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Nellie Edwards

A  fun family event that celebrates a forgotten part of the history of the Three Villages

Tickets are now on sale for the Three Village Community Trust’s 9th annual Chicken Hill BBQ, a genuine old-fashioned country picnic to be held on the lawn of the Bruce House and the Rubber Factory Worker Houses, 148 Main St., Setauket on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Titled Celebrating a Special Time and Place in Our Past, the event will feature delicious food, live music by the Rum Dogs, house tours, raffle baskets, auction items and more with special guests Hub and Nellie Edwards.

This year’s barbecue has an expanded menu with pulled pork, BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage and peppers, watermelon and more!  

At one time, the area surrounding the Three Village Community Trust’s Headquarters, and the Factory Houses, at 148 Main Street was known as Chicken Hill. Extending a half mile in each direction, Chicken Hill was a diverse, multi-cultural neighborhood that became an important foundation for today’s Three Village community! Many of the people living in Chicken Hill in the 1800’s and early 1900’s were southern and Eastern European immigrants, Irish immigrants, Native Americans and African Americans – all who worked at the local Setauket Rubber Factory. The ‘Immigrant Factory Houses’ at 148 Main Street are a visible reminder of a bygone era.

Tickets are $30 adults in advance ($40 at the door); children ages 5 to 12 $10; children under the age of 5 are free. Rain date is Aug. 18. Proceeds benefit the Trust’s ongoing restoration projects. To order tickets, visit threevillagecommunitytrust.org. 631-689-0225

All proceeds from the event will go to the ongoing restoration of the Factory Worker Houses, and the other historical properties of the Trust, as well as the upkeep of the Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway. 

Date: Saturday, August 17th, 2024

Site: 148 Main Street, Setauket 

Time: Grounds open at 4pm with live music by the Rum Dogs

Tickets: $30 per person, $40 at the door, Kids 5-12 $10, Under 5 free

Online sales at: threevillagecommunitytrust.org or mail your check to TVCT, PO Box 2596, Setauket, NY 11733

Benefit: Restoration projects of the Trust.  

Bring: BYOB 

Need more info? Call H. Mones at 631-942-4558, or write to [email protected], or [email protected]  

Background: 

The three Factory Worker Houses at 148 Main Street in Setauket were built in the late 1800’s and represent an important part of the American immigrant experience.

Near this site, the Setauket Rubber Factory operated as Long Island’s leading producer of domestic goods. Hundreds of workers helped manufacture such items as shoes, boots, belts, tires and rain gear.

Immigrants arriving in New York City from Eastern Europe and Russia were promised steady work and inexpensive housing. These new Americans came to this area in the hopes of a better life, although the work was difficult, conditions poor and the pay low.

Housing was provided by the factory owners in the form of small “factory houses” located throughout the community. Each of the “company houses” has essentially two rooms – one room on the first floor and one on the second floor. Several families would crowd into the houses to afford the monthly rent payments. The area surrounding the three factory houses at 148 Main Street (a half mile in each direction) – was known as “Chicken Hill.” The factory houses at this site still maintain their original interior and exterior – allowing visitors a look ‘back in time.’

Despite the poor working and living conditions, the immigrants helped build a vibrant community. By 1881, there were enough Irish-Catholics in Setauket to hold a St. Patrick’s Day Parade and build the community’s first Catholic Church on Main Street. The Jewish population, recruited from Ellis Island, was large enough to support a synagogue – the first on Long Island outside of Brooklyn and Queens – called Agudas Achim or “Good Fellowship.

Saved from demolition due to the efforts of former NYS Assemblyman Steven Englebright, the Three Village Community Trust and dedicated community volunteers, the “Immigrant Worker Factory Houses” were moved to the Trust’s headquarters for the purpose of preservation, restoration, and education.

Today, these small, rustic houses are a visual reminder of the hopes, dreams and struggles of so many of our nation’s immigrants.  And, every year, the Chicken Hill Country Picnic keeps the memory of ‘a community lost in time’ alive! 

Gen. George Washington (John Galla) with his headquarter’s flag. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Gen. Benedict Arnold (Brian Cea). Photo by Heidi Sutton
Gen. Benedict Arnold (Brian Cea). Photo by Heidi Sutton

The chilly 45-degree weather did not deter almost 300 brave souls who came out for a special walk through local history last Saturday night as the Three Village Historical Society held its 21st annual Spirits Tour, “The Culper Spy Ring: From Secrecy to Victory.”

“The Culper Spy Ring has really been making news lately,” Carolyn Benson, one of the tour guides, said. This tour shows “how many people from this area were involved.”

The host of the tour, Emma S. Clark, whose name graces the library in Setauket and was portrayed by Karin Lynch, set the scene for what was to come.

“The Culper Spy Ring was a group of men known as the Secret Six who helped George Washington win the war. … Their identity was so secretive that Gen. Washington never knew their true identity. Their messages were written in code and their letters were in invisible ink,” she said. “Tonight you will meet with these patriots and some loyalists who will share their stories with you about what it was like during and after the war.”

Helen ‘Morningstar’ Sells and Nellie Edwards of the Setalcott Nation. Photo by Heidi Sutton
Helen ‘Morningstar’ Sells and Nellie Edwards of the Setalcott Nation. Photo by Heidi Sutton

The 1.5-hour tours ran throughout the evening, beginning with the Young Historian tours. Each group, carrying flashlights and lanterns, was led through the cemeteries of the Setauket Presbyterian Church [established in the late 17th century] and the Caroline Church of Brookhaven [established in 1729].

All the key players were present, from the ring’s most active operatives — Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge, Caleb Brewster, Austin Roe, Anna Smith Strong, James Rivington and Robert Townsend — to Gen. George Washington and Abraham Woodhull, the leader of the Culper Spy Ring, to Gen. Benedict Arnold, the infamous traitor. Woodhull, portrayed by Dennis O’Connor, appeared at the foot of his own grave in the Presbyterian cemetery during the tour.

Lesser-known community spirits made appearances as well, including Bette Harmon, born into slavery to the Strong family; Maj. John Andre, a British spy whose capture exposed Benedict Arnold as a traitor; loyalist Col. Benjamin Floyd; patriot Rev. Zachariah Greene; and a special appearance by  Setalcott Nation members Helen “Morning Star” Sells and Nellie Edwards. In total, 20 spirits were conjured to provide an insight into their lives during the Revolutionary War. The period costumes, provided by Nan Guzzetta, gave the entire event an eerily authentic feel.

Private David Williams (George Monez), Major John Andre (Pat DiVisconti), Private Isaac Van Wart (Sage Hardy). Photo by Heidi Sutton
Private David Williams (George Monez), Major John Andre (Pat DiVisconti), Private Isaac Van Wart (Sage Hardy). Photo by Heidi Sutton

At each stop, the spirits gave out secret codes that, when compiled and decoded, formed a secret letter for Gen. Washington, who was the last stop of the night.

Nine-year-old Alex Perrone, of Stony Brook, was experiencing the tour for the first time with his mother, Lauren, but came well prepared.

“My mom and I read a book called ‘Redcoats and Petticoats,’” he said.

Alex enjoyed the tour, especially meeting Washington and learning about the Setalcott tribe and their longhouses, and said he would definitely do it again. His mom agreed, adding, “I just thought it was really informative and I thought the actors were wonderful and I think it was a great way to learn about local history and this special place.”

In all, the 21st annual Spirits Tour was a rare historical treat. For more information, visit the historical society at www.tvhs.org.