Frank Melville Memorial Park
National Register of Historic Places

Frank Melville Memorial Park

Setauket, Suffolk County, New York
Listed
July 18, 2010
Type
District
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
10000486

About this property

The Frank Melville Memorial Park is a privately run, publicly accessible park surrounding the Melville Mill Pond in Setauket, New York. It was dedicated in 1937 to the memory of Frank Melville Jr., father of local philanthropist Ward Melville. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 2010. The 24-acre park contains a walking trail and is also home to the Three Village Garden Club Arboretum, which is maintained by a group of local volunteers. A series of mills have inhabited the Mill Pond as early as 1660. The current mill house was built with the help of Donald A. Spetta in 1937 and contains a running simulated mill wheel which continues this historical legacy. The mill house also services as the park headquarters. Another historic structure is the Satterly Barn which was built in the early 1700s. A stable was added around 1937 and the structure was re-sided and re-roofed in 1968 under the direction of Ward Melville. Nearby is the John Satterly House which is claimed to be one of the oldest houses in the Setauket area. It was completely restored in 1968 by Ward Melville. Another property owned by the park foundation is the Bates House, a 1922 Colonial Revival-style house that was acquired in 1955. The house is rented by the foundation year-round for special events. Sitting adjacent to the park on the East side is the Patriot's Hollow State Forest. It is home to "Patriot's rock", which was once a meeting place of the Setalcott Indians and the site of Reverend Nathaniel Brewster's first sermon. During the Revolutionary war, it was the site of a skirmish with Tory forces garrisoned in the nearby Presbyterian church on August 24, 1772. The property was sold to the Three Village Community Trust in 2010.

Location

Setauket, Suffolk County, New York
40.94932, -73.11507

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Frank Melville Memorial Park

This page lists Frank Melville Memorial Park. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Frank Melville Memorial Park report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Caroline Church and Cemetery
Listed
0.2 mi
Setauket Presbyterian Church and Burial Ground
Pre Contact
0.3 mi
Brewster House
Early Republic
0.7 mi
Thompson House
Industrial
1.1 mi
Benner-Foos-Ceparano Estate
Listed
1.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Setauket
1777Revolutionary War
1.3 mi
Raid on Setauket
1777Revolutionary War
1.4 mi
Battle of Setauket Aug 22 1777
1777Revolutionary War
1.8 mi
Long Island Skirmishes – Setauket
1777Revolutionary War
8.2 mi
Battle of Setauket (Long Island)
1777Revolutionary War
8.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Frank Melville Memorial Park listed on the National Register?

Frank Melville Memorial Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 18, 2010.

What type of historic resource is Frank Melville Memorial Park?

Frank Melville Memorial Park is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Frank Melville Memorial Park?

The period of significance for Frank Melville Memorial Park is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1660.

Can I research the history near Frank Melville Memorial Park?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Frank Melville Memorial Park will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Suffolk County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Suffolk County.

Explore SuffolkCounty ›

More historic places in New York

Browse all historic places in New York.

View New Yorkhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

New York history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

New Yorkhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Frank Melville Memorial Park will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report