar, locust, walnut, sassa- 

 fras, linden, dogwood and maple 

 trees. Upon the other third are 

 beautiful hedges of wild grape- 

 vine, woodbine and brier, also a 

 brook and pond of spring water, 

 large trees and extensive lawns. 



The whole property is diversi- 

 fied by hills, valleys, and dales, 

 and there is a water front of three- 

 quarters of a mile on Mt. Sinai 

 Bay. The soil is sandy and there 

 are abundant springs which supply 

 ample drinking water. There are 

 many varieties ri wild 

 flowers from the trail- 

 ing arbutus, wild rose 

 and mountain laurel 

 to the common field 

 daisy. There are 

 many species of song 

 birds and owls, whip- 

 poorwills, squirrels 

 and chipmunks. 



Why is Crystal 

 Brook not better 

 known if it is the place 

 I have stated it to be? 

 Simply because the 

 nineteen families who 

 occupy the private cot- 

 tages do not wish to 

 have more than twen- 

 ty-five cottages on the 

 place. They are care- 

 ful to whom they sell 

 the land and so rhere 

 has been but little ad- 



