60 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • NOVEMBER 2018
PRESS BUZZ: DESTINATIONS SAYVILLE:
By BRENDAN MANLEY
Like many of its neighboring South
Shore communities, Sayville has
always had an indelible connection
with the water, and its prime location
on the Great South Bay continues to
inspire both visitors and residents
to converge upon the venerable Long
Island hamlet. Once prized for timber
and oysters, today Sayville delights
with quaint downtown charm, fabulous
dining and a host of historic,
outdoor and recreational pursuits.
Although settled in 1761 by John
Edwards, Sayville — once known as
simply “over south” — didn’t earn a
proper name until 1838, after its first
post office had opened the year prior.
As the story goes, one resident had
suggested the name “Seaville,” but
the moniker later became “Sayville,”
when the town clerk referred to an
old Bible, which spelled the word “sea”
as “say.” Thus “Sayville” was the spelling
the clerk sent to Washington, D.C.,
for registration, and although the
community later protested, the name
stuck. The alternative spelling hasn’t
seemed to hinder Sayville’s prosperity
over the ensuing centuries.
“Like many hamlets in the Town of
Islip, Sayville is a lovely community,”
says Islip Town Supervisor Angie
Carpenter. “It offers a sense of place
for families, young professionals
and many seniors. Shopping and
dining experiences from casual to
fine dining, as well as gift shops and
specialty boutiques, are available
within walking distance. Our pleasant
community parks and Town
beaches are easily accessible, and a
short ferry ride brings passengers
to the world-class, white-sand ocean
beaches of Fire Island.”
Like nearby Patchogue, Sayville is
widely known as a key hub for ferries
to Fire Island, just across the bay. In a
tradition dating to 1894, the Sayville
Ferry Service (41 River Rd., 631-
589-0810, sayvilleferry.com) makes
regular trips to the Fire Island communities
of Cherry Grove, Sailors
Haven, Fire Island Pines and Water
Island. Check the website for the latest
departure and arrival schedules.
But if you’re not headed over to the
barrier beach, fret not: Sayville has
a lot more to offer than just its ferry
terminal. Don’t miss some of these
essential Sayville hot spots.
CELEBRATING THE PAST
Start your journey by soaking up
Sayville’s rich seafaring history, at
the Long Island Maritime Museum
(88 West Ave., West Sayville, 631-
854-4974, limaritime.org), set on 14
beautiful waterfront acres from the
former Meadowedge estate, once the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Anson Wales
Hard. It features a large collection of
small vessels built or used around
Long Island, including multiple
sailboats constructed in Patchogue
by iconic LI shipbuilder Gil Smith.
There’s also an interactive lifesaving
exhibit, a circa-1908 oyster house, an
1890 bayman’s cottage and the 1888
Oyster Sloop Priscilla, a National
Historic Landmark. For the kids,
the museum also offers winter and
spring break programs, as well as
summer camps.
Then, immerse yourself in 19th
century South Shore architecture
at Islip Grange Park (10 Broadway
Sayville takes the holiday shopping
season seriously with annual holiday
festivities, parades and carolers.