Category: History

After the Long Island Rail Road was extended from Great Neck to Port Washington in 1898, newcomers began settling around lower Main Street, quickly making this area the new hub of the community. Their arrival added a new class of people to the town; the original residents were known humorously as “clam diggers” and the…

Sand mining was common in the Port area, yet few realize that approximately one fifth of Baxter Estates was once used for sand mining. At the beginning of the 20th century the land behind McKee’s store was a sandbank as was the entire Village shorefront. A small dock, constructed over what is now the Village…

The history of Baxter Estates dates back to the days before the arrival of the first settlers when the Matinecock Indians lived on the entire Port Washington peninsula. The Indians were hunters and fishermen and being of a peaceful nature, caused the early settlers little difficulty. Eventually, many were employed by the Cow Neck seafarers…

The Village of Baxter Estates is pleased to have on display in the Village Hall located at 315 Main Street in Port Washington, four in a series of black and white pen and ink sketches of the Village, which were commissioned in the 1970’s by William Kurz of Kurz Oil Company for its annual calendar. …