History

Village Historian answering resident questions about the history of Muttontown.

The Village of Muttontown was incorporated on August 31, 1931. It is a village of majestic hills and estates. Two former estates of New York City families are now known as The Muttontown Golf and Country Club and The Woodcrest Acres. The third estate (mostly intact), the former Brewster Estate, now Hoffman Center, is a 155-acre nature preserve and Chelsea Mansion located on the Muttontown Preserve, former home of the Village’s first Mayor Benjamin Moore.

The name “Muttontown” derives from early use of the land for sheep grazing. It is formerly a “great sheep district.” In the 1600s the early English and Dutch settlers found the rolling hills ideal for the thousands of sheep that grazed here, providing mutton and wool.

 


Historical Maps of Muttontown and Surrounding Areas

 


Muttontown History Facts

William Willock, Jr. and the Land Where Village Hall Sits

May 1, 1963 William Willock, Jr. transferred a land title to the Village of Muttontown, effectively allowing for 2.15 acres from his 200-acre Gladwood estate to be used as Muttontown Village Hall.  Willock’s father had been a successful railroad executive, serving as vice president of the Monongahela Connecting Railroad. Following this, Willock, Sr. helmed what was at one point the second-largest steel business in the country (behind Carnegie Steel), Jones and Laughlin Steel. Upon Willock, Sr.’s death, Willock Jr. inherited the entirety of his father’s $120 million estate.

The Willocks also notably maintained a full-scale locomotive on their estate at Gladwood.  The train was eventually moved to another of the family’s residences in Maryland.  

Many of the photos below come directly from the Willock family collection. Our historian Stanley Jackson traveled to meet with the eldest living Willock in Maryland in July 2014 to scan these images from their albums.


 

Established in 1931

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Calendar of Events

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12:00 PM - Tax Sale
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7:00 PM - Trustee Meeting
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7:00 PM - SARB Meeting
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04 Apr
04/04/2025    
12:00 pm
Documents Public Notice
08 Apr
04/08/2025    
7:00 pm
Documents Public Notice Agenda
09 Apr
04/09/2025    
7:00 pm
Documents Public Hearing 7:10pm Public Hearing 7:15pm Agenda Document
17 Apr
04/17/2025    
7:00 pm
Documents Public Notice Agenda
23 Apr
04/23/2025    
7:00 pm
Documents Agenda
Events on 04/04/2025
04 Apr
4 Apr 25
Muttontown
Events on 04/08/2025
08 Apr
8 Apr 25
Muttontown
Events on 04/09/2025
09 Apr
9 Apr 25
Muttontown
Events on 04/10/2025
10 Apr
10 Apr 25
Muttontown
Events on 04/17/2025
17 Apr
17 Apr 25
Muttontown
Events on 04/23/2025
23 Apr
23 Apr 25
Muttontown
Events on 04/24/2025
24 Apr
24 Apr 25
Muttontown

Upcoming Events

Thu, May 8, 2025
Court ARR./Conferences/Trials
Muttontown Village Hall, Muttontown NY
Tue, May 13, 2025
Planning Board Meeting
Muttontown Village Hall, Muttontown NY
Wed, May 14, 2025
Trustee Meeting
Muttontown Village Hall, Muttontown NY

Important Messages

August 14, 2024 - PROPEL NY ENERGY PROJECT - Dear Muttontown Resident, The Village recently received the following from the Propel NY Energy Team. ” I am writing to inform you that this month (July 2024) the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and New York Transco (Transco) plan to initiate our permitting process for the Propel NY Energy project with the submission of a […]


September 8, 2022 - Police Announcement - Police Burglary Tips