The Big Duck - Flanders, New York
Posted by: 
moelsla
N 40° 54.430 W 072° 37.349
18T E 700241 N 4531173
The Big Duck is a ferrocement building in the shape of a duck located in Flanders, Long Island. It was originally built in 1931 by duck farmer Martian Maurer. It was used as a shop to sell Long Island ducks and eggs. Added to the NRHP in 1997.
Waymark Code: WM18TRJ
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 09/25/2023
Views: 0
In 1931, Riverhead duck farmer Martin Maurer built this 20-ft. tall, 30-ft long, 18 feet wide, duck using concrete, applied over a wooden frame. Taillights from a Model T Ford became its eyes, glowing red at night. Maurer sold ducks and eggs from the shop in its belly.
Maurer drew his inspiration from odd structures he had seen in California, especially a building shaped like a giant coffeepot. Shrewdly, Maurer patented his fowl creation, and the Duck became the darling of locals and travelers. This may explain why, in the world of architecture, any building shaped like its product is referred to as a "duck." Not a "Coffeepot".
Maurer is long gone, and the Big Duck has shifted locale a few times. When the land was earmarked for development, giant duck preservationists and the Friends for Long Island's Heritage campaigned to save it. The owners donated the Big Duck to Suffolk County in 1987. In 1988 it moved from Flanders to Hampton Bays along Route 24 at the entrance of Sears-Bellow County Park. On October 6, 2007, it was returned to its Flanders location. The shop still operates, now as a tourism center for the East end of Long Island, selling duck souvenirs.
Each year, (the first Wednesday in December) the Suffolk County Parks Department sponsors the Annual Holiday Lighting of the Big Duck.
I took the photo of the duck while Geocaching in a light snow storm, 12/11/2019
Street address:
1012 NY-24
Flanders, New York United States
11901
County / Borough / Parish: Suffolk County
Year listed: 1997
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture
Periods of significance: 1925-1949
Historic function: Store
Current function: Store
Privately owned?: no
Hours of operation: From: 10:00 AM To: 5:00 PM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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