People

William Floyd (1734-1821)

As a member of the Second Continental Congress, William Floyd was the first of the New York delegates to sign the Declaration of Independence. Learn more about his life and the William Floyd Estate in Mastic Beach on Long Island.

 

Gil Smith (1843-1940)

Considered the "master boat builder" of Patchogue, New York, Gil Smith crafted roughly 400 sailboats. The beauty and popularity of the vessels he built helped elevate the status of Long Island's South Shore as a trading and industrial hub.