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‘Chicken Hill: A Community Lost to Time’

From left, Kayleigh Smith and Kimberly Phyfe of the Three Village Historical Society. Photo from TVHS

By Kimberly Phyfe

The Three Village Historical Society & Museum (TVHS) recently received an Award of Excellence from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network (GHHN).

For 2025, Chicken Hill: A Community Lost to Time was recognized as Exhibit of the Year — the first time a completely digital museum exhibit has received this award.

The Landmark Preservation Society partnered with GHHN to present these awards on May 7 in Poughkeepsie. Representing TVHS were Research Fellow and Public Programs Coordinator, Kayleigh Smith and Community Engagement Manager, Kimberly Phyfe.

From left, Kayleigh Smith and Kimberly Phyfe of the Three Village Historical Society. Photo from TVHS

There, TVHS received the GHHN Award for Excellence for their new online exhibit, Chicken Hill — A Community Lost to Time. These awards recognize and commend exceptional efforts among museums throughout New York State. They are presented to projects that exemplify creativity and professional vision, contributing to the preservation and interpretation of the historic landscape, material culture, and the diversity of the region.

Smith and TVHS Visitor Services Associate Jack Maloney finalized the project in March of 2025 after months of cataloging, researching, and compiling information about the exhibit. By digitizing this exhibit, the TVHS brings more public awareness to the importance of local history by breathing new life into it via the online platform.

The Three Village Historical Society & Museum is grateful to be recognized for this innovative way they transformed a permanent exhibit of thirteen years into a multi-media interactive website, contributing to understanding not only our local history, but broader state and national narratives, and preserving our shared cultural heritage.

Chicken Hill’s story isn’t the first of its kind. It is reflective of many multiethnic communities born from industries of labor across the United States. This interactive, multi-media approach can open doors to meaningful conversations of the importance of marginalized communities in local history.

“The online exhibit features the section Conflict and Turmoil which was not part of the physical display,” said Mari Irizarry, Society Director. “After many years of continuous engagement with local community, and new perspectives being brought to light, the society made sure to include these stories never before seen. By adding this section, we hope to further collective understanding, to highlight additional perspectives excluded from the original curation, and demonstrate a nuanced interpretation of a community that no longer exists physically but whose story helps us connect to the people who built this community.”

Chicken Hill: A Community Lost to Time can be experienced online at any time by visiting tvhs.org.

Author Kimberly Phyfe is the Community Engagement Manager at the Three Village Historical Society & Museum headquartered at 93 North Country Road in Setauket.

By Scott Ferrara

The Three Village Historical Society and Museum (TVHS) is set to close its award-winning exhibit, “Chicken Hill: A Community Lost to Time,” marking the final opportunity for visitors to experience this cherished piece of local history. The exhibit’s closure is part of a broader collaborative effort leading up to the highly anticipated openings of the Dominick-Crawford Barn Education and History Center and the Three Village Community Trust’s Rubber Factory Worker Houses. The exhibit will remain open through February, with its final day of public viewing on February 23, 2025.

Conceived and curated in 2012 by historian Frank Turano, PhD, with the assistance of Society Archivist Karen Martin, Robert Gladwish, and Joseph Bova, Jr., the Chicken Hill exhibit has been a cornerstone of the Society’s programming. Generously underwritten by Fred Bryant and the Bryant Funeral Home, the exhibit has received national acclaim, including the prestigious “Award of Merit” from the American Association for State and Local History- an honor shared with the 9/11 Museum in New York City the year it was awarded.

This interactive multimedia exhibit delves into the fascinating history of a vibrant, working-class, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic community in the Three Village area between 1857 and 1960. Over the past decade, the exhibit has welcomed countless visitors, including group and school tours, and inspired educational projects while evoking cherished memories for long-time residents.

The history of Chicken Hill

“Chicken Hill” was the historical name for the area surrounding the Setauket Methodist Church at Main Street and Route 25A. Initially a hub for workers at the Nunns and Clark piano factory, the community gained its name from the many chickens that roamed freely among the homes. The factory, which included members of the renowned Steinway family, produced hundreds of pianos annually before its decline during the Civil War.

In 1876, the abandoned factory was transformed into the Setauket Rubber Factory, which became Suffolk County’s largest employer, with over 500 workers—many of whom were Eastern European Jewish immigrants. The factory’s closure in the early 1900s, following a series of mysterious fires, marked the end of one chapter in Chicken Hill’s story.

The exhibit focuses on the community’s final era (1930–1950), showcasing a rich tapestry of cultures, including Russians, Lithuanians, Poles, Italians, Irish, Native Americans, and African Americans. It highlights their contributions as business owners, house servants, gardeners, school bus drivers, and more. The area also reflected a unique religious diversity, with African Methodist Episcopal, Catholic, and Jewish congregations coexisting in this community.

Looking ahead

Visitors in February can enjoy special guided tours led by original exhibit creators and contributors. Following its closure, exhibit materials will be repurposed for an expanded display at the Rubber Factory Worker Houses, operated by the Three Village Community Trust at 184 Main Street, Setauket. This upcoming iteration will include newly unearthed artifacts and offer a deeper exploration of Chicken Hill’s legacy.

Additionally, educational programming inspired by the exhibit will be transformed into a digital format, making the history of Chicken Hill accessible through the TVHS website.

Located at 93 North Country Road in Setauket, the museum and gift shop are open Friday through Monday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children and students, free for members. For more information, including tour schedules, call 631-751-3730 or visit www.tvhs.org.

Author Scott Ferrara is curator at the TVHS.

By Cayla Rosenhagen

Cayla Rosenhagen

The past teaches us invaluable lessons about unity, courage, and overcoming challenges. By studying our community’s deep history, we not only celebrate and learn from the tales of historic heroes and heroines, but also form stronger bonds with those we share our community with.

The Three Village Historical Society seeks to strengthen those ties through its work in preservation and education. Their museum at the Bayles-Swezey House in Setauket evokes the passion for history of its curators in an environment that emphasizes the important roles the Three Village area has played throughout the years. 

I recently had the honor of interviewing Mari Irizarry, appointed earlier this year as the Director of the TVHS, who has brought a wealth of expertise and passion to the Three Village community. According to Irizarry, the organization was founded by volunteers in 1964 to preserve the stories and artifacts of the community. “Sixty years later, that mission is at the backbone of the Society. We are stronger than ever, and it is because of community members and volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to preserving and sharing stories with the public,” she said.

Did you know Setauket and its ancestral residents played a pivotal role in the American Revolution? In fact, General George Washington employed the help of several Long Island spies to gather intelligence on the British army’s operations in what is known as the Culper Spy Ring. The TVHS’s exhibit, “SPIES!” features a large, interactive space where you can follow the daring stories of members of the Ring and learn how they conveyed coded and hidden messages without being discovered by the British troops occupying Long Island.

The history center’s other exhibit, “Chicken Hill: A Community Lost to Time” sheds light on a diverse community that used to reside in a small area of Setauket. The bygone village still has lessons to teach us all about neighborliness and unity. Over the course of its existence from the Industrial Revolution to the mid-20th century, the area was a melting pot for several minorities including Eastern European Jews, African Americans, and Indigenous Americans.

Despite the fact that its residents practiced different religions and customs and spoke in many languages, Chicken Hill was a cohesive community. The museum has preserved its legacy by showcasing the stories of former residents in the “I Remember” portion of the exhibit, and what life was like then through its informative displays and artifacts.   

The museum grounds are also home to the Three Village Farmer’s Market on Fridays currently from 3 to 7 p.m. and in October from 2 to 6 p.m. Stop by to pick up some groceries and handmade gifts and enjoy the museum’s pay-what-you-can open house and access to all the exhibits.

In addition, celebrate Revolutionary War heroes by attending the TVHS’s 8th annual Culper Spy Day at the museum grounds on Sept. 10. Throughout the day, guests can enjoy an immersive colonial-era experience and participate in interactive activities such as crafts and games. 

Irizarry was eager to share some more highly-anticipated events:

“Next up, after Culper Spy Day, we’re excited to bring back the Spirits Tour on October 22 where guests will join guides through the Setauket Presbyterian and Caroline Church graveyards to listen to stories from costumed actors who will portray the unknown spies during the American Revolution. We’ll cap off the year with the time-honored tradition of the Candlelight House Tour that will take place in the historic neighborhood of Old Field on Dec. 2 and 3. Five homes will be expertly decorated for the holiday season and guests will tour each home learning about the historical architecture and design.”

Visit the museum located at 93 North Country Road in Setauket on Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m., Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children, and is free for TVHS members. For more information about the TVHS’s events, including tours of the exhibits, visit their website at www.tvhs.org or call 631-751-3730. 

Cayla Rosenhagen is a local high school student who enjoys capturing the unique charm of the community through photography and journalism. She serves on the board of directors for the Four Harbors Audubon Society and Brookhaven’s Youth Board, and is the founder and coordinator of Beach Bucket Brigade, a community outreach program dedicated to environmental awareness, engagement, and education. She is also an avid birder, hiker, and artist who is concurrently enrolled in college.