Floyd Jones Library - Massapequa

 In 1896, Colonel Delancey Floyd-Jones, a career army officer, talked with Coleman Williams, husband of his cousin Sarah Floyd-Jones, about donating a small parcel of land east of Grace Church so a public library could be built. He paid Williams $60 for the plot and contracted with a carpenter to build a wooden building facing Merrick Road for $530.10. Relatives provided tables, bookshelves, fireplace implements, and $230.90 to purchase books.

In 1907, electricity was installed in the building, replacing candles that were used originally. A janitor was employed to maintain the building, which had no water, for $4 per month. A resident could purchase a key for $10 annually that allowed access to the library at any time. In 1932, Edward Floyd-Jones left the library $2,500 in his will. The library was a separate corporation and money provided by several other relatives over the years was invested.

In, 1952 trustees of the rapidly expanding public school system created a Floyd-Jones Library Committee to investigate how the building could best serve the community. Among the proposals were:

Expand the building as the centerpiece of a public library system;

Keep the building as is and build other library buildings in the area;

Demolish the building and replace it with newer, larger buildings.

Central to these discussions were two important considerations. The first was the legal issue of whether there could be two separate libraries. The New York Secretary of State ruled there could not be, because the state could not pay annual subsidies for two libraries in one school district. The other issue was the library’s endowment. After many meetings and much discussion, the Floyd-Jones Library Trustees decided to keep the library open and retain control of its endowment.

1969 – Students continued to come to the library, as evidenced by a file of cards signed by their parents, pledging to return books that were loaned or face fines. Fewer residents were using the building, however, so a Friends of the Library group was formed, in an attempt to attract more community participation. Members paid one dollar annually and could attend quarterly meetings. The Friends held bake sales, raffles and other fund-raisers. The group lasted about fifteen years, and had as many as 300 members, but petered out by the mid-1980s.

In 1984, the Historical Society of the Massapequas was interested in moving an 1870 servants’ cottage, located behind the Bar Harbour Library, close to Old Grace Church. It was vacant and deteriorating rapidly. After several discussions, the Library Trustees agreed to lease a portion of their property north of the building and the Society moved the cottage across Merrick Road in July 1986.

Two years later, Mrs. Paul Floyd-Jones Bonner, the last Floyd-Jones family member involved directly with the library, had resigned as Chairperson.  Eugene Bryson, a Trustee as well as a Vestryman in Grace Church, agreed to become the Chairperson and set out repurposing the library. He first had the rear storage room demolished and rebuilt to look like the rest of the library. He also applied for historic designation, eventually earning Town of Oyster Bay recognition. He retained the services of a professional librarian, to review the holdings and dispose of any duplicates or books no longer considered useful. Finally, he led the trustees to designate the library as a historic building.

The Floyd-Jones Library remains today as an historic structure. It is staffed by volunteers and is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 until 1pm.

 

Source:

“125 Years of Service: The Floyd-Jones Free Library.” Historical Society of the Massapequas, www.massapequahistoricalsociety.org/blog/125-years-of-service-the-floyd-jones-free-library. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024

Deep Hollow Ranch - Montauk

Deep Hollow Ranch is a historic ranch located in Montauk with an estimated 26 acre property. The ranch is recognized as the oldest ranch in the United States by the National Geographic Society. 

The compound includes several working barns, a 5,000-square-foot antique timber framed farmhouse, and a 2-acre buildable lot. The ranch traces its history back to the cattle punching of Long Island’s earliest settlers. These settlers took advantage of the region’s lush pastures and the fact that the ocean and sound provided natural boundaries that made the need for fences moot. it was owned privately and leased out to livestock owners. They would drive the herds of cattle and sheep out for the summer months to grow fat on the Maritime grasses.

At the peak of the South Fork ranching era, as many as 6,000 head of cattle and sheep roamed the land between the beginning of May and the start of November.  In the 1920s, the ranch became a guest ranch for people to come and stay. They built those nine beautiful cabins on the hill above the stables, as well as adding onto third house with other guestrooms and a wonderful restaurant. That ran until 1971 when the county bought third house and Deep Hollow as well as all the land down to the beach. They kept Deep Hollow as a concession to be open for the public to be able to ride and enjoy all the land. Third house became a museum which is no longer open.

The property has hosted several "Back at the Ranch" charity concerts during the 1990's, which featured acts like Paul Simon and Billy Joel. Today, Deep Hollow Ranch welcomes visitors all throughout the year. Also known as a horseback riding attraction, actual cowboys and cowgirls are tour guides. The ranch provides well-trained horses and experienced wranglers to ensure a safe and enjoyable riding experience. 

Source:

Deep Hollow Ranch . Historic Towns Of America. (n.d.). https://historictownsofamerica.com/oldest-ranch 

Giustino, S. (2021, November 1). Behind the Scenes at Deep Hollow Ranch. Montauk Sun. https://www.montauksun.com/about-our-cover-behind-the-scenes-at-deep-hollow-ranch/ 

Ketcham Inn - Center Moriches

Ketcham Inn, built in 1693, was a historic inn and tavern. Originally built as a single-story frame cottage, it was expanded to a two-story structure with a rear wing and gable roof about 1710 and 1790. The location was originally called the Moriches Inn and has served as a tavern, inn, stagecoach stop, and public house.

It once hosted two future presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The inn at the time was owned by William Terry. William Terry’s descendants sold the property to Andrew Ketcham in 1852. It was used as a local courthouse and other purposes and stayed in the Ketcham family until the early 1900s. It remained in use until 1989, when a fire broke out to portions of the building.

The inn represents life in 18th Century Long Island. In 1989, a small group of local citizens was formed to clean the inn. The group incorporated to form the Ketcham Inn Foundation. 

In 1993, the group purchased the land. The kitchen has been remodeled and is currently the office and keeper’s quarters. The foundation continues to raise funds for restoring the structure to its original condition. The inn observed the first phase of restoration on July 4, 2015 with a public reception. The inn provides educational programs and events are held during the year. 

The Book Barn, adjacent to the inn is open. Ketcham Inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sources:

Corry, Carl. “The Center Moriches Inn Where Future Presidents Stayed.” Greater Long Island, 18 Feb. 2019, greaterlongisland.com/the-center-moriches-inn-where-future-presidents-stayed/. 

“Historic Site.” Ketcham Inn, Havens Homestead, www.visithistoriclongisland.com/Suffolk_Ketcham_Havens_Homestead.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024. 

Four Fountains House

The Four Fountains House, also known as the Tyng Playhouse was designed by well-known architect Archibald Brown for Ethel and Lucian Tyng as a playhouse and cultural center. Their main residence was across the road. The building, which boasted a soaring, arched main room measuring 40 feet square, was intended to be part of a larger compound that was completed in 1928.  The original Four Fountains property comprised an apartment garage, guest house, and gardener’s cottage on 7.5 acres located between Southampton Art Village and the Atlantic Ocean. Most of these components were arranged around a square, flagstone-paved forecourt whose four corners were each anchored by a fountain. 

In 1942, the Tyngs sold Four Fountains to Archibald Brown. Brown’s wife, Eleanor, the founder of the interior design firm McMillen Inc., converted the playhouse into a summer home over the course of a year. In 1978, television executive William S. Paley purchased the property.  Several years after Paley’s 1990 death, the investor Bruce Bockmann and his wife, Maria, acquired the property. Both owners undertook additions and renovations to the compound. In later years, Australian designer Paul Bangay oversaw stewardship and redesign of the landscape.

The main house was torn down in 2020 as it was deemed untenable due to a combination of flood risk and regulatory constraints.

 

Source:

Sokol, D. (2020, January 15). The Historic Four Fountains Home in Southampton has been Demolished. Architectural Digest. https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-historic-four-fountains-home-in-southampton-has-been-demolished

Albert's Inn - Plainedge

Albert’s Inn was owned by Albert Pirowski and his wife. It was located on the corner of Hicksville Road & Hempstead Turnpike. The house was three stories, resembling a castle with a turret. The restaurant was located on the first floor. Albert previously owned the Jericho Inn. That inn was a stopover for farmers on their way to sell produce in New York City. In 1921, Albert bought the property where the Inn was located. The house had 23 rooms and was bordered by copper beeches, alders, and elm trees.

The house itself had a grand staircase, parquet floors, stained glass windows, and fireplaces in each room. The restaurant was open seven days a week. Albert’s wife did all the cooking and baking. The family had an orchard with pear, breadfruit, quince, and apple trees which they canned. The building was sold in 1947 due to health reasons.

Sources:

Hencken, Sophie. “Plainedge Historical Photos & Documents Gallery.” Life at Albert’s Inn in Plainedge, Plainedge Public Library, Mar. 2021, www.plainedgeinfo.org/live/zenphoto/historical-photos/documents/booklets/alberts_reduced.pdf.php. 

Plainedge Public Library

Huntington Arsenal

 Built in 1740, the Huntington Arsenal on Park Avenue just south of Main, is thought to be the only one left of its kind on Long Island. 

Joseph Wickes built the original portion of the house, which sat on 1.5 acres of land, and used it to store grain.  Wickes then sold the building to Gershom Sexton who remodeled and converted it into a livable dwelling. The six-foot extension included a room with a fireplace and another to the back of the house.

The arsenal used during the American Revolution and it was also the residence of Job Sammis and his family from 1748 to 1789.  A weaver by trade, Sammis settled in the home with his wife Elizabeth Kellum and many children.

In 1765, Sammis made additions of his own to the house to make it larger. He added another small room on the north side and built a second story which was accessed from the fire room by ladder. It is said he helped the Suffolk County Militia by storing weapons and gun powder in the added space. 

When repairs were made to the building in 1930, a small cache of colonial muskets were found in the original walls, most likely hidden by Sammis prior to the British occupation of Huntington on September 1, 1776.

Sammis died in 1792 and Elizabeth passed away four years later. The Town of Huntington purchased the arsenal in 1974 and it is now a restored house museum, furnished as it was in the 18th Century. It is open for special events and, by appointment. The Arsenal is also the headquarters of the Order of the Ancient and Honorable Huntington Militia.

 

Sources:

“The Arsenal.” The Arsenal - Town of Huntington, Long Island, New York, huntingtonny.gov/content/13747/99530/16525/default.aspx. Accessed 26 July 2024.

 

O’Connor-Arena, Melissa. “A New View: The Old Town Green Series - The Arsenal.” Huntington, NY Patch, Patch, 22 May 2010, patch.com/new-york/huntington/a-new-view-the-old-town-green-series-the-arsenal.

Massapequa Lake & Preserve

The man-made lake at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Merrick Road began being constructed in 1837. As the lake bed began to take shape, more and more soil was piled around the perimeter of the project. At the conclusion of the excavation work, the water from the dammed and diverted Massapequa Creek was allowed to flow into the scooped-out area. David S. Jones had the Massapequa Creek that flowed from Bethpage to the Great South Bay, diverted in order to cut down trees and remove stumps and brush to create the lake for his third wife Mary Clinton. Jones created the island in the center and named it Mary’s Island. Spillways were built and the water was allowed to flow to the Great South Bay under South Post Road, known now as Merrick Road. The Jones family lived in a mansion near the lake. During the 1940s, the Richard A. Corroon family took up residence in the mansion. It was also known as the Corroon Estate by the residents and the lake as Corroon’s Lake. 

The Peter J. Schmitt Massapequa Preserve was originally part of the New York City water supply property and was acquired by Nassau County in 1981. The preserve is divided into three sections bounded by major roadways. The southern section, from Merrick Road to Sunrise Highway, contains the most diverse and ecologically valuable lands. Freshwater swamps, marsh, stream, lake and sandy-bog area provide habitat for many rare and endangered Long Island plants, including orchids, carnivorous sundews and bladderworts. The longest hiking trail in Nassau County, the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail, begins at Merrick Road and Ocean Avenue and continues through the length of the preserve, ending at Cold Spring Harbor. 

Sources:

Meyer, John H. “A Lake in Massapequa Made Just for Mary.” Massapequa Post , 4 Jan. 2019, www.massapequapost.com/articles/a-lake-in-massapequa-made-just-for-mary/. 

“Peter J. Schmitt Massapequa Preserve.” Peter J. Schmitt Massapequa Preserve | Nassau County, NY - Official Website, www.nassaucountyny.gov/2905/Peter-J-Schmitt-Massapequa-Preserve. Accessed 16 July 2024.