Sylvester Manor Educational Farm:
Sylvester Manor Educational Farm is a 243-acre historic plantation and nonprofit educational farm on Shelter Island, NY, engaging all ages in farm-based programs. The Sylvester Manor house itself is in fact a collection of several building and remodeling efforts spanning several hundred years. Of interest there is the windmill, burial grounds and archeological sites. For information about access to the property, visit www.sylvestermanor.org
Shelter Island Historical Society, Havens’ House Museum:
Open to the public, the museum is a fascinating glimpse of early Shelter Island. In 1761, William's son, Captain James Havens and his wife, Elizabeth, took over the homestead and named it "Heartsease." Here, they raised their 11 children. The home was also a store, a tavern, a school, the post office and the town meeting hall which served a community of 27 households. Captain Havens was a privateer during the war for independence and a Representative of Suffolk County in the New York Provincial Congress of 1776. For hours of operation, visit www.shelterislandhistorical.org
Mashomack Preserve:
Visit the Trail House (79 S. Ferry Rd.) and discover fantastic hiking trails. Mashomack Preserve is a natural area of nearly 2,100 acres which encompasses diverse habitats necessary for the survival of many species of plants and animals. Only 90 miles from New York City and comprising one third of Shelter Island, Mashomack is a museum of life in process, a sanctuary where the natural cycles of flora, fauna, and ecosystems are allowed to complete themselves free from human interference. The Preserve is made available for compatible scientific research, educational programs, and passive recreational use. We invite you to visit and explore Mashomack and to experience its unique beauty. For information about trails and programs, visit www.nature.org/mashomack
Union Chapel in the Grove:
Located in Shelter Island Heights, Union Chapel has large Marine Mosaic windows flanking the chancel which are outstanding examples of the unusual craftsmanship of William Cole Brigham, a local artist, whose rich effects were achieved by the adroit use of natural shells, stones and chunks of broken glass. Stained glass was rarely used. One hundred and forty summers ago, Methodists organized a Camp Meeting and began holding summer worship services in the open grove. Worship moved indoors when the lovely chapel was built in 1875. This building, which is included in the National Register of Historic Places, has been restored and maintained by the Trustees of the Chapel.
For more information, visit www.unionchapelinthegrove.org
Taylor’s Island:
Located in Coecle’s Harbor and accessible only by water, this is a wonderful stop for kayakers. The Island and its historic Smith-Taylor Cabin, built around 1900 by F.M. Smith, was a gift to the Town of Shelter Island from S. Gregory Taylor for the "use and enjoyment of the general public." Taylor's Island is part of the Coecle’s Harbor Marine Water Trail. For more information, visit www.taylorsisland.org
Quaker Cemetery:
To the west of the Sylvester Manor entrance on North Ferry Road, near the creek lies the Quaker Cemetery, commemorated by Cornelia Horsford in 1884 to all residents of the property over the centuries, including several persecuted Quakers who found refuge with the Sylvesters in the 17th century. Today, the site is the warm-weather meeting grounds for Shelter Island chapter of The Society of Friends.