Bayport Blue Point Heritage Association: January 2022 Newsletter

Happy New Year 2022!

All of us at the BBPHA wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year! We had a busy, productive and extremely challenging year and managed to accomplish a great deal to support our mission of preserving the rich history of our wonderful hamlets. Of course we could not do any of this without the support of our community; both families, friends and local businesses, especially in a pandemic!

We thank all of you who came out to celebrate Christmas at Meadow Croft, held the first weekend of December. It was a very successful event on a beautiful weekend! (see video below) There are so many people to thank for their help and support. See below for the many individuals and groups who helped make this weekend a great success. Thank you!! We thank you all for a wonderful 2021 and we look forward to new adventures in 2022!

THANK YOU!

Christmas at Meadow Croft is a labor of love and takes months of planning and organization. Special thanks go to our lovely chairperson Leanne Berg who once again created a wonderful festive experience for our friends and neighbors. Thank you!

Thank you to the Suffolk County Parks Department for leveling the driveway and clearing the leaves from the property for this event. Your support is much appreciated!

Many volunteers give selflessly of their time and talents to decorate Meadow Croft for this event. Many thanks go to Rose Colan & The Neighbors and Gardners, Bayport Homemakers, Sayville Garden Club, Clia Finn and Jen Concannon, Karl Auwaerter of Bayport Flower Houses, and Erich Haesche. Also to our favorite wood carver, Joe Novak.

With so many visitors and only one driveway for both entrance and exit, we needed a dedicated parking crew to help everyone get in and out safely. Thanks to the men who weathered the weekend outside including: Captain - John Amato, Dennis Fagan, Charlie Colan, Charlie Iden, David Ort and Dave Harenberg.

Volunteers are needed to act as docents or man each of the many rooms in the Roosevelt estate for this event. Special thanks go to: Jerry McCloskey, Mary Lou Cohalan, Beth LaMarca, Mary Bailey, Leanne Berg, Gail Laskowski, Bay Browning-Atkinson, Denise Corsica, Jen Economos, Anna Dugan, Frank Giebfried, John Amato, Laura Amato, Sandra Iden, Erich Haesche, Joe Novak, Lenore Ringer, Linda Roker, Betty Horstmann, Kathy Daley, Frances Mulderig, Johanna Stastola, Luanne Cheadle, Angela Johnson, Sean McCluskey, Aileen McCluskey, Marie Neilon, Diane Handy, Dawn Brady, Judy Piteteo and Rose Colan.

Thank you to Trish Brynes (daughter of Barney Loughlin) from Loughlin Vineyards for the generous donation. Much appreciated!

Special thanks go to Bea Morelli who generously lent us her nutcracker collection to help decorate Meadow Croft. A a BIG thanks to Steve Birkeland who takes all the photographs in the carriage house with St. Nicholas. Speaking of St. Nicholas, thank you to Tom Maher Jr. for dressing up and posing for all of those pictures. And a BIG shout out to Lenore Ringer Prezioso and David Wilson from People's United Bank for not only helping serve but donating the hot cocoa and cookies to our guests in the carriage house. Thank you to Jennifer Economos for the many culinary delights she prepared for our special Saturday Night event. Delish!

The Roosevelt estate really had the Christmas spirit floating through the air and that is in part due to the many musicians who donate their time and talents to play holiday music on the Roosevelt piano during the weekend. Many thanks goes to: John Hodge, Bill Bailey, MaryJean Stead, Mary Latini, Maurice Kemp, Lisa Pratnicki and her sister Breanna, Paige Weber, Kerri Van Boxel and her two students Sophia Bertsch and Serena Buono. It was amazing!

Thank you Angela Stelling who donated so many items to our raffle baskets and the many "elves" who helped in wrapping and organizing all of the items. MUCH APPRECIATED!

A word of thanks from our chairperson Leanne Berg:

I'd like to take this opportunity to say Thank You! Thank you to all of you who gave your time, talent and hard work to help make Christmas at Meadow Croft 2021 a great success! After losing last year's event to the pandemic it was so wonderful to be able to decorate Meadow Croft again. So many people gave so much to help make it happen. It's a team effort, a team I am proud to be a part of! Once again, thank you to all the volunteers and most of all, thank you to my fellow board members! Together we can accomplish great things! Have a wonderful New Year!

Presentation at the new BBP Library

On Saturday, December 18th at 12:00, BBPHA board member Frank Giebfried gave a presentation at the new BBP Library on their opening day. Frank spoke about What Came Before: A Brief History of the South Bay House and the St. Ursula Center.

The South Bay House (pictured below) was perhaps the grandest of Blue Point's many summer vacation destinations. The massive boarding house could accommodate over 300 visitors in over 100 rooms. Guests enjoyed fine dining, live music and dancing in the evenings, and many activities on the bay. The Ursuline sisters purchased the property in 1935 and used their convent as a novitiate, religious training center, and retirement home. The sisters were a positive force in our community for over 80 years. This presentation was held in the new Gene Horton Local History Room.

Congratulations to the new BBP Library! Thank you Frank for keeping our local history alive!

nominations for BBPHA board

The nominating committee is developing a slate of members for the 2022 board. There are several seats open; including directors. Any current paid BBPHA member may serve on the board. It requires approximately only one meeting per month. If you would be willing to serve for the 2022 year, please contact John Amato at johnfamato@optonline.net.

We are also looking for members to serve on various committees throughout the year. You can work from home! If you have a particular skill or interest (house tour, special events, light clerical and organization) please contact us at BBPhistorical@gmail.com.

New Antique Items Purchased with County Grant Funds

This past year, we purchased antique items which are period-appropriate for the house. Thank you to Frank Giebried and Eric Haesche for their work in procuring these items. They are all placed in the house and ready for viewing for the next tour season beginning in June of 2022.

The items to see are as follows: Seth Thomas mantle clock; copper water tank in the kitchen; water pump in the kitchen which was used to bring water into the kitchen from the cistern; Cheval full-length mirror in the master bedroom and an annunciator box in the kitchen which was used to call staff from each room in the house.

Each year the BBPHA applies for a Suffolk County grant to make purchases to enhance the quality of the museum. We are currently discussing purchases for 2022. Stay tuned.

Bayport's Camp Edey

This story were printed in the Bayport Blue-Point Gazette. It was written by Gene Horton and reprinted here with permission.

January 2003

Camp Edey is one of Long Island's best know Girl Scout Camps. The grounds of this all-year round camp, located on Lakeview Ave., north of Montauk Hwy, in Bayport, cover about 100 acres today. Each year, thousands of Girl Scouts come here to enjoy swimming & boating, arts & crafts, nature & science programs and related Scout activities.

Camp Edey was originally established in 1941 near Sag Harbor, and later, in 1944, the present site in Bayport was acquired. Camp Edey began as a summer camp for Girl Scouts in 1945 on what was then a 44-acre tract. It was the first Girl Scout camping area in Suffolk County.

Camp Edey is named in honor of Mrs. Birdsall Otis Edey (1872-1940). Mrs. Edey was President of the national organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, from 1930-35. To this day, she is the only Long Islander to be elected to this highest office in the US Girl Scouting. In 1935, Mrs. Lou Hoover, wife of President Herbert C. Hoover, succeeded Mrs. Edey as national President of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

Mrs. Edey (affectionately known as Bird) was born Birdsall Otis in Bellport, LI on June 25, 1872. She was a well-known poet, was active in the women's suffrage movement, a noted environmentalist, and an early organizer of the Girl Scouts of the USA. Her husband was Frederick Edey. He held a seat for many years on the NY Stock Exchange and the couple resided at 440 Park Ave. in NYC.

Mrs. Edey died in NYC on March 17, 1940 at the age of 67. Services were held in Bellport at her South Country Road home, "Nearthebay." Floral tributes were sent by President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt and former President and Mrs. Herbert C. Hoover. Mrs. Edey is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Bellport.

Mrs. Edey's name lives on today throughout Long Island thanks to the decision of the local councils of Girl Scouts in the 1940's to name Camp Edey in her honor. Camp Edey today is owned and operated by the Girl Scouts of the Suffolk County Council.

Eagle Scout Project at Meadow Croft

“Eagle Scout” is the highest rank a young person can reach in Scouting. In fact, only around 5% of all scouts who join ever reach the Eagle rank. As such, becoming an Eagle Scout is an exceptionally difficult challenge, even for scouts who can complete merit badges and rank requirements quickly!

It is that determination and perseverance that Eagle Scout Will Kretz put into his project; a sign at Meadow Croft. Will carefully researched and organized this information to create this beautiful welcome sign that shares the history of Meadow Croft for the many guests and visitors who visit each year. Special thanks to the Suffolk County Parks Department who worked with Will to make his dream of becoming an Eagle Scout a reality. Thank you Will for enhancing the experience for those who visit.