South Haven Mill on Carman River, (photo source unknown) from the manuscript of Theodore Lewis Carman & graciously provided by his granddaughter, Lynn Carman. Note it does not say Carman Mill.  It was the mill on the Carman River.  Also note it looks nothing like the Carman Mill in Amityville. They were two separate places, two separate properties & two separate histories. 

The article that goes along with the photograph is as follows: "This mill was located on the Connecticut (Carman's) River just north of the bridge over the river on the Montauk Highway.  It was in one of the pools below this mill that Daniel Webster caught the famous 14-1/2 pound trout about 1835, whose pattern was traced on a slab of cherry wood and cut out for a weather vane for the South Haven Presbyterian Church. While Mr. Webster was attending the Sunday morning church service, word was brought to him that the long looked for trout was in the pool below the mill.  Quietly Mr. Webster slipped out, followed by most of the other worshipers who had guessed the reason why, and finally the minister dismissed those who remained and joined the group at the river in time to see Mr. Webster land the famous fish.  Just to the west of the mill was the famous old tavern which Samuel Carman purchased in 1789. This was the regular stopping place for the weekly stage  that ran between Brooklyn and East Hampton.  Besides serving travelers food and lodging and 'spirituous liquors', it also enjoyed a certain prestige as a place to hold political meetings and 'elections'.  It was here that some of the prominent men of the day lodged, and the townspeople gathered to discuss the latest news brought in by the visitors from the outside world.  Sam Carman also conducted a general store in connection with his tavern and this, wit the mill and the meetinghouse across the road, was the center of life in this part of Brookhaven Town.  It was here that roads came together from the villages to the north, south, west and east.  Boats sailed up the river, anchored, and sent row boats to the shore for supplies of all kinds.  Molasses was a popular item as it was used in making rum.  Rum was by far the item of largest sale.  The old mill was torn down in 1958 to make way for the extension of Sunrise Highway."

But to show how time can twist the facts, Lynn has also found this second photograph of the mill where it is called "Carman's Mill at South Haven" in the caption. From "Physical Long Island It's Glacial Origins, Historic Storms, Beaches, Prairies and Archeology" by Paul Bailey, page 59

 ~  thanks again. Lynn ~

02/03/2007