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Preservation Long Island to host Gallery Talk May 31

by Press Release - May 27, 2025

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Preservation Long Island, 161 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor will host a gallery talk, on Saturday, May 31 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Join them for a lively conversation with young influential voices in the worlds of American antiques and design as they share fresh perspectives on collecting and the enduring relevance of old places and things.

Enjoy an evening of drinks and discussion with Michael Diaz-Griffith, Executive Director and CEO of the Design Leadership Network; Kyle Marshall, author and former Creative Director of Bunny Williams Home; and Lauren Brincat, Chief Curator and Director of Collections at Preservation Long Island.

United by a passion for preservation, decorative arts, and design, the speakers will explore the enduring appeal of antiques, the future of collecting, and how historic objects and interiors can reveal unexpected insights into the past. Together, they’ll consider the roles style, stewardship, and memory all play in shaping the spaces we inhabit and the stories we choose to preserve for the future. A wine and cheese reception will follow.

“Collective Interests: Preserving the Past for the Future” Event Details

Date & Time: Saturday, May 31, 2025 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Location: Preservation Long Island Exhibition Gallery, 161 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor
Tickets: $30 members / $35 non-members. Please register in advance.

Information and Registration: https://preservationlongisland.org/collective-interests/

About the Speakers:

Michael Diaz-Griffith is an art historian, designer, and Executive Director and CEO of the Design Leadership Network. Previously, he served as Executive Director of Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation and as Associate Executive Director of The Winter Show, America’s most prestigious and longest-running art and antiques fair. In 2024, he was appointed Vice Chair of the Show. His first book, The New Antiquarians: At Home with Young Collectors, was published in 2023. A second volume is in the works.

Kyle Marshall is the author and photographer of Americana: Farmhouses and Manors of Long Island—a project sparked by his preservation of an early 19th-century farmhouse and barn in Locust Valley—Kyle Marshall was formerly the Creative Director of Bunny Williams Home. Originally from Oyster Bay, New York, he holds a degree in architecture from Rhode Island School of Design and has contributed to publications including Cabana magazine and House & Garden online.

Lauren Brincat is the Chief Curator and Director of Collections at Preservation Long Island, where she organizes exhibitions and research initiatives focused on regional history and culture, including the award-winning Jupiter Hammon Project and the Art of Edward Lange Project. She is also a co-editor and author Promoting Long Island: The Art of Edward Lange, 1870–1889. Brincat has degree in American material culture from the Winterthur Program and is the co-president of the Long Island Museum Association.

About Preservation Long Island

Preservation Long Island is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to celebrate and preserve Long Island’s diverse cultural and architectural heritage through advocacy, education, and the stewardship of historic sites and collections. http://preservationlongisland.org

History Close at Hand: A place to relax — summer boarding houses

by Beverly C. Tyler - May 26, 2025

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By Beverly C. Tyler

As the shipbuilding era was ending in Stony Brook and East Setauket in the 1870s, the Long Island Railroad was completing the North Shore Line to Port Jefferson. The coming of the railroad made it possible for people and products to travel quickly overland and opened the Three Village area to tourism, especially from New York City

Until the railroad came, most travel and commerce to and from Long Island ports was conducted by ship. As the railroad became more efficient and reliable, tourism began to increase, especially during the summer months. Hotels, tourist homes and summer cottages opened in Stony Brook and Setauket, as they did throughout Long Island, to accommodate the influx of visitors.

By 1902, there were six hotels or tourist homes in Stony Brook and ten in Setauket-East Setauket which offered weekly rates. In Stony Brook, the Pine View House, run by Israel Hawkins, advertised as a family recreation summer boarding house with accommodations for 25 guests. Guests at the Pine View had the use of a beach house at West Meadow Beach.

In East Setauket, Shore Acres was a large boarding house overlooking Setauket Harbor. Shore Acres was run by Mr. and Mrs. William D. Oakes and had 30 rooms and one bathroom with a wash basin in each room. “In the large dining room on Sundays, the meal was usually chicken, slaughtered on Saturday evening, fresh garden vegetables and homemade ice cream.” (Long Island Museum 1981 exhibit Summer at the Shore). Boating and bathing were popular activities during these summers and Shore Acres had its own docks and boats for the use of guests. As noted by Barbara Russell, “Later, Mr. Oakes had a motorboat and would take boarders over to Whitehall Beach to spend afternoons.” (Down the Ways – The Wooden Ship Era)

In Setauket, the Lakeside House, now the Setauket Neighborhood House, had accommodations for 25 guests at $6.00 to $8.00 per week. The Lakeside House was run by my grandfather Captain Beverly Swift Tyler.

In 1879, he was master and 3/8 owner of the “Willow Harp”. She was a coastal schooner and carried coal from New Jersey to East Setauket. Beginning about the turn of the century, Captain Tyler, who then spent much of his time running the Lakeside House, would take guests on sailing outings on his catboat “Madeline” which was anchored in Setauket Harbor.

After he married my grandmother Edith Griffin in 1912, who first came to Setauket to stay a week at the Lakeside House with her sister Carolyn, she became the Lakeside hostess and manager of the kitchen and boarding house staff. Lucy Hart Keyes, born 1900, commented that she worked at the Lakeside house as a young girl and that Mrs. Tyler was “an easy person to work for.”

In 1906, my grandfather built the catboat “Setauket” in an area behind the Lakeside House. The “Setauket” was the second boat he built, the first being the “Madeline,” which, according to Roger Tyler, Captain Tyler’s nephew, “was built with the comments and help of friends and neighbors whose advice he took and later regretted. When the ‘Setauket’ was being built and comments were again offered, Captain Tyler this time pointed out that the ‘Madeline’ was their community boat and that he was building the ‘Setauket’ by himself.”

Sailboats and the harbors and inlets of the Three Village area were part of the attractiveness of the community at the turn of the century. Captain Tyler used the “Setauket” to take guests on excursions on the Sound and around Setauket and Port Jefferson Harbors. The “Setauket” was also built to race in local competitions in Port Jefferson Harbor. When the “Setauket” was built, Captain Tyler sold the “Madeline,” which was a fairly good racing catboat. Roger Tyler said that the “Setauket” was raced in Port Jefferson and was a consistent winner against all competition including the “Madeline.” Tyler commented that, “it got to be so that they wouldn’t tell Bev when a race was to be run and a few times he found out about them only just and hour or so before the race, but raced and won anyway.”

The tourism era in Setauket and Stony Brook continued strong until World War I. Captain Tyler sold the Lakeside House to Eversley Childs in 1918. Childs, who – the story goes – only wanted the tourist home for its liquor license, which he transferred to the St. George Golf and Country Club gave the Lakeside House to the community for its use. A number of other tourist homes in the Three Village area continued into the 1930s.

Beverly Tyler is Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Rd., Setauket, NY 11733. Tel: 631-751-3730. http://www.TVHS.org

Community invited to Open House at Fort Salonga’s 27-acre estate ‘Owl Hill’ May 24

by Press Release - May 19, 2025

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0-8 — A recent photo of Owl Hill. Photo from Leg. Trotta's office

Since 2016, Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta has worked tirelessly to preserve Smithtown’s unique Owl Hill estate and its 27 acres from being developed into multiple housing units. His efforts prevailed as Suffolk County purchased the entire parcel from the developer for $8.3million using money from the Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Fund.

Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta accepts the award for “Organization Excellence”
from Preservation Long Island’s Director Tara Cubie. Photo courtesy of PLI

The sprawling property is home to the 117-year-old, 6,500 square foot mansion designed by world-renowned American architect Henry Killam Murphy. Noted first patent attorney, Edmund Wetmore, commissioned Murphy to design it. Inside the mansion, there is an impressive mahogany staircase, mahogany floors and paneling; library; wood paneled dining room; eight bedrooms; music/living room; five bathrooms; kitchen; several fireplaces; basement, and much more. The dining room has an “owl” motif on the chairs, as well as the matching buffet. The grounds include stunning plants and mature trees, along with a garage and outer building.

On January 25, 2025, at its biennial awards ceremony, Preservation Long Island (PLI) awarded Legislator Trotta and Suffolk County with its biennial Preservation Award for “Organizational Excellence” for their efforts to preserve Owl Hill as a valuable resource in the community. Trotta is very committed to preserving the storied historic estate and adapting it for continued cultural and civic programs.

The public is invited to attend an “Open House” to see the property and “Owl Hill” on Saturday, May 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Owl Hill is located at 99 Sunken Meadow Road, Fort Salonga. For more information or questions, please call Legislator Trotta’s district office at 631-854-3900.

Long Island Museum to host Summer Soirée at the Mount House

by TBR Staff - May 17, 2025

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The Mount House, Long Island Museum, for Geske — 'The Mount House', 1854 by William Sidney Mount (1807-1868), The Long Island Museum of American Art, History, & Carriages. Bequest of Ward Melville, 1977.

By TBR Staff

Art, history, and giving align for a fun time at Long Island Museum’s Mount House (c. 1725) Summer Soirée fundraiser on Saturday, June 7, from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The evening will feature live music by Johnny Cuomo, craft cocktails and delicious food provided by Bliss Restaurant, a 50/50 raffle, and live painting by LIM Development associate Danielle Reischman.

“Our ability to do good programs, important lectures, great exhibitions, all the things people know us for and want to come to visit us for, rely on nights like this one. When you buy a ticket to an event like this, you support the museum and everything we do,” LIM’s Co-Executive Director Joshua Ruff said.

Ticket holders will have the rare opportunity to take part in a guided tour of the first floor of the Mount House in Stony Brook on June 7. Photo courtesy of LIM

Sponsored by Long Island Tent, M&V Limousines Ltd., Pindar Vineyards, and Carol and John Lane, guests will meet at the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook and then travel by shuttle bus to the the grounds of the historic Mount House, home to American genre painter William Sidney Mount (1807-1868) as well as generations of of his artistically-inclined family.

LIM staff will lead guided tours of the home’s first floor throughout the evening.

“Most of the current footprint of the house was completed by the time that William Sidney Mount’s grandfather Jonas Hawkins (1752-1817) renovated and extended it by the early 19th century,” Ruff said.

Although the house does not contain any original early artifacts or furniture, it does still boast the small markings that Mount painted on the side of the kitchen fireplace’s mantel.

Additionally for one night only, artwork and other materials from LIM’s archives, the largest repository of Mount artifacts in the world, will be on display.

“This is a great opportunity for people to see the inside of the [Mount] house, a community and historical treasure in our own backyard. Having all the resources related to Mount in archives and art collection, it is a good chance to tell the story in full,” Ruff said.

That narrative incorporates not only W.S. Mount, but his relatives: brother Shepard Alonzo Mount and niece Evelina Mount, both of whom were artists in their own rights. Some of their work will be included in the showcase.

The Mount family, particularly William, maintained strong personal and artistic ties to the Three Villages. Many of his famous works — Left and Right, The Power of Music, Long Island Farmhouses — feature local people and places, forever immortalized through his painting.

Mount’s art gives a sense of community that transcends time. The LIM strives to offer a community — one that fosters education, enrichment, an appreciation of art, and an insight into our past.

In an effort to support these endeavors, the LIM has a number of fundraisers throughout its fiscal year. Among them are a winter gala in November and an upcoming spring golf classic, held on Monday, May 19, at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in East Setauket. The format of its third major fundraiser, generally held in June, varies.

Such overtures are now particularly necessary and significant.

“It’s a challenging fundraising environment for all cultural arts institutions and nonprofits across the country. The type of work and programming and exhibitions that we bring to the community are things that people cannot get anywhere else,” LIM’s Co-Executive Director Sarah Abruzzi said.

LIM’s $134,000 Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant was recently terminated by the federal government, potentially critically hampering its ability to create a new exhibit. The grant was supposed to support Riding Towards Justice, an interactive, immersive, accessible exhibition designed around the circa 1885 street car in the carriage museum, as well as an interpretative plan to teach people about transportation.

“Receiving the termination letter was obviously a blow,” Ruff said. “We believe in making the carriage museum a more accessible place for visitors. We are redoubling our commitment to being the best place we can be for the public…we rely on support, we need our community to come together and help us, and this is one of the ways that they can.”

This symbiotic relationship with its patrons allows the museum to develop engaging, unique programs and exhibitions that enrich and inspire visitors. The Summer Soirée is one way for people to contribute to the continuation of LIM’s services.

“It is an opportunity for everyone to get together to focus on the things that are good in the world, to spend some time learning more about local history, and a really important American artist. We are doing something great for and with the community,” Abruzzi said.

Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are $125 each. Sponsorships are also still available. For more information or to RSVP, visit www.longislandmuseum.org.

Student poets invited to 2025 Juneteenth celebration honoring Jupiter Hammon

by Press Release - May 15, 2025

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unnamed-2 — Joseph Lloyd Manor garden. Courtesy of Preservation Long Island.

The Caribbean American Poetry Association (CAPA) and Preservation Long Island (PLI) invite students in Grades 6-12 across Long Island to share original poems as part of the 2025 Caribbean American Heritage Month/ Juneteenth Poetry Celebration on Thursday, June 19 in Lloyd Harbor. This event will pay homage to Jupiter Hammon (1711–c. 1806), recognized as the first published Black American poet. The event will take place at Joseph Lloyd Manor where Hammon authored his most significant works about the moral conflicts of slavery and freedom in the early United States while enslaved on Long Island.

In honor of Hammon’s legacy, CAPA and PLI invite students to submit their original poetry for the open-mic segment of the Juneteenth event. Students are encouraged to share verses on themes of liberty, resistance, and the power of writing, all of which resonate deeply with Hammon’s work. Entries will be accepted from students in Grades 6 through 12. Those who wish to participate must submit their original poetry on or before June 1, 2025. Poems should be no more than 40 lines long. Click HERE for details and guidelines for teachers and students. Poetry submissions are due by June 1, 2025.

The student open-mic will follow performances by featured poets, Dr. Lindamichelle Baron, Keisha-Gay Anderson, and Yasmin Morais. The program will begin with tours of Joseph Lloyd Manor and live Caribbean music. It will also include a dramatic historical hip-hopera by award-winning playwright, author, and poet Marsha M. Nelson, and a Taste of the Caribbean Table featuring signature dishes donated by local Caribbean eateries. The event is free; however, guests are encouraged to RSVP.

Support

The Juneteenth Poetic Tribute to Jupiter Hammon is funded in part by Poets & Writers with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information about sponsorship opportunities or to participate in The Taste of the Caribbean Table, please contact CAPA at: [email protected].

About CAPA

The Caribbean American Poetry Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing Caribbean poetry in the United States, promoting the work of Caribbean American poets, and bringing Caribbean American poetry to the widest possible audiences.

About Preservation Long Island

About Joseph Lloyd Manor

Located in the Town of Huntington, Joseph Lloyd Manor (c.1767) is one of Preservation Long Island’s historic houses and a site that enslaved generations of people of African descent. The house was designated as a National Literary Landmark™ in 2020 by the United for Libraries and Empire State Center for the Book in honor of writer Jupiter Hammon’s literary achievements. https://preservationlongisland.org/joseph-lloyd-manor/

Vanderbilt Museum Estate Walking Tours kick off May 17

by Press Release - May 15, 2025

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VanderbiltMuseum — Photo courtesy of Vanderbilt Museum

As the weather warms on Long Island, the popular Architecture and Collections Tour returns to the picturesque Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, in Centerport.

Take an intriguing walking tour of the Vanderbilt Estate with knowledgeable Museum educators. Learn about the history of the Eagle’s Nest estate; Warren & Wetmore’s design and exterior architectural details of the 24-room Spanish Revival mansion; and the striking ironwork of Samuel Yellin, considered the greatest iron artisan of the early 20th century, and visit the marine, natural history, and cultural artifact collections.

William K. Vanderbilt II (1878-1944) spent summers at his Eagle’s Nest estate and mansion on Northport Bay between 1910 and 1944. He and his wife, Rosamond, hosted intimate gatherings and entertained well-known guests, such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Pierre Cartier, Conde Nast, Charles Lindbergh, and the Tiffanys. Eagle’s Nest is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Created by the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum Education Department, the 2025 season will begin on Saturday, May 17, with tours offered at noon and 1:15 p.m. Other dates include June 21, July 25, August 15, September 27 and October 19.

“The grounds are beautiful this time of year and the walking tour is a perfect way to be introduced to the history of the estate. There is an abundance of beauty in the eclectic architecture and the unique details that reflect William Vanderbilt’s interests,” said Beth Laxer-Limmer, Director of Education.

Tickets are $16 adults; $15 seniors and students $15; $14 children ages 5 to 17. Free for members. To purchase tickets, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Present meets past at 17th Annual Antiques and Garden Weekend in Port Jefferson

by TBR Staff - May 8, 2025

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By Sumaq Killari

The scent of rusted metal and aged cedar greeted visitors as they stepped inside the Port Jefferson Village Center this past weekend, where the past felt freshly alive.

The three-story venue was transformed for the 17th Annual Antiques and Garden Weekend, a community tradition and fundraiser for the Port Jefferson Historical Society, generously sponsored this year by Northwell Mather Hospital.

The building buzzed with activity as visitors explored vintage treasures and seasonal blooms. The Suwassett Garden Club showcased a vibrant display of hanging baskets, perennials and patio planters.

“It’s a time when the whole community comes together,” said Catherine Quinlan, a member of the Port Jefferson Historical Society board of trustees. “You see people you haven’t seen for maybe a year or so. People come together and just support each other. It’s really a wonderful event.”

The first floor featured at least 20 different vendors, many displaying jewelry in glass display cases, glassware, porcelain statues, old postcards and framed drawings and pictures.

Toward the south side of the first floor, Karen & Albert, a business owned by Karen and Albert Williams, a married couple, displayed furniture from different eras, including a 30-year-old wooden writing desk with a gently curved design. But there is a trick: hidden inside is a concealed bar. “You think it’s just a desk when you see it,” said Albert Williams with a smile.

“Part of our company is to be able to educate people about antiques and about vintage items and how they can incorporate that with their own style,” said Karen Williams. “We have been in business for over 40 years, so we go on buying trips all the time,” she said.

On the second floor, a booth displayed a collection of thrifted bags, including a beige Lauren Ralph Lauren handbag made of monogrammed fabric and featuring the LRL logo, priced at just $30. “This bag is so Y2K,” said Emelyn Ore, a college student attending the event. She noted its early 2000s aesthetic and monogrammed design matched current trends.

The friendly atmosphere reached the third floor, where the smell of baked goods filled the air. A group of ladies, members of the Suwassett Garden Club, sat behind a table displaying the treats.

“Money, we like money,” one woman joked when asked what they liked most about the event. “Yes, we like it,” another chimed in. The group’s co-president added that this was their major annual fundraiser.

Proceeds from the event support the Historical Society’s mission to discover, preserve and share knowledge of the Greater Port Jefferson Area’s rich history.

As the day drew to a close, the sound of chatter and the scent of fresh blooms lingered, reminding visitors that while antiques may be old, the community spirit in Port Jefferson is timeless.

Sumaq Killari is a reporter with the SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

Anna Smith Strong Chapter of the DAR hosts ‘250 Years STRONG’ celebration

by Press Release - May 7, 2025

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It’s a National Celebration of the birth of America – and it kicked off right here in the Three Villages. On May 2, the Anna Smith Strong Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted a special celebration titled “250 Years STRONG” at the Setauket Neighborhood House.

While many might not know- across the country events are being planned to mark America’s Semiquincentennial. It was 250 years ago that the “Shot Heard Around the World” rang out during the battle of Lexington and Concord – considered to be the first military engagement of the Revolutionary War. On Long Island, the Strong family played a pivotal role during the Revolution through their actions in the Culper or Setauket Spy Ring.

The Culper Spy Ring is credited by George Washington as being a major factor in turning the tide of the American Revolution by providing valuable intelligence to at great risk to themselves.

The Anna Smith Strong Chapter was named for a courageous member of the celebrated Culper Spy Ring, and hosted an event commemorating her role and honoring the American spirit.

Participants enjoyed an evening of history, community and celebration in a picturesque setting – the Setauket Neighborhood House. Keynote speaker and local historian Margo Arceri spoke of the remarkable life of Kate Wheeler Strong. There were raffles, awards and patriotic provisions provided by chief sponsor, David Prestia of Bagel Express. Costumes were optional but fun! People came in Revolutionary War dress to make things more festive. Sponsor Michael Rosengard of North Island Photography & Films created an art installation (that included Anna Smith Strong’s clothesline and more) and was the official event photographer.

Recognized at the event for their historic preservation and education contributions were: Margo Arceri, local historian/Tri-Spy Tours/Three Village Historical Society; Beverly C. Tyler, author/historian/Three Village Historical Society; and Gloria Rocchio, President of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization.

The Anna Smith Strong Chapter received Proclamations from NYS Senator Anthony Palumbo, NYS Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, Suffolk County Legislator Steve Englebright and Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico and Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich.

There was an entire ‘regiment’ of sponsors that helped guarantee the success of the event: Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, Krista’s Design Studio, Margo Arceri, Scott Heaney Mill Creek Agency, Inc., Legislator Steve Englebright, The Setauket Neighborhood House, Guy Nicosia/ CEO Strategic Planning, Beth Shatles, Joe Ventimiglia Fine Art, P Mones and Herb Mones, Island Federal Credit Union, Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, Colleen Keneflick, Dr Nora Galambos, RADIANCE by the Harbor, and the Reboli Center for Art and History. In addition, dozens of local businesses donated raffle prizes.

Several of the community’s leading organizations showcased their activities, literature and programs in the Lakeside Room including the New York Marine Rescue, Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium, Ward Melville Heritage Organization, Three Village Community Trust, Three Village Garden Club, Reboli Center and the Rocky Point Historical Society who all shared information and more.

Interest was ‘revolutionary’ – and the event quickly sold out. Money raised will go towards education, historic preservation and patriotic/veteran’s endeavors. Check the DAR’s website for further information on the event or to see what will be happening during the upcoming year: https://annasmithstrongnsdar.org

100 Years Ago This Month: Historical events from May 1925

by Press Release - May 1, 2025

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DePaolo_Peter1 — Peter DePaolo. Photo courtesy IMS Museum

The month of May has been home to many historical events over the years. Here’s a look at some that helped to shape the world in May 1925.

• “Pink’s War” comes to an end on May 1. The campaign was a British aerial bombardment against the Mahsud tribe in British India’s Punjab Province. The campaign began on March 9.

• King Alexander of Yugoslavia signs a decree to have his brother, Prince George, interned as mentally incompetent on May 2. Prince George remained confined in an asylum for nearly two decades until his release was ordered by German occupying forces during World War II. Perhaps thanks to his internment, Prince George was the lone member of the royal family to avoid being exiled and named an enemy of the state upon conclusion of the war.

• James Naismith becomes a United States citizen on May 4. The 64-year-old Naismith, who invented the sport of basketball, was born in Canada but had lived inn the U.S. for 35 years before becoming an American citizen.

• Biology teacher John Scopes is arrested in Tennessee on May 5. Scopes is arrested teaching evolution, which was illegal in Tennessee. Scopes’s arrest led to one of the most notable trials in American history.

• Two students and a teacher are killed during the Wilno school massacre in Poland on May 6. Two eighth-grade students, one of whom was carrying a hand grenade and a pistol, instigated the massacre by attacking teachers.

• New York Yankees manager Miller Huggins benches Everett Scott on May 6, thus ending the player’s record of 1,307 consecutive games played, a streak that began in 1916.

• African American river worker Tom Lee saves 32 passengers who had been aboard the steamboat M.E. Norman on May 8. The steamboat capsized and sank on the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee, killing 23 passengers and crew.

• The Brooklyn Bridge reopens to vehicle traffic for the first time in almost three years on May 12. The bridge was closed in July 1922 due to problems with two suspension cables.

• American Martha Wise is convicted of murder on May 12. Wise poisoned 17 members of her family, killing three. Wise is sentenced to life in prison, where she ultimately died in 1971.

• Editorials in Japanese news media decry American plans to strengthen the naval base at Pearl Harbor on May 15. Some Japanese suggest the decision to strengthen the base is a harbinger of future American aggression towards Japan.

• Casey Stengel plays in his final Major League Baseball game on May 19, ending a 14-year playing career.

• Malcolm Little is born in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 19. Little would grow up and become a central figure in the American civil rights movement, by which time he was known as Malcolm X.

• Visitors from states along the United States and Canada border flock to Ontario on May 21 after legal 4.4 beer goes on sale in the province.

• The crew of the N25 seaplane, part of the Amundsen Polar Expedition led by explorer Roald Amundsen, is forced to touch down on ice on May 22. An accompanying plane, the N24, witnesses the landing and touches down as well. The explorers were attempting to be the first to fly to the North Pole, but spend weeks after touching down trying to chisel a runway out of the ice.

• Chicago mobster Angelo “Bloody Angelo” Genna is shot numerous times during a high-speed car chase on May 26. The North Side Gang is behind the attack, and Genna ultimately dies from his wounds.

• The Los Angeles police announce on May 30 they had foiled a kidnapping plot that targeted Hollywood stars Mary Pickford, Pola Negri and Buster Keaton.

• Peter DePaolo wins the 1925 Indianapolis 500 on May 30. DePaolo becomes the first driver to complete the course in fewer than five hours.

Town of Huntington to celebrate Municipal Clerks’ Week with open house tours from May 5 to 8

by Press Release - April 28, 2025

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Huntington-Town-Hall_ABBASw — File photo

Huntington Town Clerk and Records Management Officer Andrew Raia invites everyone to get a history of Huntington as the town celebrates Municipal Clerks’ Week from May 5 to May 8 with an open house at Town Hall, 100 Main St., Huntington from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visitors can view the town’s old records chest, old maps, the statue of American Hero Nathan Hale, the town’s ID dating 1666, Native American deeds, exhibits, memorabilia and other interesting documents during this free tour.

For further information on tours, please contact the Town Archivist, Antonia Mattheou at 631-351-3035, email [email protected] or click on link https://www.huntingtonny.gov/Archives.

Large group tours of 10 or more can be accommodated by scheduling an appointment through Town Archivist Antonia Mattheou.

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