Hiding among the trees in the Town of Southold, with just a tiny chunk straddling the border with Riverhead, you’ll find the lovely Laurel. Due to its somewhat liminal status, Laurel was known as the “Middle Ground” in its earliest incarnation. Later, it would be called Franklinville — after Ben Franklin — until the revelation of a town in Western New York going by the same name. To avoid postal issues, the North Fork’s Franklinville received the name we know today. Laurel is currently about as low-key as the North Fork gets, yet it still carries all the hallmarks that make folks love the region. Local wines sourced from local vines are always ready to pour and enjoy. Preserves near Laurel Lake and Husing Pond provide optimal trails for hiking, bird watching, and communing with nature. And as far as golf goes, well, it’s the East End — you’ll have no problems there.