The Village of Saddle Rock is a quaint, historic village located on the west side of the Great Neck Peninsula. Did you know the Saddle Rock moniker is actually a nod to a saddle-shaped boulder protruding offshore in Little Neck Bay, according to early maps.
The village could just as easily have been named Boulder (think Colorado) or Little Rock (Arkansas). Hey- given our early days of horses and horse-drawn carriages, it fits. Saddle up!
Mad Nan’s Legacy
In the 1600s, the Pilgrims, as the first European settlers, likely encountered some farmland, now known as “Middle Neck Road,” after disembarking at Plymouth Rock.
Short story long: some time later, ill-tempered Puritan and local resident Anne Hutchinson a/k/a Anne Heatherton a/k/a “Mad Nan” started a turf war with some historical inhabitants, the Matinecock Indians, a branch of the Algonquin of “Menhaden-ock.”
Eventually, Hutchinson got run out, relocated to Bronx County, and was immortalized by their parkway and river. Rumor has it that in 1643, she, along with five of her children, was ruthlessly tomahawked. Oy!
Notably, the 1656 Battle of Madnan’s Neck, by Thomas Hicks, forced out the Matinecock tribe. “Mad Nan’s Neck” was subsequently renamed the “Great Neck” peninsula. Note: Well-behaved women seldom make history.
Ye Olde Movers & Shakers
Several other prominent families owned and operated estates, mills, and farmland from the late 1600s through the early 1900s, forming the backbone of Great Neck’s early economy and governance. In the Saddle Rock area, they included the Allens, the Hubbs, the Udalls, the Treadwells, the Skidmores and the Eldridge families.
In 1911, the Eldridge family and servants- 77 residents at the time – petitioned New York State to create the Village of Saddle Rock within the newly set boundaries of the Eldridge estate, making it our oldest village. The first mayor of Saddle Rock was self-appointed by none other than Roswell Eldridge. In 1926, Louise Udall Skidmore Eldridge, his wife, officially became the second mayor of Saddle Rock, and by extension — the first female mayor in the state of New York. Another formidable woman!
Geez, Louise!
The Eldridge mansion was formidable, with a view of the Saddle Rock Grist Mill. It served as the family abode through the 1940s. Louisa Udall and William Skidmore’s daughter, Louise became a community activist in her early 20s, and by all accounts was Great Neck’s “first lady.”
She was the founder of the Great Neck Library (along with Harriet Onderdonk and Helen S. Merritt), the Great Neck Park District, the original Great Neck Arts Center, and many other notable public institutions. For those who don’t know, our first library was located on Arrandale Avenue, where Great Neck House now stands. Clearly, many of Great Neck’s successes were founded by strong women!
The Village of Saddle Rock, unlike most of the other peninsula villages, was a planned community and is exclusively residential. The single-family homes, many originally developed in the 1950s as ranches, are private, and were deliberately situated in order to maintain open space (read: no full second floors, lots of front, side and backyard space) with maximum views of the New York City skyline and beautiful Long Island Sound.
Given its small size, Saddle Rock has an identity all its own, with a bucolic park, pool, marina and tennis community that is private, exclusive and highly coveted.
Grist for the Mill
Of historical note, Saddle Rock is home to an iconic grist mill, built circa 1700, which in 1978 was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest continually operating tidal grist mill in the United States. Unlike other mills that used a river to turn their water wheels, the Saddle Rock facility used the movement of the tides to process grain, making it one of only a handful of “tide mills” in the region.
The Saddle Rock Grist Mill was used to grind corn and wheat that was grown on the farms in our area. Per the Great Neck Historical Society, “it passed from Robert Hubbs to Henry Allen, and then was eventually purchased by the Udall family.”
Inherited by Louise Udall Skidmore Eldridge, it was granted to the Nassau Historical Society upon her death and then passed to Nassau County. For years, Nassau County had operated it as a museum, showcasing local history as a popular field trip destination for local schools. Students were able to see the mill’s machinery in action and were sent home with a small bag of flour ground at the site.
In 2012, Superstorm Sandy devastated the Grist Mill with considerable structural damage, rendering it a relic.
Luckily, in May 2025, $1.5 million was finally earmarked for the site’s refurbishment, following approval from Nassau County. “Historical sites like the grist mill are part of our community identity,” notes Mazi Pilip, Nassau County legislator and Great Neck (Kensington) resident–and another audacious and visionary female! “This is a big win for Great Neck and its history,” said Pilip. To learn more about this iconic community asset visit: https://longislandpress/2025/07/15/saddle-rock-grist-mill-set-for-restoration -after-funding-approved/
The 9-11 Memorial Bridge
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, the “Saddle Rock Bridge” across from the Main Library, with its westward New York City skyline views, became a place of solace and commemoration. Sadly, on that fateful day and its aftermath, the tragic fate of the Twin Towers was on full display.
Many residents witnessed the catastrophe firsthand, given our close proximity to Manhattan. In December 2001 the Village of Saddle Rock and Nassau County rededicated the bridge as the “9-11 Memorial Bridge.”
A Niche Beyond Compare
According to niche.com, “Living in Saddle Rock offers residents a rural feel… and residents tend to lean conservative,” which is a similar snapshot of other villages in our town.
With a population of approximately 1,225, Saddle Rock gets an “A” rating as one of the best places to live in New York and ranks as the No. 45 best place in New York to retire! (shout-out to Great Neck Plaza.
It gets an “A+” rating and the No. 1 spot in New York State. They say it takes a village; we have nine. May we continue to level up and live well, side–by–side on the Great Neck peninsula, in peace and harmony, for generations to come.
Janet Nina Esagoff, a serial entrepreneur, founded Destination: Great Neck Ltd. in 2021, aiming to fortify and celebrate our town. Follow @greatneckbiz. In 2017, Janet launched Esagoff Law Group PC, now located “in town” on Middle Neck Road. Prior to her law career, Janet designed special–occasion wear for girls and teens at Party Girl on Bond Street.
