When light floods into the Avery buildings, an aura of history comes with it.

The Avery Homestead County Park, 11 acres on land dating back to the 17th century, celebrated a soft opening this past weekend in East Patchogue. It was a preview tour at the 1893 Avery house and 1930s barn on Saturday, with a peek at The Little Red Shed, the last leg of the tour with hot chocolate. Slated as a gift shop for the Greater Patchogue Historical Society, it will open to the public this spring.

Even a festive tree lighting took place.

The Little Red Shed takes its place as one of only three standalone gift shops under Suffolk County Parks’ auspices. The others are the St. James General Store at Deepwell Farm County Park and The Big Duck at Big Duck Ranch in Flanders.

Legis. Dominick Thorne—who pushed for $250,000 in county restoration funds earlier this year with county executive Ed Romaine, attending the signing, touring the rooms and verbally supporting local history—carried the Avery ball to purchase in August 2023, a 70/30 county/town split. (He is at the site several times a week.) The deal was a years-long cumulative effort begun by former Legis. Rob Calarco with councilman Neil Foley. 

Thorne took a brief stroll with director of historic services Rich Martin, Greater Patchogue Historical Society treasurer Steve Lucas, and historic services park interpreter Susan Shiebler, to preview the tour.

“The Greater Patchogue Historical Society approached us and asked if they could have it as a gift shop,” explained Martin, walking past the gorgeous sugar maple in front of the Avery house. The shed had been moved three times and was the Swan River Homestead Office, then Barbara Avery’s plant shop, he said. Barbara Avery, the last family inhabitant who died in 2017, raised miniature ponies in the barn. Her grandfather, Charles Avery, opened the then 200-acre Swan River Nursery south of Montauk Highway, in 1898, to raise horticultural plants. Her father, Humphrey, continued the business and died in 1983.

“They [GPHS] have a 20-year contract that was approved by the legislature. Steve Lucas will run it and staff it,” Martin said.

Martin explained that out of 200 historic buildings, there are 30 groups the county partners with, open to the public.

The Little Red Shed, a 13-foot-by-19-foot space, was being worked on the day of the interview.

“This was all done by Suffolk County Maintenance Division with county park funds and crew,” Martin said in the freshly painted space. “We put on a new roof, re-sided, restored the windows, upgraded electricity, wainscoted the walls.” County maintenance staffer Michael Harrigan was finishing up trim work; lead supervisor Richard Wolff, Bob Johnson, Christopher Russo, Tucker Johansson and Larry Loverde also helped in the transformation.

“We really like working on this project,” said Wolff, looking at the vintage buildings and surrounding woods.

Lucas said the gift shop would offer items about local Avery history, farm history, and Patchogue history. “We’ll probably offer little trolleys or tractors with Avery or Swan River printed on them,” he said.  “We still have to do shelving, countertops, fixtures and floors.” Lucas said net profits earned are funneled back into the Avery property.”

Saturday’s tour began with the Queen Anne Avery house. “They’ll come in through the old office, then tour the dining room, breakfast room library and front parlor,” said Shiebler, who had been Avery’s caretaker for several years.

A devoted Avery researcher who grew up a couple of blocks away, Shiebler organized  the rooms with themes and furniture. The Christmas tree in the front parlor was decked with some of Barbara Avery’s ornaments, in fact. “The family loved Christmas,” Shiebler said.

After touring the Avery house, visitors took a short walk to the barn. A new rebuilt landing was constructed so visitors can see through the barn doors; inside, a sleigh and a carriage had been staged. The inside had been swept, but that patina of another era remained.

The county still had an RFP out for those interested in creating a venue there, said Martin. The sad-looking 1820 house, originally with a gambrel roof, was in a dilapidated state when purchased. A tarp is over it now, but plans are afoot to stabilize it, then tap an architect for stabilization.

“If Parks didn’t buy the property with the town, the whole area would have been bulldozed,” Shiebler said of the set-back property on South Country Road. “People have told me when they drove by, ‘I never realized this was here.’”

Now they do.