Hercules Pavilion

Located on Main Street and overlooking Stony Brook Harbor, the Hercules Pavilion is one of Stony Brook's more unusual attractions. The massive bust of Hercules once served as the figurehead of the USS Ohio, the first ship launched from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1820. The ship was decommissioned and destroyed, but the figurehead was saved. After changing hands at least twice, the Hercules bust was acquired by philanthropist Ward Melville in 1954. The pavilion is also occupied by the Polaris whaleboat, which is believed to be the only surviving artifact from the Charles Hall expedition to the Arctic in 1871.

Search for a list of attractions in Stony Brook, and the Hercules Pavilion will almost certainly make the list. The pavilion, located along the shores of Stony Brook Harbor, houses a massive bust of Hercules, which once served as the figurehead of the USS Ohio. Construction of the ship was completed in 1820 and served off an on until it was decommissioned in 1875. The ship was sold in 1883 and burned the following year in Greenport, Long Island, and is now a dive site.

When the ship was destroyed, the Hercules figurehead was saved. The Aldrich family (of Aquebogue) initially purchased Hercules for $10. It was then sold to Miles Carpenter, who placed it in the Canoe Place Inn, where it remained for decades. In 1954, the bust was acquired by Ward Melville, philanthropist and founder of Stony Brook University. He handed the figurehead to the Ward Melville Heritage Organization for preservation. Melville's connection to Stony Brook began when he was a child and came to the area with his parents, who were charmed by the town, along with Setauket and Old Field, which they dubbed the "Three Villages." Much of their lives, and later, that of their son, were devoted to the economic development of the three towns as well as the preservation of the area's history.

Ward Melville envisioned a kind of "living Williamsburg" at Stony Brook to revitalize the town while preserving its colonial history. At his own expense, he relocated, demolished, or modified 35 buildings, which now constitute the Stony Brook Village Center. The center was completed in 1941 and is considered the first planned shopping center in the United States. The Hercules Pavilion is located across the street from the center.

In addition to the Hercules figurehead, the pavilion also houses the Polaris, a whaleboat that is believed to be the only existing artifact of the Charles Hall Arctic expedition of 1871. Hall sailed from New York City on the Polaris in what was his third expedition, in an attempt to reach the North Pole. Hall made it as far as the northern shore of Greenland, but died under suspicious circumstances, believing himself to be poisoned by members of his crew.

Hercules Pavilion , Ward Melville Heritage Organization . Accessed June 5th 2021. https://wmho.org/attractions/hercules-pavilion/.

Matejka, Kristen. The Romantic Legend of the Hercules Pavilion, Stony Brook Village . February 12th 2021. Accessed June 5th 2021. https://www.stonybrookvillage.com/blog/romantic-legend-hercules-pavilion/.

Our Story , Ward Melville Heritage Organization . Accessed June 5th 2021. https://wmho.org/the-ward-melville-heritage-organization/wmho-story/.