Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Historic Yaphank - Where the Past Greets the Present March April, 2015 Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year Robert Hawkins House P.O. Box 111 Yaphank, NY 11980-0111 www.yaphankhistorical.org 631-924-4803 -Swezey-Avey House Main Office 631-924-3401 - Hawkins House Gift Shop Meetings: Third Thursday of the Month; 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House. Newsletter Editor: Peggy Judd Inside this issue: President s Message... 2 Board of Directors President - Robert Kessler Vice President - Peggy Judd Treasurer - Audrey Kessler Recording Secretary - Kayann Donaldson Corresponding Secretary - Marie Desch Librarian - Olive Archer Historian Tricia Foley Historian Emeritus - Karen Mouzakes Curator - Helen Kalbach 3-Yr. Trustee - Liz Horan 2-Yr. Trustee - Kathy Schmidt & Mindy Hausman 1-Yr Trustee - Jim Vavrina & Tony Germano In Memoriam... 3-4 Erie Canal 5 Cub Scouts 6 Upcoming Events... 7 More Good News... Booth House Museum Now Listed on the National Register of Historic Places In the January/February 2015 Newsletter we noted that the Booth House Museum was listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and that this listing was the first important step on our way to recognition by the National Register. We are happy to announce that we recently received a letter from Ruth L. Pierpont, Deputy Commissioner for Historic Preservation informing us that the Booth House Museum is now officially listed on the National Register. Ms. Pierpont states: I am pleased to inform you that the above referenced property (the Mary Louise Booth House) was listed January 27, 2015 on the National Register of Historic Places......the National Register is the nation s official list of properties worthy of preservation. The Yaphank Historic District now has four structures and their surrounding properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Robert Hewlett Hawkins House, Homan-Gerard House, St. Andrews Church, and Booth House Museum). Join Us for Tea! Saturday, April 25 th, 2015 2:00pm At The Hawkins House There will be a delicious array of assorted tea sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, assorted pastries for dessert, and Lady Grey tea. Donation is $25 per person. Please call Kay Donaldson to make your reservations at 631-395-9870. We hope to see you there.
Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 2 Letter from the President How did they do it? How did the Hawkins, Swezey, Booth and the Homan families keep warm? They had fireplaces and stoves, but no insulation and only single-pane windows. They would have had to cut and chop wood to feed those heat sources and keep them going. We now have a furnace in both the Booth and Swezey Houses and electric heat in the Hawkins House; however the temperature remains in the 50 s and 60 s in the houses on these bitterly cold days. Our early Yaphank families certainly must have been hearty people. Swezey-Avey House Update. We had a pipe freeze and burst upstairs at the Swezey House. Part of the ceiling fell down and the floor was flooded. After I cleaned up the initial mess, we had to take down the sheetrock on the ceiling as well as the outside wall. In that wall was evidence of an old staircase. This is the oldest part of the house (pre-revolutionary War) and it sits on a stone foundation (the rest of the house is on a brick foundation). We always assumed that this was just a one-story shed that was used by the Miller, but the staircase tells a different story. This might have been a small house that the Miller lived in. There is also an old door frame that led to the outside that was buried in the wall. This was on the lake side of the house. We are going to have to re-think this part of the house. More to come as we unravel the mystery. Homan-Gerard House Update. We had a meeting with the architects for the Homan House the other day. They showed us some progress drawings. They told us that their drawings are about 60% complete. The purpose of the meeting was to bring us an up-to-date report on what has been done and to get some answers to questions that they have, allowing them to move forward. We provided answers regarding the electric, intrusion and fire alarms, as well as the heating system. The electric lighting will be mostly wall-mounted sconces and lanterns and the receptacles will be floor mounted. The reason for the floor-mounted receptacles is so that they can be hidden behind or under the furniture, keeping a period-appropriate appearance wherever possible. The heating system will be a hot-air system with a gas boiler in the basement. We are still looking for a place to put the system in the basement without taking up too much room. We would like people to be able to access the basement as part of a tour, since there is a fireplace and bee hive oven down there. I will keep you up to date as the project moves forward. Robert Kessler Exposed wall showing remnants of previous staircase and doorway. Welcome New Members Tom & Ellen Williams, Brookhaven, NY Funds for this newsletter were provided by the Suffolk County Legislature, Kate Browning, 3rd Legislative District. Thank You! Renewal Dues Reminder Your membership is important to us. Dues are currently payable for the Yaphank Historical Society 2014-2015 membership year. Please see current member types and current dues rates on page 7 of this Newsletter. Please include your current email address when you send in your dues. We look forward to hearing from you soon. If you have already submitted your dues, your payment is much appreciated.
Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 3 In Memoriam Lincoln on the White House Balcony, March 6, 1865. One of the last known photographs of Lincoln. This year, April 15, 2015, marks the 150 th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The President was shot on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford s Theater in Washington, D.C. Booth, being a very famous actor, was permitted easy access to the President s box. Booth was also a very dedicated Confederate sympathizer and had planned Lincoln s assassination as part of a larger conspiracy in a bid to revive the Confederate cause. The President died the next morning. At the time of his death, the Civil War was drawing to a close; President Lincoln was shot only five days after General Robert E. Lee, Commander of the Confederate Army, surrendered his massive army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, to General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the American Civil War. Abraham Lincoln was our 16 th President, serving from March 1861 until April 1865. He was the first United States president to be assassinated in United States history. He was only 56 years old. The whole country was in shock and most citizens deeply grieved the death of the President. A nine-car funeral train carried President Lincoln home for burial in Springfield, Illinois. Tens of thousands of Americans lined the railroad route all along the way and paid their respects. President Lincoln was laid to rest on May 4 th, 1865, in Oak Ridge Cemetery near Springfield. On the day of the assassination, Lincoln had told his bodyguard, William H. Crook, that he had been having dreams of himself being assassinated for three straight nights. Crook advised Lincoln not to go that night to Ford's Theatre, but Lincoln said he had promised his wife they would go. After Lincoln was shot, his wife Mary was quoted as saying, "His dream was prophetic." Among those who deeply felt the loss of the President were two women from Yaphank---one woman privately recording her feelings in her diary and the other woman, writing from her New York City office, describing the emotions of the day for a national audience. These two Yaphank women were among the people across our nation expressing their shock, sadness, and grief at this great loss. We share their thoughts with you....... From the diary of Susan Maria Weeks: April 20, 1865 --- a day that will long be remembered.... that the hearts of men may be humbled for the greatest calamity that has ever befallen the American people and nation. President Lincoln was assassinated on the fourteenth of April. (Courtesy Natalie Dickieson) Mary Louise Booth, dated mid-1860 s Susan Maria Weeks, 1868 The following excerpt was edited and submitted by Tricia Foley. From the book, History of the City of New York, by Mary L. Booth, W.R.C. Clark, New York, 1867.... April 15, 1865. Abraham Lincoln s Assassination / New York City s response, Pg. 850... The year 1865 opened brilliantly... Victories crowded upon each other; the capture of Savannah, the brilliant raid of Sheridan... and, last of all, the fall of Richmond on the 3rd of April, dazzled the public mind.... The news of the fall of Richmond was received in New York with unbounded rejoicing. The whole city seemed intoxicated with delight. The streets were thronged with joyous crowds, flags were displayed everywhere, and the air rang with the booming of cannon and the chimes of bells in honor of the virtual termination of the great conflict. The surrender of Lee, on the 9th of April, left only a handful of insurgents in the field, who were subdued in the course of a few months. (continued on page 4)
Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 4 In Memoriam (continued) (from Mary L. Booth...) The interval between joy and mourning was short. On the morning of the 15th of April the whole community was paralyzed by the announcement that the President of the United States had been stricken down, the night before, by the bullet of an assassin, and that the secretary of state and his son had been attacked and well nigh murdered. As if by a spontaneous impulse, scarcely was the news received at half-past seven, that the President had breathed his last, when the whole city, from the most sumptuous edifices to the humblest tenements, appeared draped in mourning. Business was entirely suspended, the stores were closed, and the streets were thronged with crowds bewailing the loved head of the nation, and breathing forth vengeance on his murderers. Never before was such a scene beheld in busy New York, thus suddenly transformed into a city of mourners. The pervading thought of the city was grief and indignation at this base assassination; and it is just to say that this indignation seemed universal, and with scarcely an exception, was shared by those who had sympathized with the South during the struggle. The death of the martyred President was the general topic of discourse the next day in the Christian churches, as it had been the day before in the Jewish synagogues. From that time until the remains of President Lincoln passed through New York on their way to their final resting place in Illinois, the city was engrossed in preparations to do honor to the illustrious dead. The 19th of April, a date memorable in the annals of America, was observed as a day of mourning by the whole nation. On that day, funeral services were performed at the White House, and the body of Mr. Lincoln was removed to the Capitol, where it lay in state until the morning of the 21st, when the funeral train set out for Illinois by nearly the same route as that taken by Mr. Lincoln on his way to Washington in 1861. His was a triumphal, though mournful return. The districts which had then been most hostile, now received him with reverence; Baltimore, through which he had passed secretly by night, and which had justified this precaution by shooting down the Union soldiers a few weeks after, greeted the mournful procession with the deepest respect, as did all other places on the route. By night and day the funeral train passed through a crowd of mourners. Imposing as were the demonstrations everywhere else, they were surpassed by the City of New York. The City Hall had been prepared for the reception of the honored remains, which were escorted thither from the Cortlandt Street Ferry, upon their arrival on the 24th of April, by a sea of human beings; while minute guns were fired along the entire route, and the bells of all the churches tolled mournfully. The coffin was borne into the rotunda of the City Hall, amid the chanting of eight hundred singers, and placed on the magnificent catafalque which had been prepared for it, where it remained buried beneath flowers until the afternoon of the next day. An immense procession of people, miles in length, had already formed, and during the whole twenty-four hours this stream of men, women and children slowly filed through the City Hall, to look for the last time on the face of the dead President...When the time arrived for departure, thousands who had waited in line for hours to pay their last respects to the dead, were obliged to turn away disappointed. On the afternoon of the 25th of April New York City took its final leave of President Lincoln. The remains were escorted to the railroad depot by a procession nearly five miles in length, composed of a military force of more than fifteen thousand men, together with numerous civic officers and societies. Last in the procession marched two thousand colored citizens. Along the whole line the streets were thronged with mourners. Every window and balcony was filled, and every house was shrouded in funereal drapery. Even the denizens of the poorest quarters of the city, who could scarce buy bread, eked out the means to provide shreds of crape, by which to express their sorrow; while the most tasteful arches, inscriptions and mourning devices lined the streets through which the funeral train passed. A large assemblage met in the afternoon in Union Square to listen to a funeral oration from the Hon. George Bancroft, and a eulogy from William Cullen Bryant. On the 3rd of May, after a journey of more than seventeen hundred miles, the funeral party reached Springfield, Illinois, and on the next day, the remains of President Lincoln were laid to rest in Oak Ridge Cemetery nearby.
Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter A Brief Look At The Erie Canal By Peggy Judd Page 5 The Early Erie Canal. Opening in 1825, the Erie Canal was an amazing technological achievement of the early 19 th century that connected the waters of the Great lakes with those of the Atlantic Ocean, making trade and travel easier and more affordable. Engineers, who had never built a canal before, designed a system of 83 locks and 18 aqueducts that carried water up and down over 363 miles across New York State. Thriving settlements, called canal towns, were located along the new transportation route and businesses flourished. Some towns specialized in boat building and repair, others were lumbering centers with sawmills, and others handled storage and loading of the various supplies that the boats carried. Of course each town would have a general store, blacksmith shop, stables for the horses and mules, boarding houses and/or hotels, restaurants, church(s), and a post office. If the residents were lucky, the town also had a local doctor. The canal boats, traveling at four miles an hour, were pulled by a team of horses or mules along what is known as the towpath located next to the canal. It would take a passenger seven days to travel from Albany to Buffalo. The boat could accommodate approximately 100 buildings are still there and if visiting or driving through, one can imagine the actual canal running through or near to the town. One can also see evidences of the loading doors at the rear of many of the buildings which were basically warehouses; the canal usually ran right next to these loading doors. Other canal towns that are located on the remaining navigable part of the canal/river system are investing in tourism and boating recreation opportunities. The Modern Erie Canal. The tradition of navigation on New York s canals has continued uninterrupted for over 170 years. But the canal system isn t just for boaters. The establishment of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor ensures that the architectural remnants of the Erie Canal will be maintained and the history of this engineering marvel will be available to anyone interested in learning about its past. The Corridor stretches 524 miles across the full expanse of upstate New York. Today, vacationers can hike along well-worn towpaths on the Canalway Trail, picnic at a canal-side park, or celebrate the Canal System s nautical legacy at a festival in dozens of canal communities along the waterways. Along the Erie Canal, Buffalo, NY, 1908 A packet boat entering a lock on the canal passengers and most of the boats measured 80 by 14 feet. The fare for traveling was five cents a mile on New York State s first interstate navigational highway. Originally called Governor Clinton s Ditch, critics quickly saw that the canal would be a success as soon as it opened. And, indeed, the Erie Canal was a success. As highways and roads replaced the canal system as a means of transportation, portions of the canal closed down. Residents and businesses of most of the canal towns moved away and settled nearer to the new roads. Today, many of the early canal towns, especially those towns where the canal no longer exists, have become run down and fewer people live there. Many of the old Many communities operate a small museum managed by the local Historical Society. Please join us at our March General Meeting for a program by Bruce Kagan, former teacher and popular speaker. Bruce and his wife, Carolyn, explored the modern Erie Canal by sea kayak. They will have pictures of their trip and interesting anecdotes of their adventure. Bruce s programs are always fun and our attendees leave well informed about the evening s topic. We look forward to seeing you there on Thursday, March 19 th, 7:30pm, at the Swezey-Avey House. follow the program. As usual, refreshments will
Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 6 Troop #79 Cub Scouts Visit the Swezey-Avey House The Yaphank Historical Society recently hosted a meeting of Troop #79 Cub Scouts. The scouts were accompanied by Cub Master, John Kinney, and Den Leader, Nick Hardas. Some family members were also on hand for the presentation and tour. As part of the scout s beginning work toward earning badges, cub scouts routinely schedule a visit to local historical sites in order to get an appreciation of the history associated with their communities. In the past, cub scouts have visited the Hawkins House, taking a tour through the 1850 Italianate home of Robert Hewlett Hawkins and learning about this important citizen of the early community of Yaphank. This year, the cub scouts met at the Swezey-Avey House, taking advantage of visiting a different important historical property. The Swezey-Avey House was part of the Swezey Mill complex, located on Willow Lake at the west end of Yaphank, and is one of the earliest properties associated with Yaphank s history. Olive Archer, current Society Librarian and former school librarian, conducted the first part of the meeting. Olive told the scouts about the various early schools in Yaphank, all of which preceded the scout s current Charles E. Walker Elementary School. She had two exhibits available two signs identifying early Yaphank schools. One sign was in large metal letters and the other was an old 2-piece wooden sign. After this introduction, Olive led the scouts on a tour through the various upstairs exhibit rooms which feature pictures of early citizens of Yaphank and artifacts illustrating the early Yaphank community lifestyle. Refreshments, of course, followed the meeting. Olive Archer, Yaphank Historical Society Librarian. Cub scouts & parents learn about Yaphank s early schools. Original metal letters from the Main Street School, built in 1926. Special Historical Society Field Trip Saturday, May 2nd, 1:00pm (see p.7 for details) A Walk Through History with Farmer and Revolutionary War Spy Abraham Woodhull This is the story of the Long Island spy ring that operated between 1778 and 1783 under spymaster General George Washington and his spy chief Benjamin Tallmadge. Members of the spy ring include: Benjamin Tallmadge, Abraham Woodhull, Austin Roe, Caleb Brewster and Anna Smith Strong. They were all from Setauket. The other main spy was Robert Townsend of Oyster Bay who had a store and business in New York City and provided much of the intelligence sent to George Washington. ( from www.historycloseathand.com - The Woodhull Tour )
Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Page 7 Yaphank Historical Society MARCH, APRIL, MAY 2015 UPCOMING EVENTS March General Meeting Thursday, March 19 th, 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House Guest speaker will be Bruce Kagan, former teacher and popular speaker. Program: The Modern Erie Canal: explored by sea kayak Spring Cleaning and Dusting Saturday, March 21 st, 10:00am 4:00pm, meet at the Hawkins House Volunteers needed to help get the Hawkins House and the Swezey-Avey House ready for our Spring events. Help clean & share a buffet supper, served at 5:00pm at the Swezey-Avey House. Call 631-924-4803 and leave a message if you plan to participate. April General Meeting Thursday, April 16 th, 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House Guest speaker will be Karen Mouzakes, Society Historian Emeritus Program: The Homan-Gerard House, An Integral Part of Yaphank s Past Refreshments will follow the meeting. Spring Victorian Tea Saturday, April 25 th, Hawkins House, 2:00 4:30pm Donation is $25 per person Always a sold-out event so reserve early. Reservations: call Kayann Donaldson, 631-395-9870 Special Historical Society Field Trip Saturday, May 2 rd, 1:00pm Woodhull Tour: Walk Through History with Farmer and Revolutionary War Spy Abraham Woodhull. Tour hosted by Beverly Tyler, Historian, Three Village Historical Society, $8.00 per person To sign up or for questions: Call Marie Desch, 631-874-9265 Meet at 12:30pm at the Caroline Church parking lot, along Dyke Road, Setauket Village Green Optional Lunch following the tour at a local restaurant. Lunch reservations required by April 24th. Spring Community Yard Sale Saturday, May 16 th, 9:00am 4:00pm (no rain date) Donation: $5 per vendor Set up on the Hawkins House Lawns Call 631-924-4803 or 631-924-2241 with questions. May General Meeting Thursday, May 21 st, 7:30pm, Swezey-Avey House Guest speaker will be Howard Kroplick, President of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society Program: The Vanderbilt Cup Races and the LI Motor Parkway Refreshments will follow the meeting. Keep current with all our events and projects by visiting our website www.yaphankhistorical.org
Page 8 Yaphank Historical Society Newsletter Thank You To Our Supporters If you are interested in having your business card printed in the Yaphank Historical Society newsletter, you may do so for a $50 donation per year. Please leave a phone number message at the Swezey-Avey House, (631)924.4803 OR (631)924.2241. Our members support our local businesses. www.big-li.com St. Andrew s Episcopal Church 244 E. Main Street Yaphank, NY 11980 631-924-5083 Sunday Services: 8:30 & 10 A.M. Sunday School at 10 A.M. Service 494 Long Island Ave., Medford, NY 11763 Showroom: 631-289-8086 Millwork Factory: 631-924-4195 Automotive Products, Inc. 14 Todd Court Extension Yaphank, NY 11980-0540 631-567-2000