A bustling industrial community in the 19th century, Cold Spring Harbor was once described as "a sweet bay of beauty." The area briefly served as a whaling port and was a center for shipbuilding, milling, and farming. Located just 35 miles from midtown Manhattan, Cold Spring Harbor was a fashionable summer resort for New York City residents who came to the area during the Gilded Age to enjoy the cool breezes off the shores of the harbor. Today, Cold Spring Harbor is a residential community with excellent schools, active organizations, museums, and the world-renowned Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories. Cold Spring Harbor traces the development of the area from its days as a bustling whaling port to a 20th-century suburbanized community.