Historic towns around New York often have more to offer visitors than what you can quickly see on the surface, with Nassau County’s Oyster Bay being no exception. The beautiful town covers a large piece of Long Island and is commonly talked about for being where you can find Sagamore Hill – Theodore Roosevelt’s home. But to little surprise, this isn’t the only exciting piece of history that you can find in Oyster Bay. Taking you out into the woods where you’re always guaranteed to find something unexpected, keep reading to find out about the history of these small town ruins.
Covering 550-acres of land, the Muttontown Preserve is a unique outdoor getaway to escape to on the island.
Irma G/TripAdvisor
An amazing place to go for a walk through the woods, Nassau County’s largest nature preserve features historic estates and beautiful landscapes that are maintained.
Scott B/TripAdvisor
But those who are looking for a bit more of an exciting experience will visit Muttontown Preserve to not only explore the nature trails, but to go looking for the ruins of King Zog’s mansion.
Michael Bassett/AllTrails
The gates to King Zog’s old estate are still visible from Muttontown Road and Route 106, pointing you in the direction of the unusual ruins.
Scott B/TripAdvisor
The story goes that in 1951 King Zog (the last monarch of Albania) purchased the 150-acre estate with the intent on moving to the United States.
John Mullane/AllTrails
Zog had originally fled Albania in 1939 after the Italian invasion and spent a handful of years living in countries like Egypt, England and France before setting his sights on America.
Michael Bassett/AllTrails
Unfortunately Zog never ended up moving to our country and the estate was eventually sold to a new owner, leaving the mansion unattended.
Casey Spinella/AllTrails
Not long after selling the estate rumors began to make their way from ear to ear about how the mysterious King had left hidden treasures and jewels within the walls of the mansion.
Tom Bergman/AllTrails
The rumors provoked mischievous visitors to break into the abandoned property and leave it vandalized, prompting the owners to demolish the majority of the gorgeous 60-room granite mansion.
Gabby Zimmerman/AllTrails The mansion that was so epic and once featured in architectural magazines has steadily turned into an abandoned destination that’s been taken over by nature and sadly graffiti. The majority of the mansion was demolished in 1959, but today you can still see pieces of this property’s past. From the famous staircase to historic pillars that look out of place, King Zog’s mansion continues to wither away with time.
To find out more information about Muttontown Preserve, click here.
Do you have your own memories from exploring Muttontown Preserve? If you’re interested in visiting more secluded outdoor destinations, read about these 9 Perfect Places In New York For People Who Hate Crowds!
Irma G/TripAdvisor
Scott B/TripAdvisor
Michael Bassett/AllTrails
John Mullane/AllTrails
Casey Spinella/AllTrails
Tom Bergman/AllTrails
Gabby Zimmerman/AllTrails
The mansion that was so epic and once featured in architectural magazines has steadily turned into an abandoned destination that’s been taken over by nature and sadly graffiti. The majority of the mansion was demolished in 1959, but today you can still see pieces of this property’s past. From the famous staircase to historic pillars that look out of place, King Zog’s mansion continues to wither away with time.
To find out more information about Muttontown Preserve, click here.
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