Ship Rails Worn Into Port Jefferson's Past

Last week we asked you about the twin rails that are embedded into the ground in Harborfront Park across from the Village Center. The rails lead right into the Harbor.

Port Jefferson Village's past is intwined in the history of ship building and remnants of that past remain to this day. The rails or "well worn ways" as they are called are just some of the artifacts you can find in the village that point back to its nautical roots.

When we originally posted about them we got some great information from locals in the know.

Former village mayor, Sandra Swenk, told us about what the rails were used for in the village.

"When a ship was launched at the Bayles Shipyard in days of yore, there was a big celebration," she wrote in the comments. "The ship would move down the rails and into the water, thus being officially launched. There are some great photos in our local history archives on portjeff.com showing several launchings."
Local marina business owner, Gary Gudzik, gave some context to similar rails still being used.

"There are a few boat yards on Long Island that still use rails to haul and launch large boats," Gudzik wrote. "Seymour's in Northport comes to mind. There's also one in Patchogue I think. Most marinas use mobile hoists or specialty equipment now, but that antiquated (I mean tried-and-true) technology isn't completely out of use yet..."

A sign nearby the metal rails tells the story.

"When a vessel was launched, it slid down the rails of the 'well worn ways,'" the sign says.

It also says that when Harborfront Park was being built in 2007, the rails were uncovered, probably to the great delight of local historians.

Do you have a favorite piece of local history in the village? Tell us about it in the comments below or post a photo and a description on our boards.