NEWSLETTER
Hallockville Museum Farm explores a North Fork bootlegging operation that connected a Riverhead farm to Mattituck’s Old Mill Inn
Riverhead, NY – During Prohibition, the North Fork was connected to a thriving underground alcohol trade—and the story can be traced directly to the history of Hallockville Museum Farm and The Old Mill Inn in Mattituck.
On Sunday, October 11, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Hallockville Museum Farm will present “Prohibition on the North Fork,” an immersive event at The Old Mill Inn, 5775 West Mill Road in Mattituck, exploring the people, places and stories behind the region's Prohibition-era rum-running operation.
The connection between the two historic properties is particularly compelling. “Regarding the Old Mill, Hallockville is connected in two ways. First, in the 19th century, the Old Mill was the closest mill for the Hallock's to take grain and have it ground into flour. The mills in Riverhead were more than twice as far away.
Second, during Prohibition, the Old Mill Inn became part of the Naugles family's rum-running operation. They operated an inclined railway on the north end of their farm that they used to haul up contraband alcohol. George Naugles was the leader of the operation. His brother Stanley, as well as neighboring Polish immigrant families were also involved. Stanley piloted the biplane they used in the operation. Profits from the bootlegging operation and from the Inn probably enabled George to build such a nice new barn after his old one burned in 1936,” said Richard Wines, Hallockville’s Historian.
Guests at the October 11 event will step back into the Prohibition era while enjoying live jazz, passed period-inspired canapés and a choice of three Prohibition-era cocktails.
The program will feature Richard Wines, Hallockville Board Member and Historian, and Anthony Martignetti, owner and restorer of The Old Mill Inn, who will share stories about the Prohibition-era history of the area and the speakeasies associated with the North Fork.
A North Fork Story with a Lasting Legacy
Hallockville's Prohibition story offers an unusual glimpse into the entrepreneurial history of the Naugles family and the economic realities of the North Fork during the early 20th century.
“The remarkable thing about this history is that the connections are still visible,” said Marianne Della Croce, Executive Director of Hallockville Museum Farm. “The Naugles family story connects the farm at Hallockville to the Old Mill Inn, to the Long Island Sound and ultimately to the New York City market. These aren't just stories from a history book—they are stories connected to the places that are still part of our landscape.”
The October program offers an opportunity to experience that history in the very setting where one part of the story unfolded.
“History is often more interesting when you can stand in the place where it happened,” Della Croce said. “The Old Mill Inn gives us an extraordinary setting to tell this story and to look at the North Fork through a very different lens.”
Prohibition on the North Fork will take place Sunday, October 11, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at The Old Mill Inn, 5775 West Mill Road, Mattituck.
Tickets are $125 per person and advance registration is required.
For tickets and additional information, visit Hallockville.org.
About Hallockville Museum Farm
Hallockville Museum Farm is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, interpreting and sharing Long Island's agricultural and cultural heritage. Through historic buildings, collections, educational programs, workshops and special events, Hallockville connects visitors with the people, traditions and stories that shaped the North Fork and Long Island.
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