Riverhead Landmarks Preservation Commission

After local preservation advocates pressed the Riverhead Town Board to try to delay PSEG-Long Island demolition plans for a historic building that once housed one of the island’s first electric power plants, the utility company has shelved its plans — at least temporarily.

The former power plant was built in 1897 by a Riverhead company founded just six years after Thomas Edison built the country’s first electric generating plant in New York City. It was the second power company on Long Island. PSEG-LI plans to raze the building next month.

The plan to relocate the 19th Century structure known as the Norton House that was once a blacksmith shop serving area shipyards has been abandoned and the building is now slated to be demolished.

A pair of code amendments changing the role of the Landmarks Preservation Commission were adopted by the town board Tuesday night over the objection of the commission and Councilwoman Jodi Giglio, the town board liaison to the commission.

Riverhead’s Landmarks Preservation Commission is planning to take a second stab at getting a Main Road historic district on the state and national registers.

The Riverhead Landmarks Preservation Commission has asked the town board to designate six historic buildings as town landmarks.

The stories behind some of the homes in the residential neighborhood north of East Main Street, which were mostly built in the century between 1840 and 1940.

"It was a shame. It had so much character and added something to the community,” said Doug Corwin, whose family owns the property. His son plans to build a residence for his family there.

Riverhead Landmarks Preservation Commission member Georgette Keller argues in favor of listing the Main Road historic district on the state and national register of historic .

Only days before Halloween, the iconic Witch's Hat, an iconic roadside structure on Main Road in Aquebogue, was dedicated on Saturday. The building, an official...