History
One weekend in 1864, John Howard Wainwright put a bid on the old Brown Farm - 100 acres of land east of Stuyvesant Avenue. The Wainwright and Stuyvesant families built their homes here and transformed Milton Point forever.
The Milton Point Casino opened on July 4th, 1924 with a dinner dance and fireworks! The Casino, modeled after popular bathing clubs in Italy, was built with the present-day clubhouse, cabanas, bathhouses, and tennis courts. The Casino was the place to be in the 1930s with weekend dinner dances, big bands, beach bathing, tennis tournaments, and even day camp!
The Casino fell on hard times during WWII and closed its doors. In 1945, Mr. Ralph P. Manny, a Rye resident and Commodore of the American Yacht Club, bought the buildings and grounds at auction. The Sea Horse Yacht Club on the harborside became the Winter Clubhouse.
Mr. Manny opened his private club after a year of extensive renovation. He named it "Shenorock Shore Club" after the Siwanoy Indian chieftain from the 17th century.
Membership at the time was by Mr. Manny's "invitation only".
The picnic, pool, and paddle tennis areas were purchased from the Wainwright family estate. The Bouwerie picnic area gets its name from the beautiful old home of Mrs. Margaret Stuyvesant Wainwright that once stood on the site of today's pool.
Mr. Manny retired after 40 years and the Shenorock Shore Club was officially purchased by the members. The plaque and the flagpole at the Club's entrance recognize Ralph Manny's legacy and contribution to our Club today.
Thanks to wise long-range planning and those who worked to update and reimagine the Club's buildings and grounds, Shenorock Shore Club members now enjoy first-class, year-round facilities for dining, recreation, and waterfront relaxation.
Shenorock has stood strong against many a sea surge, but The "No-Name Storm" of 1992 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012 took big bites out of the Club's facilities. Careful and wise rebuilding, and that Shenorock spirit, helped to rebuild the Summerside Clubhouse, the cabanas, the tennis courts, and deck!
Mr. Manny's dream of a Shenorock Shore Club rich with friendships, families, traditions, and memories has lasted almost 80 years!