Sagtikos Manor in Bay Shore will get into the Halloween spirit on Sunday, Oct. 13, with its annual Fall Festival and Mourning at the Manor. Guests are welcome to join in a Victorian funeral procession to the estate’s own Thompson-Gardiner Cemetery and stick around for what’s billed as interaction with spirits.
Built in 1697 by Stephanus Van Cortlandt, the first American mayor of New York City, the now-42-room manor has a storied past, including serving briefly as headquarters for the British Army during the Revolutionary War, according to discoverlongisland.com. As scrolled in his own diary, Washington himself even slept there in 1790, the sagtikosmanor.org website states.
But the Victorian mourning with customs that may surprise guests will focus on Jonathan Thompson—who died in 1856 and whose family lived at the manor for more than 200 years, according to Phyllis Chan Carr, a trustee for event sponsor Sagtikos Manor Historical Society. Jonathan, the son of Mary and Isaac who started the site’s long-established Thompson lineage, worked under three presidents as the customs official for the Port Authority of New York, she said. His father Isaac Thompson was “actually the judge and magistrate for the king of England here in the county.” Today the 10-acre site is owned by Suffolk County.
On the day of the festival, admittance to the manor house (except for a mid-day break) will be provided every 15 minutes starting at 10 a.m. with the last entry at 3:15 p.m. The procession takes place at noon and 2 p.m. Check the manor’s website for more info, taking note that times are subject to change. As Carr explained, “People will go through the manor; we talk about him (Jonathan) a little and go through the customs. Then we have a funeral procession,” including a few words from Thompson’s “widow.” "Everyone loves to participate in our funeral procession," she said.
Afterward, the focus will turn to spirits and encounters in yet another part of the program, she said, citing the interest that paranormal enthusiasts have expressed over the years in the mansion.
The funeral procession is just part of the day’s activities which include an encampment and drills by the 67th Civil War Regiment, sheep and goat shearing, live music, crafts, and food vendors. “We have a lot of children’s activities and games, and that includes a puppet show,” Carr added.
Those planning to attend can find tickets on the website or at the door, priced at $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $6 for kids ages 6-14, while those under 5 are admitted free. The mansion is located on Montauk Highway between Manor Lane and Gardiner Drive.