Chandler Estate, which is connected to Cedar Beach, was originally a waterfront resort overlooking Mount Sinai Harbor. Deep in a secluded woods on the north shore of Mount Sinai, this estate used to house many celebrities in the 1940s and 1950s, including actress Marilyn Monroe and playwright Arthur Miller. The views were breathtaking, and the beaches were beautiful.
After Mr. Chandler passed, the estate was left to his widow. In due time, this luxurious getaway slowly turned into housing for aspiring musicians, college students and those either working for minimum wage or seeking employment.
In 2001, Suffolk County purchased the property, and it is now known as both the Chandler Preserve and the Chandler Estate County Park.
The small cottages that were on the property of the estate have since all been bulldozed down, and the main house is said to have caught fire in 2004. Despite its enchantment, the property still has many locals on edge.
“I’ve lived here my whole life,” said Mount Sinai native Diana Brennin. “In high school, this was the place you’d come to to get spooked out. We were your typical kids, getting dared to go into the woods and find the estate. Some said it was haunted, some said the property hosted cult meetings, but it was all thought to be folklore. Have I heard creepy stories that happened in those woods? Of course. We all have. Has anything ever happened to me personally? No. But I’ll tell you one thing, I’ll never go in there alone.”
Known to the townspeople as “Satan’s Trails,” access to the property is located behind the Congregational Church in Mount Sinai, right next to the cemetery. One can still see where the structures stood.
In recent years, rumors have spread that satanic rituals are conducted on the old foundation of Chandler Estate. While cult activity is believed to be conducted where the estate once stood, there are also claims of paranormal activity. Other stories involving a woman and/or ghost named “Mary” and other spirits supposedly summoned in these parts leave visitors with an uneasiness that follows them even after they have vacated the area.
If you’re up for it this weekend, albeit during the day, you may want to take a ride and walk through these beautiful grounds. Its daytime hiking trails are just enough to take your mind off of what may happen there after dark.
But if you stick around past-sundown, even better, because nothing will set the Halloween mood quite like the Chandler Estate!
