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Scott Ferrara

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Captain Edward R. Rhodes installs the first Three Village Historical Society historic house marker in 1964. Photo courtesy of TVHS

By Kimberly Phyfe

As you travel throughout the Three Village area, you might notice houses quietly boasting white signs with blue writing on them. These markers are adorned with Setauket-built sloop The Daisy and perhaps the names of original home owners. They are an indication that something special is happening here, and it’s about to get even better!

Sixty years ago, one of the first projects the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) took on was marking the homes of ship captains and ship builders in the Three Village area. To commemorate their 60th anniversary, they are embarking on a new leg of that journey with the re-imagined Historic House Marker program — and everyone is invited!

A historical marker was presented for the Nehemiah Hand House on Bayview Avenue in East Setauket. Photo from TVHS

“In honoring six decades of dedication, reflection, and growth, we commence an initiative close to our hearts: ’60 for 60.’  This updated version serves as a revival of our esteemed Historical House Markers program, a pioneering endeavor initiated by Captain Rhodes, a founding member of our Society,” says TVHS Director Mari Irizarry. “The Historical House Markers program pays tribute to the cherished residences, remarkable individuals, and pivotal events that have shaped the very fabric of our community over centuries.  Each marker unveiled becomes a beacon of remembrance, a testament to the resilience and spirit of those who came before us.”

This is not only the first project undertaken by the Three Village Historical Society back in 1964, but it reflects what the Society considers one of its most important ideas, that “it regards the entire Three Village area as its museum; the homes, the people and the natural environment as its collection; and the homeowners as its curators.” (Three Village Guidebook, 1986)

The new TVHS house marker mock up.

Scott Ferrara, Exhibits & Collections Coordinator at TVHS, is leading the committee on the revamping of the Historic House Marker program. He noted that “if you drive around the Three Village area, you see a lot of historic homes. However, only some are marked with the iconic white historic house marker, but even those are sun-faded, have cracked paint, and are well worn. They need to be updated and replaced. It’s about time this program is revived. This committee has been formed to bring back this program and offer updated information and materials to the stewards of historical homes in the area.” 

Ferrara says that the program will also include research packets about each of the homes, digital and printed copies of the findings, and photographs, deeds, or documents pertaining to the property found in the TVHS archives. The Society is also happy to teach willing home owners how to do research on their own, and what resources are available to them to find out more about the historic houses they live in.

Why empower home owners to do their own digging? TVHS Historian Beverly C. Tyler believes “many homeowners in the Three Village community are ready to embrace the idea that they are — together with many others — the curators of their homes, and that they wish to understand everything that gives their home its special significance.”

TVHS Education Coordinator Lindsey Steward-Goldberg “hopes this new version of the program will continue to inspire owners of historic houses to learn more about not only the history of their house but also how that history of the house fits into the historic narrative of Three Village as a whole.”

A house marker presented for 40 Main Street in Stony Brook in 1997. Photo from TVHS

Perhaps best known as the birthplace of the Culper Spy Ring and the heart of the Washington Spy Trail, the Three Villages are a popular destination both for tourists and local Long Islanders looking to connect to their roots. Margo Arceri of Tri-Spy Tours uses the homes with historic markers as a reference point on her walking, biking, and kayak tours throughout the area. Arceri loves the fact that “since our town was founded in 1655, there was at last count over 75 pre-Revolutionary homes still in existence in the Three Village area. That’s an incredibly special part of our story that not many other places can say. Our community is full of homes belonging to spies, ship builders, philanthropists, educators, and business owners — those are the true artifacts of our living museum!”

So why is the Society bringing back the Historic House Marker program now? Tyler is determined that “while celebrating the Society’s 60th anniversary, there is no better time to work within the community to emphasize the importance of maintaining and celebrating the homes in the Three Village area which make a significant contribution to the quality of life here.”

There are a few simple qualifications such as: the house must be at least 60 years old and be connected to an historic event or an individual, or have architectural significance. Starting April 1, home owners can see if their houses are eligible with a quick screening on the Society’s website: www.tvhs.org

Irizarry hopes to get at least 60 historic homes to qualify for the markers this year. “As we embark on this journey of reflection and celebration, we invite our community to join us in commemorating this significant milestone. Together, let us honor our past, celebrate our present, and pave the way for a future rich in history and heritage.”

Author Kimberly Phyfe is the Communications Engagement Manager at the Three Village Historical Society.

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Top row, from left, Wayne Hart, Kimberly Hart, Ed McNamara and Tim Adams; middle row, from left, Tom Comisky, Rob Pellegrino, George Overin and David Phyfe; front row, from left, Chris De Francis, Alle Wallace, Kathryn Comisky, Helen McCarthy, Aneka Carsten, George Fear, Stephanie Carsten, Stephanie Sakson, Bianca Dresch and Mort Rosen Photo by Kimberly Phyfe

By Kimberly Phyfe

On Saturday, October 21st, the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) welcomed over 300 guests through their annual graveyard walk, the Spirits Tour, made possible through the help of 50 volunteers and staff.

Visitors met spirits from the Chicken Hill neighborhood in Setauket throughout the 100 years people lived there, between 1860 and 1960.

Chicken Hill was a one mile neighborhood located along Route 25A, where Stop & Shop is now, originally made up of Eastern European immigrants, Native Americans, and African Americans.

Today, the community of Chicken Hill is far from its original housing and cultural form. The people who lived there have lost their personal, cultural and social past. At present, they risk losing even that important and precious heritage: the memory and collective history of Chicken Hill. 

This 29th Annual Spirits Tour was an effort to preserve that memory and to establish Chicken Hill’s place in the evolution of the Three Village Area.

The tour began at the Setauket Presbyterian Church at dusk and continued into the clear, moonlit night. Inside the fellowship hall were cider & donuts, a pop-up gift shop, and live music from the wonderfully talented Long Island Youth Development Inc.

Scott Ferrara, Exhibits & Collections Coordinator at TVHS, assembled an incredible mobile display of artifacts from the award-winning Chicken Hill exhibit. Scott printed dozens of historical images and brought out treasured items from the archives such as the Ridgway Family Bible.            

Beverly and Barbara Tyler were on hand to speak about the Day Book on exhibit from the Tyler Brothers General Store circa 1908, mentioned by the first spirit Jacob Hart, portrayed by Wayne Hart. Both Beverly and Wayne shared about their family’s history in Chicken Hill with deep affection, and a desire for future preservation.

Nancy Scuri was a tour guide and remarked that “Having the family members tell their ancestors’ stories was an incredibly special touch. The group I led was interested and listening to all the actors, but when I told them they were watching direct descendants of the people they were portraying, it was all the more meaningful!”

Owen Murphy, a recipient of the Three Village Young Historian Award, also volunteered as a tour guide this year. “The fact that all the spirits were from the same place was amazing, as you were able to peer into the life of ordinary people in the 100 years of Chicken Hill’s existence,” he said.

There were four stops throughout the graveyard at Setauket Presbyterian, two more at the Village Green, and the last four were at Caroline Episcopal Church.

TVHS told humorous, honest, and heart-breaking stories of the actual people who lived, worked, and died here. Scripts were originally written by the TVHS Education Committee comprised of Donna Smith, Bev Tyler, Brian Bennett, Town of Brookhaven Historian Barbara Russell & Education Coordinator Lindsey Steward-Goldberg. 

They then went on to be edited by Development Coordinator Kimberly Phyfe and volunteer / spirit Stephanie Sakson.

George Fear portrayed Charles, a spirit tending to the fenced-in Searing plot in the far corner of Caroline Church. “I’d heard about Chicken Hill but hadn’t had an appreciation for the richness of its history in Three Village until being exposed to it this year. It’s not a time in history which is documented or discussed nearly to the extent of others in the Three Village area (i.e. George Washington and the Culper Spy Ring) but so relevant and relatable given the ties so many families have to Chicken Hill and its history.”

TVHS Director Mari Irizarry says that plans for the 30th Annual Spirits Tour are already in the works. “We have so many ideas inspired by the Three Village area, our actors and guides, and local lore. Bringing history to life for our community is an incredible honor and one that I am proud to share in year after year. It is no exaggeration to say that this was our best Spirits Tour to date!”

So what keeps family, friends, and neighbors coming back for more? George Fear says that “I have always loved history, there’s an abundance of it in Three Village, and you learn something new and interesting every year. Most importantly, it’s the opportunity to meet and collaborate with a terrific group of people who are passionate and enthusiastic about history and make it an absolute pleasure to volunteer. What could be better than that? Needless to say, count me in as a spirit for next year and I am looking forward to the 30th Spirits Tour!”

Special thanks to Setauket Presbyterian Church, Caroline Episcopal Church, and the sponsors of the 29th Annual Spirits Tour: Annmarie’s Farm Stand, Luigi’s Pizzeria, Starbucks, Stop & Shop, and Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich.

Author Kimberly Phyfe is the Development Coordinator for the Three Village Historical Society in Setauket.

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The two recently acquired books are on display at the Three Village Historical Society headquarters for a limited time. Photo by Kimberly Phyfe, Development Coordinator at the TVHS

By Scott Ferrara

There’s no doubt that Long Island played a major role in the success of the American Revolution. In fact, Setauket was home to numerous people who comprised a network of clandestine intelligence operatives known as the Culper Spy Ring. 

One of those Setauket spies was Abraham Woodhull (1750-1826). Woodhull, known for his alias Samuel Culper Sr., resided in British-Occupied Setauket during the war and used invisible ink to send encoded messages of enemy troop movement to General George Washington. 

Unfortunately, few artifacts and personal belongings of Woodhull’s survived, both through the passage of time as well as the 1931 fire that razed his former home. 

On July 26th, 2023, the Three Village Historical Society (TVHS) acquired two books at auction that belonged to the Woodhull family, one of the books bearing Abraham Woodhull’s signature. These books hold promise as a cultural resource for the community, and for their research potential of Three Village history and the history of our nation. 

The third page of The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul by Phillip Doddridge contains Abraham Woodhull’s signature. Photo by Kimberly Phyfe, Development Coordinator at the TVHS

The first book, The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul by Phillip Doddridge, was signed by Abraham Woodhull prior to both the American Revolution (1775-1784) and activities of the Culper Spy Ring (1778-1783). Abraham wrote his name on the first page of the book as well as a brief description of where he was at the time, Newfoundland. 

We know he was only 23 years old at the time, had not yet married or taken over the family farm and estate. His youthful decisions had found him aboard the ship the Dolphin during a very tense moment in American history. After all, Abraham had conveniently provided us the date of his travel, Aug. 27, 1773. 

This date provides clues as to the social environment Abraham was reading this book in. August of 1773 was a very tense summer in our nation’s history. Only three months earlier, in May of 1773, King George signed into effect the Tea Act which undercut colonial merchants, who had been prospering in maritime trade, and increased the power and influence of the British East India Company. This discriminatory act angered American colonists and sparked resentment that would eventually lead to war. 

These tensions would eventually boil over in December of that same year when the Sons of Liberty threw bricks of tea into the Boston harbor in an act of protest and defiance of the British King; an event known today as the Boston Tea Party. What was Abraham doing so far away from home during such a kinetic social time? Who or what was in Newfoundland that would draw him away from his family? These, among many more questions, have yet to be answered. 

Abraham, later in life, gifted this book to his second wife, Lidia, shortly before Christmas in their wedding year of 1824. We know this because she had inscribed her name and a brief note on the page following her husband’s earlier signature. Abraham passed away two years later.

The book moved through many hands over time until the departure of its most recent owner in Islip last year. The book, along with the rest of their estate, was inventoried and listed at private auction where it was identified by friends of the TVHS.

The inside cover of The Holy War by John Bunyan bears the signatures of Charity and William Woodhull. Photo by Kimberly Phyfe, Development Coordinator at the TVHS

A second book was also included in the auction lot. This book bears the signatures of Charity Woodhull and William Woodhull, likely niece and nephew of the patriot spy, Abraham. This book is titled The Holy War by John Bunyan (1682). The Holy War is a fiction book with Christian themes that tells the story of a mighty king who is overthrown by evil rebels and must fight to reclaim his throne. 

The acquisition of these books is exciting for the Three Village community. The TVHS can now appropriately curate them, while making these artifacts accessible to scholars. In fact, these books have incredible research potential both historically and genealogically.

The Three Village Historical Society is currently exhibiting the Woodhull books for a limited time. These books can be viewed at TVHS headquarters located at 93 N Country Road in East Setauket.

Guests are welcomed to visit TVHS.org to book a docent- or self-guided tour of the historical society’s museum or a walking tour throughout the Three Village community (operated by Tri-Spy Tours). The TVHS’s Spies! exhibit also features interactive software, hands-on learning activities, and the original Abraham Woodhull costume worn by actor Jamie Bell in the TURN: Washington’s spies television series. The society also welcomes researchers who wish to study their  collections for academic or independent research projects. 

Acknowledgments: Acquisition of these historical items would not have been possible without the combined efforts of the Three Village Historical Society’s staff and trustees. Specifically, the Collections Committee comprised of Christina Tortora Ph.D., Brian Bennett and Judi Wallace, as well as Brookhaven Town Historian Barbara Russell, Three Village Historian Beverly C. Tyler, the Society’s director Mari Irizarry, and President of the Board of Trustees, Jeff Schnee.

Author Scott Ferrara is the Exhibits & Collections Coordinator at the Three Village Historical Society.

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The Three Village Historical Society in Setauket has announced the appointment of Scott Ferrara as Collections and Exhibits Coordinator.

Ferrara is a Registered Professional Archaeologist with a master’s degree in public archaeology from Binghamton University (SUNY). Currently, he is pursuing his doctoral degree in Anthropological Archaeology at The Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY) and currently also teaches archaeology at Queens College as a Graduate Teaching Fellow. He has excavated sites in Central America, Israel, New York, and New Jersey.

He is the author of Accused of Witchcraft in New York, a public history book that compiles the biographies of New Yorkers accused of Witchcraft in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries including Setauket’s own Mary and Ralph Hall in 1664. He is also a U.S. Marine infantry veteran having served two combat deployments to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Ferrara is enthusiastic about managing the archival collections of the Three Village Historical Society, providing more accessibility to information, and fostering new and creative relationships with the Three Village community as well as partners in the New York cultural heritage resource network. 

“Scott Ferrara has had meaningful impact on archival research, exhibitions and community engagement since joining the TVHS team earlier this year,” said TVHS Director Mari Irizarry. “His experience, creativity and enthusiasm equip him well to manage the TVHS collections as we continue to grow and thrive as one of the premier historical societies in the region.”

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