On the east side of the harbor in Port Jefferson, the Port Jefferson Village Historic District includes a mixture of residential, commercial, and public buildings. To the south of East Main Street on the hillside, the district is comprised of eight streets. A vast majority of the homes built between the 1840s and 1870s were Italianate and Greek Revival style, dating mostly from 1800 to 1915.
With over 96 contributing primary buildings and 34 non-contributing primary buildings, the Port Jefferson Village Historic District is made up of a variety of architectural styles. Nineteen heavily altered "principal" buildings from the period of significance are included in the 34 non-contributing principal buildings, as are fifteen buildings built after 1917. 2 outbuildings that contribute to the ensemble contribute significantly to the structure. There are 24 non-contributing items, the great majority of which are garages.
Port Jefferson is located on Long Island's north shore near Long Island Sound, at the head of Port Jefferson Harbor. Several hills and ravines rise steeply from Port Jefferson Harbor's south and east, while lowland areas surround it to the west. In this terrain, on the steep hillside that rises east of East Main Street and stretches along the east side of the harbor, development centered along East Main Street, running south from the harbor.
This Port Jefferson Village Historic District contains the most densely populated area immediately adjacent to the shipyards on the south and east shores of Port Jefferson Harbor, during the heyday of shipbuilding, from the 1840s to the 1870s. There are significant numbers of houses built between the 1870s and the present outside the historical district boundaries, and it is unclear whether those houses are directly related to the historic context or just recent redevelopment. In the late 20th century, the waterfront, which was where the shipyards were located, was heavily redeveloped and has lost its integrity.
This historic district is only connected to the Bayles Shipyard, the only vessel building site to retain some integrity in this area. There is a major commercial district west of East Main Street that was progressively developed in the late 20th century. Across the street, South Main Street, redevelopment has resulted in the removal of historic buildings and the absence of intact structures related to the historic context.
Port Jefferson Historic District contains many contributing structures that reflect aspects of its historic context. The houses in the historic district illustrate the nature of the economy, the range of professions involved in it and the social and economic dynamics of the community by being built for a variety of individuals involved in the shipbuilding and maritime economy. A multitude of historic commercial buildings and churches dot East Main Street, which connects this neighborhood to the waterfront and remembers a prosperous era.
Ellis Carpet Cleaning Port Jefferson
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