Heckscher State Park was formerly the George C. Taylor estate. Accruing over 1,500 acres, George C. Taylor established a self-sufficient estate complex. A large manor house, built in 1886, was supported by over 30 outbuildings which included stables, greenhouses, carriage and dairy barns, as well as quarters for employees. He stocked the estate with game birds and deer, including some exotic species such as peacocks and a herd of elk. After Taylor's death in 1908, the property remained unused for the next sixteen years. In 1924 the newly created Long Island State Park Commission became interested in the property for use as a park.

Intense opposition arose from local estate owners who feared the park would be detrimental to the neighborhood. Five years would pass, and there were actions in every possible court from the County Court of Suffolk to the Supreme Court of the United States before the Taylor estate came under the jurisdiction of the Long Island State Park Commission. On June 2, 1929 the park officially was named Heckscher State Park in gratitude to August Heckscher for his monetary gift which assisted in the acquisition of the land.

During the administration of the Long Island State Park Commission, many changes and improvements have been realized. To accommodate ever larger numbers of visitors parking fields, picnic areas, and comfort stations were built. The campground was established in the early 1930s. The Heckscher Parkway loop was completed in 1960, opening all parts of the park with a scenic drive. In 1969 the boat basin and launching ramp were completed, and in 1971 the South Beach Pool Complex was opened. Additional land purchases increased the size of the park to 1,679 acres. Today Heckscher State Park is visited by approximately 1.2 million people every year.