I have always loved items and architecture that have that a true vintage appeal to them. My curiosity has always led me to historic places. There is something about the story behind the location as well as the construction that intrigues me. So it made sense that the Lloyd Manor in Huntington, New York would be on my list and I must say that I was very happy with what I captured during my visit.

As I turned off Lloyd Harbor Road I spotted numerous buildings on the right and immediately felt excited. I pulled over and started to explore this fascinating place. The farm area was my first stop. It was a relief to see that some of the buildings were showing their old age. Not that I don’t like restoration projects but I am more a fan of things in their natural state.

The Manor was built in 1711 and I wanted to capture the essence of that time. As I continued on my journey I spotted a white and black cat just hanging out in a small alley. Was this the “attack cat” who was mentioned on the door sign? If so, I don’t think he is that scary!

I moved on toward the barn and stable area and found that this was my favorite set of buildings. My walk over there was interesting enough with the cracked stone walls. Some revealed old brick that housed weeds and ivy. The main building was connected to the stables and the barn had a small chicken coop area to its right.

I really loved how the muted clay color of the stone was slightly set back from the dark green of the window frames and doors. It seemed to match well with the greenery and natural setting its surrounded by. I also thought it was convenient that everything was connected either by a gate or a path. It brought the whole Manor together as a whole instead of breaking up all the buildings.

The cottage at the end of the Manor was adorable and quaint. It followed the same design as the other buildings and a nice amount of land for gardening. I can imagine how nice it was to take in the view while relaxing on a summers night. The beautiful trees that guard the Manor are mesmerizing. It is no doubt they have seen amazing things.

The Lloyd family has owned this land for two centuries. Spawning out past Caumsett, the 3,000 acres allowed them to build numerous housing, construct buildings such as the Manor and have access to the natural resources that surrounded it. James Lloyd bought the land in 1676 when he married Grissel Sylvester and rented it out to farmers. In 1711 his son Henry decided to keep up the land and make it more successful. In 1763 Henry passed away and his son, Joseph, decided to build a larger home on the property three years later.

Jupiter Hammon, one of the slaves Joseph inherited by his father, was born and raised on the Manor amongst the other Lloyd children. He was fifty-two when Henry passed. A stocky man with a white beard, Jupiter was smart and educated. He wound up becoming a trusted employee of the Lloyd family as well as assisting Joseph to Connecticut to escape the British. At a young age, Jupiter had attended the Lloyd schoolhouse and learned to read and write. When he was twenty-two years of age he raised enough money from his own garden to buy a bible from the Lloyd family. He was a strict Christian and acted as a preacher to the other 10 known slaves.

Jupiter is also the first black poet in America to be published. His piece, An Evening’s Thought: Salvation by Christ, with Penitential Cries, was published on December 25, 1760 at the age of 50. Jupiter’s parents, Opium and Rose, were both slaves as well. In 1780 after Joseph died Jupiter was given to his nephew because he had no children of his own. Being a slave all his life, he passed away between 1790 and 1806 having published about 7 or so works during his life most of which were his later years.

The Manor was kept by several generations of the Lloyd family so you can understand how important it is to Huntington. Henry Lloyd IV was the last owner of the land acquiring it in 1841 and built an addition to the property near the Causeway. The new dock he constructed was intended for the local steamboats. Between then and 1885 the area was still underdeveloped until the Manor was legally made a part of Huntington and finally separated from Oyster Bay.

For such a small part of Huntington this area holds many treasures and shares unbelievable history. I recommend you visit the Lloyd Manor for yourself and take a look around. It really is striking how time tells stories. Important and valuable people came out of this area and helped to make it successful. Their hard work, bravery and ambition put the Lloyd family on the map and left the Manor for all of us to hold close to our hearts.

{Next in the Lloyd Family series: Joseph Lloyd Manor House}