History - Downtown Port Jefferson | The Shipyard at Port Jeff

FACTS ON OUR HISTORY

Port Jefferson was originally home to The Setalcott Native Americans.
The Village was first named Sowasset, a Native American term that could mean either “place of small pines” or “where water opens.”
In 1682, Sowasset was renamed “Drowned Meadow,” and it became Port Jefferson in 1836, after Thomas Jefferson, who significantly funded the region. “The Village” became incorporated in 1963.
Port Jefferson’s first colonial settlements appeared in the 17th century. The community remained rural until the mid-19th century, when it was developed into a thriving shipbuilding center.

The Village’s shipbuilding industry spanned over a century, from approximately 1797 (when its first shipyard was built) to its close in the 1920’s.
As a shipbuilding hub, Port Jefferson’s main role was to build and support ships that participated in coastal freighting trades. The Village eventually became the largest shipbuilding industry in Suffolk County.
Well-known circus owner P.T. Barnum owned a segment of land running through the Village. He aimed to establish Port Jefferson as the home base for his circus, but would eventually sell his land after disapproving residents put a stop to his plans.

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