STORM WATCH

Tilley’s boathouse is no more

Posted

The recent nor’easter that hit the area last weekend with heavy rains and hurricane winds also brought extremely high tides. Early Saturday morning, at the peak of one of the high tides, the privately-owned Tilley Boathouse, located at Tilley Place just south of the end of the Sea Cliff Beach pavilion boardwalk, was lifted off of its supporting piers and washed out to sea.

On Tuesday, the door from the boathouse was found at Tappen Beach, and pieces of the structure were found in the salt flats on the east side of Roslyn, under the viaduct.

The boathouse was the last remaining structure built during the days of the Metropolitan Camp Ground Association before Sea Cliff became an incorporated village in 1883. The boathouse was relocated from its original location during the ‘40s after hurricanes destroyed the remains of the original boardwalk.

In the days when Sea Cliff was known as a resort destination with its many hotels and boarding houses, Tilley’s Beach and boathouse was a favorite recreational spot during the summer months. Postcards depicting the original boardwalk and boathouse were very popular among visiting tourists.

Since the storm, word has spread around the village that the boathouse is gone, and many residents are expressing feelings of loss. It stood on the edge of the harbor for over a century, providing innumerable memories for those who saw it evolve from its heyday to its sudden end.

-- Provided by Kevin Boris, Sea Cliff