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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31
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7:00 PM - Trustee Meeting
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7:00 PM - SARB Meeting
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10 Jun
06/10/2020    
7:00 pm
Documents Public Hearing 7:00- Meeting Location change Agenda
16 Jun
06/16/2020    
8:00 am - 9:00 pm
Postponed by Executive Order until September 15, 2020
16 Jun
06/16/2020    
7:00 pm
Documents Notice of Public Meeting via Zoom Agenda
18 Jun
06/18/2020    
7:00 pm
Documents
18 Jun
06/18/2020    
7:00 pm
Documents Notice of Public Meeting via Zoom Agenda
24 Jun
06/24/2020    
7:00 pm
Documents Notice of Public Meeting via Zoom Agenda
03 Jul
07/03/2020    
All Day
Events on 06/09/2020
09 Jun
Events on 06/10/2020
10 Jun
10 Jun 20
Muttontown
Events on 06/11/2020
11 Jun
11 Jun 20
Muttontown
Events on 06/16/2020
16 Jun
16 Jun 20
Muttontown
16 Jun
16 Jun 20
Muttontown
Events on 06/18/2020
18 Jun
18 Jun 20
Muttontown
18 Jun
18 Jun 20
Muttontown
Events on 06/24/2020
24 Jun
24 Jun 20
Muttontown
Events on 06/25/2020
25 Jun
25 Jun 20
Muttontown
Events on 07/03/2020
03 Jul

Upcoming Events

Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Court ARR./Conferences/Trials
Muttontown Village Hall, Muttontown NY
Fri, Apr 5, 2024
Tax Sale
Muttontown Village Hall, Muttontown NY
Tue, Apr 9, 2024
Planning Board Meeting
Muttontown Village Hall, Muttontown NY

Important Messages

February 15, 2023 - Message from Mayor Liguori - February 13, 2023 Dear Residents, As you may have heard Governor Hochul, in her recent State of the State message, indicated that she is once again putting forth a plan in her Executive Budget to create 800,000 units of new housing across the state; included in this plan are unprecedented statutory mandates that diminish the […]


September 8, 2022 - Police Announcement - Police Burglary Tips


March 2, 2021 - COVID-19 Village Court Information - COVID-19 Village Court Information