William Floyd Estate

With saplings planted by Floyd ancestors almost two centuries ago now towering over the William Floyd Estate's Old Mastic House, centuries of growth and change can be experienced at the home of one of New York's four signers of the Declaration of Independence.

 

 

During guided house tours, you may glimpse into the lives of eight generations of Floyd family members.

A Sense of Place

Two hundred and fifty years of history are preserved at the William Floyd Estate, which contains architectural features and artifacts from three centuries of American life.

The Estate, which was authorized as an addition to Fire Island National Seashore in 1965, is located on the mainland of Long Island in Mastic Beach, New York. The estate contains the ancestral house, grounds, and cemetery of the William Floyd family. William Floyd, a Revolutionary War general and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born in the house in 1734. In 1977, the Floyd family donated the contents of the house to the National Park Service, and transferred the remainder of the property to the National Park Service in 1991.

Between 1718 and 1976, eight generations of Floyds managed the property and adapted it to their changing needs. The family used the house and property in different ways over the years.

In colonial times, the Floyds ran a huge plantation; later, the family turned to business and politics, and the lands were used for outdoor recreational pursuits like hunting and fishing.

The 25-room "Old Mastic House," the twelve outbuildings, the family cemetery and the 613 acres of forest, fields, marsh and trails all graphically illuminate the layers of history.

The most difficult question we face when dealing with the past-the relationship between change and continuity-becomes a little easier to grasp during a tour of the Old Mastic House, a walk through the outbuilding area and a visit to the Floyd Family cemetery.

Interpretive programs include guided tours of the house and cemetery. Restrooms are available by the parking area.

 

The 2011/12 temporary exhibits at the Old Mastic House feature the belongings and interests of the home's last owner, Cornelia Floyd Nichols.

Things To Do

• Interpretive Programs/Guided Tours
• Education Programs
• Exhibits
• Wildlife Viewing

Exhibits are available throughout the house, including historical photographs of the William Floyd Estate and the Floyd family. The Old Mastic House is filled with furnishings accumulated by eight generations of Floyd family members. The 2011/12 temporary exhibit focuses on the life and artifacts of Cornelia Floyd and John Nichols, who were married in the main hall of the home in 1910. John and Cornelia were the last couple to have married in the home, and their grandchildren were the last generation to have lived at the William Floyd Estate before its donation to the National Park Service.

The William Floyd Estate is a recognized South Shore Estuary Reserve Bayway Destination.

 

The William Floyd Estate is a short drive away from Fire Island National Seashore's Wilderness Visitor Center.

How To Get There
The William Floyd Estate is located at 245 Park Drive in Mastic Beach, New York 11951.

From Long Island Expressway:

Exit 68 South
(via William Floyd Parkway, Route 46)
Continue approximately 6 miles south to Havenwood Drive traffic light.
There will be a William Floyd Estate sign on your right and a Mastic Beach Business District sign on your left.
Make a left onto Havenwood Drive, which turns into Neighborhood Road.
Continue approximately 2 miles east to end of Neighborhood Road.
Turn left onto Park Drive.
The park entrance is located approximately ¼ mile on your right.

From Sunrise Highway:

Exit 58 South
(via William Floyd Parkway, Route 46)
Continue approximately 3 miles south to Havenwood Drive traffic light.
There will be a William Floyd Estate sign on your right and a Mastic Beach Business District sign on your left.
Make a left onto Havenwood Drive, which turns into Neighborhood Road.
Continue approximately 2 miles east to end of Neighborhood Road.
Turn left onto Park Drive.
The park entrance is located approximately ¼ mile on your right.

Important Phone Numbers:

William Floyd Estate Office
631-399-2030 (or 631-395-9693)

Check current Hours of Operation