The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same in Port Jeff

Woes over the in Port Jefferson is nothng new as evidenced by a 1981 New York Times article on the explosion of tourists and commercial development in the village during the first two decades after it incorporated.

Back then, the village had undergone a sea change, where the downtown area reversed a trend and became a vibrant destination center filled with tourists and increasingly, the businesses that catered to them. It's an era when Chandler Square and Harbor Square Mall were all brand new ideas.

''It was time for a change, and we changed - Port Jefferson looked seedy and shabby,'' the paper quoted Milton Cooper, owner of Cooper's Stationery on Main Street. ''The business people on Main Street took a chance and invested in the town. It certainly brought the people here.''

Residents, business owners and village officials all debated the trend affecting Port Jefferson at the time, turning the once sleepy town into what former trustee William F. Glass called a "Coney Island, full of tourist traps."

You can read the full article on the New York Times website here.

Photo of the Elk Hotel is from the historical archive on the official Port Jefferson website.

Do you remember when Port Jefferson was becoming the tourist destination it has become today? Tell us about it in the comments.