Belle Terre, New York
| Belle Terre, New York | |
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| Village | |
| Incorporated Village of Belle Terre | |
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The Belle Terre Gatehouse, a beaux arts structure dating to the first decade of the 1900s
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 U.S. Census Map |
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 Belle Terre, New York
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| Coordinates: 40°57′37″N 73°4′5″W / 40.96028°N 73.06806°WCoordinates: 40°57′37″N 73°4′5″W / 40.96028°N 73.06806°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Suffolk |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.9 sq mi (2.3 km2) |
| • Land | 0.9 sq mi (2.3 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 161 ft (49 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 792 |
| • Density | 880/sq mi (340/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 11777 |
| Area code(s) | 631 |
| FIPS code | 36-05672 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0943606 |
| Website | www |
Belle Terre is a village in the town of Brookhaven on the North Shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 792 at the 2010 census.
The peninsula on which the community of Belle Terre is situated has been known as Mt. Misery since the 17th century. Before Belle Terre's modern existence, the area was referred to as Mt. Misery Point. By comparison, the lower portion of the peninsula, which is currently a section of the neighboring village of Port Jefferson, was referred to as Mt. Misery Neck.
Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, the bulk of the peninsula was owned by the Strong family, who had their Oakwood estate in its Mt. Misery Neck section. The first known dwelling in contemporary Belle Terre was a shack constructed by an African-American affectionately known as Uncle Mott in the 1800s. This house was the subject of a painting by local artist William Moore Davis.
In 1902, the Port Jefferson Company purchased the Oakwood estate with the purpose of creating an exclusive waterfront development of fifty houses to rival the communities of Long Island's traditional Gold Coast. The well-connected real-estate developer, Dean Alvord, was chosen as president of Belle Terre's estates, which was incorporated in 1906. The construction of the Belle Terre Club, a grandiose private members club at the center of the community, also occurred in 1906. A pair of stately pergolas were constructed as well, which overlook the waterfront.
The Belle Terre Club was destroyed in a fire in 1934, the same year as the pergolas were deconstructed due to the financial burden of their upkeep. Due to a lapse in insurance coverage, the clubhouse was never rebuilt although a new country club opened in the Port Jefferson section of the Mt. Misery peninsula in 1956.
During the 1920s and 1930s, the community's residents staged a successful campaign against sand and gravel companies who began dredging operations in the area. Prior to these companies being ordered to cease operations in 1931, the Seaboard Sand & Gravel Company dredged a large cove near the tip of the peninsula. This is today known as Pirates Cove and is a popular feature of Port Jefferson Harbor among boaters.
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