Three Village Community Trust BBQ celebrates local history
The Three Village Community Trust hosted its 7th annual Chicken Hill Country Picnic and Barbecue Aug. 20 on the grounds of the Setauket Rubber Factory Workers Houses at the trust’s headquarters on Main Street.
The rubber factory, which produced items such as shoes, boots and rain gear, was once located near the property. The small houses provided homes for the Eastern European and Russian immigrants that worked at the factory. The area surrounding the site soon became known as Chicken Hill.
The nearly 100 attendees at the Aug. 20 event were treated to corn on the cob, hamburgers, chicken dogs and more, while being entertained by musician, author and storyteller Johnny Cuomo. The afternoon also included tours of the factory workers houses that were built in the late 1800s and Three Village history talks.
“We hosted many young newcomers to the Three Villages who are interested in its history and culture,” Herb Mones, TVCT president, said in an email. “It was so good to see that Chicken Hill is no longer ‘a community lost in time.’”
“Today, these small, rustic houses are a visual reminder of the hopes, dreams and struggles of so many of our nation’s immigrants,” Mones said.
Proceeds from the event will go toward restoration of the houses and other TVCT historical properties. The trust will also use funds for the upkeep of the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail.
