The Bayport-Blue Point Heritage Association held their annual Historic Bike Tour on Saturday, September 17 with over two-dozen attendees. Frank Giebfried, a director at large of the BBPHA coming, led the tour that visited 14 sites along Middle Road from its starting point at the Meadow Croft estate on the Sayville/Bayport border through Blue Point.

“This is such a fun and lively event for the community to learn about historical homes and structures in their own neighborhood,” said president of the BBPHA, Mary Bailey.

Lisa Voos, a Bayport resident who went on the tour, said, “The town is so beautiful and rich with history.”

The first stop on the tour was the former White House Farm on 344 Middle Road, where the historical Maplewood stood as an estate for Capt. Henry Richmond, an Italianate house built sometime before 1888. The property included a windmill and a greenhouse.

In 1915, after John J. Asher purchased Maplewood, the building was renovated to the sprawling and impressive structure seen today. In 2017, the Maloney family restored the home that includes a conservatory brought out from New York City that is rumored to have been designed by Stanford White.

The former Suydam estate, on 250 Suydam Lane, known as “Edgewater,” was purchased by John R. Suydam as wedding present for his wife, Ann Smith, in 1853. The estate was eventually sold to Julius Liebmann, president of S. Liebmann’s Sons Brewing Company, which famously sold Rheingold beer and was based in Brooklyn.

Of course, what historical tour would be complete without an Isaac Green design?

At 100 Snedecor Avenue, there was the Effie Shannon House, which was designed by Green and built for Regis H. Post, in 1902. Post sold the house to nationally acclaimed stage actress Effie Shannon and her husband, Herbert Kelcey, in 1912.

The couple remains together, buried in St. Ann’s cemetery. The Moon Rise Restaurant, on 626 Middle Road, was known as Ma Moon’s and run by German immigrant Minnie Moon, who was married to English immigrant, George Moon.

German-style cooking was served along with beer and dinners for .50 cents and up. Community members came to play cards and socialize.

Another epicurean gem of the community, Flo’s Famous Luncheonette, on 302 Middle Road, was opened by Flo Kimball in the late 1920s. In 1929, local contractor Albert Thieme put the front on Flo’s stand as well as the lift-up doors and counter.

Flo died in 1950 and is buried in Blue Point Cemetery.