William Floyd Estate Celebrates National Park Service Centennial with New Exhibit

News Release Date: May 23, 2016

Contact: Chris Olijnyk, 631-399-2030

Contact: Elizabeth Rogers, 631-687-4766

Patchogue, NY – On Friday, May 27, the William Floyd Estate opens for the summer season. A new exhibit honoring the National Park Service (NPS) Centennial will feature 100 never-before-seen items from Fire Island National Seashore's museum collection and will be on display in the Estate's Old Mastic House.

The "Recollections, Collections and 100 Selections" exhibit will showcase a variety of artifacts throughout the Old Mastic House, open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays through November 11, 2016. "The new exhibit gives us a glimpse of what life was like in Mastic one hundred years ago," said Fire Island National Seashore Superintendent Chris Soller, "and is a great way to find your park during the NPS Centennial celebration."

In addition to the new exhibit special programs are planned throughout the summer. On July 4, "He Dared to Sign," looks back on the life and times of William Floyd, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Park rangers will explore how Floyd risked losing his house, his property, and his life when he signed this historic document. On July 30, "Summer Gunner: The Art of Decoy Carving," will celebrate the time-honored tradition of carving duck decoys.

Three centuries of American history are preserved at the William Floyd Estate, the historic home of William Floyd. The Estate includes the 25-room Old Mastic House, 12 outbuildings, and more than 600 acres of forest, fields, marsh, and trails. Guided tours of the Old Mastic House are offered every half-hour from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Fridays through Sundays and holidays. The William Floyd Estate is located at 245 Park Drive in Mastic Beach, New York.