BBP Heritage Association
~ March 2026 Newsletter ~
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Join us for Bayport Blue-Point's 36th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade! This year the parade will be held on March 15th starting at 11:00 am. The rain date will be March 22nd. The parade begins on Snedecor Ave and marchers will walk along Montauk Hwy to Blue Point Ave. Our Grand Marshal this year will be Jennifer McNamara from the Johnny Mac Foundation. Congratulations to Jennifer!
General Membership Meetings
Our March General Membership meeting is open to all and held at the BBP Library. There is also a raffle at every meeting. Please join us for our March meeting:
Join us for a local history event with Brittany Cutrone, proprietor of Laughlin Vineyard and granddaughter of Barney Laughlin. Learn the rich history of her family’s vineyard, their long-time connection with the Roosevelt family, and the legacy left by her grandfather through old letters, postcards, and personal memories.
Postcards from Papa: Letters, Legacy, and the Land We Tend
Brittany Cutrone
Loughlin Vineyard, Proprietor
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Our April meeting will explore the Roosevelt girls. In 1891, John Ellis Roosevelt and his wife Nannie moved their family into their summer estate in Sayville. Daughters Pansy and Gladys were ten and two years old, respectively, and baby Jean was born at Meadow Croft that year. These active, intelligent, and creative girls were active in our local community as well as in the upper-class society of NYC. Join local historian Frank Giebfried as we explore the lives of these fascinating Gilded Age women: their marriages, travels, triumphs, and unfortunate tragedies.
The Roosevelt Girls of Meadow Croft
Frank Giebfried, BBP Historian
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Nominations for the BBPHA
The nominating committee is looking for members for the 2026 year. Any current paid BBPHA member May serve. It requires only one meeting per month. If you are interested in serving or volunteering in some capacity please contact us at bbphistorical@gmail.com
We are also looking for members to serve on various committees throughout the year. You can work from home! If you have a particular skill or interest (house tours, special events, light clerical and organization) please contact us to volunteer. Thank you!
Murder Mystery at Meadow Croft
Back by popular demand! The BBPHA is proud to bring back a Clue-like Murder Mystery event held at Meadow Croft. This will be a repeat performance (with a new twist). Our last performance was a sellout crowd and well received. A fun time was had by all! Put your investigative skills to work as you move from room to room at Meadow Croft and uncover "who did it?" "in what room?" and "with what weapon?"
Save the dates of April 25th and May 9, 2026. Tickets will go on sale through our own website on April 11th. If anyone is interested in volunteering, please reach out to our chairperson Beth at abclamarca@gmail.com. This should be a fun evening for families, friends and detective sleuths! Check back next month in our newsletter or on our website for more information soon.
Help Wanted!
If you are interested in becoming a docent or tour guide for the Meadow Croft estate, please reach out to Jennifer Economos. Tours at the estate are given every weekend from June through October and operate from 2:00-4:00. Training will be available and you can make your own schedule. Interested in local history? Want to learn more? Please reach out to Jen for more information: 631-235-9342.
If you have a group of 10 or more who would like a private tour of the estate, please email us at bbphistorical.com and we would be more than happy to work with you on a date and time.
Save the Date!
On July 11th 2026, The BBPHA will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of America. This is known as the Semiquincentennial, marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence and centered on themes of reflection, honor, and future. Meadow Croft will host an event that will embrace these themes in a family friendly day of planned events, food, music, contests and fun! Save the date and check back for more detailed information.
Save the dates!
Save the dates, read & share our newsletters, or follow us on Social Media for more information about these upcoming events brought to you by the BBPHA!
March 15, 2026: BBP St. Patrick's Day Parade
March 22, 2026: General Membership Meeting at BBP Library
April 12, 2026: General Membership Meeting at BBP Library
April 25, 2026: Murder Mystery Night at Meadow Croft
May 9, 2026: Murder Mystery Night at Meadow Croft
May 16, 2026: Historic Bayport & Blue Point Bike Ride
June - October 2026: Tours every weekend of Meadow Croft
June 21, 2026: Annual Summer Solstice Walking Tour
June 25, 2026: FREE Summer concert at Bayport Memorial Park
July 11, 2026: Celebration; 250th Anniversary of America!
July 30, 2026: FREE Summer concerts at Bayport Memorial Park
August 11, 2026: Historic Boat Cruise on the Great South Bay
December 5-6, 2026: Christmas at Meadow Croft
Blue Point Public Library
These stories first appeared in the Bayport Blue Point Gazette and were written by Gene Horton.
They are reprinted here with permission.
March 2005
The old Bennett house, seen here, used to occupy the front lawn area of the present-day Bayport Blue Point Library. In 1898, John Bennett opened his florist and greenhouse business here. He developed extensive greenhouses with over 50,000 square feet of space under glass. Mr. Bennett specialized in growing carnations, ferns, lilies and geraniums, shipping many into NYC. John Bennett died in 1930 and is buried in Blue Point Cemetery.
In 1946, the Library purchased the Bennett property for $1,000. From 1946 until 1956, this building served as our community library. In the old photo, a greenhouse chimney can be seen behind the house. In 1957, the Bennett house was dismantled when the present-day Library was dedicated.