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September 2024 Newsletter

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September 1, 2024

~August Newsletter 2024~

 Welcome August!
The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer! We hope you are enjoying your summer and all that it has to offer! The BBPHA has been busy with lots of summertime events and planning for even more.

 
House Tours of Meadow Croft are happening every weekend from 2:00-4:00. Come check out the summer home of J.E. Roosevelt and what life was like in 1900. Lots of updates and additions.

Our General Membership meetings will continue in September-November. 

 Check out the dates and schedule below. We have our Historic Sunset Boat Cruise happening on August 20th. Tickets are now on sale on our website and more information can be found below. 
Finally, our yearly signature event, Christmas At Meadow Croft will be held on December 7th & 8th this year. Mark your calendars for another wonderful festive weekend.

 If you would like to volunteer some time to help with set-up or clean-up both before and after the event, please call our chairperson Leanne Berg at 631-235-1702. We need you!

More information on all of these events can be found on our webpage or below. 

Mark your calendars for these wonderful community events! 

General Membership meetings
Our monthly Membership meetings will begin again in September. These informative meetings are open to all and are held at the BBP Library. We hope you can join us!

Buried Long Island
Alyssa Gutierrez, Author
Sunday, September 15, 2024
2-4pm

Join us as author Alyssa Gutierrez discusses Long Island’s colonial history through the lens of ancient burying grounds. From the first settlers of Southold to the Revolutionary spies of Oyster Bay, local history can be found in spectacular burying grounds all over the island. 

Colonial history is
on full display in epitaphs, folk art, and even unmarked graves of marginalized individuals who once called Long Island home. Alyssa will be signing copies of her book, “Buried Long Island: History Set in Stone” and answering questions about colonial burial practices.

Storms, Shipwrecks, Lifesavers and Light Keepers: The History of the Fire Island Lighthouse
Angela Reich, PhD, Author
October 13, 2023
Please join Angela Reich, Fire Island Lighthouse docent and author of Shipwreck of Hopes, a story of our Long Island maritime history. Learn about our local residents who manned our shores, responsible for maritime safety on the country’s busiest shipping lanes - the approach to New York Harbor. Book sale to follow, with 20% of the evenings proceeds to be donated to Bayport Blue Point Heritage Association. $20.00, cash only. 

Suffolk County Parks Trustee Meeting at Meadow Croft
On Thursday, July 18th, the Suffolk County Parks Department had their trustees meeting at the Meadow Croft Estate. The BBPHA's President, Mary Bailey and director at large, Frank Giebfried spoke to the guests about all of the work that has been done at Meadow Croft. In attendance was the Chief Deputy Commissioner, Jason Smagin and the Deputy Commissioner, Scott Kravitz of the Parks Department. 
The trustees had a tour of the estate and friend of the BBPHA, Erich Haesche gave a special tour of the Auto Barn and shared the extensive work of replacing all of the antique lighting fixtures that were installed in the house a couple of years ago. The trustees were very impressed and had a wonderful time as they discussed our local history over lunch in the great hall.

If your group would like a special tour please contact us to make arrangements. We welcome all history lovers to the Meadow Croft Estate! 

Historic Sunset Boat Tour
August 20, 2024
7:00-10:00 pm
Rain date August 21st.
$40.00 per person
(No refunds)

The Great South Bay is not only a beautiful part of our community, but it has amazing homes and landmarks located on the bay as well as a tremendous history to share!

We will set sail on August 20th from the Sayville Fire Island ferry terminal (41 River Rd, Sayville, NY) promptly at 7:00 PM and head out onto the bay. You must be on the ferry by 6:45 to check-in. 

 With the sun setting we will cruise out onto the bay as Local Historian, Frank Giebfried highlights the historic sites along the shores of Bayport, Blue Point, Sayville, and Oakdale. 

The boat will then head up the Connetquot River and stop for an hour at The View Restaurant for cocktails. 

Then we’ll cruise back to the Brown's River under the beautiful full moon and dock around 10:00PM.

You can purchase cocktails while at The View Restaurant (there will not be enough time to order a full meal). Snacks and refreshments are allowed on the ferry. Cruisers can park at the Sayville Ferry freight parking lot across the road from the ferry at no cost. Tickets are on sale starting today and can be purchased from our website only. The link can be found here. First come first served as there are a limited number of spaces available on the ferry.

Don't wait! Get your tickets today!

Concerts in the Park
Two wonderful FREE events were sponsored by the BBPHA this summer! Special thanks go out to our two talented bands; Jack's Waterfall and The Lazy Bunny Ukulele Band. The weather was cooperative and the audience was great! A fun time was had by all!
We also have to thank former director Dave Harenberg for arranging these events for our communities. Thank you Dave!

 Welcome to a new business!
Welcome n-dimensions, tutoring and bookstore located at 580 Middle Road. The new proprietor, Paul Abel is a life long Bayporter. His location has a lovely selection of books, including many of Gene Horton's books about local Bayport and Blue Point history. Paul also provides tutoring for students as well. More information can be found on his website at ndimensionstutoring.com 

Bee Careful...🐝
Yikes! On July 13th we discovered we had some uninvited guests make their home in the carriage house at the Meadow Croft estate. A colony of bees found their way into the walls upstairs in the carriage house. We called Jon Lochner of Sticky Fingers Apiary to remove this giant honey bee hive from the wall. Jon was able to save the colony and the queen and move them to a suitable location. We can't wait to taste the honey! Thanks Jon! 

Lake Manowtasquott, Blue Point NY
These articles were first printed in the Bayport Blue Point Gazette and written by Gene Horton. They are reprinted here with permission.

September 2007

Lake Manowtasquott is located in Blue Point on the north side of Middle Road between Namkee Road and Nelson Avenue. Manowtasquott was the Algonquin name for Blue Point. It means land of the bulrushes. Locally, this body of water is also known as Hildreth's Pond; a great place for ice skating in the winter and also a great place for taking the children to feed the ducks & swans. This is really one of the prettiest spots in Blue Point today. The water from Lake Manowtasquott eventually flows under Middle Road and out to the Great South Bay via Stillman's Creek.

 BBPHA
www.bayportbluepointheritge.org 

Tours of the Meadow Croft Estate every weekend! 

Come check it out!

Newsletter: July 2024

 Happy 4th of July!

Independence Day! Welcome to July! 

Meadow Croft House Tours are happening each weekend from 2:00-4:00 so stop by and check out what life was like in the early 1900s. Lots of updates and improvements to view including updates to the servants quarters, which will now be part of the tour. There is also a John Hodge exhibit. John Hodge was a local artist, among many other things, and his unique style of paintings and artwork are a sight to see.

The BBPHA has many exciting things happening this summer. We have our second FREE concert happening in July featuring The Lazy Bunny Band. See more info below.

Our historic sunset boat cruise is back! Last year was so much fun and a gorgeous night plus we learned so much about the history of homes and happenings on the Great South Bay. We hope you can join us again this year, check out the details and more happenings below.

BBP Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to Gianna Echervarria who is the recipient of the 2024 Gene Horton Memorial Scholarship! The BBPHA is pleased once again to be awarding a $1000.00 scholarship to a deserving HS student from the BBP High School. This award is given in the name of our dear friend, local historian, and former director, Gene Horton. The candidate must be a graduating senior who has a record of community service and plans to pursue a degree in History. Congratulations Gianna and best wishes in all that you do!

FREE Summer Concert

Join us for our second FREE Summer Concert of the season. The concert will be on July 18th at 6:00 in Bayport Memorial Park and will feature The Lazy Bunny Ukulele Band. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets, refreshments and bug spray! This is for families of all ages! Dancing is encouraged! We hope you can join us and enjoy this FREE concert!

Event Information

FREE Concert in the Park

When?

Thursday, Jul 18, 2024, 06:00 PM

Where?

Bayport Memorial Park, Paulanna Avenue, Bayport, NY, USA

Academy Street Elementary visits Meadow Croft

On Friday June 14th, the 4th grade class from Academy Street Elementary School came to Meadow Croft to learn a little bit about our local history. Thanks to Jen Economos, Mary Bailey, Beth LaMarca, Sandra Iden and Roy Fedelem who helped show the boys and girls the estate and surrounding buildings. The students were clearly excited, well behaved and asked great questions!

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to learn a little bit about our local history!Save the dates!

Check out all of these happenings sponsored by the BBPHA! Information will be on our website and in our monthly newsletter. Share with your friends and neighbors!

June-October: House tours of the Meadow Croft Estate. 2-4 every weekend.

July 18th, 2024: FREE concert; Lazy Bunny Ukulele Band. 6:00pm at Bayport Memorial Park

August 21st, 2024: Historic Summer Boat Cruise. More information in our August newsletter.

TBD: BBP Historic Walking tours ~ new dates announced soon!

TBD: Browns River Environmental Kayak Tour. Starting at the MC estate.

September 21st, 2024: Gatsby Gala; held at MC. 7-9:00pm More info to follow on this event.

Ongoing: Teddy Roosevelt Augmented Reality at MC. See details on our website

December 7th & 8th, 2024: Christmas at Meadow Croft: A Candy Coated Christmas, 12-4:00

Become a member and get our monthly newsletter!

All information on our website and on social media!Student Docents for a Day

We were so fortunate to have the Sayville High School History Club come to Meadow Croft and act as docents for the day! The students had training about the Meadow Croft Estate and the rich history of our community and the Roosevelt family and jumped right in and gave tours to guests on our opening day, June 1st. Bright, articulate and passionate about history! We were so lucky to have them join us. 

Of course, you all are welcome back anytime!

Model A Ford Club visits Meadow Croft

What a treat! On June 15, the BBPHA played host to about 20 members of the Model A Ford Club of Long Island who visited Meadow Croft. They drove in with their beautiful antique cars and enjoyed a tour of the Meadow Croft Estate. It was such a pleasure hosting this group for a fun afternoon! Thank you for visiting and we hope to see you again!

Roosevelt Great-Grandson visits Meadow Croft

We were so lucky to have a surprise visitor take a tour of Meadow Croft, the summer home of John Ellis Roosevelt. On June 9th, Philip Roosevelt, the great grandson of JER came to visit and reminisce about his family, summer memories and more. We were delighted to host and share a special tour for Philip and his guests. Thank you for stopping by and sharing a love of local history and of course, the Roosevelt family!

Christmas at Meadow Croft

We know it's only July, but planning has already begun for this year's Christmas at Meadow Croft! The theme this year will be A Candy Coated Christmas and the dates are 

December 7th & 8th, 2024. 

Our chairperson, Leanne Berg is looking to create a list of volunteers who would like to help with the set-up, and cleaning both before and after the event. If you are interested and would like more information, please call Leanne at 631-235-1702.

Summer Solstice Walking Tour

Residents once again celebrated the first day of summer with a stroll through historic Blue Point, sponsored by the Bayport Blue Point Public Library. The tour was led by Frank Giebfried of BBPHA, who continues the tradition that our great historian Gene Horton began many years ago. Over one hundred Blue Pointers and Bayporters signed up for the tour. It’s great to see so many interested in our heritage!

The tour began at our beautiful library, formerly the site of the South Bay House. Along the way many beautiful homes were visited, as well as the sites of the great summer hotels from last century. Some of the historic spots included Avery’s Five Mile Look Hotel, Grandview Gardens Private Beach, the Monterey Hotel, the Megill estate, and the home of Anna Davis, our former library director for 23 years who also happened to be married to Nobel Prize winner Raymond Davis, Jr. 

We visited the homes of Ballington Booth, jazz clarinetist Johnny Mince, and steamboat pilot Noah Mason. 

Thanks to the homeowners whose lovely properties were highlighted on our stroll. We were welcomed with open arms and are grateful for their enthusiasm for the history of their houses. Special thanks to Mrs. Davis who welcomed us from her porch, the Geoghans who showed us around their unique property, and the Parrot family for creating a beautiful display of historic postcards of their home. We also appreciate Wendy Bennett from the library for her help in organizing the tour.

We hope to see you all next year!

2024 Heirloom Garden Dedication

The Bayport Blue Point Heritage Association has decided to dedicate the 2024 Meadow Croft Heirloom Garden to Sylvia Harenberg, a cherished and devoted member of the BBPHA since its inception. Sylvia's passion for preserving our local history and her tireless efforts in nurturing our community's heritage have left an indelible mark. The garden stands as a tribute to her memory, reflecting the beauty she brought to our lives. We encourage you to visit.

BBPHA

www.bayportbluepointheritge.org🎆 Happy Independence Day! 

Newsletter- June 2024

 Welcome June!

Welcome to summer! Briny breezes, longer days, flowers blooming, graduations and the sun shining! All vivid images of a great season ahead. At the BBPHA, we are excited to begin what we consider our most exciting time of the year.

Summer House Tours: 

 June 1st & 2nd start the Meadow Croft Estate house tours. They are given every weekend starting in June and running through October. Trained docents will be showing the estate on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00-4:00. There have been many updates and changes in recent months as the BBPHA volunteers work tirelessly to make your experience at Meadow Croft even better. Come check out the work that was done to restore some rooms in the servants quarters. How did the help for the Roosevelt family live? We welcome you to join us and find out. 

If you would like to plan a tour for a group of 10 or more, email us to set a date: bbphistorical@gmail.com 

If you would like to learn more or become a docent please contact Jen at 631-235-9342

 John Hodge Art Display at Meadow Croft Written 

By Gene Horton

The following was written by Gene Horton about the talented artist, John Hodge. An
exhibit of his work will be on display at Meadow Croft. The house will be open from 2-4
on weekends for tours. Stop by and view these beautiful pieces of art.

John Hodge was one of the most talented people ever to reside in Bayport, Long Island. He is remembered today primarily as a local folk artist, painter and wood carver. John Hodge was born in New York City in 1868 but spent most of his life in Bayport. In 1889, he joined the New York City police department. He worked at the Eldridge Street Station as a patrolman. However, he decided early-on to give up that job and return to Bayport.

Throughout his life, John Hodge’s employment was varied and sporadic; a jack-of-all-trades. At various times, he was an interior and exterior house painter. He also painted outdoor signs. In 1897, he opened a bicycle repair shop in Bayport with Sanford Weeks. He joined the Bayport Fire Department and, in 1898, organized and led a fife and drum corps in the department. John Hodge was musically talented. 
On August 13, 1900, John Hodge married Elizabeth Bennett of Blue Point. The Bennetts owned and operated a large greenhouse business (on the site of the present Bayport-Blue Point Public Library). However, Elizabeth Bennett’s parents did not approve of their daughter marrying John Hodge. But John and Elizabeth went ahead and were married anyway. Rev. George T. Freeman conducted the 1900 nuptials in Bayport. Sadly, it would not be a happy, bliss-filled marriage, although they did have four children. The marriage had its ups, downs and separations. John and Elizabeth Hodge’s home, now gone, was located on the northeast corner of Fairview Ave. and Academy St. John Hodge, however, would emerge over the years as a super-talented man known especially for his combined painted and carved works. 

One particular Bayport establishment, Gene Amann’s Bayport House, became the depository of an extraordinary number of John Hodge’s carved images. Gene Amann had befriended John Hodge and eventually employed him as a handyman. The tap room at the Bayport House became John Hodge’s unofficial showcase…everywhere you looked you could see John Hodge’s work displayed on the walls and hanging from the ceiling: birds and ducks everywhere, geese and birds in flight, fish attracted by a shiny lure, a native American in a canoe spearing salmon, hunting dogs pointing, a deer in flight from a fire, brown trout, a moose, hunters in a canoe…all in 3-D… carved and painted on boards and odd pieces of wood or even on the inside of wooden salad bowls…these were all John Hodge’s subjects and his artist’s focal point. 
In 1938, through Gene Amann, John Hodge’s work was displayed at the National Sportsmen’s Show in NYC’s Madison Square Garden. The following year, 1939, John Hodge also had samples of his work displayed at the Long Island Exhibit at the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows. Sadly, in 1938, Elizabeth Hodge died, aged sixty. She’s buried in the Blue Point Cemetery. In 1942, John Hodge was appointed a uniformed ‘special constable’ by the Islip Town Board. Later, he was a crossing guard at Bayport High
School. John Hodge continued to carve and paint even as his health began to fail. By 1955, he entered the Firemen’s Home in Hudson, NY due to ill health. John Hodge died at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson on June 19, 1957, at the age of 89. He’s buried in the Firemen’s Cemetery in Hudson, NY.

Do you have artwork from John Hodge? We’d love to hear your story and tell us how you acquired it.
Bbphistoricl@gmail.com. We’ll share the story on our social media pages.

 

FREE Concert in the park

The Bayport Blue Point Heritge Association is proud to sponsor our first FREE Summer Concert of the year! We have received all of the permissions and permits and are excited to welcome all of you to Bayport Memorial Park on  

June 13th from 6:00-8:00 (weather permitting) 

for some wonderful music featuring Jack's Waterfall.

Please bring lawn chairs or blankets, refreshments and bug spray! This is for families of all ages. Dancing is encouraged. We hope you can join us for our first FREE concert!

Save the date: The next FREE concert will be on July 18  

and feature The Lazy Bunny Band!

 

Event Information
Free Concert
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024, 06:00 PM
Where?
Bayport Memorial Park, Paulanna Avenue, Bayport, NY, USA

 

Merchandise for Sale

Be on the lookout as there will be a table set-up at our FREE concerts this summer where the BBPHA will be selling brand new items for sale! There will be; t-shirts, hoodies and vinyl stickers. All sizes available. Local history books by our late town historian Gene Horton will also be on sale. Make your purchase by cash, charge or PayPal.

Support the BBPHA and purchase one of these items on June 13th at our first Summer Concert. Thanks!Memorial Day Parades
The weather was gray and overcast but the Bayport and Blue Point communities honored all those who served and sacrificed for our freedoms. Special thanks go to members of the BBPHA for marching in the Bayport and Blue Point parades. This is a tradition arranged and started by the fire departments in our communities over 75 years ago. 
Both Bayport and Blue Point have had community members pay the ultimate sacrifice since the Civil War and we will never forget their devotion and service. May we remain worthy of all they have given us. As John F. Kennedy had so eloquently expressed, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them."

 

BBP Library visits Meadow Croft

On May 18th, 36 patrons of the BBP library came to take a tour of the Meadow Croft estate and learn about local history. Our trained docents split up the group and shared the rich history of what life was like for the Roosevelt's back in 1901. A good time was had by all!

If you would like to book a tour for a group of 10 or more, please email us to set up a date.

Summer Solstice Walking Tour

On June 20 & 21, once again, our own Frank Giebfried will be the tour guide for an evening stroll that marks the beginning of the summer season. This year's tour will begin and end at the BBP library. Along the way, patrons will explore the sites of historic boarding houses such as the Monterey Hotel, Avery's Five Mile Look, and the South Bay House, which originally stood on the grounds of the BBP library. You will also visit the homes of Edward Megill, Volunteers of America co-founder's Maud and Ballington Booth, jazz clarinetist Johnny Mince, and Nobel Prize recipient Raymond Davis Jr., for whom the library meeting room is named for. Although both dates have reached capacity at this time, you may contact the library to put your name on a waiting list. Rain date for this event is June 24. Enjoy!

 

BBP High School Scholarship

The BBPHA is pleased once again to be awarding a $1000.00 scholarship to a deserving HS student from the BBP High School. This award is given to a graduating senior in the name of our dear friend, local historian, and former director, Gene Horton. More information will be printed in the July newsletter after the award has been presented to the winner at an award ceremony held at the end of June. Good luck and congratulations to all who are graduating!In the News!

The BBPHA recently made headlines as this article appeared in Newsday! Check it out!

www.bayportbluepointheritge.org

 

House tours begin on June 1st! See you at Meadow Croft!