Community Corner

Documentary: Mapping Main Street Includes Port Jeff

Port Jefferson's thoroughfare part of an innovative online documentary that maps the Main Streets of America.

Port Jefferson technically has two of them. Americans live and work on them. Business people and politicians talk about them in their speeches and on campaign trails, so much so that they're almost a cliche.

But ask anyone who lives on or near one and they'll tell you that either they're invaluable, they're dissapearing or they're coming back into vogue.

They are the Main Streets of America.

Find out what's happening in Port Jeffersonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Back in 2009, NPR launched an online project called Mapping Main Street where they started documenting the Main Streets of America.

"When politicians and the media mention Main Street, they evoke one people and one place," the news organization wrote. "But there are over 10,466 streets named Main in the United States."

Find out what's happening in Port Jeffersonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Each one comes with its own personality, populated by individuals with stories and histories that are unique. This innovative online documentary tries to capture them all. So far they've documented 776 Main Streets.

In the winter of 2010, four Port Jefferson natives documented their hometown's Main Street for the project. Mark Sternberg, Luke Ceo, Adam Gismondi and Ryan Hodum all spent time going up and down Main Street and East Main Street speaking with the business owners and residents about Port Jefferson's Main Street.

The video they created for Mapping Main Street offers an encapsulation of Port Jefferson's Main Street history and character.

Here is how they described it:

Port Jefferson, New York is a small harbor village located on the Long Island Sound. It has a rich history, largely known historically as a hub for shipbuilding and known currently as a summer tourist destination. This short film looks at some of the local businesses, events, and issues now facing the village, as well as the importance of community within the population of just under 8,000.

You can watch their documentary video about Port Jefferson here.

You can also visit the Mapping Main Street website and search for Port Jefferson of other Main Streets all across America to see their stories as well.


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