Historical markers, the theme of George Kirchmann’s new book, made for an interesting evening recently at the Koenig Center of the Oyster Bay Historical Society. The markers put in by the Historical Society of the Massapequas (HSM) were aided in part by the Town of Oyster Bay as they have done locally in Oyster Bay.
HSM Trustee George Kirchmann has done what many other people have talked about. His new book, Signs of the Times: Massapequa’s Historical Markers, shows photographs of the marker; the building being honored; and what the site currently looks like. It tells the history of what has happened there over the past years. Oyster Bay, too, has those historic markers: one is at Raynham Hall Museum and another marks where Quaker George Fox spoke to his followers standing on Council Rock on Lake Avenue.
Kirchmann sheds light on how much the area has changed during the past three centuries. The very first marker the society installed was to honor Major Thomas Jones who owned the small string of barrier islands Robert Moses turned into Jones Beach. The marker is the hardest to locate since it was set in the pavement on the south side of the traffic circle surrounding the Jones Beach Water Tower (in 1985). Today with the help of the town, markers are set on 6-foot poles with blue and yellow paint such as the one alerting visitors to Raynham Hall Museum.
Thomas Jones, a Major in the British Army, left England, emigrating to America. He became the first white settler in the area and married Thomas Townsend’s daughter, Freelove, and was given the southern part of Oyster Bay as a wedding present. Jones had been a privateer, where he made a fortune and settled in Rhode Island in 1692. Kirchman said it was there he met Thomas Townsend, whose family owned land throughout Oyster Bay. Jones built a whaling station near what is known today as the East Bathhouse on Jones Beach.
Kirchmann talked about the many Massapequa historic markers that are lined along Merrick Road, the original east-west highway of the area in the 1700s, on Long Island’s south shore. It was originally called Kings Road, and was where Jones and other families settled. Most of the sites have only the historic marker left to tell their story, but following the trail and reading the history of them you get a better story of the farmlands, hotels and grand homes that were there.
The Massapequa Historic Complex still gives a picture of that early view, starting with the Old Grace Church, built in 1844, and expanded several times. In 1962 the new church was dedicated and the old church was abandoned until the MHS saved it from destruction and leased it for $10 a year. Today it is a wedding venue for those wanting a small historic event.
The Floyd-Jones Servants Cottage, remained after the main house burnt down in a July Fourth fireworks accident. The cottage was rented out including to the Baldwin family (Alec, Stephen, Daniel and William), who lived there while their house was being renovated. The third building of the complex is the Delancy Floyd-Jones Free library, which operated for many years until in 1960 when two libraries were built to fill the community’s needs.
The marker at the site tells its story: Historic Complex: 1844 Old Grace Church, DeLancey Floyd-Jones Library 1896. 1870 Floyd-Jones Servant Cottage. Jones Burial Ground 1892. 1989 Home of the historic society of the Massapequas.
Another of the many fascinating locations was of the Old Brick House, originally the home built by Thomas Jones. The house is gone and actually, said Kirchmann, no one knew the exact location, just “east of Massapequa Creek.” The Brick House, was torn down in 1837 by Judge David Samuel Jones, as he built Massapequa Manor and created Massapequa Lake as he widened the stream. The original marker was moved onto the property of St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. When asked if they would allow the marker to be erected on their grounds, they said they were happy to do so, happily reflecting the communities appreciation of the work the society is doing.
Locally, Meredith Maus, Oyster Bay Main Street Association executive director, has been working on a Preserve America grant to create directional signs and interpretive signs for the hamlet. Street signage in the hamlet has gone up but she is currently waiting to get final locations approved to get the interpretive signs installed.
The next event at the Oyster Bay Historical Society, 20 Summit St., is their annual holiday event on Saturday, Dec. 13, starting with a Holiday Concert at 4 p.m. at the Hood A.M.E. Zion Church at 137 South St. in Oyster Bay. Everyone is invited to walk down Summit Street for a Holiday Open House from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Koenig Center, 20 Summit St. Call 516-922-5032 or visit www.oysterbayhistorical.org for more information.
