The Long Island History Project

The story of the Carnegie Library in Patchogue is a great case study in library history. The village started with an association library in the late 1800s, a subscription-based collection of books that floated between stores and offices and languished for lack of funds. Then the women's suffragist organization Sorosis spearheaded the effort to turn the neglected collection into a New York State-chartered public library by 1900. The next leap was a $10,000 donation (later raised to $15,000) from steel magnate and library philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The money funded the construction of a neo-classical building on Lake St. that brought state-of-the-art library service to the people of Patchogue. However, by the end of the 20th century the public library had moved down the block, Briarcliff College had come and gone, and the Carnegie building sat empty, soon endangered by looming development. The story has a happy ending as the building now sits at the corner of West Main St. and West Ave, serving as a vibrant teen center and a museum for the Greater Patchogue Historical Society. How did that happen? Listen to Patchogue librarians Jessi Bouchelle and Gary Lutz, along with the Historical Society's Steve Lucas, tell the tale. Further Research Teen Center at the Patchogue Carnegie LibraryPatchogue Medford Library HistoryGreater Patchogue Historical SocietyCarnegie Libraries Across AmericaThe Utmost Amount of Effectiv [sic] Accommodation": Andrew Carnegie and the Reform of the American Library.The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historianshttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Today's episode is a recording of a panel discussion hosted on January 15, 2026 by the Long Island Library Resources Council. The panelists, all notable historians who have researched the Revolutionary War period on Long Island, give their insights into what life was like in the area from 1776-1783. This time of British occupation saw the inhabitants of Kings, Queens, and Suffolk counties suffer depredations brought on by British and Hessian troops as well as by Patriot attacks from across Long Island Sound. You'll hear about the enslaved Black woman Liss from Oyster Bay, about the activities of the Culper Spy Ring, and the experiences of others ranging from British officer John Simcoe to Elizabeth Lewis, wife of Declaration signatory Francis Lewis. The panel itself was funded by a WETA grant awarded to LILRC in support of programming related to the PBS documentary The American Revolution by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. Further Research he American RevolutionThe American Revolution on Long IslandFind in a library via WorldCatGeorge Washington's 1790 Grand Tour of Long IslandFind in a Library via WorldCatWomen in Long Island's Past: A History of Eminent Ladies and Everyday LivesFind in a library via WorldCatLong Island Studies InstituteRemember Liss.orgEspionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: the True Story of Robert Townsend and ElizabethFind in a library via WorldCatLong Island Library Resources CouncilNew York Public Libraryhttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Today we come to praise the one-room schoolhouse of the 19th century (and some of its earlier forebears). Humble in appearance, these buildings might be easy to overlook but their existence hints at a broader social, cultural, and educational history across Long Island. Zach Studenroth, architectural historian and preservationist, documents this history in Historic Schoolhouses of Long Island from Arcadia Publishing (compiled with his co-author, the late Kurt Kahofer). On today's episode, Zach elaborates on the role of New York State in establishing schools in the 1800s, Walt Whitman's brief foray into teaching, and the surprising afterlife of school buildings as churches, fire houses, and storage sheds. Further Research Historic Schoolhouses of Long Island Schoolteaching Years George Bradford Brainerd Episode 89: Walt Whitman's Birthplacehttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Steven Damman disappeared from outside a supermarket in East Meadow on Halloween day, 1955. He was not yet three years old. Still unsolved, the case has intrigued many over the ensuing years - none more so than Newsday journalist John Valenti. For Nothing is Hidden, Valenti's new novel, is the culmination of his meticulous research into the case mixed with his years of observations covering Long Island. He presents a fictional version of the disappearance, substituting the Goodson family for the Dammans, while hewing close to the facts. His book is also populated with events of the day, from the habitual airplane crashes around Mitchel field to the notorious high society shooting of Bobby Woodward that dominated the headlines (and police attention). On today's episode you'll hear about Valenti's direct ties to the case, his decisions about constructing the narrative, and tales of Newsday legends like Dick Estrin and Bob Waters. You'll also get a journalist's perspective on history, stories, and human nature. Further Research For Nothing is HiddenMitchel FieldTurfman Killed by Wife in DarkNew York TimesLeon Errol https://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Where history fails to provide, authors of historical fiction can fill the gap. In her new novel To Outwit Them All, author Peggy Wirgau delves into the Revolutionary War history of the Culper Spy Ring. More specifically, she tells the story of the unknown woman referred to in Abraham Woodhull's correspondence – only once – as "a lady of my acquaintance." Woodhull supplies her only a number, 355 (Culper code for "lady"). Wirgau provides a name, a family, and a budding romance with British Major John Andre. Wirgau's 355 is modeled after the historical Betty Floyd, relative of William Floyd, and she includes multiple layers of period detail about British-occupied New York City. On this episode you'll hear more about how she pursued her research and how she brought Betty to life along with other members of the Culper Ring. Further Research To Outwit Them AllThe Myth of Agent 355, the Woman Spy Who Supposedly Helped Win the Revolutionary WarHMS JerseyHistorical Novel SocietyThe Art of Dancing The Culper Spy Bookhttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Even as Hitler and his Nazi regime ran roughshod over Germany and Europe in the 1930s, there were those in America who championed their rise. And nowhere so much as on Long Island. Camp Siegfried in Yaphank became a focal point for certain German Americans to gather and espouse the Nazi cause. Other groups added fuel to the fire, promoting antisemitism, isolationism, and even the overthrow of the United States government. This is the world that Christopher Verga captures in his new book, Nazis of Long Island: Sedition, Espionage & the Plot Against America (out now from the History Press). On today’s episode, Chris walks us through the tangled history of the German American Bund, Father Coughlin, the America First movement, and more. His book documents a time of unrest in the country when militias, foreign agents, and even elected officials actively opposed the American government. Further Research Nazis of Long Island: Sedition, Espionage & the Plot Against AmericaChristopher VergaLongwood Public Library Bayles Local History Room The German American Bundhttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Christian Avenue sits at the heart of the Three Village area on the North Shore of Long Island. Surrounded by Old Fields, Setauket, and Stony Brook it has long been home to a community of Black and Native American families. The names of the people date back to before the Revolution and include the Harts, Sells, Greens, and Tobias. They also provide evidence of the perpetual presence of the Setalcott Indians and their ties to the Shinnecock. Now designated as the Bethel-Christian Avenue-Laurel Hill Historical District, it's an area steeped in history. That's what drew Glenda Dickerson to develop her Eel Catching in Setauket oral history project in the late 1980s. A professor of theater at Stony Brook University, Glenda, her students, and colleagues like Fai Walker and Noberto Valle set out to document and celebrate the history and heritage of Christian Avenue. The project culminated with a theatrical production at Stony Brook. Glenda donated all of her materials from the project to the Three Village Historical Society. Today we sit down with Scott Ferrara, the Society's curator, and Rob Anen of the Long Island Library Resources Council to discuss the history of Christian Avenue, the history of the recordings, and the important stories they tell. Voices on the episode: Glenda Dickerson Lucy Hart Keyes Sarah Hart Hines, Theodore Green, and Caroline Sells Moore Florence Beatrice Sells Woodhull and Violet Rebecca Sells Thompson Ida Mae Glass and Barbara Treadwell Cast members performing in Eel Catching in Setauket Further Research Eel Catching in Setauket – An Oral History Collection Three Village Oral History Collection Glenda DickersonSetalcott Indian NationShinnecock Nationhttps://homegrownstringband.com/

Culper Spy Day has been an annual tradition on Long Island for over a decade. Created by Margo Arceri in conjunction with the Three Village Historical Society, it has grown into a weekend-long celebration of resilience and resistance during the Revolutionary War. I made the trip this year to experience the sights and sounds and mingle with people who share a similar passion for local history. You'll hear from organizers, authors, librarians, historical reenactors, and visitors from near and far. Each has their own story to tell about how they became fascinated with the Culper Spy Ring and figures such as Benjamin Tallmadge, Abraham Woodhull, and Anna (Nancy) Smith Strong. And if you missed it, don't worry. Next year will be a mega Culper Spy Day coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Further Research Three Village Historical SocietyThree Village Community TrustSetalcott Indian NationGeorge Washington’s Culper Spy RingSecond Regiment Light DragoonsThe Brewster House23rd Royal Welch FusiliersDrowned Meadow CabinTri-Spy ToursSpy RingTo Outwit Them All Culper Spy Austin Roe…the JoinerMarriage or Espionage: Read Between the Lines General Washington’s Commandohttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Are you curious about the past and love talking to people? Do you have a keen eye for detail and a persistent yet welcoming demeanor? Then oral history may just be right for you! Today we're talking with Erica Fugger, oral historian and PhD candidate at Rutgers, about the art and craft of oral history. We'll be discussing the development of oral history as a practice since the mid 20th century, detailing how to plan an oral history project, and offering tips for recording that first interview. Along the way you'll hear about the fascinating projects Erica has been involved in, from Queer Newark to the National Homefront Project. Now pursuing research into peace activists in the 1960s, Erica has her own ties to Long Island and is the perfect guide if you're thinking about getting involved in oral history yourself. Further Research Erica FuggerQueer Newark Oral History ProjectNational Home Front ProjectColumbia Center for Oral History ResearchBefore Columbia: The FWP and American Oral History Researchhttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Chances are that your local public library has a local history librarian who oversees a rich collection of images, artifacts, and information about your community. Today we highlight and celebrate one of this unique group - Natalie Korsavidis. She is the local history librarian at Farmingdale Public Library in Nassau (and a little bit of Suffolk) County. Natalie walks us through how she became a local history librarian and the collection she oversees at the library. From this treasure trove she can tell the story of the early days when the area was known as Hardscrabble, through the years of agricultural development, to the heyday of aviation giants like Grumman, Fairchild, Republic, and Liberty. You’ll also hear how she engages with the community and about the two bygone businesses that never fail to bring a smile to Farmingdalers (hint: Stern’s Pickles is one). Further Research Farmingdale Public Library Local History Resources Farmingdale Historical CollectionAmerican Airpower Museum Beyond the Rotunda podcasthttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

We continue our tour of Long Island-based oral history collections. This time out, Robert Anen (LILRC Project Archivist) and I sat down with the Long Beach Historical & Preservation Society. Robert helped digitize their extensive oral history collection. The recordings cover a wide range of memories and experiences from residents of the City by The Sea. You’ll hear about the father of Long Beach, developer, politician, and consummate self-promoter William H. Reynolds. You’ll also hear about the highlights of the city’s Roaring 20s golden age, the political intrigues of a growing city, and the transformations brought on by World War II. In the room with us are Phyllis Ginsberg, Dan Moran, Joanne Belli, Kathi Lismore, and current society president Jeanne Browne. But the real special guests are the people on the tapes, expertly interviewed by Florence Reich First. Florence was a founding member of the society and undertook this oral history project in the early 1980s. Oral history recordings from the podcast (by order of appearance): Florence Reich Andrew Carlo Foster Vogel Daphne Mulligan Schlaich Mary Hoff Katris William McGovern William Schwartz Amy Rabinowitz Cohen nee Schloss Peggy Wood Lieberman Further Research Long Beach Oral History CollectionLong Beach Historical and Preservation Society The Lido Club HotelDreamland Postcardshttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Robert Beattie was many things: an architect, a designer of iconic public buildings on Long Island, and a decorated World War II veteran. But most importantly, he was the father of today’s guest, Richard Beattie. So we’re celebrating Father’s Day by celebrating the life and work of Robert Beattie. As an architect, Beattie’s specialty was mid-century modern architecture. Working with clean lines, natural light, and an appreciation of the surrounding landscape, he designed many iconic buildings in our area. If you live in the town of Islip, you’ll know his MacArthur Airport terminal, the core buildings of Suffolk County Community College’s Ammerman Campus, and St. Lawrence Church in Sayville. Richard takes us on a tour of his father’s buildings and details his life. Robert was part of the Greatest Generation, earning a Silver Star as an Alamo Scout in the Philippines. He got his start in architecture with the firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon in New York City. Robert then founded his own firm, Dobecki & Beattie, and embarked on a storied career on Long Island. We discuss the changing architectural landscape of Long Island in the 1960s, the Beattie family’s connections to Oakdale, and Robert’s devotion to being a father and an architect. Further Research Robert Beattie, Architect Church of St. Lawrence the MartyrAIA Long IslandPockets of Long Island Once Went Crazy for Modernism. Why? Episode 192Episode 34 Episode 94https://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

There’s a rough stretch of water between Australia and Tasmania called the Bass Strait. Within the strait there’s a group of islands called the Furneaux Group. Within the group lies Long Island, a small, mostly-uninhabited stretch of grass and trees that attracted the attention of Madeleine Bessel-Koprek and her colleagues. We’re traveling far afield on today’s episode, discussing paleoecology with Madeine, a Ph.D. student at Australian National University. Along with Simon Graeme Haberle, Stefania Ondei, Stephen Harris, and David MJS Bowman, she recently published a study unraveling the ecological history of their Long Island. It’s a fascinating combination of diligent field work – digging through mud and picking through moss- and meticulous lab work – pouring through microscopic samples and digitally deciphering aerial photographs. Their scientific detective work uncovers a natural world that has in some ways persisted since the last Ice Age and helps inform our understanding of the impact of aboriginal and colonial activities in the area. Further Research Australian National UniversityLinkedInReconstructing the long-term ecological history of Long Island, Furneaux Group (Bass Strait), Lutruwita/Tasmania.Regional Environmental Change25The Land Bridge: A World Beneath the SeaAustralasian Pollen and Spore Atlashttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

The voices of the past are all around us, if you know how to listen. And sometimes those voices are trapped on small thin strips of tape wrapped in cheap plastic. That’s where Robert Anen comes in. As project archivist for the Long Island Library Resources Council, he works with historical collections across Nassau and Suffolk counties. Specializing in audio preservation and digitization, he’s rescued a number of collections – copying them to digital media and making them publicly available online. Today we focus on Robert’s work with one of the oldest oral history collections on Long Island at the Manhasset Public Library. Library director Maggie Gough introduces us to the scope and depth of their oral history collection while Antonia Mattheou, their consulting archivist, helps us unpack the history contained on the recordings. Special shout out to Manhasset’s first librarian Ruth Cowell who conducted most of the oral history interviews. Her foresight, along with a committed group of patrons, means that we get to listen to memories of the Blizzard of 1888 and the Vanderbilt Cup Races from those who experienced them. Recorded in 1953 on a reel to reel recorder, the interviews were converted to cassette tapes sometime in the 1980s before Rob digitized them in the 21st century, On today’s episode you’ll hear from these Manhasset residents: Further Research Manhasset Public Library Oral History CollectionManhasset Public Library History CenterLong Island Library Resources Council The Whitney Greentree EstateSpinney Hill, the African American History of Manhasset and Great Neckhttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Isle of Ever is Jen Calonita’s newest middle grade novel, a story grounded in the history of Long Island’s North Fork. On today’s episode, Jen discusses growing up on Long Island and spending many summers at her grandparents’ house in Mattituck. It was here, in between trips to Greenport, that she first heard tell of Captain Kidd’s lost treasure. She tried digging up the local beach, came up empty, but the idea buried itself in Jen’s mind. Now she has worked her experiences into the tale of Benny Benedict, a young girl caught up in a race to solve a puzzle and claim an inheritance. The plot and the clues to the mystery are tied up in Greenport’s history. Jen walks us through the Greenport locales and local legends that made it into the book in one form or another. We also talk about her love of reading and of middle grade and young adult fiction. Further Resources Jen CalonitaIsle of EverLong Beach Bar ‘Bug’ LightPreston’s Greenport CarouselSweet Valley High Steven Kellogghttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Tom McKeown lived and breathed basketball throughout junior and senior high school in Babylon. As an eighth grader in 1974-1975, he got to experience the thrill of watching the varsity team win their league and the Suffolk County championships. As fate would have it, this was also the first year that New York State allowed county champions to play each other, setting up a showdown between Babylon’s Black Panthers and Nassau County’s champs, the South Side Cyclones of Rockville Center. It was an epic season that engaged Tom so deeply that he has written his version of the story as This Is Panther Country. We don’t want to spoil the outcome but the subtitle is A Memoir of Youth, Underdog Spirit, and Basketball Glory. Available March 18, 2025, the book chronicles life on the court, in the school hallways, and in the McKeown family home on Copper Tree Lane. You’ll learn a lot about the ins-and-outs of basketball tournaments but you’ll also be pulled back to your own high school days of close friend groups, petty slights, unrequited crushes, and weekend parties. Further Research This is Panther CountryBabylon Jr/Sr High SchoolGlenn VickersThe ABA was Short Lived, but Its Impact on Basketball is EternalSmithsonian Mag Mickey Quinn and St. John the Baptist High School

When Jessie Pierson and Lodowick Post argued over a fox in early 19th century Southampton, they probably didn’t think the resulting court case would echo down the ages. Yet here we are 220 years later talking with legal historian Angela Fernandez about the odd, improbable history of Pierson v Post. A professor of law and history at the University of Toronto, Fernandez has delved deep into the case. Her “legal archaeology” uncovered important, presumed-lost information on the early phases of the proceedings. Her 2018 book Pierson v. Post, The Hunt for the Fox: Law and Professionalization in American Legal Culture, unpacks more of the impact and context around the decision. On today’s episode we discuss the local history surrounding the case, more about the Piersons and the Posts, and the surprisingly whimsical inner life of the legal profession. Further Research Angela FernandezPierson v. Post, the hunt for the fox: Law and professionalization in American legal cultureFind in a libraryThe lost record of Pierson v. Post, the famous fox case.Law and History Review Pierson v Post NYS Supreme Court

The science of genetics took a wrong turn in the early 20th century and it ran through Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Here overlooking a former whaling port, Dr. Charles Benedict Davenport created the Eugenics Record Office and served as director of the Carnegie Institution’s Station for Experimental Evolution. From these posts he promoted and pushed the Eugenics Movement in the US and throughout the world. Historian and attorney Mark Torres has explored the far reaching and sinister influence of Davenport’s activities in his new book Long Island and the Legacy of Eugenics: Station of Intolerance (Arcadia Press). It is not the story of a fringe movement but of “the rage of the age.” Eugenics, which sought to control the development of the human race through such means as selective breeding, segregation, and forced sterilizations, was touted by politicians, intellectuals, academics, and even Supreme Court justices. In his work, Torres traces a sinister strategy that included legislative control, the trappings of academic credentials, and partnerships with like-minded movements like the emerging Nazi Party in Germany. On today’s interview you’ll hear more about the people involved, the power they wielded, and their surprising, ultimate fate. Further Research Mark Torres Long Island and the Legacy of Eugenics Eugenics Record Office Collection Episode 138https://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

Memorial Day 1949 was an auspicious day in Riverhead as it saw the inaugural game at the brand new Wivchar Stadium on Harrison Ave. The brainchild of Tony Wivchar, a local entrepreneur and owner of an earth-moving company, the venue soon came to be known as Riverhead Stadium. Although it only existed for a few brief years, the stadium was alive with excitement. To help drum up interest, Wivchar formed the Riverhead Falcons baseball team out of local talent to play in exhibition games. Their opponents ranged from Negro League stalwarts such as the Black Yankees to barnstorming attractions like the House of David. Other events included women’s softball, rodeos, and professional wrestling. By the mid-1950s, however, the stadium was gone with little left to mark its passing. Enter Fabio Montella – Suffolk County Community College librarian, history professor, and friend of the podcast. As part of his on-going explorations of baseball in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Montella became aware of the stadium’s short but illustrious existence. He was able to uncover more about Wivchar’s past and his pursuits, even finding and interviewing Wivhcar’s wife and daughter. The result, as today’s episode will attest, is a fascinating glimpse into one man’s passion and the field of dreams he built to contain it. Further Research Riverhead Stadium OpensCounty ReviewGiving the House a HomeMore episodes with Fabio Montellahttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0

The Dutch held on to their New Netherland colony for some forty years. They lost it to the English twice, at gunpoint in 1664 and by treaty in 1674. But although officially gone, the Dutch were not forgotten. In addition to their cultural legacy, the Dutch language held on stubbornly across the region for a long time. How long? That’s the question Dr. Kieran O’Keefe answers in “When Did New York Stop Speaking Dutch? The Persistence of the Dutch Language in Old New Netherland” (New York History journal, 2024). He tracks the long history of Dutch-language speakers across the centuries, finding traces of it in Revolutionary War records, cemetery headstones, contemporary travel accounts, and in enslaved people like Sojourner Truth, taught it by their Dutch owners. We unpack it all in this interview, touching on old Brooklyn, the Queens-Nassau border, Albany, and other enclaves up the Hudson Valley. Along the way Martin Van Buren and Sinterklaas make an appearance as evidence of Dutch influence. Despite their short-lived enterprise on the East Coast, the Dutch (along with their language) made a long-lasting impression. When did New York stop speaking Dutch? The answer will surprise you. Further Research When Did New York Stop Speaking Dutch? The Persistence of the Dutch Language in Old New Netherland.New York HistoryDr. Kieran O’Keefe at Lyon CollegeThe New Amsterdam Project A Tour of New Netherlandhttps://homegrownstringband.com/CC BY-NC 4.0