10
Greenport
10
Greenport
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Photography and story by Gwendolen Groocock
They say a rising tide fl oats all boats, and
that's especially true in Greenport. These
days, everywhere you look in this historic
seaside village, there's life. Families stroll in
the vibrant little shopping district on Front
and Main Streets. Boutiques, art galleries,
inns and restaurants are hopping. At Mitch-
ell Park, kids run around on the green grass
by the harbor, sailboats and motor yachts
bob in the harbor waves, and the painted
horses of the antique carousel go around and
around all day long into the night.
There's a spirit of optimism and confi-
dence in the air, and a record number of
new businesses have been started this year
by entrepreneurs who want a piece of the
action. People are buying up the old Vic-
torian houses, deciding that this is a great
place to set anchor.
"We're living the dream, said Doug Rob-
erts, an education consultant who moved to
Greenport with his wife Mary, after visiting
for years. "It's a small town with great restau-
rants on the water, and the community and
the people are awesome. Greenport helped
us transition out of Brooklyn into paradise."
In fact, Greenport is so hot, it's even
attracting celebrities, including one well-
known actor who decided that owning a home
here was an offer he couldn't refuse!
So, why is Greenport so popular? One big
reason is that you can walk everywhere; on
the boardwalk along the waterfront, and
down the quiet residential streets to the
beach, the supermarket, and the LIRR sta-
tion/Hampton Jitney depot. Also, it's small;
fewer than 2500 people live here year-round.
But when tall ships dock, and during Septem-
ber's Greenport Maritime Festival, the place
is packed. Day trippers and weekenders come
mainly from the rest of Long Island and New
York City, and these days, out-of-state and
overseas tourists are here, too.
Greenport also has a great location. It's in
the heart of the North Fork's farming, wine
and seafood industries, which suits Donnell
and David Stires, a professional couple who
really like to cook with local fare. "The prox-
imity to great vineyards, farms and fi sh mar-
kets makes it easy to make an amazing meal
that proves the adage, "what grows together
goes together," Donnell said.
In fact, Greenport is now a serious foodie
hub, with restaurants that range from family
casual, to trendy, upscale eateries that focus
on farm-to-table fare. The latest star to light
the dining scene is acclaimed chef Keith Luce,
whose career includes cooking at the White
House. Luce hails from one of the East End's
oldest families, and he has chosen Greenport
for an ambitious new endeavor. His restau-
rant, called Main, and café and gourmet food
production facility are clustered at Stirling
Square, a charming, leafy enclave by Bay Ave.
"The best thing about Greenport? Being
here!" said Luce.
Greenport was a long time getting to where
it is now. It's a village that has come full-
circle over the centuries. Greenport has had
a few other names; Winter Harbor, Stirling
and Green Hill. It was settled in 1682, and
for more than 200 years was an important
regional port, home to fi shing and whaling
fleets, and a large oyster industry. Sailing
ships brought goods from all over the world.
Luxurious hotels catered to the well-heeled
from New York City, and the Long Island Rail
Road tracks reached Greenport, the end of
the line, in 1844. But with the decline of the
maritime industries, Greenport became a
forgotten backwater. Through much of the
20th century, it had little local economy to
Fair Skies Ahead for
Our Historic Village