Comments on: Tales From Head of the Harbor & St. James Part II: What Lies Beneath Mary’s Grave http://www.gothichorrorstories.com/behind-urban-legends/stories-from-head-of-the-harbor-st-james-part-ii-what-lies-beneath-marys-grave/. A collection of gothic horror stories, urban legends, ghosts, haunted houses & other curiosities Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:00:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: David B. http://www.gothichorrorstories.com/behind-urban-legends/stories-from-head-of-the-harbor-st-james-part-ii-what-lies-beneath-marys-grave/.#comment-1252 David B. Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:35:49 +0000 http://gothicghoststories.com/?p=33#comment-1252 I really enjoyed this story and you are a good writter that captures the readers imagination. The facts you state are pretty much exactly what I have picked up over a lifetime as a resident of Head of the Harbor. Just because I'm anally retentive, please check a couple of things.......At the begining of this page you state "....descendents of Joseph “Bull” Smith, the founder of Smithtown. " and I think you meant to type RICHARD rather than JOSEPH here. A little later on you make mention to "His son Adam came here probably about 1690 and settled just down Three Sisters Road there a ways, at a place the Indians called Sherrewogue." The estate I know as Sherrewogue is at 77 Harbor Road and has a wind designed by Stanford White. It almost became the home of Billy Joel back in the K.B. days but was instead bought by a guy that I believe owned several Burger Kings. It recently sold for 11 million plus....Insane! This was the Adam Smith house and is right on Three Sisters Harbor (some of us refuse to give in the the Stony Brook thing). A little other information.....You mention the "home of Henry Marcial L’Hommedieu"....The current owner is a L’Hommedieu and a guy I grew up with. I like your evaluation of "Mary's Playhouse as a "spring house" This is likely accurate even though we always referred to it as "the pump house" as kids. It was great getting that cold clean water to drink after you had hiked down to Cordwood Beach. It looked a bit different as a kid as they had not dredged the channel so the tide did not come up as high and the town of Smithtown actually maintainted the beach (there was actual sand and bath houses). I always new Shore Cottage as being owned by David S. (won't say the last name). He was a quiet unassuming guy that invented the programming language FORTRAN or something like that. He moved after his wife got very sick. She was a strong and fair lady which was good as she was the villiage Judge for years. As a kid, the orchard was also still yielding fruit and had the owner been home at the time, she would have given you trouble and you would have had a nice talk with Head of the Harbor's finest. Same thing with your trip up to Wetherill. The local police don't lend well to strangers walking around even if it is innocent. There is still a group of the "lifers" in the villiage but there is also a ton of "new" people with more money than God and they are the ones that seem to want to have more privacy. I'd bet a bunch of money I don't have that you know more about the villiage they live in than they do. Don't get me wrong....most of them are very nice people......They just want to be left alone. Their homes are their sanctuary I guess. Thanks for the well thought out and researched story. I really enjoyed this story and you are a good writter that captures the readers imagination. The facts you state are pretty much exactly what I have picked up over a lifetime as a resident of Head of the Harbor.
Just because I’m anally retentive, please check a couple of things…….At the begining of this page you state “….descendents of Joseph “Bull” Smith, the founder of Smithtown. ” and I think you meant to type RICHARD rather than JOSEPH here.
A little later on you make mention to “His son Adam came here probably about 1690 and settled just down Three Sisters Road there a ways, at a place the Indians called Sherrewogue.” The estate I know as Sherrewogue is at 77 Harbor Road and has a wind designed by Stanford White. It almost became the home of Billy Joel back in the K.B. days but was instead bought by a guy that I believe owned several Burger Kings. It recently sold for 11 million plus….Insane! This was the Adam Smith house and is right on Three Sisters Harbor (some of us refuse to give in the the Stony Brook thing).
A little other information…..You mention the “home of Henry Marcial L’Hommedieu”….The current owner is a L’Hommedieu and a guy I grew up with.
I like your evaluation of “Mary’s Playhouse as a “spring house” This is likely accurate even though we always referred to it as “the pump house” as kids. It was great getting that cold clean water to drink after you had hiked down to Cordwood Beach. It looked a bit different as a kid as they had not dredged the channel so the tide did not come up as high and the town of Smithtown actually maintainted the beach (there was actual sand and bath houses). I always new Shore Cottage as being owned by David S. (won’t say the last name). He was a quiet unassuming guy that invented the programming language FORTRAN or something like that. He moved after his wife got very sick. She was a strong and fair lady which was good as she was the villiage Judge for years.
As a kid, the orchard was also still yielding fruit and had the owner been home at the time, she would have given you trouble and you would have had a nice talk with Head of the Harbor’s finest. Same thing with your trip up to Wetherill. The local police don’t lend well to strangers walking around even if it is innocent.
There is still a group of the “lifers” in the villiage but there is also a ton of “new” people with more money than God and they are the ones that seem to want to have more privacy. I’d bet a bunch of money I don’t have that you know more about the villiage they live in than they do.
Don’t get me wrong….most of them are very nice people……They just want to be left alone. Their homes are their sanctuary I guess.
Thanks for the well thought out and researched story.

]]> By: todd http://www.gothichorrorstories.com/behind-urban-legends/stories-from-head-of-the-harbor-st-james-part-ii-what-lies-beneath-marys-grave/.#comment-24 todd Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:58:02 +0000 http://gothicghoststories.com/?p=33#comment-24 I'm often getting asked, "how do you get to Mary Hatchet's house", or "how do I get to Mary's grave and Mary's playhouse." The short answer is you can't, they don't exist. But it is possible to get to the places people associate with these stories. To get to the sites, when going east on Route 25A, turn left at the sign for the St. James General Store. Make a right immediately before the store and follow that road. You'll come to a stop sign right at the head of the harbor, where you'll see a small orchard just to your right. Follow the road through the crossroads. On your left on the hill you'll see the Wetherhill House, which is known as Mary Hatchet's house. Just prior to that you'll see a gnarled tree, which is thought to be the tree where she was hung. Continue down the road till you come to a small park on the water. Just prior to that you'll see the stone ice house, often called Mary's Playhouse. Keep in mind, these are all urban legends, without any basis in fact. Also keep in mind that people live on this road, and don't take kindly to strangers causing commotion in their neighborhood. People here value their privacy, and pay dearly for it. Also keep in mind that the police are hip to what's going on, and if you are breaking any laws, they will bust you for it. I’m often getting asked, “how do you get to Mary Hatchet’s house”, or “how do I get to Mary’s grave and Mary’s playhouse.” The short answer is you can’t, they don’t exist. But it is possible to get to the places people associate with these stories.

To get to the sites, when going east on Route 25A, turn left at the sign for the St. James General Store. Make a right immediately before the store and follow that road. You’ll come to a stop sign right at the head of the harbor, where you’ll see a small orchard just to your right. Follow the road through the crossroads. On your left on the hill you’ll see the Wetherhill House, which is known as Mary Hatchet’s house. Just prior to that you’ll see a gnarled tree, which is thought to be the tree where she was hung. Continue down the road till you come to a small park on the water. Just prior to that you’ll see the stone ice house, often called Mary’s Playhouse.

Keep in mind, these are all urban legends, without any basis in fact. Also keep in mind that people live on this road, and don’t take kindly to strangers causing commotion in their neighborhood. People here value their privacy, and pay dearly for it. Also keep in mind that the police are hip to what’s going on, and if you are breaking any laws, they will bust you for it.

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