If checked, this site is within the Fire Place (Brookhaven Hamlet) Historic District

19-Initial Const Date: About July 1927

19-Architect:

19-Builder: Howard Robinson

This structure is all that remains of the commercial district of the South Haven hamlet. In the 17th, 18th, and much of the 19th century it contained mills, stores, an inn, a church, blacksmith, wheelwright, and other enterprises. Throughout the late 19th and 20th century, the commercial nature of the community declined, and the properties were purchased by the Suffolk Club and the Robinson Duck Farm. The construction of Sunrise Highway provided the death knell – the old mill was destroyed, and all other structures on the north side of Montauk Highway were either razed or moved. Until the site was sold by Swezey Fuel Oil, a large fuel oil tank dominated the site.

(From Marty Van Lith) Howard Robinson started the business, died shortly after. His widow, Audrey, remarried Delbert Wesche, who ran the business for many years keeping the name Robinson Fuel Oil. I don't know exactly when, but I think sometime in the 1950s Wesche sold the business to Swezey Oil. Swezey came under pressure during the 1970s and 80s to clean up the site, being on the banks of Carmans River, and decided that they didn't need the place and sold. The next owner was the first to use it as a canoe rental calling it Carmans River Canoe. I don't know how many times it changed hands after that but it ended with Glacial Bay Canoe.

From the Patchogue Advance, 1 July 1927: "Howard Robinson of Southaven is building a new refreshment store with living rooms above, next [to] his refreshment stand in Southaven opposite the Presbyterian Church."

John Deitz