The Muttontown Preserve consists of over 568 acres of flowering meadows, open grass fields and forest scattered with historical ruins and freshwater lakes. Hosting a wide range of unique wildlife and ecology in an area that has been undeveloped since the glacial formation of Long Island. The area's historical landmarks are veiled in mystery by the thick vines and forested overgrowth reclaiming the land.

The Nassau County Soil & Water Conservation District is located at Nassau Hall, South of Muttontown Road. The grounds at Nassau Hall have one of the largest collections of pine trees in Long Island, NY. 

Read more about the rich history and unique ecology of this area below:

During your time in the preserve, look for the Piebald Whitetail Deer! 

The Muttontown Preserve is home to many hidden treasures, its most rare being the piebald whitetail deer. The piebald condition comes from an inherited recessive genetic trait that both parents must carry to have a chance at having an albino or piebald offspring. Research states that your chances of seeing an albino in the wild are about "one in 30,000" and only less than 2% of whitetails are piebald. Some areas in the northeast have high concentrations on a local level, one example being Deer Haven Park located at the heart of the Finger Lakes region in Seneca County, NY. Due to their rarity, Piebald and Albino deer are protected in some states and in many cultures these deer are viewed as embodiments of spirits and are considered bad luck to hunt. If you are fortunate enough to see a piebald or albino deer in the wild count yourself lucky, they are a rare and beautiful sight.

Wildlife

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Muttontown Preserve History

Muttontown Preserve is 568 acres of land and is the largest preserve owned by Nassau County. It was formerly four different estates, the Moore Estate, Hudson Estate, Winthrop Estate and Hammand vacation home.

Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Moore had their estate built in the 1920s. Mr. Moore named the estate Chelsea, referencing the section of New York City where his family lived for many generations. Mr. Moore died in 1938. His wife, Alexandra donated the land to Nassau County in 1966 to start a preserve. The nature center was built in 1970. When Mrs. Moore died in 1983, Nassau County acquired all of the Chelsea Estate.

Charles Hudson, a Wall Street mogul and steel tycoon, owned 240 acres of the Knollwood Estate which has been built in 1907. He died in 1921 and his estate went through several owners until 1951 when King Zog of Albania purchased the property. King Zog wanted to establish a kingdom for himself and fellow exiled countrymen but his plan failed and they never lived at Knollwood. The servants moved away and the house became vacant, leaving it and its rumored hidden treasures to be vandalized. In 1955, Landsdell Christie bought Knolwood in 1955 and demolished the vandalized home. In 1968, the county purchased the property. The only remaining pieces of the Hudson Estate are gazebos, a concrete walled garden and the main gate at the corner of Route 106 and Muttontown Road.

Mr. Cristie also purchased the Winthrop Estate. Bronson Winthrop purchased the John Duyea Farm in 1903 and built his mansion on the property, now known as Nassau Hall. Christie created a pinetum between 1956-1960 but sold his property to Nassau county in 1968.

Earlier, Captain Paul Hammond purchased land from Mr. Winthrop. This 20 acre section of Muttontown south was part of the Duryea Farm. It included a house build during revolutionary times known as the "Barn swallow". Captain Hammond's family used this as a vacation home until 1974. At that time, Nassau County acquired "Barnswallow" from Mrs. Hammond.

After acquiring the land, Nassau County developed its largest preserve. In 2006, Long Island Press named the Muttontown Preserve "Best Nature Walk" on Long Island.