Peaceful Day On the Water

Dering Harbor at Shelter Island (Nassau County Museum Collection, Long Island Studies Institute / )

Postcard photographer Henry Otto Korten often captured water scenes when he was working on Long Island in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The one at right shows an impressive building on one side and what might be a boathouse on the other. The image is part of a collection of uncaptioned Korten negatives at the Long Island Studies Institute at Hofstra University.

History Answers

This photo was no mystery to many readers. Their answer: Dering Harbor at Shelter Island. Some 30 people responded, many in detail, a few with maps and photographs.

Readers said postcard photograher Henry Otto Korten took the image around 1900 from Clinton Avenue (Route 114) in Shelter Island Heights, looking northeast. A giveaway was the building in the center, the Shelter Island Yacht Club, on Chequit Point. Dering Harbor Village is across the harbor.

Jeremy Barth of Glen Head said the yacht club's clubhouse was built in time for the 1892 season for $3,849.43. ``The first commodore was John Noble Sterns, who owned a 31-foot catboat,'' he wrote.

The walkway was a public access where one could walk the entire western shore of Shelter Island Heights, wrote Bruce W. Brewer, who has spent 40 summers on the island. He said the walkway ``has essentially been incorporated by the lawns of the waterfront houses.''

Many said the handsome home at left has since been replaced. The building at right, now gone, reminded a few readers of a place called Conklin's dock. ``Mr. Conklin rented rowboats and sailing catboats to tourists,'' wrote Bill Smith of Shelter Island. William L. O'Connor of Garden City said it was a favorite hangout for kids. But Howard K. Kamm Jr., a Shelter Island cottage owner, said the house would be mistaken for Conklin's and he identified it as a private boathouse. Louise Green, director of the Shelter Island Historical Society, said her research showed it was indeed a private dock and Conklin's was off to the right.

The entire scene reminded other readers of a variety of Long Island shore areas, including Hempstead Harbor, Centre Island, Southold and especially the Cross Island Parkway in Bayside.