| Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve | |
|---|---|
 Winter Cottage at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve | |
  Location of Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve within New York State | |
| Type | State park |
| Location | 25 Lloyd Harbor Road Lloyd Harbor, New York[1] |
| Coordinates | 40°55′39″N73°28′18″W / 40.92750°N 73.47167°W /40.92750; -73.47167 |
| Area | 1,520 acres (6.2 km2)[2] |
| Created | 1961 (1961)[3] |
| Operated by | New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation |
| Visitors | 980,410 (in 2024)[4] |
| Open | All year |
| Website | Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve |
Marshall Field, III, Estate | |
 Caumsett Hall in 2009 | |
| Coordinates | 40°55′39″N73°28′18″W / 40.92750°N 73.47167°W /40.92750; -73.47167 |
| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Pope, John Russell; Holden, McLaughlin & Associates |
| Architectural style | English Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001633[5] |
| Added to NRHP | April 30, 1979 |
Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve is astate park on Lloyd Neck, a peninsula extending into theLong Island Sound, in the Village ofLloyd Harbor,New York, United States.[6][7] It is operated by theNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
The 1,520-acre (6.2 km2) park[2] covers the formerMarshall Field III estate that was developed in the 1920s, and was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1979. Much of the park is today managed as anature preserve, with a focus on protecting high-quality bird habitat.
Marshall Field III bought the property in 1921 and had an estate house built in 1925, one of the largest estates of theGold Coast mansions.[8] Field named the property "Caumsett", after theMatinecock tribe's original name for the peninsula meaning "place by a sharp rock".[1][9]
The 1,426-acre (5.77 km2) Marshall Field III estate was purchased by New York State for $4 million on February 3, 1961, and became a state park.[3] The former estate was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1979.[5]
In May 1961, plans were made to createCaumsett State Parkway, a northern extension ofBethpage State Parkway, to provide access to the park.[10] Although right-of-way was acquired, the parkway was never built.[11] A portion of this land was later used to createCold Spring Harbor State Park andTrail View State Park.
The historic buildings within Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve are used for a variety of activities; former polo barns are used forequestrian education and services, while other buildings host environmental education programs and the Lloyd Harbor Historical Society.[1]
Much of the remainder of the park is maintained as anature preserve, with a focus on conservation of bird habitat. The "Caumsett Bird Conservation Area" was established in 2006 and comprises approximately 1,255 acres (5.08 km2) of the state park, two-thirds of which is forested. The remainder includes a variety of habitats, such assalt marsh and maritime beach. The designated area protects high-quality habitat that supports breeding populations of several species listed as threatened or endangered in New York State, includingpiping plovers,common terns, andleast terns; many additionalmigratory species also make use of the protected landscape.[12]
The park allows for recreation such as horse-riding, fishing, jogging, hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. Scuba diving is also allowed by permit.[1]
