What is that? May 23, 2026

If you know, let us know. Send your responses to [email protected] or phone 631-275-1859.

Last week’s photo (see below) is a mystery to many, but not Ed Hydeman, who wrote to us almost immediately after we published the picture: “The pump house on New York Avenue next to Goat Hill.” Right on, Ed. 

Roger McKeon described it as, “The well house for the Heights water system on New York Avenue,” and Cynthia Michalak, who knows her Island, wrote to us: “The pump house in the Heights, on New York Avenue.”

On Facebook, Carleen Washington was right on the money, and the photo sparked memories for Cathleen Roden Parsons: “It’s the Heights pump house — or the witches house — as we called it when we were kids.”

We asked Heights Property Owners Corporation General Manager Stella Lagudis for more information: “This is one of our five drinking water wells. Water is drawn from the ground by well, and then treated for potability before being distributed to our water district customers.”