"LOT 6": SUSIE CHADBURN TRACES HER FAMILY’S AND FAIR HARBOR’S COLORFUL HISTORY.

 

Susie is spending the month of August in Fair Harbor swimming, fishing, boating and clamming as she has done most every summer since her first arrival at six months of age. She only missed two summers when she was in the Navy for eight years. She managed to get here six of the eight years she spent in the service.

It is hard to find anyone whose family history goes back so far, and whose love of the place has been captured so beautifully in her documentary. Almost anyone who has spent time in Fair Harbor can share Susie's love and should see "Lot 6". She is a professional and did a fabulous job

Prudy Ferraro.  

 

Susie Chadburn

 

THE ESTLER PIONEERING FAMILY

 

When Albert Estler’s father died, Albert came East from Nebraska for the funeral.  That’s when he met a friend of the family, Eugenia Christmann.  He told her he was leaving the next day to go back to his 1000 acre ranch in Nebraska and would like her to go with him as his wife.  Incredibly, she did. 

 

 

All of the Estler children (Lou, Mae, Bert and Frank) were born in a log cabin between 1911 and 1915.  The family doctor , Frank Borglum, was the brother of  Gutzon Borglum who carved Mt. Rushmore.

                 

Mom & Pop Estler

After moving back to Bay Shore, “Pop” and “Mom” Estler bought property (1923) and built (by hand with the help of his brothers) the 19th house in Fair Harbor, on Broadway.  “Pop’s” brothers, Ben and Rob, also bought many lots and built houses.  All the yellow Coreopsis which used to grow everywhere in Fair Harbor came from plants which “Pop” brought from Nebraska.

 

 

Early settlers: Rob, Mom, Mae, Pop, Louise (Estler matriarch), Ben, Fred & Elsie Munz

 

Fair Harbor was so young, and not knowing what to expect, the brothers carried shotguns with them when they first walked on the beach.

 

“Mom” and “Pop” Estler and their grandson, Gene, survived the Hurricane of ‘38.   The house on Broadway floated down to where the Pioneer Store is now and was stopped when a telephone pole went through a window. The youngest son, Frank, was in the Coast Guard, stationed at the light house.  He rushed to Fair Harbor to find his parents safely on board the Atlantic.  He then went to Saltaire and rescued two people tied to a telephone pole.

Pole stopped house '38

 

Mae Estler (Chadburn, my mother) came to Fair Harbor from 1923 (age 10) until she was 88.  She passed away at age 92.  She was the person people would go to if they needed something.  She knew just about everyone and loved talking to people, meeting boats was her favorite pastime. She was an expert at digging clams and catching crabs.  Her best friend was actress Thelma Ritter.  Thelma would come to the house, lay out a paper towel, and say, “I’m ready, bring on the crabs.” They would sit and pick crabs and chat for hours. 

 

Pop Estler’s routine was simple, raise the flag at the fire house, check the eel traps, have an ice cream cone about 2 p.m. and sit on the porch smoking his pipe and watch the new fashion …bikinis… parade by.    He was a good man and gave me a love for what the Bay has to offer.  He taught me how to fish, and that I should only take what I need,and leave the rest for the sea.

 

Broadway 1947

 

 

In about 1998 people started approaching my mother searching her out for her local knowledge for books and articles. That’s when it occurred to me to produce my own video to tell the story of Fair Harbor So I contacted as many “old timers” as I could round up, conducted interviews and collected pictures to tell the story of Fair Harbor. I learned that 1923 was a very important year.  That’s when all the original claims to Lot 6 (now Fair Harbor)  had finally been cleared and the land could be sold and developed.

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Dock 1955

 

Partition Lot 6….Fair Harbor is now available on DVD for $35.   Susie Chadburn can be reached at 583-9352 through August or at (772) 532-0546 anytime.