Adderley Plantation was formerly a cotton plantation that occupied all of the development of Stella Marais.
What remains are 7 buildings that are very much intact.
A Worthy Hike
In approximately the 1790’s the Adderley Plantation was formed by British born, Abraham Adderley on 700 acres. Abraham turned over the plantation to his son, William, and by 1820’s the Adderly Plantation consisted of 2,500 acres on Long Island.
William grew crops of cotton and raised livestock (cattle and sheep). It was an era where horses were used for work and transport. William died in 1888 but not before selling the land at 1 shilling per acre to Uriah Knowles.
Uriah had a son Alonzo who helped the farm prosper. The plantation would have been given to Alonzo upon Uriah’s death had it not been for Alonzo marrying a “dark skinned” woman after Alonzo’s first wife died. Instead, Uriah disowned Alonzo and his other four children inherited the property.
Hence, the plantation ceased operation as the other children had no interest in running it. The 1927 hurricane turned the buildings into rubble and what is left of are the ruins.
Current Situation
Finally in the 1950’s, German industrialist, Herbert Schnapka, purchased major portions of the Adderley plantation land and developed “Stella Marais Estate” which be began construction in 1963.
Decendants of the Germans married into the Adderley family. So the Adderley family land continues….Adderley Planatation was formerly a cotton plantation that occupied all of the development of Stella Marais. What remains are 7 buildings that are very much intact.
Directions
From Dreamscape, turn left onto Queens Highway and take this all the way to the Stella Marais airport sign. Pass the sign and look to your left for an Adderly Plantation sign (sometimes it gets blown down from the weather). Park here and follow the walking path in.