Sag Harbor was a major whaling and shipping port in the 19th century, so there’s no shortage of monuments, plaques, museums, burying grounds and other historic sites that illustrate its history.

One plaque on East Water Street (now Bay Street) explains that in Whaling’s heyday – 1800-1850, the street bustled with warehouses, coopers and shipyards; ropewalks for producing ship’s riggings; tryworks for boiling down whale blubber into oil for lighting and lubricating; storehouses for whale oil and whalebone – all industries related to the maritime trades.

Sag Harbor also has a deep history as an inclusive, culturally welcoming haven. From the early 1800s, the Eastville section of Sag Harbor was home to a diverse community of free Blacks, European immigrants, and Native Americans. Sag Harbor continues to be a vital community for Black families, attracting artists, entrepreneurs and professionals.

Obviously, a lot to absorb and appreciate about Sag, but we were here one hot night with our panting dog. So instead, we made lists of places to check out on future trips:

·  The Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum

·  The Bay Street Theater

·  Old Whaler’s Church

·  Custom House Museum

You can read about local events happening in Sag Harbor.