The Top Parks in Mastic/Shirley/Moriches
The William Floyd Estate is part of Fire Island and the National Park Service and is located at 20 Washington Avenue in Mastic Beach, (631)399-2030. Many landmarks in the neighborhood are named for William Floyd, including the school district that children from Mastic/Shirley/Moriches attend. The William Floyd Estate has the original Floyd mansion, 12 outbuildings and cemetery. The museum in the mansion is closed from November until Memorial Day weekend, so it is best to visit during the summer. During the warmer months, a guide is available to take you through the house and view furnishing accumulated by eight generations of the Floyd family. The preservation of this Estate is so incredible that you feel as if you actually stepped back in time. My children and I attended a presentation here this summer with the local community library and we were so impressed with the vast ground and historical preservation. We even took a walk down to the cemetery to see the old headstones, which made it even more real to us how old everything was here. This is a wonderful place to take a long walk and experience history first hand. You can see deer as you walk the grounds (such a lovely sight), so be sure to take that bug spray with you to ward off the dreaded deer ticks.
Another historical estate in the area is the Manor of St. George, located off the William Floyd Parkway (heading south), at the end of Neighborhood Road, near Smith’s Point Park. You can find out more about the Town of Brookhaven landmark by calling 1-866-451-4533. This 127 acre estate overlooks the Great South Bay and has incredible views. The historical landmarks include the house (which was given to William “Tangier” Smith in 1693 by King William and Queen Mary of England), original restored outbuildings, a cemetery and big cannons. When you stand on the grounds, looking past the cannons at the Bay, you can almost see soldiers and hear fifes playing. The local community library had an excursion here, too, this past summer and it was a treat to see the lavish dÃ?©cor in this historical home, as well as to feel the history all around us on the grounds.
Finally, while you are in Mastic/Shirley/Moriches, you must visit the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge and take a nature hike along the Carman’s River. To get there, take William Floyd Parkway south to its juncture with Montauk Highway (Rte 27A/CR80). Take Montauk Highway west about a mile to Smith Road and turn south. Go down Smith Road for about a Ã?¼ mile until you see the refuge entrance on the right. Their telephone number is (631) 286-0485. The hours to visit this 2500 acre refuge are from 8 am until 4:30 pm. There is a main office and an information kiosk with many helpful maps and brochures at the entranceway of the refuge. You can take two hikes, one that is about a mile and a half and another that is around three miles long. The refuge consists of fields, woodlands of pine and oak, streams, ponds and marshes and houses wildlife such as frogs, snakes, foxes, wild turkeys, raccoons, squirrels and many others. This is my favorite place to take a day out hiking because it is an absolute paradise, filled with lush scenery and animated wildlife.
The parks in Mastic/Shirley/Moriches are beautiful, ecological and historical. Come to our incredible town, bring your family and friends and discover that learning can be fun – at the parks in Mastic/Shirley/Moriches!
