Old Field

Living in Old Field may be a dream come true for anyone who loves water views, water sports and outdoor activities. Harbors and bays almost entirely surround the compact, 2.2-square-mile community. There's also a large inland pond. While some communities have mascots, this Brookhaven town has a lighthouse. The Long Island Sound on the north shore calmly laps in the shadow of a bluff on which stands the village's famous maritime structure. It's the town's second lighthouse and was built to replace one powered by whale oil lamps. The Old Field Point of Light silhouette is the village's most recognizable feature.

Old Field is primarily residential. What makes the village so unique is the various laws trustees passed to prevent population and housing density. However, just a few miles away, you'll find shopping plazas, eateries, Stony Brook University and some of the largest employers in the county.

Homes in Old Field list for as low as $1 million. At this price point, you can get a modern or classic-style house with views of Smithtown Bay and Flax Pond barely concealed behind a curtain of trees. Estates that list for more than $5 million overlook The Narrows or harbor. Most properties in Old Field are hidden in a thicket of old-growth trees, down long private driveways or behind walls and gates. For the most part, homes with waterfront views are the norm.

In the 17th century, Native Americans sold the land known as Old Field to European farmers, fishermen and shipbuilders, and by the early 1900s, these same laborers relocated to communities closer to trains and employers. For much of the next century, including today, Old Field is known for its large mansions and sprawling estates. The village has diversified a lot over the past few decades, but bylaws strongly restrict projects that encourage population growth and housing density.

The Three Village Central School District serves Old Field students. Niche ranks it the third-best district in Suffolk County. The closest public schools are Setauket Elementary School and Paul J. Gelinas Junior High School. Both are located in Setauket, a neighborhood a few miles to the south. On a scale of one to 10, GreatSchools gives both a nine for test scores. According to Niche, the middle school and Ward Melville Senior High School get an A+. The site also names Melville the third-best public high school in the county.

North Country Road is a busy corridor where locals can find retail shops, restaurants, bars and grocery stores. In January 2022, Newsday wrote about the new noodle shops opening in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, including Ichi Sushi & Ramen in East Setauket, which serves classic ramen bowls, sushi rolls and nigiri. Chico's Tex-Mex is a relative newcomer to the area. The eatery transitioned from slinging tacos from a trailer to its current brick-and-mortar taqueria. The owner, a Long Island native, says he opened the eatery to employ workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic.

Old Field's coasts and ponds are lined with beaches. Most are scenic; some are rocky and not easy to navigate without proper water shoes, and, like Cranes Neck Beach on the north shore, not all are easy to find. Accessibility is one of the strategies for maintaining exclusivity throughout the village. Day trippers will drive an extra mile or two for a public beach with ample parking, onsite rest stations and a snack bar. Some of the local beaches even require resident badges and parking stickers. Flax Pond Tidal Wetland Area is free and open year-round. The more than 150-acre scenic property offers activities like hiking, hunting and fishing, kayaking and wildlife viewing.

Interestingly, the original Old Field lighthouse was completed in 1824 at a cost of $4,000 (roughly about $125,000 in the 2020s). These days, a used car costs four or five times that amount. The “modern,” Old Field Point of Light was built in 1868 and powered by kerosene lamps. In the 1930s, the government gave it an automatic revolving light, which is still capable of providing navigational aid.

Photography Contributed By

Jeff Rainone

Video By

Antoine Allen