Heckscher State Park

USA / New York / Great River /
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Nicolls Neck was part of the original 1687 royal land grant to William Nicoll, founder of Islip and site of his manorhouse, Islip Grange, named after his family's ancestral estate at Northampshire, England.
George C. Taylor built his country home on the Nicoll Patent in 1886, adding over 30 other buildings to his 1500 acres such as carriage barns, stables, dairy barns, greenhouses, and quarters for his employees. The wooded areas of the estate he stocked with deer and game-birds, as hunting was most popular across the south shore gold coast of Long Island. The Taylor mansion was renovated adding two large cupolas on either side of the front facade, but was eventually torn down in 1933.

J. Neale Plumb built an estate on the property that also was demolished, except for the central part of the home, which was moved to Main Street in Bay Shore, L.I. At this point, the land was purchased by the State of New York using a donation from capitalist and philanthropist August Heckscher, amidst strong opposition from wealthy local residents. The park now has over a million visitors a year.
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Coordinates:   40°42'22"N   73°9'39"W
This article was last modified 5 years ago