Smithtown, A History: Mills Pond House

In an elegant old home on North Country Road in St. James, visitors can find the impressive art gallery of the Smithtown Township Arts Council. The structure, known as the Mills Pond House, holds the work of talented artists and also represents a piece of Smithtown history.

It was Timothy Mills who bought the land from one of our town founder’s sons in 1693, according to “Colonel Rockwell’s Scrap-Book” published by the Smithtown Historical Society in 1968. As the sons of Timothy Mills married, houses were built around the pond found on the land.

In the early 1700s, the area became known as Mills Pond. According to the Smithtown Township Arts Council’s website, the area was originally called Cuttscunsuck, which means two small ponds in the Algonquian language.

The original house that was built by Timothy Mills before 1700 was partially destroyed by a fire, according to “Colonel Rockwell’s Scrap-book”. William Wickham Mills, a descendant of Timothy, restored the damaged part of the house and built a three-story addition in 1838.

Smithtown historian Bradley Harris said William Wickham Mills was one of the richest men in Suffolk County. He was a farmer and also a prominent landlord owning a large amount of land in Smithtown’s Landing area. William Wickham Mills also served as Town Supervisor of Smithtown from 1838 – 1841.

According to the arts council website, a noted New York City architect by the name of Calvin Pollard designed the Mills Pond House. An example of Grecian design, materials such as English glass, Connecticut stone and Santo Domingo mahogany were used contributing to its elegance.

Harris said, “It was the most magnificent house in Smithtown.”

According to the scrap-book, in 1846 a daughter of William Wickham Mills married into Smithtown’s Smith family. When he died in 1865, his grandson Dubois Smith inherited the home and land. It was later passed on to Dubois Smith’s two daughters Josephine and Mildred Smith, who donated the house to the Town of Smithtown in 1976.

Soon after the donation of the home to the town, the Smithtown Township Arts Council has been using the Mills Pond House to exhibit the artwork of regional and national artists. The arts council also holds art classes and special events for residents of all ages.

Despite modern adaptations such as gallery lighting and handicap access, the structure has remained basically unchanged. Visitors to the home can still find formal porticoes and marble mantelpieces. 

The regal Mills Pond House provides the perfect location to expose Smithtown residents to art and also reminds us of a noted local family and our rich history.