This area was known as the "Durkee Estate", but there was a great deal of activity here long before the time of the Durkee Family's arrival. This brief history recounts some of that activity.
Major John Winthrop, then Governor of the Colony of Connecticut, purchased a large tract of land from the Unkechaug Indians in 1664. It included the entire section of Namkee Creek in Blue Point to a small fresh pond near the bay just southeast of Dunton Lake, extending almost to the middle of the island.
In 1680, Governor Edmund Andress gave a patent for the property to John Still Winthrop and the land was then referred to as Winthrop's Patent. The property was sold by Winthrop to John Brewster and Thomas Strong. The Town of Brookhaven annexed the land in 1773 and many Smith family members purchased land in the area.
The Smiths were among the earlier settlers of eastern Long Island. The inhabitants of this region were most likely the descendants of Richard "Bull" Smith, patentee of Smithtown. The Smith graveyard is located on the east side of Evergreen Lane in the rear of a private residence. The graveyard, although only 64 by 52 feet and surrounded by a chain link fence, shows much of the Smith family legacy. In this graveyard is a wooden marker, with its inscription obliterated, said to be that of "Handsome Harry" Smith. The names of Edward, Malaga, Charles, William, and George Smith are also evident on the grave markers.
In addition to the Smith homes, there were also Hurtin, Tuttle, and Rorke farms. According to early records, the Rorke family arrived from Kings County in Ireland in 1850 after their ship, destined for New York City, was shipwrecked off the coast of Bellport.
There were also a variety of businesses in the region. A sawmill was located at the head of Mud Creek adjacent to the original boatyard. Augustus Floyd Smith, who became the first postmaster of East Patchogue in 1878, owned and operated a large ice cream factory, located on South Country Road just north of Southern Boulevard.
Eugene Durkee, one of the sons of the spice and salad dressing magnate, settled in the area in 1890 with the purchase of the Pat Rorke farm. He also purchased the Tuttle and James Rorke farms and had the houses moved. These three homes, which overlooked the Great South Bay, were combined into the twenty three room Durkee Mansion. Mr. Durkee continued acquiring various farms on the tract until he owned 152 acres together with several houses. A staff of forty people was required for maintenance of the extensive estate which included tenant cottages, greenhouses, stables, poultry houses and even a nine hole golf course. Some of the early homes remain.
The present Kimbis home, located near the brick pillars at Colonial Drive, was the original gate cottage and the Latham home, adjacent to it, was the carriage house. This home, once an open area with exterior brick walls, was the first house reconstructed by Frank Hines, the developer of South Country Shores. In fact, he lived in the home for a short time as he made plans for the renovation of the area. The Ponzi family, located opposite WALK on Colonial Drive, own the home that was renovated by the Herberts. Prior to that it was used as the gardener's cottage. Its construction predates the Durkee estate to approximately 1864. Although the exact function of the home owned by the Cuenin's near the head of Southern Boulevard is unknown, its original architectural style dates it back to the Durkee period. The Cooley home, located on a wooded property on the east side of Durkee Lane, was most likely moved from Private Road during the 1920'g. Its Greek Revival architecture indicates that the structure was built in the late 1850'g as one of the original farm homes belonging to the Parker Family.
Emma Durkee, daughter of Eugene, brought a barn from Fire Island which she converted to a library for the mansion. It was connected to the main house by a covered walkway. After WW I , Helen Durkee, the other Durkee daughter, married Christopher Mielehan. In 1927, shortly after the death of Eugene Durkee, Emma married Colonel Chauncey Humphrey, an officer from Camp Upton. The wedding reception was held in the library. Emma Durkee Humphrey died in 1934 and, after a delay because of probate problems, Chauncey Humphrey inherited much of the property.
The mansion did not last much longer. A fire occurred in the upper portion of the mansion in 1939 without major damage. However, on January 27, 1949 a fire totally razed the home --partially because the land (now Heron Pointe) was too soft to support heavy fire department equipment. The loss was estimated at $150,000, and included one of the finest collection of antiques on eastern Long Island.
Frank Hines purchased the property from Colonel Humphrey in 1950. The library, suffering from neglect, was torn down and much of the salvageable wood and bricks were used for houses built in the neighborhood. Mr. Hines brought in nursery men to save the many trees which had long been neglected, and he planned and developed the area renamed South Country Shores. Hines was particular about who else he permitted to build in the area. Al Coleman, still located on Evergreen Lane, was chosen to build at least ten houses in the neighborhood during the 1960's. Among the homes that Al built were the Koskinen home located on Colonial Drive, the Jacoby house on Durkee Lane and the Velys residence on Private Road.
Property east of the present WALK radio station was used as land for a community club house. George Whitler, a resident since 1952, became the first president of the "South Country Shores Club". Malcolm Herbert was the treasurer of the association. Paula Shore was responsible for publishing the South Country Shores Review, a neighborhood newspaper which featured local events and stories. These neighbors, and other early residents of South Country Shores, kept the history of the area alive and helped develop a community spirit for many years.
We hope to rejuvenate some of this spirit. Revised and updated by Colonial Drive resident Bob Ponzi with material originally written by former residents Lee Bollman, Gerry Corson and Regina Cullen. Special thanks to the early "pioneers" of South Country Shores, the Wittlers and Lathams, whose knowledge of the early community was invaluable in helping to reconstruct its history.
