Periodic meetings bring to the membership speakers who are authorities on various aspects of Long Island history. The meetings end with refreshments and a social period so members can meet informally. We have sponsored daylong outings to places of historic interest on Long Island and some overnight trips.
The Annual Dinner/Luncheon meeting is held in October.
The following table of events is arranged in reverse chronological order. Information about future events will be added and updated as plans are finalized. Please check back for updates.
Guests are always welcome to our meetings and events.
While the home page always shows the next meeting of the NCHS, this page often includes future meetings scheduled after the next meeting.
Scrolling down through this list will take you past any future meetings, to our next meeting, and then on to see where past luncheons/dinners have been held and what has been presented at those events.
Hillwood
Sunday, December 2, 2018, 2:00 p.m. “Marjorie Merriweather Post and her Long Island estate, Hillwood” Kenneth G. Mensing, formerly historian at C. W. Post
Community Church of East Williston
Take a journey back in time with a historic slide presentation about famed Post Cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and her Long Island estate, Hillwood. The estate is now home to LIU-Post College. Former C.W. Post Historian, Kenneth G. Mensing, uses Post family private photos to reveal a glimpse into this magnificent former estate and the pioneering businesswoman who called it home.
Sunday, October 21, 2018, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Annual Meeting and Luncheon "Dancing into History with the Castles"
Martha Griffin and Marc Casslar, dance historicans
Hendrick's Tavern, Roslyn
Annual Meeting: presentation of brief reports, and election of Board Members, will be conducted as per NCHS By-Laws. The meeting’s business will be conducted between luncheon courses. After dessert is served, Martha Griffin and Marc Casslar will present their program.
Irene and Vernon Castle were America’s leading dance couple in the 1910s who popularized the fox trot, tango and other social dances at “Castles by the Sea” on the Boardwalk in Long Beach, Long Island.
Dance historians Martha Griffin and Marc Casslar, who are members of the Vintage Dance “Polite Society,” will introduce us to these celebrities who lived in Manhasset. They will demonstrate their dances in period costume and explain the significant contributions of the Castles to dance history. Their program is brought to you by Kandie Carle of K&C Enterprises, East Haddam, CT.
We are looking forward to a very special afternoon commemorating this legendary couple who brought charm and much joy to society with their innovative elegant social dances at magnificent dance palaces. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers immortalized them in their 1939 film The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle. We will have music from the 1910s for your listening and dancing pleasure.
Hendrick’s Tavern, formerly the George Washington Manor Restaurant, has been beautifully renovated. It was the home of Hendrick Onderdonk when President George Washington visited on his tour of Long Island in 1790. A plaque from our Society by the front door attests to this history.
The menu includes a choice of: chicken paillard; seared salmon over garden salad; sliced steak sandwich with salad or French fries; omelet with spinach, tomatoes, and cheddar or plain, with salad or French fries; or vegetarian pasta primavera. Dessert is a choice of cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, or raspberry sorbet. Soda, iced tea, coffee, or tea is included and a cash bar is available.
A pdf copy of the meeting announcement is available here for you to view and print out and send in the RSVP portion with payment for your reservation. Please make your check payable to: Nassau County Historical Society. Or reserve and pay by credit card using the link below.
Cut off the form at the bottom, and return with your check to the luncheon chairperson:
Madalyn Klein, 27110 Grand Central Pkwy, Apt. 24Y, Floral Park, NY 11005.
Any questions, call Madalyn at 917-742-5229.
Early luncheon reservations closed on October 9th. There are still seats/tables available. We're looking for a minimum of 60 seats, and currently are just shy of this at 52. Reservations postmarked after the 9th are now $65.00.
Tickets will not be sent; check-in at the door; open seating.
Directions: Hendrick’s is at 1305 Old Northern Boulevard in Roslyn (click link for map).
The entrance is just north of the Clock Tower (valet parking).
Weathervane designed by Architect Olive Tjaden
Sunday, September 16, 2018, 2:00 p.m. “Architect Olive Tjaden: Designing Suburbia in Garden City and Beyond” Millicent D. Vollono and Lauren V. Drapala, authors
Garden City Senior Center
Olive Tjaden (1904-1997) began her architectural career at a time when residential architecture was at the nation’s forefront. Graduating from Cornell University’s architecture program in 1925, Tjaden was the only female member of the American Institute of Architects for years. Although she achieved her greatest success as a residential designer, she created buildings for automobile dealerships, beauty salons, and religious organizations. Forming her own firm in the late 1920s in Garden City, Tjaden was able to promote her unique status as a female architect to promote her work and expertise to women, making use of the networks provided by women’s social clubs. Tjaden was a prolific designer, building over 2,000 commissions in the twenty years of her New York office and later in South Florida. Our speakers are the authors of an article on Tjaden in the 2016 Nassau County Historical Society Journal, v.71, pp.1-14. Their illustrated presentation will include additional information from their continuing research. We will celebrate Olive Tjaden’s life and career, with special emphasis on her many Garden City houses, as we uncover one of Long Island's little-known treasures.
Directions: This joint program with the Garden City Historical Society will be held in the Garden City Senior Center, 6 Golf Club Lane (click link for map), NW corner of Golf Club Lane and Eleventh St., across the street from Olive Tjaden’s own house. After the program, we will go next door to the Garden City Historical Society’s Apostle House Museum, for refreshments and a tour of their museum.
Robert Moses, by GaryViskupic
Sunday, June 10, 2018, 2:00 p.m. “The Land of Moses: Robert Moses and Modern Long Island” Joshua Ruff and Jonathan Olly, Long Island Museum curators
Community Church of East Williston
The significance and impact of Robert Moses (1888-1981) on Long Island can hardly be overstated. Previewing their upcoming exhibition at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook, opening June 22, curators Joshua Ruff and Jonathan Olly will provide a reappraisal of the extraordinary and controversial builder and planner. Prolific, brash, and strategically brilliant, Moses helped determine the environments in which we continue to live. Moses redefined transportation infrastructure and recreational and cultural possibilities for generations of Long Islanders and visitors. His legacies range from his largely realized Long Island State Parks Commission blueprintin 1924 to his late career challenges and failures.
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. This program is free.
Light refreshments follow the illustrated program.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Please park in spaces closest to church (those near Roslyn Rd. are reserved) or on Ward St. Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
The Suffragents: How Women Used Men to Get the Vote
Sunday, April 22, 2018, 2:00 p.m. “The Suffragents: How Women Used Men to Get the Vote” Brooke Kroeger
Jericho Public Library
Note: This is a change of date and location from what was previously announced.
The Suffragents is the untold story of how some of New York’s most powerful men formed the Men’s League for Woman Suffrage, which grew between 1909 and 1917 from 150 founding members into a force of thousands across thirty-five states. Ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 for women’s suffrage culminated more than 70 years of struggle.
Brooke Kroeger explores the formation of the League and the men who instigated it to involve themselves with the suffrage campaign, what they did at the behest of the movement’s female leadership, and why. She details the National American Woman Suffrage Association’s strategic decision to accept their organized help and then to deploy these influential new allies as suffrage foot soldiers, a role they accepted with uncommon grace. Led by such luminaries as Oswald Garrison Villard, John Dewey, Max Eastman, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, and George Foster Peabody, members of the League worked the streets, the stage, the press, and the legislative and executive branches of government. In the process, they helped convince waffling politicians, a dismissive public, and a largely hostile press to support the women’s demand. Together, they swayed the course of history.
At least one of the suffragents had a Nassau County, Long Island connection. James Lees Laidlaw who had a country home in Sands Point was president of the state and national Men's League for Woman's Suffrage.
There will be limited copies of the 372 page book available for purchase, $25 per copy, and signing at the meeting. Respond to: webmaster@nassaucountyhistoricalsociety.org by April 5, 2018, if you wish to purchase a book(s), and a copy/copies will be reserved for you.
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. Light refreshments follow the program.
Directions: The Jericho Library is at 1 Merry Lane (click link for map), off (south of) Rt. 25. From Rt. 106 (Exit 41N from the Rt. 495/LIE), go east on 25 a short distance; turn right (south) onto Merry Lane and the library will be on your left.
SPIES! Exhibit Logo of the Three Village Historical Society
Sunday, February 11, 2018, 2:00 p.m. “The Culper Spy Ring in the Revolutionary War” Beverly C. Tyler
Community Church of East Williston
After George Washington suffered heavy losses at the beginning of the war, he realized that reliable information about British troop movements was vital. General Washington asked Major Benjamin Tallmadge from Setauket to organize a spy network. Now known as the Culper Spy Ring, it was most active during the years from 1778 to 1781.
Tallmadge first enlisted Abraham Woodhull (alias Culper, Sr.), who was also from Setauket. Later Robert Townsend (“Culper, Jr.”) from Oyster Bay (today’s Raynham Hall) who was living in Manhattan joined the group. SPIES! How a Group of Long Island Patriots Helped George Washington Win the Revolution is the Three Village Historical Society’s exhibition in their History Center (93 North Country Road, Setauket). The spy ring has been fictionalized in the AMC television series, Turn: Washington’s Spies.
Beverly C. Tyler is a writer, author, photographer, and lecturer on local history in Setauket. He conducts walking tours and field trips as Revolutionary War farmer and spy Abraham Woodhull and as a 19th century ship captain. Mr. Tyler has appeared on the History Channel’s Histories Mysteries production “Spies of the Revolutionary War.”
A 1778 document in the Three Village Historical Society collection that every man who stayed on Long Island after the British took control was required to sign to swear allegiance to the king.
Mr. Tyler writes a local history column History Close at Hand for the Village Times Herald. He has written more than 800 local history articles over the past thirty years and his articles have been published in a number of Long Island and regional newspapers and magazines.
Check this link for information about the Three Village Historical Society exhibit SPIES!
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. This program is free.
Light refreshments follow the illustrated program.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Please park in spaces closest to church (those near Roslyn Rd. are reserved) or on Ward St. Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
Colorized Postcard of Camp Mills in World War One
courtesy Jim McKenna
Sunday, December 3, 2017, 2:00 p.m. “Camp Albert L. Mills in World War One” Jim McKenna
Community Church of East Williston
This year is the Centennial of the U.S. entry into WWI. Camp Mills was a major training camp and embarkation point for US Army troops being sent to France. Built in less than a week in August 1917, Camp Mills was a major story for the New York and Brooklyn newspapers—the internet of the times. The soldiers of Camp Mills interacted with the local citizens of the surrounding villages of Hempstead, Mineola, Garden City, and Westbury, as well as New York City.
Troops at Camp Mills in World War One
courtesy Jim McKenna
The newspapers extensively covered the troops and the camp throughout the war and the demobilization afterwards. Jim McKenna is the former Director of Old Bethpage Village Restoration and currently the Assistant Director of Museum Operations at the Cradle of Aviation and a trustee of the Society.
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. This program is free.
Light refreshments follow the illustrated program.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Please park in spaces closest to church (those near Roslyn Rd. are reserved) or on Ward St. Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
James Foote as Theodore Roosevelt
Joni Foote, photographer
2017 Annual Meeting
and Luncheon
Sunday, October 1, 2017, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Theodore Roosevelt as portrayed by James Foote Stewart Manor Country Club, Stewart Manor
Annual Meeting: presentation of brief reports, and election of Board Members, will be conducted as per NCHS By-Laws.
The meeting’s business will be conducted between luncheon courses. After dessert is served, Theodore Roosevelt, as portrayed by James Foote, will regale us with his particular zest for life through stories of his exploits in nature, the military, politics, and as a husband and father.
Information about menu, and cost has been mailed to NCHS members. A pdf copy of the meeting announcement is available here for you to view and print out and send in the RSVP portion with payment for your reservation.
As often is the case with our meetings, guests, friends, and the general public are welcome to attend this meeting. Since this our Annual Membership meeting, should space become an issue, preference will be given to NCHS members. If you wish to attend, and are not a currently an NCHS member, please consider an individual ($25), or family ($40), annual membership. Include the appropriate membership amount with your payment for the Luncheon and indicate this on the RSVP form. You'll be added to our membership list and receive a copy of our 2017 Journal when it is published at the end of this year.
Online Reservations and Payments accepted here. You will have the opportunity to select the number of reservations after clicking on "Add to Cart".
Your contact information will be requested as you enter your payment information.
Book Cover for In The Service
Elly Shodell, author
Sunday, September 17, 2017, 2:00 p.m. In The Service: Workers on the Grand Estates of Long Island, 1890s-1940s Elly Shodell
Community Church of East Williston
This illustrated presentation focuses upon Long Island’s fabled Gold Coast estates from an unusual perspective—that of those who served as butlers, chauffeurs, dairymaids, gardeners, and cooks. Although there is no lack of documentation about America’s barons who emerged from the Industrial Revolution and their magnificent mansions, much less is known about the lives of the men and women who worked for them. Using oral histories, photographs, archival tools, and documents, Elly Shodell brings their past to life via her Port Washington Public Library Local History Center project. She curated an exhibition for the library and wrote In the Service about these workers on Long Island estates (copies available for sale and signing).
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. This program is free.
Light refreshments follow the illustrated program.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Please park in spaces closest to church (those near Roslyn Rd. are reserved) or on Ward St. Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
Special Bonus Meeting for members.
Howard Kroplick who spoke at our meeting on the Vanderbilt Cup Races has invited us to view his car collection on Sunday, July 16, between 10:30 am and 1:00 pm. You’ll also be able to see more than a dozen vintage cars of the Long Island Sound Region Classic Car Club of America.
Directions: Exit 29 from Northern State – make a right turn north. From the LIE, it’s Exit 39 if you’re driving west, but stay on the service road for nearly a mile. Turn right at traffic light onto Roslyn Road (gas station on corner). If driving east, take exit 37 (Willis Ave.) and stay on service road ½ mile and left at the traffic light at Roslyn Road.
Take Roslyn Road to the end (it becomes Main Street) and turn right just before the clock tower onto short Tower Street, which runs into Old Northern Blvd. Make an immediate left onto Lumber Road (The Chase Bank is on the corner). Take Lumber Road to the very end and follow the signs, “The Waterfront at Roslyn.” Parking in adjoining lot at 45 Lumber Road.
NCPD - Long Beach raid 1932
photo courtesy: Jonathan Olly
Sunday, June 4, 2017, 2:00 p.m. “Midnight Rum: Long Island and Prohibition” Jonathan Olly
Community Church of East Williston
Prohibition—the thirteen-year “noble experiment”—affected nearly everyone living on Long Island during the years from 1920 to 1933. Brooklyn breweries switched to “near beer,” many residents made their own wine and liquor, and rum running was rampant in the waters off Long Island’s shores. From cocktails to crime, the era left an indelible impression on American culture. Jonathan Olly, curator of the recently opened exhibition on Long Island and Prohibition at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook will speak on this fascinating topic.
Alco Black Beast wining 1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race
photo courtesy: Howard Kroplick
Sunday, April 2, 2017, 2:00 p.m. “My Hunt for the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway” Howard Kroplick
Community Church of East Williston
“Chain your dogs and lock up your fowls!” heralded posters throughout Long Island in announcing the first international road race ever to be held in America. From 1904 to 1910, six Vanderbilt Cup Races were held on Long Island roads. Developed from the imagination of William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., these races were the most prestigious and thrilling auto races of their day, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to Long Island. Town of North Hempstead Historian Howard Kroplick has researched the Races for more than 13 years, written two books on the Parkway, and maintains an excellent website (VanderbiltCupRaces.com). His talk will feature photographs from the private archives of Willy K. Vanderbilt, rare race films, and an assortment of “Vanderbilia.” A book signing follows; proceeds go to local charities.
Book Cover for Images of America: Long Island’s Gold Coast
Paul J. Mateyunas, author
Sunday, February 5, 2017, 2:00 p.m. “Gatsby’s Gold Coast: Then and Now” Paul Mateyunas
Community Church of East Williston
Travel back in time to the days of Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby learning about the real families and homes that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald. An illustrated presentation by North Shore historian Paul J. Mateyunas about the history of the Gold Coast and the grand old estate houses. Author of North Shore Long Island: Country Houses, 1890-1950 and Long Island’s Gold Coast, Mr. Mateyunas will autograph copies of his books; his paperback, Long Island’s Gold Coast, will be available for purchase. The snow date (if needed) is one week later, Sunday, February 12 — same time and location.
Book Cover for Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates
Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger, authors
Tuesday, December 6, 2016, 7:30 p.m.
(Note: the date and time of this event has been changed from what was originally announced.) “Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates” Brian Kilmeade Cradle of Aviation Museum, Museum Row at Mitchel Field, East Garden City
Long Islander, Brian Kilmeade is co-author of Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates, as well as a co-host of the morning television show, Fox & Friends on Fox News. Come hear him discuss one of our newly independent nation’s first wars -- a war which saw the founding of both the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. (The Marine Hymn even notes: “... to the shores of Tripoli.”) His book will be available for sale and the talk will be followed by a book signing.
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends.
This program is free. Light refreshments follow the program.
Directions: The Cradle of Aviation is located on Charles Lindbergh Blvd.(click link for map) at Mitchel Field in East Garden City/Uniondale. Take the Meadowbrook Parkway to exit M4. Follow signs to Coliseum/Museum Row and Charles Lindbergh Blvd. Stay on Charles Lindbergh Blvd., go through the traffic light at Earl Ovington Blvd. and turn right when you see the life-size figure in a space suit. Parking lots are on both sides of Museum Drive.
Book Cover for Historic Haunts of Long Island
Kerriann Flanagan Brosky, author
Luncheon and Annual Meeting
Sunday, October 16, 2016, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. “Historic Haunts of Long Island” Kerriann Flanagan Brosky Davenport Press Restaurant, Mineola
Annual Meeting: presentation of brief reports, and election of Board Members, will be conducted as per NCHS By-Laws.
The meeting’s business will be conducted between luncheon courses. After dessert is served, Kerriann Flanagan Brosky, author, will present a program based on her book Historic Haunts of Long Island; Ghosts and Legends from the Gold Coast to Montauk Point.
Information about menu, and cost has been mailed to NCHS members. A pdf copy of the meeting announcement is available here for you to view and print out and send in the RSVP portion with payment for your reservation.
Due to the size of the venue and limited seating, prior reservations will be required for this event with preference given to NCHS members. If you wish to attend, and are not a currently an NCHS member, please consider an individual ($25), or family ($40), annual membership. Include the appropriate membership amount with your payment for the Luncheon and indicate this on the RSVP form. You'll be added to our membership list and receive a copy of our 2016 Journal when it is published at the end of this year.
Luna Park Tower at Night
Jennifer Garland, archivist
Sunday, September 18, 2016, 2:00 p.m. “The History of Coney Island” Jennifer Garland
Community Church of East Williston
Explore the legendary and colorful past of Coney Island, the “World’s Playground.” Jennifer Garland is the archivist of the Coney Island History Project. Her illustrated presentation draws from the book by the History Project’s director, Coney Island: Lost & Found, as well as many other sources. The talk covers the settlement of Coney Island, the rise of the resort and amusement area, and the decline and comeback of the neighborhood. Visit Coney Island History Project to learn more about the Project.
Book Cover for Peconic Bay: Four Centuries of History on Long Island’s North and South Forks
Marilyn E. Weigold, author
Sunday, June 12, 2016, 2:00 p.m. “Peconic Bay: Four Centuries of History on Long Island’s North and South Forks” Marilyn Weigold
Community Church of East Williston
This illustrated presentation examines the fascinating evolution of the East End, including its social, economic, and environmental history. The program will acquaint you with colorful characters of yesterday and current challenges facing what has been called “one of the last great places.”
Dr. Weigold is professor of history at Pace University, the author of Peconic Bay (2015), Long Island Sound: A History of its People, Places, and Environment, and Silent Builder: Emily Warren Roebling and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Book Cover for Long Island Food: A History from Family Farms & Oysters to Craft Spirits
T. W. Barritt, author
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 2:00 p.m. “History of Long Island Food: From Family Farms & Oysters to Craft Spirits” T. W. Barritt
Community Church of East Williston
A native of Nassau County, T.W. Barritt is a food writer and trained amateur chef whose recent book traces the history of Long Island’s agricultural and maritime past and how factors of sustenance, ethnic diversity, commerce and economy have influenced today’s new local food sensibility.
Grossman Farm Stand
Jacob Skoglund, photographer
This will be an interesting discussion ranging from pickles, ducks and oysters to roadside joints and fine dining. He will discuss Long Islanders, past and present, to provide a broader context and understanding about where our food culture is headed today.
Luigi Lucioni, Laurelton Hall, 1927
Long Island Museum collection
Sunday, February 7, 2016, 2:00 p.m. “Gilding the Coasts: Art & Design of Long Island’s Great Estates” Joshua Ruff
Community Church of East Williston
While some of the earliest of Long Island’s grandest homes were built after the Civil War, their heyday was from 1890 through the 1920s. The years since World War II and continuing to the present have seen the destruction of many of these palatial estates. Joshua Ruff, Chief Curator of the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook, in his power point presentation will focus on the artistry of design and detail of these “elegant vessels of history,” including Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Laurelton Hall, Stanford White’s Box Hill, and William de Leftwich Dodge’s Villa Francesca in Setauket. Snow date (if needed) will be Sunday, February 21st.
Joshua Ruff’s program will be based on the recent exhibit, of the same title, at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook.
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. This program is free. Refreshments will be served.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Please park in spaces closest to church (those near Roslyn Rd. are reserved) or on Ward St. Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
Sunday, December 6, 2015, 2:00 p.m. “Gardens of Eden: Long Island’s Early Twentieth-Century Planned Communities” Robert B. MacKay
Bethpage Public Library
Long Island’s first wave of suburbanization was in the early 20th century when ambitious real estate developers created “residential parks.” Robert B. MacKay, Director Emeritus of the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities (SPLIA), will discuss how the ideals of the Garden City Movement were used to attract a growing middle class in search of country living. Dr. MacKay edited SPLIA’s new book, Gardens of Eden, and wrote 5 of its 21 chapters. Among the Nassau County communities featured in this book are Garden City, the Plandomes, Munsey Park, Beacon Hill, and several on the Great Neck peninsula, as well as other planned communities in Queens and Suffolk County. Copies of Gardens of Eden will be available for purchase ($65). Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. This program is free. Light refreshments will be served.
Directions: The Bethpage Public Library is located at 47 Powell Avenue (click link for map), just off Rt. 135. Our program is downstairs in the meeting room. From Rt. 135 (Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway), take exit #8 and turn right onto Powell Ave. Go about 2 blocks to the library which is on the left. Parking is adjacent or in the lot across the street. The library has an elevator.
Linda Singing Colonial Ballads at Federal Hall National Memorial
lindarussellmusic.com
Centennial Anniversary
Luncheon and Annual Meeting
Sunday, October 18, 2015, 12:00 noon “Catching the Tune: A History of Long Island in Society” Linda Russell, Balladeer
Milleridge Inn, Jericho, New York
Annual Meeting: presentation of reports, election of Board Members, and general business will be conducted as per NCHS By-Laws.
The business will be conducted between luncheon courses. After dessert is served, Linda Russell, Balladeer, will present her musical program of historical songs, “Catching the Tune: A History of Long Island in Society.” NCHS members will likely recall Ms. Russell performing at past NCHS Annual Meetings. We looking forward to welcoming her back for another glimpse of songs we know from yore, and learning the fascinating stories behind those songs.
Directions: The Milleridge Inn is located in Jericho, entrance on northbound Rt.106/107 immediately before exit ramp to Jericho Turnpike (Rt. 25 east).
Sunday, September 20, 2015, 2:00 p.m. “The German Settlements of Nineteenth-Century Long Island” Paul van Wie
Community Church of East Williston
Today’s Elmont, Franklin Square, New Hyde Park, Hicksville, Wantagh, and Massapequa Park are among the Long Island villages founded or settled by German immigrants. Some were even predominantly German-speaking by 1900. A diverse group, the German immigrants were merchants, professionals, farmers, and hotel owners. They became Americans, made Long Island their home, and their numerous descendants remain here to this day. Dr. van Wie is a Professor of History and Political Science at Molloy College and President of the Franklin Square Historical Society. Copies of his book on German settlements will be available to purchase. Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. This program is free. Refreshments will be served.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
Sketch by Peter Townsend of his uncle Robert (aka Culper Jr) 1813.
Collection of the Friends of Raynham Hall, Inc.
Sunday, June 7, 2015, 6:00 p.m. “George Washington’s Secret Six” Brian Kilmeade
Cradle of Aviation Museum, Museum Row at Mitchel Field, East Garden City
Brian Kilmeade is co-author of George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution, as well as a co-host of the morning television show, Fox & Friends on Fox News. Four of the “Secret Six” were Long Islanders and the Culper Spy Ring is an important part of Long Island history. (The current television series Turn: Washington’s Spies has also increased interest in the topic, though Turn has often taken dramatic license.) Come hear Brian Kilmeade discuss the history of the Spy Ring and its crucial role in America’s War for Independence. His book will be available for sale and the talk will be followed by a book signing.
Preferred seating for Nassau County Historical Society members at 5:30 pm.; please bring the announcement card mailed to your home to expedite admission.
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends. This program is free. Refreshments will be served.
Directions: The Cradle of Aviation is located on Charles Lindbergh Blvd.(click link for map) at Mitchel Field in East Garden City/Uniondale. Take the Meadowbrook Parkway to exit M4. Follow signs to Coliseum/Museum Row and Charles Lindbergh Blvd. Stay on Charles Lindbergh Blvd., go through the traffic light at Earl Ovington Blvd. and turn right when you see the life-size figure in a space suit. Parking lots on both sides of Museum drive.
Sagamore Hill.
Public Domain
Sunday, April 12, 2015, 2:00 p.m. “The Rehabilitation of the Roosevelt Home at Sagamore Hill” Susan Sarna
Community Church of East Williston
The Theodore Roosevelt home at Sagamore Hill has been closed to visitors the last three years while it has undergone a major rehabilitation; planning for the project began in 2011. Our speaker, Susan Sarna, is the Sagamore Hill museum curator who has been the on-site coordinator of the comprehensive interior and exterior rehabilitation and restoration. She will give an illustrated presentation on the planning and implementation of the project, including re-installation of the furnishings (18,000 historic artifacts!). The home is scheduled to reopen on July 13, 2015; this program will provide a fascinating behind the scenes look at the procedures involved in the rehabilitation.
1904 image of Wardenclyffe Tower located in Shoreham, Long Island, New York. The 94 by 94 ft (29 m) brick building was designed by architect Stanford White.
Public Domain
Sunday, February 22, 2015, 2:00 p.m. “Tesla at Wardenclyffe: Past Hopes and Future Plans” Neil Baggett and Jane Alcorn
The Community Church of East Williston
Nikola Tesla, an inventor and electrical engineer, began construction of Wardenclyffe, his wireless telegraphic transmission station in Shoreham in 1901. Though Tesla’s Shoreham laboratory lasted only a few years, the building designed by architect Stanford White survives and was purchased by the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe (TSC) in 2013. Our speakers are officers of the TSC. Neil Baggett, a retired physicist, will talk about Tesla’s life and work, especially his plans to transmit information and energy around the world from Wardenclyffe. Jane Acorn will discuss saving the site and TSC’s plans to restore Tesla’s last laboratory into a center for science, education, and innovation.
Snow date is Sunday, March 1.
Light refreshments will be served after the program. Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
Chromolithograph, The Union Iron Clad Monitor, "Montauk" 1863.
Library of Congress collection
Sunday, December 7, 2014, 2:00 p.m. Long Island at War: Battle Front and Home Front Joshua Ruff
The Community Church of East Williston
Joshua Ruff, who has presented many programs to the NCHS in the past, returns to speak on the current exhibit which he curated at the Long Island Museum at Stony Brook. This exhibition traces Long Island’s involvement from the Revolutionary War through Iran and Afghanistan. His illustrated presentation will explore some of the subjects contained in the exhibition, including the history of the island’s military forts and encampments, its 20th century role in industrial war production, and the participation of its residents in each major military conflict in American history. The Pearl Harbor anniversary is a fitting date for this program.
Did you know (from the LI Museum web site):
- Long Island has been a crucial and often unsung actor in nearly every war in our nation’s history.
- Battle of Long Island in 1776.
- The “arsenal of democracy” created by Grumman and other Long Island-based companies in World War II.
- Calverton (the largest national cemetery in the United States).
Robert Small in his 42nd Royal Highland Regiment Uniform.
Sunday, October 5, 2014, Time: 12:00 noon NCHS Annual Meeting and Luncheon Davenport Press Restaurant, Mineola
Our annual meeting this year will again be held at a luncheon at the historic Davenport Press Restaurant in Mineola. The building was built in 1862 as a bank, it later became a printing company and was the official county printer for years. A restaurant since 1976, it is decorated with antiques and historic photographs.
Our speaker will be Robert Small, a Revolutionary War re-enactor of the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment, which landed on Long Island in 1776. Major Small will speak about the Revolution on Long Island and explain his impressive Black Watch uniform and equipment.
We will have a choice of four entrees: broiled salmon; chicken francaise; sliced London broil with mushroom sauce; or rigatoni a la vodka (entree selections made at the table). The meal includes tossed salad, dessert, and coffee or tea (cash bar). Our room will be available from 12 noon and the food will be served beginning at 12:30 p.m. The luncheon is $35 ($40 for checks postmarked after Saturday, September 27th) and we will have open seating rather than assigned tables. We can guarantee good food, an interesting program, and an enjoyable afternoon.
Reservation information has been mailed to NCHS members. Non-members are requested to contact the luncheon chairperson, Betsey Murphy at 627-8674 or Natalie Naylor at 538-7679 for seating availability. We cannot guarantee space will be available if you come without a reservation.
A pdf copy of the meeting announcement is available here for you to print out and send in your reservation form and payment.
Davenport Press Restaurant is located at 70 Main Street in Mineola, south of 2nd St., and between Willis Ave, and Mineola Blvd. Because of one-way streets, we suggest taking Roslyn Rd. south and turning right (west) onto Old Country Rd. Turn north on Main St. (just after Willis Ave.). The restaurant is on the right, just before the LIRR tracks. Parking is on the south side of the restaurant or on the street (parking at meters is free on Sunday).
North Hempstead Town Hall
Sunday, September 21, 2014, 2:00 p.m. North Hempstead: Celebrating its 400th Anniversary Howard Kroplick
The Community Church of East Williston
Town of North Hempstead historian Howard Kroplick will speak on the history of the town in celebration of the 400th anniversary of its European discovery. His powerpoint presentation spans the history of the town, including the people, places, and landmarks that have created its identity. He is sure to mention the Vanderbilt Cup Races which are one of his passions. Copies of his recent pictorial history, North Hempstead, will be available for signing (published by Arcadia, it is a $20 paperback).
Light refreshments will be served after the program. Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
Ethel Roosevelt Derby
Sunday, May 18, 2014, 2:00 p.m. Women in Long Island’s Past Natalie A. Naylor
The Community Church of East Williston
Nationally notable women and local leaders have been part of Long Island’s history, though nearly invisible in most accounts. Authors and artists, sunksquaws and suffragists, pioneering pilots and the Janes who made the planes, and innumerable other women have all left their mark on Long Island’s past. Even "ordinary" women have played important roles throughout our history. The speaker is a retired Hofstra University professor and president of our Historical Society. Following the talk, Dr. Naylor will sign copies of her recent book, Women in Long Island’s Past: A History of Eminent Ladies and Everyday Lives.
Light refreshments will be served after the program. Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
William Floyd in front of his Long Island manor house (reproduction of 1792 painting by Ralph Earl).
NPS photo
April 13, 2014, 2:00 p.m. "He Dared to Sign [in 1776]: William Floyd"
a talk and slide presentation with MaryLaura Lamont
The Community Church of East Williston
William Floyd, one of four signers of the Declaration of Independence for the state of New York, was born and raised in Mastic, Long Island. In addition to being one of the Founding Fathers, Floyd ran his plantation of 4,400 acres and had a long and interesting life. Generations of his descendants lived in the house, and the family donated the 25-room "Old Mastic House" and more than 600 acres of land to the National Park Service in 1976. The Floyd house is interpreted as it changed and grew with the family over the years.
Our speaker, MaryLaura Lamont, has been a ranger for the Park Service at the Floyd estate for more than three decades.
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue, adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
February 9, 2014, 2:00 p.m. Elizabeth Kahn Kaplan: "Poking Fun: Political Puns and Social Satire in the Genre Paintings of William Sidney Mount"
The Community Church of East Williston
William Sidney Mount, Farmers Nooning, 1836.
Courtesy The Long Island Museum.
Art historian Elizabeth Kahn Kaplan combines art and history to take a close look at the use of humor and political satire in selected genre paintings of Long Island artist William Sidney Mount. Nineteenth-century relations between the sexes, abolitionist rhetoric, and political chicanery were all grist for the visual puns Mount incorporated into seemingly simple scenes of country life on Long Island. Mount’s neighbors and city patrons readily "got" his subtle--and not so subtle--jokes. In this illustrated talk, Ms. Kaplan explains Mount’s "insider" jokes, double-entendres, puns, and political humor, which help us better understand his paintings in the context of the political and social themes of his time.
What is represented by the boy tickling a sleeping black man with a straw in Farmers Nooning, 1836? (image above)
What does the trap represent in Catching Rabbits, 1839?
Answers to these and other questions will be shared during this program. Discovery of Mount’s sharp wit adds another dimension to appreciation of his art.
This program is co-sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities; it is free and open to all.
Elizabeth Kahn Kaplan is an educator, writer, and lecturer about art, artists, and American history to both adult and school-age audiences. Formerly the Director of Education with the Three Village Historical Society in Setauket, NY, Mrs. Kaplan curated their exhibit, Spies! How A Group of Long Island Patriots Helped General Washington Win the Revolution. She is a co-editor of the Society’s publication, William Sidney Mount: Family, Friends and Ideas, about the world-renowned 19th century American genre artist.
Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
Sunday, December 8, 2013, 2:00 p.m. Rebuilding the Historic Jones Beach George Gorman, Jr.
The Community Church of East Williston
Jones Beach State Park was hard hit by superstorm Sandy in October 2012. George Gorman, Jr., the Deputy Regional (Long Island) Director of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, will explain how Jones Beach State Park has been reconstructed -- while maintaining the historic integrity of the facility -- after the major damage it sustained.
Light refreshments will be served after the presentation. Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends.
Directions: The Community Church of East Williston is located at 45 East Williston Avenue (click link for map), adjacent to the NW corner of Roslyn Road and East Williston Avenue/Hillside Avenue/Route 25B in East Williston. Enter the church parking lot from Roslyn Road or Ward Street (one block north of Route 25B). Enter door on the east side for the parish hall.
Our annual meeting this year will be at a luncheon at the historic Davenport Press Restaurant in Mineola. The building was built in 1862 as a bank, it later became a printing company and was the official county printer for years. A restaurant since 1976, it is decorated with antiques and historic photographs.
Peter Bales, author of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the 20st Century: A Factual and Irreverent Survey of American History,will speack on "Alfred E. Smith: Let's Look at the Record." Al Smith is most remembered today as the defeated candidate for president in 1928, but he had served four terms as New York State governor. During his administrations in the 1920s, Robert Moses had Smith's support to create a dozen state parks on Long Island. A professor in the CUNY system, Dr. Bales is an entertaining speaker (he spoke at our 1996 dinner meeting; see his website, peterbales.com
We have streamlined the luncheon this year, with a more affordable price of $35 and open seating at smaller tables. There is a choice of four entree selections: sliced London broil with mushroom sauce; broiled salmon; chicken francaise; or rigatoni alla vodka. The luncheon, which will be served at 12:30 p.m., includes tossed salad, desert, and coffee or tea (cash bar). We can guarantee good food, an interesting program, and an enjoyable afternoon. Guests are welcome; invite your friends.
Davenport Press Restaurant is located at 70 Main Street in Mineola, south of 2nd St., and between Willis Ave, and Mineola Blvd. Because of one-way streets, we suggest taking Roslyn Rd. south and turning right (west) onto Old Country Rd. Turn north on Main St. (just after Willis Ave.). The restaurant is on the right, just before the LIRR tracks. Parking is on the south side of the restaurant or on the street (parking at meters is free on Sunday).
Sunday, September 22, 2013, 2:00 p.m. LI's Modern Architecture
Jericho Public Library
Long Island has many historic houses and Gold Coast mansions, but we rarely think about its modern houses. Many internationally renowned modern architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright, I. M. Pei, Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer, and Edward Durell Stone, designed buildings on Long Island. Many were on the East End, but some were in Nassau County. Architectural historian and preservationist Caroline Rob Zaleski, author of Long Island Modernism, 1930-1980 (W.W. Norton), surveyed hundreds of significant modernist buildings for the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities (SPLIA). Her talk, illustrated with archival and contemporary photographs, uncovers this hitherto forgotten past and includes some genuine surprises. The program is co-sponsored by our host, the Jericho Library (516-935-6790). Refreshments will follow the program.
Saturday, June 22, 2013, 11:00 a.m. Talk and Tour: Oheka Castle
Oheka Castle, Huntington
When Otto Herman Kahn built Oheka in 1917-1919, it was (and still is) the second largest private residence in America, with 127 rooms and 109,000 square feet. Designed by architects Delano & Aldrich in the French Renaissance style, the Olmsted Brothers landscaped its 443 acres. Gary Melius began restoration of this magnificent estate in 1984 and recreated the formal gardens with reflecting pools and fountains. Oheka is on the National Register of Historic Places and a premier locale for weddings and special events.
We will tour Oheka and learn about its history. Note the change in date and time from that previously announced. Please dress appropriately-country cub casual attire (no shorts or jeans).
Directions: Oheka is just over the Suffolk line at 135 West Gate Drive, Huntington, off Jericho Turnpike. Take Round Swamp Road north, either from the Northern State Parkway (exit 39) or the LI Expressway/Rt. 495 (exit 48N). Continue north on Round Swamp Rd. 2 or 3 miles. Turn left (west) on Rt. 25/Jericho Turnpike. At the first traffic light, make a sharp right turn at the stone-walled entrance onto West Gate Drive. Bear left to the front gate entrance to Oheka.
Sunday, April 14, 2013, 2:00 p.m. Constance Haydock: "Gatsby and Beyond: The Fabled Gardens of Long Island's Gold Coast"
Jericho Public Library, 1 Merry Lane, Jericho
Landscape architect Constance Haydock will speak on the gardens of Long Island's Gold Coast at our April 14th meeting. Originally comprising vast areas of the North Shores of Long Island, the Gold Coast was a favorite retreat of the rich and famous. Beginning around the turn of the century and through the 1920s, the North Shore was the place to be for some of the most notable Americans. Along with grand houses, they built elaborate gardens, hiring such notable architects and landscape architects as Delano and Aldrich, Carrere and Hastings, the Olmsted Brothers, Beatrix Farrand, and Ellen Biddle Shipman. Discover the gardens, as they were originally built, and learn about their history, landscape design, and present condition. This illustrated lecture is co-sponsored by our host, the Jericho Public Library. Guests are welcome to attend; invite your friends.
Directions: The Jericho library is located at 1 Merry Lane, just south of Jericho Turnpike and east of Rt.106/107. From the Long Island Expressway, take Exit 41N or Northern State Parkway to Exit 35N (Rt.106/107). Proceed north 1/4 mile to Rte.25 (Jericho Turnpike). Drive east on Jericho Turnpike 1 block to Merry Lane. Turn south on Merry Lane, and proceed 100 feet to the library on the east side of the street.
Sunday, February 10, 2013, 2:00 p.m. Denward W. Collins, Jr. "Goldbeating in Hicksville: Producing Gold Leaf"
The Community Church of East Williston, East Williston
Goldbeating panel from WPA Mural painted by Joseph Allen Physioc in 1936, in Hicksville Middle School Auditorium, Hicksville, Long Island.
Goldbeating, the craft of producing gold leaf, dates to biblical times. Beginning in 1850, German immigrants brought this craft to the rural hamlet of Hicksville. At its peak, this cottage industry employed one-third of Hicksville's population in more than twenty shops. Gold leaf was used to decorate many objects, including leather-bound books, picture frames, dinner plates, and carriages. Hicksville's last goldbeating shop closed in 1942. Learn the interesting history of goldbeating from Denward W. Collins, Jr., past president of the Historical Society, whose own family was involved in this industry.
Sunday, December 2, 2012, 2:00 p.m. Edward J. Smits "New Yorkers Re-imagineer Santa Claus in the 1880s"
The Community Church of East Williston, East Williston
A presentation by Nassau County Historian Edward J. Smits of how leading New York and Long Island writers and publishers transformed the European legend of St. Nicholas into a folk superstar-Santa Claus. Washington Irving, Clement Moore, Thomas Nast, and members of the Harper and Onderdonk families created and popularized a new image of Santa Claus that eventually swept the growing young country providing a major permanent influence on American social and commercial life. Ed will display from his personal collection actual original copies of period books, prints, and newspapers that created this significant transformation.
Sunday, October 14, 2012, 1:00 p.m. Annual Meeting
Cherry Valley Club, 28 Rockaway Avenue at Third Street, Garden City
This year the board has decided to change the annual meeting from a dinner to a luncheon in the hope that more members and guests will be able to attend and to reflect the preference expressed by members during the meeting at the Webb Institute. Upon arrival at 1:00 PM wine and cocktails by script (cash) will be available. Soft drinks are complimentary. There will also be fresh garden crudites and a cheese presentation. A sit down luncheon will follow at 1:30 PM with Minnesota wild rice soup, a choice of three entree selections (Montauk shrimp salad platter, stuffed breast of chicken and jumbo lump petite crab cakes) and dessert. The cost for the luncheon is $50 for reservations postmarked by October 1st, $60 for reservations postmarked after October 1st and $65.00 at the door.
After the luncheon Shirley Romaine, an accomplished actress and television personality, will present an informative and entertaining program, "That Place, Those Times: Long Island Voices." Walt Whitman, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ring Lardner, and George M. Cohan are just a few of the literary voices that she will bring to life in her program on aspects of Paumanok's history. Shirley Romaine has appeared extensively on and off Broadway in plays and has been featured on daytime and prime time television. For the past twenty-five years she has been the host of the award winning "Artscene on Long Island" on Cablevision. She has created this program for our luncheon meeting. Please join us for the delicious luncheon and wonderful presentation and be sure to bring your friends.
Announcements and RSVP cards will be mailed to NCHS members in early September. Please contact us if your announcement does not arrive.
If you are not a NCHS member and wish to attend the Annual Meeting, contact us and we will send the information and membership form to you.
This YouTube link is provided as an introduction to Shirley Romaine. The link is an interview from December 19, 2011,
"Art Scene with Shirley Romaine:Spinney Hill: The African American History of Manhasset & Great Neck"
where she interviews the Editor and Writer of this documentary on local Long Island history.
Sunday, September 23, 2012, 2:00 p.m. Ray Lumpp "Memories of the 1948 Olympics"
The Community Church of East Williston, East Williston
The 2012 Olympics in London have concluded, but we'll have an opportunity to go back in history. At the 1948 Olympics in London, Long Islander Ray Lumpp played on the U.S. basketball team, which won all eight of its games and an Olympic gold medal. The coach of the U.S. 2012 basketball team invited him to return to London to see the team play in this year's Olympics. For nearly forty years, Ray Lumpp was athletic director of the NYAC, which produced 230 Olympic medal winners-more than any other athletic club in the world! He'll share his memories with us at our Sept. 23d meeting.
Sunday, December 8, 2013, 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 23, 2012, 2:00 p.m.