Come View Meadow Croft in a New Light

By Ezra Powers

The first part of an ambitious lighting restoration has recently been completed at the Meadow Croft Estate. With the help of a Suffolk County grant secured by District 8 Legis. Anthony Piccirillo, the Bayport-Blue Point Heritage Association researched and purchased historically accurate lighting fixtures as part of the ongoing effort to painstakingly reconstruct the historical summer home of the storied Roosevelt family located off Middle Road on the border of Bayport and Sayville.

The antique lighting fixtures now on display date from the 1890’s through 1915 and reflect what would have graced the grand estate in its heyday. The bulbs used in the replaced pieces are calibrated to mimic the authentic color and brightness that would have filled the rooms, allowing visitors to view the house as the Roosevelt’s and their guests once did. Once purchased, the fixtures, many of which were gas powered, had to be converted to modern electric configurations in order to be installed at Meadow Croft. Richard Martin, the Director of Historic Services for Suffolk County Parks, arranged for county electricians to finish the installation.

This complicated undertaking is the dedicated work of BBPHA member Erich Haesche, whose knowledge and expertise guided the restoration’s design and who generously donated many of the fixtures from his own collection. The end result is a stunning combination of history and art, beautifully brought to life. Tours of the estate run every weekend until October. Stop in and witness Meadow Croft in a new light.

Photos by Kate Berube