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Oyster Bay Cove Beginnings:
Tucked between Oyster Bay and the Cove Neck peninsula, this village of 2,380 people spread over 2,654 acres of winding country roads and well-preserved colonial homes was settled in the early 1600s by English families who farmed land for generations. The Fleet and Youngs families were the principal landholders in the area for many years. The Fleets farmed in the area of Cove Road and Yellow Cote Road, while the Youngs were located at the edge of Cove Neck.
Gold Coast:
"The Cove," as it was originally called, was discovered in the late 1800s by wealthy New Yorkers seeking country homes. Banker Mortimer Schiff, the son of railroad financier Jacob Henry Schiff, assembled 1,000 acres for his estate in 1900. Northwood, his Tudor-style showplace designed by famed architect Charles P.H. Gilbert, was completed in 1906. Other mansions followed. Threatened by the building boom of the '20s, Oyster Bay Cove incorporated as a village in 1931 and has two-acre zoning. The Schiff estate was subdivided after the death of Mortimer's son, John, in 1987.
Brushes With Fame:
Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president, is buried in the Youngs Memorial Cemetery, created by the pioneer Youngs family in 1658. Roosevelt's cousin, Emlen, bought the remaining plots plus 12 acres when T. R. died in 1919. The surrounding land became one of the nation's first National Audobon bird sanctuaries. The late Dorothy Schiff, daughter of Mortimer, and owner and publisher of the New York Post, was another famous resident.
Where to Find More:
"Long Island Country Houses and Their Architecture, 1860-1940," edited by Robert B. MacKay, Anthony Baker, and Carol A. Traynor, at major bookstores.
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