66 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • APRIL 2019
PRESS BUZZ: DESTINATIONS
COLD SPRING HARBOR
BY BRENDAN MANLEY
Named for the natural cold-water
springs running through the area,
the quaint hamlet of Cold Spring
Harbor in the Town of Huntington
has a long aquatic past that reached
an apex in the mid-19th century, when
the local whaling business reached its
zenith. As the number of whaleboats
declined in the ensuing decades,
the area was reborn as a center for
science, with the founding of the
world-famous Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory in 1890.
In the century-plus since then, Cold
Spring Harbor’s namesake lab has
contributed numerous scientific advancements,
particularly in the field
of genetics, while the hamlet proper
evolved into a charming bedroom
community with a surprising amount
of local attractions, considering its
relatively small 3.9-square-mile footprint.
For visitors, there are several
can’t-miss spots devoted to the area’s
history and natural features, as well
as highly recommended outdoor
activities.
"Cold Spring Harbor is a quaint, historic
waterfront community, home to
great restaurants, parks and recreational
attractions, and it is just a few
short minutes from the amenities and
entertainment downtown Huntington
village offers,” says Huntington
Town Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci.
For a firsthand glimpse at Cold Spring
Harbor’s picturesque landscapes and
fascinating legacy, spend some time
absorbing the following:
CRACKING THE CODE
The place that put CSH on the map in
modern times is Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory (1 Bungtown Rd., 516-367-
8800, cshl.edu), an active, working
lab which has played a vital role in
biomedical research and education,
specializing in cancer, neuroscience,
plant biology and quantitative biology,
and boasting eight Nobel Prize
winners. The private not-for-profit
lab’s grounds and architecture are
stunning and provide a delightful
setting for a scenic walk, followed
by a guided tour of the laboratory
campus (call in advance to book).
Summer programs are offered to
students, and a variety of special
tours, events, lectures and concerts
are held throughout the year. Don’t
miss the lab’s current “Ötzi the
Iceman Museum Tour” at its companion
DNA Learning Center (334
Main Street, 516-367-5170, dnalc.org),
featuring a 3D replica of the famous
Ötzi mummy.
HOME AT SEA
Prior to its rebirth as a center for science,
Cold Spring Harbor was a hub
for whaling, and the premier stop in
town for learning more about this
maritime history is The Whaling
Museum & Education Center (279
Main St., 631-367-3418, cshwhalingmuseum.
org), featuring a collection
of some 6,000 artifacts and archived
materials. Highlights include the
only fully equipped whaleboat with
original gear on display in the state,
as well as one of the Northeast’s most
important collections of decorative
scrimshaw carved on whale ivory
and whalebone. There are also displays
of whaling implements, ships’
gear, navigational aids, ship models
and maritime art, plus a library and
archival collection of 2,800 materials.
Try to catch the museum’s special
exhibition, “Heroines at the Helm,”
which runs through Labor Day 2019.
All that maritime history may inspire
a longing for some oceangoing adventures
of your own, so if you’re feeling
the urge, head over to JK Kayak &
SUP (130 Harbor Rd., 800-489-0398,
jkkayak.com), one of the island’s
leading guided mobile kayak and
stand-up-paddleboard (SUP) touring
providers. JK offers 1-, 2- and 3-hour
guided kayak tours of Cold Spring
Harbor, as well as 90-minute SUP and
SUP yoga lessons, run by American
Public pier overlooking Cold Spring Harbor's eponymous waterfront. (Photo by Joe Mabel)
/dnalc.org
/cshl.edu
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/jkkayak.com
