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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7:00 PM - Trustee Meeting
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7:00 PM - SARB Meeting
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02 Sep
09/02/2024    
All Day
10 Sep
09/10/2024    
7:00 pm
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11 Sep
09/11/2024    
7:00 pm
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19 Sep
09/19/2024    
7:00 pm
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25 Sep
09/25/2024    
7:00 pm
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10 Sep
10 Sep 24
Muttontown
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11 Sep
11 Sep 24
Muttontown
Events on 09/12/2024
12 Sep
12 Sep 24
Muttontown
Events on 09/19/2024
19 Sep
19 Sep 24
Muttontown
Events on 09/25/2024
25 Sep
25 Sep 24
Muttontown
Events on 09/26/2024
26 Sep

Upcoming Events

Tue, Oct 8, 2024
Planning Board Meeting - Cancelled
Muttontown Village Hall, Muttontown NY
Wed, Oct 9, 2024
Trustee Meeting
Muttontown Village Hall, Muttontown NY
Thu, Oct 10, 2024
Court ARR./Conferences/Trials
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