William Henry Webb

 William Henry Webb was born on June 19, 1816. He began shipbuilding in 1836. Webb inherited his father's shipyard, Webb & Allen, in 1840, renamed it William H. Webb, and turned it into America's most prolific shipyard, building 133 vessels between 1840 and 1865. Webb designed some of the fastest and most successful sailing packets and clipper ships ever built, and he also built some of the largest and most celebrated steamboats and steamships of his era, including the giant ironclad USS Dunderberg, in its day the world's longest wooden-hulled ship.

He constructed packets, clippers, side-wheelers, sailing vessels, steamships, wooden ships, and ironclads. He also built war vessels for Russia, Italy, and France. Webb closed his shipyard in 1869 because of the shift from wood to iron construction but maintained his shipping interests until 1872, when he retired because of ill health.

Mr. Webb decided to create a school to train future designers of ships and marine machinery. The State of New York granted a Charter to Webb’s Academy and Home for Shipbuilders on April 2, 1889.  Instruction started in 1894 the first class of eight men graduated in 1897. Tuition for the students, who were carefully selected on the basis of aptitude and lack of means, was free.

The length of the course was increased from three to four years in 1909. In 1933, authority was obtained from the University of the State of New York to award a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1947, Webb Institute moved to its current location in Glen Cove. The present name of Webb Institute was adopted in 1994.

In addition to creating the Webb Institute, he was a founding member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. Webb died in 1899.

 

Sources:

“William H. Webb.” Webb Institute, https://www.webb.edu/about-webb-institute/william-webb

“William Henry Webb.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Henry-Webb

“William Henry Webb (1816-1899) - Find a Grave...” Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8490643/william-henry-webb

Haut Bois

Haut Bois, a stately French chateau designed in 1916 by renowned architect, Ogden Codman Jr. was inspired by the Louis XIII hunting lodge that became the palace at Versailles. This grand mansion is situated on over 8 acres.

It was home to real estate tycoon Walter Effingham Maynard. Maynard was a Francophile and had known Codman for some time, the two of them collaborating to create the house. Parisian landscaper Jacques Greber designed the garden, reflecting pool and fountain.

During the Roaring Twenties, Jay Gatsby may have been one of the elite guests at the numerous parties the residents of Haut Bois were known for hosting. Famed author Edith Wharton spent summers there with her dear friend Ogden Codman, who co-wrote The Decoration of Houses.

It has been beautifully restored to its former glory by master artisans and decorators who specialize in 17th century French architecture and design, to ensure that the restoration stayed true to the home’s origins.

Haut Bois is one of the few great estates still held by private owners. The opulent, 18-room mansion is in diamond condition, boasting seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, formal living and dining rooms, breakfast and family areas, an eat-in kitchen, a finished basement and attached garage.

 

Sources:

“About Haut Bois.” Haut Bois, https://www.hautboislongisland.com/interior.

L., Zach. “When 'Haut Bois' Was for Sale.” When 'Haut Bois' Was For Sale, 1 Jan. 1970, http://www.oldlongisland.com/2009/10/when-haut-bois-was-for-sale.html

Scileppi, Tammy. “C'est Magnifique! Gold Coast's French Chateau a Nod to Versailles.” LI Press, 2 Apr. 2019, https://www.longislandpress.com/2019/04/02/cest-magnifique-gold-coasts-french-chateau-a-nod-to-versailles

 

Mulford Farm

 Originally the site of three successive blacksmith’s shops, the Mulford Farm was a family farmstead of approximately fourteen acres and was the home of more than ten generations of families, most of them Mulfords, until 1949.

The house, built in 1680, has been left largely unchanged since 1750. The majority of the framing and wood members of the house have been left undisturbed. At the time the house was built, East Hampton was a well-established village. The people who lived on the Mulford Farm made periodic alterations to their structures to meet changing family needs.

Architectural changes to the house, particularly the construction of lean-to additions, were typical solutions to spatial problems faced by colonists throughout New England.

The Mulford Barn, constructed in 1721, is one of the most intact early eighteenth century English-plan barn forms in New York State. The Mulford Barn was evaluated by the State Department of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation in 1990 and deemed the second most important eighteenth century barn in New York State.

The importance of the Mulford Farm has been recognized by state and federal funding agencies as well as foundations who have partially funded stabilization and restoration efforts to date. Partial funding has been provided by the New York State Council on the Arts, New York State Institute for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute of Museum Services, Rock Foundation, J.M. Kaplan Fund, Arthur Ross Foundation, American Express Foundation, Vincent Mulford Foundation, Ben Krupinski Builders, and Ella B. Aldrich.

In 1998 a matching grant for $88,000 was awarded by the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for the exterior restoration of the House. The Mulford Farm is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Source:

“Mulford Farm.” East Hampton, 22 June 2018, easthampton.com/history/mulford-farm

Earth Sound Research Corporation

 

Earth Sound Research Corporation was founded in 1971. This Farmingdale based manufacturer produced audio equipment and was originally branded the Instrument Systems Audio Corporation (ISC Audio), which was a division of the Benjamin Electronics Sound Company. The Benjamin Electronics Sound Company was owned by Joseph N. Benjamin, who was also president of that same company. Although the company was founded in 1971, the company was incorporated in New York on October 17, 1975.

ISC Audio’s first two employees were Mark Neuman and Tony Picciano, and Mark was the employee who convinced Benjamin to move forward with the new company. Eventually Mark Neuman, along with a gentleman named Dave Garrett, become owners of Earth Sound Research Corporation.

Earth Sound Research Corporation specialized in electric bass and guitar amplifiers. Besides their specialization, they also manufactured PA mixers, power amps, keyboards, stand-alone solid state reverb units, and ESR brand distortion pedals. Amplifiers from Earth Sound Research Corporation can be considered rare items and tend to be preserved by many collectors of amplifiers.

At the beginning of the company’s creation, amplifiers were produced using tube circuitry and were assembled in Benjamin Electric Sound’s Farmingdale plant, while subcontracting out for some components. The subcontracted components were rumored to be replications or copies of Peavey Electronics’ creations. Although the replications seemed to be obvious, there was no litigation or infringement suits. The company met its demise due to its own financial failures and closed in the early 1980s.

Sources:

"Earth Sound Research." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 July 2020. Web. 14 July 2021.

Pedalhaven. "An Untold History of Earth Sound Research Amplifiers." Pedal Haven. 11 June 2021. Web.

14 July 2021.

Korvette's

 

E.J. Korvette department stores, commonly referred to as Korvette’s, were the brainchild of a WWII veteran named Eugene Ferkauf, who first entered the retail business back in 1948. At the time, due to various fair trade laws, department stores were required to offer goods at the manufactured suggested retail price.

Ferkauf decided to challenge these laws, and as a result, was able to sell products at a significant discount. The store's name intrigued many. Many believed it stood for Korean War veterans, but Ferkauf had a simpler explanation: E stood for Eugene, J for his Brooklyn friend Joe Zwillenberg, and Korvette for the World War II sub-chasing ship known as a corvette.

Sales increased steadily into the 1950s, encouraging the company to open a flagship 90,000 square foot store in Westbury in 1954. The impressive department store carried everything from furniture, housewares and clothing, to sporting goods, electronics and one of the most extensive collections of discounted music available.

More locations followed, in places such as West Islip, Hempstead and Lake Grove. Ferkauf sold his share in the store in 1966 for more than $20 million. By 1966, Korvette's had begun to decline and chose to merge with Spartan Industries, a soft goods retailer. Eugene Ferkauf was eased out of the company leadership, and Spartan managers attempted to revive the company.

From 1971 to 1979, Korvette's was owned by Arlen Realty and Development Corporation, a land development company that used Korvette's 50 stores as a source of cash flow. During this period, New York area Korvette's stores advertised heavily on local television, using game show host Bill Cullen as a spokesman.

In 1979, Korvette's was purchased by the Agache-Willot Group of France,[11] which initially closed Korvette's least profitable stores and began selling off merchandise, fixtures, equipment, and real estate. In 1980, they declared bankruptcy and on December 24, 1980, they closed all[11] of their remaining 17 stores

 

 

Sources:

“E. J. Korvette.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Dec. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._J._Korvette

Eugene Ferkauf. 7 June 2012. obits.lehighvalleylive.com/obituaries/etpa/obituary.aspx?n=eugene-ferkauf&pid=157963616

70sKid. “Korvette's.” Long Island 70s Kid, 27 July 2019, www.longisland70skid.com/korvettes

Bausch Picture Frame and Moulding Manufacturing Company

One of Farmingdale’s earliest industries was the lumber company started by Mr. La Vine. Mr. La Vine started this company in the latter half of the nineteenth century and it was located on the east side of Main Street, on the corner of Rose and Richard Streets. The building was across from the Main Street School.  In the 1880s, Robert Bausch bought this lumber business. Robert Bausch turned it into a family business and employed his seven sons. When Bausch opened the factory, he wrote on the building “Bausch and Sons, Dealers in Lumber and mason’s materials and ladders, manufacturers of picture frames and mouldings.” This variety of offerings required a large amount of space, so the factory was located in an open field and surrounded by piles of lumber and materials.

Eventually, Adolph Bausch bought the business from his father and kept it as a family business employing some of his brothers. He also employed many Farmingdale residents. When Adolph took over the business, he expanded it by opening a window sash factory and then a factory that made the ornate gilded picture frames that were popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1909, the business employed 100 people and had an annual payroll of $36,000. At some point the company changed names to Bausch Picture Frame and Moulding Manufacturing Company. In 1910, the company moved to a newly constructed brick building on Eastern Parkway where he continued to manufacture picture frames and molding. This building was said to be extremely close to the train station for shipping purposes, and located at 361 Eastern Parkway.

In 1917, Lawrence Sperry bought the Bausch property near the Main Street School.  By the 1950s, the Bausch factory on Eastern Parkway was housing another company, therefore the company eventually dissolved and Farmingdale lost its largest manufacturer from the nineteenth century.

 

Sources:

Farmingdale Junior Honor Society. Farmingdale’s Story: Farms to Flight. The Society, 1956

Hanc, John. “Tracing the trail of a house's history.” Newsday, 15 July 2004, www.newsday.com/classifieds/real-estate/tracing-the-trail-of-a-house-s-history-1.733876.

“Many Proofs of Progress at Hicksville and Farmingdale.” 3 Sep 1911, Page 23 - The Brooklyn Daily Eagle at Newspapers.Com. Brooklyn Public Library, http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/53899087

  

Cathedral of the Incarnation

 After Garden City founder Alexander T. Stewart died in 1876, his widow, Cornelia Clinch Stewart, decided to build a cathedral in his memory. The more than 200-foot-tall brown sandstone edifice, completed eight years later and consecrated in 1885, was then the tallest building on Long Island. When he passed away in 1876, Stewart was considered one of the three richest men in the United States, alongside Cornelius Vanderbilt and William B. Astor.

The Cathedral of the Incarnation was designed to emulate the Gothic style of architecture found throughout many European churches. In buildings of this style, the eye is always pointed upward to heaven. The grandeur and height of the building is further intensified by the profusion of light bursting through the stained glass.

The cathedral's ornately decorated spire rises to a height of over 200 feet, topping the impressive building made from imposing blocks of brown sandstone. The interior decor features opulent ceiling vaulting which has been recently gilded. It even features gargoyles on the exterior. The tower bells originally were cast for the 1876 U.S. Centennial in Philadelphia and brought to Garden City by train.

The cathedral's organ was built by Casavant Frères Limitée, and was installed in the building in 1986. With 103 ranks located in both the chancel and gallery of the Cathedral, it is the largest pipe organ on Long Island.  Priests who want to take a shortcut can climb another set of winding iron stairs from the clergy vestry to the upper sanctuary by a hidden passageway.

The Cathedral of the Incarnation has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.

Source:

“History.” The Cathedral of the Incarnation, www.incarnationgc.org/about/history/. 

Merritt, Jim. “Cathedral Tour Inspires Awe in Garden City.” Newsday, Newsday, 17 Nov. 2016, www.newsday.com/lifestyle/long-island-events/cathedral-of-the-incarnation-tours-inspire-awe-in-garden-city-1.12625225.