Small North Fork Community Bands Together to Preserve Waterfront
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010On the Great Peconic Bay at Cutchogue Harbor rests the quiet hamlet of New Suffolk. Though the smallest community in Southold Town, the area boasts navigable creeks, deep fish-rich waters, and nearly 350 years of settlement history. Descendants of one 17th century farming family still work the nearby fields, and the town’s fewer than 400 residents often convene in the summer months for potlucks, yoga, or other recreational activities. This relaxed atmosphere has made the area a popular destination for weary city-dwellers and a haven for summer residents.
Three decades ago the village witnessed the first of a series of attempts by private developers to commercialize the area. In each instance New Suffolk’s residents have rallied together to oppose projects that might threaten the community’s rural charm, natural scenery, or historic structures.
After years of weighing in on the potential impact of building projects, several members of the New Suffolk Civic Association decided to take the future of the New Suffolk waterfront into their own hands. To that end they founded in 2005 the New Suffolk Waterfront Fund (NSWF), a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the town’s precious waterways. With help from the Peconic Land Trust, the NSWF has worked to raise money for the purchase of the bayside properties. Upon that success, they intend a laundry list of renovations. Among these they hope to repair the town’s storm-damaged docks, many of which were built at the turn of the last century. Other proposals include the addition of a community amphitheater and a maritime history museum to honor the site’s role as home to the first United States Navy submarine base.
As much as land, water, or wildlife, the NSWF is seeking to preserve an historic identity, one shared by a very small but dedicated community. New Suffolk is a place where the character of the village speaks for itself.