Town Focus: Day 1 in Northport

From its history of shipbuilding and sand mining to its now quaint downtown and thriving waterfront, the village of Northport continues to amaze me.

Though I’m just finishing the first of five days here, I’ve learned so much about Northport already.

Under the threat of dark clouds, I still made it out for a scenic tour of the harbor with Dave Weber Jr., general manager of Seymour’s Boatyard. It was gorgeous even in fog.

I was told to check out a favorite spot, Tim’s Shipwreck Diner, owned by Tim Hess, 54, of East Northport. Hess suggested I first try his most popular dish, his mother’s homemade cheese blintzes, a crepe-like dessert with fruit, sour cream and jam. My review in one word? Heavenly.

Later in the afternoon, I toured Main Street with Mayor George Doll, popping into his go-to place for tools and supplies, Northport Hardware Company, in business since 1983 and co-owned by Jim Reichert. I’d say buffalo and deer heads hanging from the wall near the checkout counter make for a most interesting shopping experience.

As I explore Northport this week and into the weekend, send me suggestions of places to visit, spots for lunch and activities to try. I need your help in learning about Northport. Feel free to let me know if there’s anything you’ve always wanted to know about the community. You can email me at brittany.wait@newsday.com.

Be sure to join me on my travels throughout the week and into Saturday by looking for my frequent updates below, or follow me on Twitter, @brittanywait, and Instagram, @brittanyhwait.

And make sure to check out our gallery of historic photos of Northport, posted here.