Trudy Hunter Lambertson Knows Oyster Bay
Trudy Hunter Lambertson called to identify the mystery picture in the July 28 issue of the Enterprise Pilot. She said, “It’s the porch at Planting Fields. I grew up at Planting Fields. My parents worked there. My mother lived in the cottage at the end of the Hay Barn. I lived there until I was 21,” she said. She was an estate child! Ms. Lambertson now lives in Locust Valley. She said she has returned to Planting Fields once. But, she added, “A friend just talked me into working at their book store. I start next week.” Ms. Lambertson said she is a retired Oyster Bay teacher from the Vernon School. “I know the Oyster Bay community better than Locust Valley where I have lived for 50 years,” she added.
Nancy Hussey too, recognized the outside portico at Coe Hall at Planting Fields. “I’ve been there often,” she said.
“It’s the west portico of Coe Hall. That is where they often give concerts. It looks like that in the photo,” said Ellen Minet of Mill Neck. Ms. Minet has been a volunteer at Planting Fields, tending their rose garden for 25 years now. When asked if she was aware that there was a rose garden at Nassau Hall that needs some care she said, “Rosalinda Morgan tried to get me to volunteer there but I told her I’m too old. At 86 I already care for two gardens, Planting Fields and mine.
“I’m surrounded by garden, with roses, and vegetables, and flowering shrubs.” She said her biggest problem is that she needs to cut things back. “It’s been a great year for gardens with all the rain,” she said.
Mike Rich called and said, “It’s Planting Field’s Coe Mansion, the portico. And, on the top right you can see the sun dail – in a shield – with a rod, that reflects down on the patio below it.” It’s a good picture he commented. It is and it was provided by Planting Fields to announce a concert and looked like a great mystery photo.
Jack Scheich called to say he was reading the newspaper and noticed the mystery picture. “It’s the back portico of Coe Hall at Planting Fields Arboretum. They often give concerts there and I’ve attended them there,” he said.
“It’s Planting Fields Arboretum,” said Marge Schiano.
Email Mystery Picture
We received an email answer to the July 14 mystery photograph from Leven Ashby. He said, “I should probably leave this one alone, but I’ll give it an attempt anyway. In the background is the Octagon building on the corner of West Main St., and Spring St. I believe the cemetery must be between Orchard St., and West Main. I know there’s a church on West Main across from Maxwell Ave, [actually it is called Spring Street at this point] and maybe there’s a connection between the church and the cemetery. [The cemetery is the old Baptist cemetery, and the North Shore Assembly of God now works out of the former Baptist Church.] My memory is vague about that cemetery, I tell myself I know it, but I just can’t quite remember if I ever saw it from Orchard St. When you’ve been away from your hometown for 50+ years, the memory began to fade a little.
“Cheers!,” he ended.
We emailed to Leven asking if he was new to Hampton, Virginia, where his emails mention it. He answered, “No, I’ve been living in Hampton since 1975, when I came here from Kansas City, Mo. I spent 25 years in the USAF moving around America and foreign countries, including Vietnam in ‘68 to ‘69.”
It is truly special to hear from people who still call Oyster Bay home. – DFK
