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Caroline Church of Brookhaven

2023 Easter Egg Hunts on the North Shore

by Heidi Sutton - March 30, 2023

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Benners-egg-hunt-2022_ritajegan23 — Participants at Benner's Farm egg hunt in 2022. File photo by Rita J. Egan

By Heidi Sutton

Looking for Easter Egg Hunts on the North Shore? Here is a list of events for the next two weeks so grab your baskets and camera and hippity hop over to these fun springtime celebrations!

Cold Spring Harbor

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor will host egg hunts on April 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8 in 20 minute sessions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for children up to the age of 6 years old. Tickets are $12 per participating child, $5 “helper siblings” ages 7 to 12, $6 seniors, and $7 adults. To register, visit www.cshfishhatchery.org. 516-692-6768

Commack

Burr Winkle Park, Harvest Lane, Commack hosts a free egg hunt with over 4,000 eggs on April 8 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with games, prizes, special golden eggs and a free photo of your child with the Easter Bunny. Register at www.commackegghunt.com. 631-486-3811

East Northport

Seasonal ‘Scapes LI, 638 Larkfield Road, East Northport is hosting an egg hunt, craft and petting zoo for children ages 2 to 12 on April 2 from noon to 3 p.m. with a visit from the Easter Bunny. Each child will receive a basket as well. $10 per child. 631-888-3655

East Setauket

Benner’s Farm, 56 Gnarled Hollow Road, East Setauket invites the community to their annual Easter Egg Hunt Weekend on April 8 and 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be craft vendors, baby bunnies and chicks to hold, baby goats and sheep to see and pet, many other barnyard animals to visit with and feed, an egg hunt in the fields every half hour from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (book your time slot online), pictures with the Spring Bunny and more! This is a ticketed event only. Tickets are $12 per person and are sold only online. No tickets will be sold at the door. Visit www.bennersfarm.com. 631-689-8172

Elwood

Elwood Park, 305 Cuba Hill Road, Elwood will host an Easter Egg Hunt, on April 1. Sponsored by the Town of Huntington and Suffolk County Second Precinct police, the hunt will start at 9 a.m. for children ages 3-4; 10 a.m. for those who are 5-6, and 11 a.m. for children ages 7-8. The event is free but registration is required by visiting www.tohparks.net under special events.

Farmingdale

— Head to the Village Green, 361 Main St., Farmingdale for an Easter egg hunt on April 1 for ages 11 and under at 11 a.m. All are welcome to meet the Easter Bunny at the gazebo and have pictures taken. Free. Sponsored by the Farmingdale Village Cultural Arts Committee.

— Adventureland, 2245 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale hosts an Egg Scramble on April 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Rain date April 2) Kids receive a treat bag with Easter eggs and a coupon book for vendor tables scattered around the property. Tickets in advance online: $31.99 adults, $41.99 for ages 2-24; at the gate: $36.66 and $46.66 for ages 2-24; parking is free and admission ticket includes access to all the rides. 631-694-6868.

Farmingville

Join the Farmingville Historical Society for an Easter Egg Trail Hunt on April 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Embark on an Easter Egg Hunt through the Farmingville Hills County Park Trails, 501 Horseblock Road, Farmingville. At the last stop in the 1850 historic schoolhouse, kids can recycle their plastic eggs in exchange for a special gift and take a picture with the Easter Bunny. $15 per child. Preregister at www.fhsli.org.

Flanders

Friends of the Big Duck present an Easter egg hunt for “duck” eggs and a visit with Mother Goose at The Big Duck Ranch, 1012 Flanders Road, Flanders on April 1 at noon. (Rain date is April 2) For ages 2 to 9. Free. 631-284-3737 or 631-852-3377.

Greenlawn

Decker’s Nursery, 841 Pulaski Road, Greenlawn invites the community to come meet Peter Rabbit as he hosts an egg hunt on April 1 where you can win prizes. The hunt is separated by age group. Group hunts start 9 to 9:45 a.m. (for ages 3-5); 9:10 to 9:45 a.m. (for ages 6-8) and 10:15 to 11 a.m. (for ages 9-11). Free, register in advance at eventbrite.com. 631-261-1148.

Melville

Take part in an Easter Egg Hunt at White Post Farms, 250 Old Country Road, Melville 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April 1 to 9. Visit with the Easter Bunny (take your own pictures) too. Admission is $28.95. whitepostfarms.com, 631-351-9373.

Miller Place

The Miller Place–Mount Sinai Historical Society will host two egg hunts with games and bunny photos on April 2 with the first hunt from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for ages 0 to 4 and the second from 2:30 to 3:30 for children ages 5 to 8. $5 per child. Advance registration is required through Eventbrite (2023EggHunt.eventbrite.com). www.mpmshistoricalsociety.org.

Northport

The Village of Northport will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 9 at Northport Village Park at 1 p.m. Sponsored by the Northport/Centerport Lions Club. 516-380-6444

Port Jefferson

Join the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce for an Easter Parade and Egg Hunt in the Village of Port Jefferson on April 9 at noon. Enjoy an old-fashioned “Easter Bonnet” walking parade from Theatre Three to the Port Jefferson Village Center (all are welcome to wear their Easter best and march) followed by an Easter Egg Hunt on Harborfront Park’s Great Lawn at 12:15 p.m. for children ages 2 to 8. 631-473-1414

Rocky Point

Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School, 525 Route 25A, Rocky Point will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt for children ages 6 and under on April 1 at 11:30 a.m. with free Easter candy for all participants. Sponsored by the Rocky Point Lions Club. 631-744-1600

St. James – CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER

St. James Chamber of Commerce presents a free Spring Egg Hunt at Deepwells Farm Parking Field, Route 25A and Moriches Road, St. James on April 1 at 1 p.m. for children 1 to 10 years of age with prizes and fun galore plus pictures with the Easter Bunny. Event will be canceled if rain or inclement weather. 631-584-8510

Setauket

Caroline Church of Brookhaven, 1 Dyke Road, Setauket will host a free community Easter Egg Hunt with the Easter Bunny on April 8 at 10 a.m. with face painting, crafts and more. 631-941-4245

Smithtown

Join the Smithtown Historical Society, 239 East Main St., Smithtown for Egg Hunts on April 8 at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Enjoy refreshments, hanging out with the farm animals, and a special guest appearance from the Easter Bunny in between hunts. Event runs through 1 p.m. Admission to the farm is $5 per person via Eventbrite. 631-265-6768.

Wading River

No egg hunt here but The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River will host an Easter Celebration on April 1, 2 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with craft vendors, bounce house, a visit with the Easter Bunny and more. $10 per child in advance, $15 on day of; adults free. Additional fees apply for a carousel ride and face painting. www..eastwindlongisland.com, 631-929-3500

Three Village Historical Society’s Spirits Tour a spooky success

by TBR Staff - October 27, 2022

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Perfect weather and a gorgeous sunset kicked off the Three Village Historical Society’s 28th annual Spirits Tour, Spies of the American Revolution: Known and Unknown, on Oct. 22.

Volunteer guides introduced almost 300 guests to the ghosts of 16 spies (Benjamin Tallmadge; Benjamin Floyd; Thomas Strong; Keturah Strong; Jonas Hawkins; Ruth Hawkins; Jesse Smith Woodhull; Major John Andre; Nathan Hale; Catherine Roe; Austin Roe; George Washington; Abraham Cooper Woodhull; Caleb Brewster; and Amos and Mary Underhill) waiting for their arrival at the Caroline Church and Setauket Presbyterian Church graveyards during the sold-out event.

Along the way, visitors had the opportunity to walk in on conversations from whale boat captains, soldiers, tavern owners and children who were involved in the Culper Spy Ring.

“Participants learned about the struggles of everyday people who risked their lives for what they believed in … and that these brave Three Village residents were just like all of us, with a burden to carry to help our young nation turn the tide of the Revolutionary War,” said TVHS Director Mari Irizarry, who was pleased with the successful turnout with special thanks to Luigi’s Pizzeria, Ann Marie’s Farmstand, Druthers Coffee, Dunkin Donuts of Stony Brook, Stop & Shop of Setauket, Setauket Presbyterian Church, Caroline Church, Daughters of the American Revolution – Anna Smith Strong Chapter and the Long Island Youth Development, Inc. Music Club “and of course all of the countless volunteers.”

Representing the 16 spirits, from left, Art Billadello, Stephanie Carsten, Owen Murphy, Iris Rosenhagen, Mort Rosen, Donna Smith, Ryan Worrell, Chris De Francis, Steve Healy, Bianca Dresch, Stephanie Sakson, George Overin, Rob Pelligrino, Tom Cominskey, Theresa Travers and George Fear.

Next up, the TVHS will host their 43rd annual Candlelight House Tour on Dec. 2 and 3. Check their website, www.tvhs.org, for updates.

All photos by Raina Angelier

TVHS and Tri-Spy Tours presents a virtual Culper Spy Day this weekend

by TBR Staff - September 10, 2020

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Culper Spy Day 2019 — Three Village Historical Society’s Director of Education Donna Smith and historian Beverly C. Tyler. Photo from TVHS

Margo Arceri first heard about George Washington’s Setauket spies from her Strong’s Neck neighbor and local historian, Kate W. Strong, in the early 1970s. Arceri lights up when talking about her favorite spy, Anna Smith Strong.

“Kate W. Strong, Anna Smith Strong’s great-great-granddaughter, originally told me about the Culper Spy Ring when I used to visit her with my neighbor and Strong descendant Raymond Brewster Strong III. One of her stories was about Nancy (Anna Smith Strong’s nickname) and her magic clothesline. My love of history grew from there,” she said.

Seven years ago Arceri approached the Three Village Historical Society’s President Steve Hintze and the board about conducting walking, biking and kayaking tours while sharing her knowledge of George Washington’s Long Island intelligence during the American Revolution.

Today, Arceri runs Tri-Spy Tours in the Three Village area, which follows in the actual footsteps of the Culper Spy Ring. “I wanted to target that 20- to 60-year-old active person,” she said. “I have to thank AMC’s miniseries ‘Turn’ because 80 percent of the people who sign up for the tour do so because of that show,” she laughs.

It was during one of those tours that Arceri came up with the idea of having a Culper Spy Day, a day to honor the members of Long Island’s brave Patriot spy ring who helped change the course of history and helped Washington win the Revolutionary War.

“Visiting places like the Brewster House, which is owned by The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, the grave site of genre artist William Sidney Mount at the Setauket Presbyterian Church cemetery (whose paintings are at The Long Island Museum) and the Country House, which was built in the 1700s,” Arceri thought “there has to be a day designated to celebrating all these organizations in the Three Villages and surrounding areas; where each of us can give our little piece of the story and that’s how Culper Spy Day developed.”

After a successful five-year run, plans were underway for the sixth annual Culper Spy Day when the pandemic hit. At first the event was canceled out an abundance of caution but now has been reinvented and will be presented virtually on Facebook Live on Sept. 12 and 13 to be enjoyed from the comfort of your home.

The Three Village area is full of hidden intrigue and stories of how America’s first spy ring came together secretly to provide General George Washington the information he needed to turn the tide of the American Revolution.

Over the course of the weekend, you will have the chance to visit many of the cultural organizations from years past who will share their story, including the Three Village Historical Society, Tri-Spy Tours, Ward Melville Heritage Organization, Special Collections and University Archives at Stony Brook University, Preservation Long Island, Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, Drowned Meadow Cottage, Caroline Church of Brookhaven, Ketcham Inn Foundation and more in a virtual format.

■ Join Margo Arceri from Tri-Spy Tours live from the Village Green on Saturday at 9 a.m.

■ Meet Big Bill the Tory live at the Sherwood-Jayne House.

■ Take a Virtual Spies! exhibit tour with TVHS historian Bev Tyler.

■ Visit the famous Brewster House with Ward Melville Heritage Organization Education Director Deborah Boudreau.

■ View a resource guide to everything Culper Spy Day courtesy of Emma Clark Library.

■ Watch a short film on Long Island’s South Shore from the Ketcham Inn Foundation.

■ Make your very own periscope with Gallery North.

■ Read up on the Revolutionary War History from the Caroline Church of Brookhaven.

■ Look back at the festivities from 2016 Culper Spy Day.

■ Don’t miss the five part virtual spy tour series with historian Bev Tyler.

■ Listen to the lecture “Spies in the Archive: A history of two George Washington Culper Spy Ring letters presented by Kristen Nyitray Special Collections, Stony Brook University Libraries.

■ Learn about SBU’s two Culper Spy Ring letters and access images and transcripts Special Collections, Stony Brook University Libraries

■ Dive into George Washington & the Culper Spy Ring A comprehensive research and study guide Special Collections, Stony Brook University Libraries

■ Find out who Agent 355 was from historian Bev Tyler.

■ Listen to the story of Nancy’s Magic Clothesline, written by Kate Wheeler Strong, and told by Margo Arceri.

No registration is necessary. For more information, visit www.tvhs.org/virtualculperday.

Three Village Historical Society’s Spirits Tour a spooky hit

by TBR Staff - October 24, 2019

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The 25th annual Spirits Cemetery Tour: The Unforgotten will be long remembered as a great success for Three Village Historical Society and a night of spooky merriment for both volunteers and visitors. The event, co-chaired by Frank Turano and Janet McCauley, was sold out days in advance and attracted around 340 visitors.

The actors, dressed in period garb provided by Antique Costumes and Prop Rental by Nan Guzzetta, mingled among tombstones and tourgoers at the Setauket Presbyterian Church cemetery and Caroline Church of Brookhaven cemetery. Twelve “spirits” recounted stories of lives that spanned the centuries and crossed the continents, but all connected to Setauket.

Before embarking on the walk, groups gathered in the Presbyterian Church community room. There they enjoyed complimentary donuts and cider, time period appropriate harpsichord music from Kyle Collins of Three Village Chamber Players, an exhibit curated by archivist Karen Martin of photos and other primary source materials about the people who were depicted on the tour and an interactive photo station. The tour ended at the Caroline Church carriage shed, where guests sampled cookies and apple cider. Food and beverages were provided by Ann Marie’s Farm Stand, Stop & Shop East Setauket and Starbucks East Setauket.

Preparations are already underway for Spirits Cemetery Tour October 2020, which will feature the Spirits of Chicken Hill! If you are interested in volunteering as an actor or in some other capacity for the next tour, please call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.

Photos by Anthony White and Beverly C. Tyler

25th Annual Spirits Tour Honors Area’s Unsung Heroes

by Melissa Arnold - October 10, 2019

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Spirits Tour — Stephanie Carsten portrays Maria Smith Williamson at last year’s event. Photo courtesy of TVHS

By Melissa Arnold

Ah, October. The perfect time of year to grab a light jacket, sip a hot drink, and go for a casual walk through a cemetery.

For a quarter of a century, the Three Village Historical Society has invited visitors from far and wide to explore the lives of some of our area’s greatest contributors, both famous and little known at its annual Spirits Tour.

The interesting twist is that the event brings guests on a walking tour through two of Setauket’s historic cemeteries — Caroline Church of Brookhaven Cemetery and the Setauket Presbyterian Church Cemetery — to meet each deceased community member and hear his or her story firsthand.

It’s a unique, fascinating and engaging way to learn more about the area’s rich history, and none of it is scary or Halloween-themed. They promise.

The long-running event, held this year on Oct. 19, is primarily the work of historical society board member Frank Turano who creates detailed scripts for each character and has written more than 400 pages over the past 25 years.

The historical society works hard to ensure that the tour is different each year, with some familiar faces as well as new people to meet. This year’s theme, The Unforgotten, focuses on names you might not know from history class but who still made a significant impact on the area.

“There were a number of people I knew about that never got any sort of notoriety,” said Turano. “So I decided to go about the process of finding interesting but obscure characters. It took several months to write the scripts.”

Volunteers from around the community, many of whom are involved with local theater productions, suit up for the evening in period attire from Nan’s Antique Costume & Props Rental in Port Jefferson for a true-to-life experience.

The cast

Greeter

(Tim Adams)

Richard Floyd

(Michael Freed)

Anna Kopriva

(Karen Overin)

Myra Lyons

(Stephanie Carsten)

Edward Pheiffer

(Tommy Ranieri)

Justice Carl Rhuland

(Steve Healy)

John Scott

(Mort Rosen)

Gen. Francis Spinola

(George Overin)

Caroline Strong

(Karin Lynch)

Hilma Wilson

(Tara Ebrahimian)

Sarah Young

(Theresa Travers)

Henrietta Shipman

(Cathleen Shannon)

Marjorie Cutler Bishop

(Stephanie Sakson)

“I live in the area, and it feels great to be connected to the place where I live,” said Janet McCauley, a board member of the historical society who’s also served as co-chair for the tour for more than 10 years. “It’s so much fun watching the actors portray these different figures in our history, and to see people from the community come back year after year.”

The 90-minute guided tour will include a dozen historical figures, among them Brookhaven town founder Richard Floyd, World War I nurse Caroline Strong, and Sarah Young, a woman with a curious story and shocking devotion to the man she loved. For the first time ever, this year’s tour features more women than men, a difficult feat considering the majority of historical records were written about and by men, Turano said.

Even Three Village Historical Society President Steve Healy is getting in on the action with a portrayal of Justice Carl Rhuland, a local businessman and justice of the peace.

“The Spirits Tour is one of the longest-running events of its kind and it’s close to my heart,” Healy said. “You can go on this tour every year and learn something new. Everyone is so passionate about bringing these stories to life, from the costumes to casting to script writing and the fine details. Frank has incredible attention to detail and this time of year provides the perfect atmosphere for the tour.”

McCauley urges all tour goers to arrive early, dress for extended time outdoors and to wear comfortable walking shoes. And of course, help yourself to apple cider and donuts donated from local supermarkets and Ann Marie’s Farmstand in Setauket. An exhibit with additional information will be on display at Setauket Presbyterian Church throughout the night.

The 25th Annual Spirits Tour will be held on Saturday, Oct. 19 (rain date Oct. 26). Tours, which are approximately 90 minutes long, leave from the Setauket Presbyterian Church, 5 Caroline Ave., Setauket every 15 minutes starting at 5 p.m. Each tour lasts approximately 1½ to 2 hours. The last tour departs at 7:45 p.m.

Tickets in advance at www.tvhs.org are $25 adults, $15 members; $10 children under 12, $8 members. Tickets on the night of the event, if available, are $30 adults, $20 members; $12 children under 12, $10 members. For more information, call 631-751-3730.

Setauket churches kick off summer with annual fair

by Rita J. Egan - June 3, 2019

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On June 1, under partially sunny skies, residents of Setauket and beyond enjoyed raffles, games, a bounce house, music, a dunk tank, pony rides and more on the Village Green.

The annual Setauket Church Fair was organized by the Setauket Presbyterian Church and Caroline Church of Brookhaven. The Presbyterian church also offered a tag sale, and the Caroline Church set up a barn sale, where attendees could find items of all kinds including jewelry, dishware and toys.

The 2019 fair benefits To Write Love on Her Arms (a nonprofit dedicated to providing hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide) and also KO Cares (a nonprofit that addresses the needs of disadvantaged communities on Long Island).

Search begins to unearth history at Patriots Rock and Setauket Village Green

by Rita J. Egan - April 17, 2019

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Patriots Rock William Sidney MountW — ‘The Rock on the Green,’ 1865, by William Sidney Mount

Archaeologists and historians are scheduled to explore the Setauket Village Green to see what they can unearth about Long Island’s Revolutionary War history.

The Lamar Institute has begun a month-long field research project titled The Struggle for Long Island: Expanding Revolutionary War Studies in New York funded by a $60,000 American Battlefield Protection Program grant from the National Park Service and $5,200 in contributions from Lamar. The Georgia-based nonprofit, which conducts archaeological research to advance public awareness, has organized historians, archaeologists, residents and City University of New York students to explore three military sites occupied by Loyalists on the North Shore during the Revolutionary War — the Setauket Village Green, Fort Slongo (now known as Fort Salonga) and Fort Franklin in Lloyd’s Neck.

A reenactor reads the plaque on Patriots Rock. Photo from Three Village Community Trust

Barbara Russell, Town of Brookhaven historian and a Caroline Church of Brookhaven vestry member, said the project was presented to the church’s vestry last year for permission to access the site.

“This is all quite exciting to have respected and qualified researchers from the Lamar Institute in and around our Village Green,” she said. “Historians always welcome further study, and I hope the community will come by and watch the process take place.”

Field research began April 15 in Fort Salonga and will continue April 22 for a week at the Village Green. This will be followed by more studies in Lloyd’s Neck during the week of April 29. While the team has been given permission to research Fort Slongo, which is on private property, property owners have not given permission to study Fort Franklin, which is also on privately owned land. Instead the team will only be able to do work on property that was once the battlefield.

The project will focus on the North Shore areas where the Patriot attacks on the three forts led to their victory at Fort Salonga. Daniel Elliot, president of the Lamar Institute, said the research would include ground penetrating radar survey, systematic controlled metal detection survey, small excavations of key targets, total station laser transit mapping, drone-assisted aerial videography and laboratory analysis. The findings will enable the identification of battlefields and provide data regarding military strategies.

The itinerary for Setauket includes searches of the Patriots Rock tract across from Frank Melville Memorial Park, Setauket Presbyterian Church property and the Village Green and the green and front parking area of Caroline Church of Brookhaven.

Elliot said even though similar studies have been conducted in Georgia and South Carolina, this is the first one in New York and north of the Mason-Dixon Line. While not all the forts have a visible footprint like Fort Slongo, written accounts from those who fought and a map from the Culper spies will help guide them to their exact locations.

“We’re trying to bring them back to life a little bit and increase public awareness of what’s out here,” Elliot said.

“It’s really an American story.”

—David Griffin

The Battle of Fort Slongo, led by Benjamin Tallmadge, he said was a victory for the Patriots where an injured Elijah Churchill became the recipient of the first Badge of Military Merit, which became the Purple Heart.

“It’s one of the few success stories on the Island for the Americans during the war,” Elliot said.

David Griffin, a local historian, has been collaborating on the project. An architect by trade, he’s the author of the book “Lost British Forts of Long Island.” He said there are plenty of lost stories and various interpretations of what happened on the Island when it comes to the Revolutionary War.

The historian said with the use of underground radar and metal detectors, field researchers will be able to find artifacts such as iron musket balls and jacket buttons that will tell a lot more about who was shooting at whom and in what direction. The research will also help to see how many people were engaged, and the size of a musket ball can determine to which side it belonged.

He said many times in cases like these, relics aren’t found too deep in the ground, with most being around 4 to 6 inches deep. As for the Setauket battleground, Griffin said no one knows for sure where the fort walls were, and with ground radar, they may be able to determine its exact location.

Griffin said he is looking forward to learning more about the sites and the forts, and he pointed out that the Loyalists who built them were Americans.

“It’s really an American story,” he said. “Even though we think it was the British that were here, it’s really the Loyalist Americans who built these and tended to them, and the Patriots, who were also Americans, were the people who were attacking the posts, so it really is a very local story of Americans.”

The project will be discussed at a future Three Village Community Trust Join the Conversation presentation with Elliott, Griffin and Sheldon Skaggs, assistant professor at City University of New York. Resulting interpretation also will be documented in a report available to the public on the Lamar Institute’s website, www.thelamarinstitute.org by September 2020.

Caroline Church of Brookhaven receives second grant for shed

by Rita J. Egan - January 17, 2019

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Caroline-Church-Shed-post-stabilizationw — The Carriage Shed pictured post stabilization. Photo from Caroline Church of Brookhaven

The Carriage Shed at the Caroline Church of Brookhaven continues to receive a makeover.

The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation announced Jan. 11 it had recently awarded the church a matching grant of $10,950. The grant is to cover the cost of replacing the cedar roof on the shed, and according to Barbara Russell, a junior warden at the church and Town of Brookhaven historian, work has already started on the roof as Jan. 15.

The grant marks the second time in the last two years the church has received funds from the foundation. The first matching grant of $23,700 was awarded in 2017 and was used to help stabilize the shed, which was built in 1887. The shed’s internal framework needed replacing as the supporting locust poles were sinking into the ground, according to Russell.

The historian said the congregation was grateful to the foundation for its help.

“Our shared commitment to telling the story of our rich heritage of our communities is exemplified in our ongoing collaboration,” Russell said. “We look forward to the full restoration of the shed in time for our [upcoming] anniversary celebration.”

Father Richard Visconti, rector of Caroline Church, above, watches the Carriage Shed roof being installed. Photo from Caroline Church of Brookhaven

Kathryn Curran, executive director of the Gardiner foundation, called the shed “an icon to the community.” When a nonprofit like the Caroline Church applies for a matching grant from the foundation, she said, they must have the full funding match in place. She added two-part projects like the shed are not unusual.

“There are times when an organization needs to break the project into doable funded portions,” she said. “When a RDLGF grant is awarded, an applicant must complete that first contracted grant and have their final report accepted by the foundation before another application will be reviewed. The Caroline Church applied for two separate grants in two years to complete this project.”

Located on the east side of Bates Road on the church’s property, the Carriage Shed is one of four contributing structures to the church being on the National Register of Historic Places. The shed was initially intended for members to park their carriages while attending services and in later years was used for parishioners to park their cars.

The Caroline Church celebrates its 296th anniversary later this month. Russell said the congregation will commemorate the milestone at their 9:30 a.m. service Jan. 27, and an event to celebrate the restored shed will be held at a later date.

Caroline Church congregation says farewell to former rector, friend

by Rita J. Egan - April 25, 2018

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Victim of Shelter Island home invasion laid to rest in Setauket

Rev-Canon-Paul-Wancura-funeral_042418_reganw — Mourners fill the small cemetery of Caroline Church of Brookhaven to lay to rest the Rev. Canon Paul Wancura. The church’s former rector was left tied up in his Shelter Island home after a burglary in March and died April 16 due to his injuries. Photo by Rita J. Egan

The Caroline Church of Brookhaven was filled to capacity with mourners saying their last goodbyes to the Rev. Canon Paul Wancura April 24.

The Rev. Canon Paul Wancura visited Caroline Church for his 85th birthday in 2015. Photo from Caroline Church of Brookhaven

The Caroline Church of Brookhaven was filled to capacity with mourners saying their last goodbyes to the Rev. Canon Paul Wancura April 24.

Wancura, a former rector of the church, died of injuries sustained during a home invasion on Shelter Island last month. The local town police discovered the injured 87-year-old March 19 when they responded to a call to check on the welfare of the reverend, according to a statement from the Suffolk County Police Department. The officers found the residence was burglarized and jewelry was stolen. Wancura was transported by helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital, but died April 16 after a 29-day battle to recover from his injuries.

Wancura arrived at Caroline Church as rector in 1974 and served for 26 years.

Former vestry member Michael Russell said the reverend married him and his wife, Brookhaven Town Historian Barbara Russell, in 1978. He said Wancura was the reason many began bringing their families to the Episcopal church due to his vibrancy, intellect and wit.

“There was just something about him,” Russell said. “You’d love talking to him, and you’d love being with him. So not only was he our rector, but he was a friend to a lot of us.”

Russell said he and many other church members kept in touch with Wancura after he left the church. He became the interim rector for 10 years at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greenport and then spent seven months at Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Central Islip.

“You’d love talking to him, and you’d love being with him. So not only was he our rector, but he was a friend to a lot of us.”

— Michael Russell

Before his tenure with Caroline Church, Wancura worked for IBM and served in the military. When he returned from Europe serving in counterintelligence, he received his Master of Divinity from The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church and served as rector of his first parish in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. He was also appointed the archdeacon of Suffolk County before becoming rector of Caroline Church, according to his obituary.

Visiting Wancura at the hospital after the attack, Russell said the reverend seemed to be on the road to recovery and returning to his usual sharp, witty self. He and others were shocked to hear of his death and are still coming to terms with the attack.

During the funeral Mass, the Rev. Lawrence Provenzano, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, said a friend suggested he pray through the anguish he felt after hearing the news of Wancura’s death.

“Every one of us has been horrified by what has happened,” Provenzano said. “We have each in our own way expressed disbelief that such a thing could happen to one whom we have known, whom we have loved.”

After the Mass, Wancura was buried in the churchyard next to his wife, Helen.

Church explores history of growth, change

by TBR Staff - September 28, 2017

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Caroline-Church-exhibitw — Caroline Church is hosting an exhibit exploring the early history of the church, the Three Village area and the country, Oct. 7 through 9. Photo from Beverly C. Tyler

By Beverly C. Tyler

A new exhibit, “The 1800s, Growth and Change: The Church, The Community, The Country,” will be open to the public Oct. 7 through 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the history center of Caroline Church of Brookhaven, located at 1 Dyke Road, Setauket.

The exhibit details how Caroline Church recovered and prospered following the decades after the Revolutionary War. It also features the 1887 Caroline Church carriage shed which is one of the structures listed along with the church on the National Register of Historic Places in America and is currently being restored to its original state.

Caroline Church at the turn of the 20th century. Photo from Beverly C. Tyler

The exhibit section on the community illustrates, on various panels, how the Three Village area moved from an agricultural base to an industrial community with shipbuilding, a piano factory, a rubber factory and other industries. Featured photographs in the exhibit include two 4-foot long overlapping images of the Setauket area photographed on site in 1878 by George Bradford Brainerd (1845-1887). The photos, taken when there were few trees to hide the view, show the entire area from the Setauket Mill Pond to Route 25A. A series of questions then asks the viewer to identify various structures. Barbara Russell, Brookhaven Town historian and a member of the Caroline Church Historical Commission said, “We thought it would be more interesting to give a background on the photos, and then let the viewer find things, rather than point everything out.”

The section on the country features women’s work in both home and community, some of the local effects of the Civil War, the expansion of the public school system and other events that defined community life in the 19th century.

The exhibit opening is scheduled as part of New York State’s Path Through History weekends, when many events are scheduled to celebrate the state’s rich heritage. In addition to the exhibit at the 1729 Caroline Church, the Three Village Historical Society walking tour “Abraham Woodhull: Farmer and Revolutionary War Spy” will be held on Saturday, Oct. 7, starting at 2 p.m. from the Caroline Church front parking lot. The tour will include locations where the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring operated.

Beverly Tyler is Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the society at 93 North Country Road, Setauket. For more information, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.

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