The Pirate House, located in Miller Place, is a half-acre lot covered with an assortment of pirate, Roman, Egyptian and eclectic statues, boats, windmills, goldfish ponds and streams, carved and molded animals, gnomes and several beautifully painted murals. The Connor's inspiration for the creation was his daughter, Janet, 34, who lives with her mother, Jean Rollins, in Selden. Four years ago, while a student at the University of Hawaii, Janet was involved in an accident that left her severely injured. She was in a coma for some time after, and the serious injuries she sustained to her head and body left her in need of constant care and therapies. They took a trip to Disney World after her accident, and, "Janet just lit up in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride." That provided the spark for her father, who came home and began to create his own pirate spectacle. It has been growing ever since. There are carved, nearly life-sized pirates on top of a platform projecting from over the garage. That platform was a part of the trouble that visited Connor a couple years ago when some neighbors complained to Brookhaven Town about his creation. Among other items in the complaint, the town accused Connor of building a deck without a permit. Connor went to court with the town and won, he reported. Since then many of the neighbors have grown less resistant, and Connor asserted that "most of the neighbors are okay with it."
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