Sitting on a peninsula that juts into Long Island Sound, Eatons Neck is far off the beaten path of suburban life. Residents unite regularly at events such as the Fourth of July parade or meetings of the Property Owners of Eatons Neck Beach Association. But it's the wrath of nature that often proves to be a bonding experience, as residents come to each other's aid during storms and power outages.

The closest amenities, such as food stores, gas stations and restaurants, can be found in Northport, by way of the Village of Asharoken. The Neck is surrounded by Huntington and Northport bays and has private beaches, as well as one town beach, Hobart, which has a boat ramp.

Neighborhoods offer a variety of architectural styles, including Colonials, capes, contemporaries and various ranches. Most homes are on at least 1/3-acre lots, although there is an area zoned for two-acre lots. Prices generally range from $500,000 to $3 million, according to Standley.

The reef off Eatons Neck Point has long been treacherous for passing ships -- it's the site of more than 200 wrecks. Gardiner initially maintained an oil lamp on a pole to guide ships, and the federal government paid him $500 for 10 acres to put in Long Island's second lighthouse, after Montauk.

In 1849, a rescue station staffed by volunteers opened, but in 1873 -- after two wrecks on the same day -- there was a campaign for a full-time professional life-saving crew. Two years later, Congress set up the U.S. Life Saving Service, which established a station at Eatons Neck in 1876. The station closed in 1921, but with ships continuing to run aground, it was reopened in 1935 as a Coast Guard station, which remains.