At just 23 years old, Mitchell Schwartz has become a driving force in preserving and documenting the history of Flower Hill, serving as the village’s official historian while balancing law school and multiple volunteer roles.
A lifelong resident of the Roslyn area of Flower Hill, Schwartz graduated from Roslyn High School in 2020 and earned a bachelor’s degree in history and geography from Hofstra University in 2024. He is currently pursuing a juris doctor degree at Hofstra Law School and is expected to graduate in 2027.
Schwartz’s passion for local history began early, sparked by a fascination with neighborhood stories, street names and hidden pasts. He recalls discovering that a trolley line once ran behind his home on Middleneck Road as part of the New York and New Shore Traction Company network.
“I just started going down a rabbit hole,” Schwartz said. “The more I researched, the more passionate I became about the history of Flower Hill.”
In October 2020, Schwartz was appointed village historian, a position required by New York State law. Since then he has conducted extensive research into the village’s past, reviewing decades-old meeting minutes, historical archives, and local landmarks.
He led the creation of the Flower Hill Historic Trail, which highlights more than 100 points of historical interest, including sites connected to the village’s founder, Carlos Munson, scenic overlooks with views of the Empire State Building and Long Island Sound, and streets named for local figures.
The trail, Schwartz said, “helps residents and visitors connect with the village’s rich history in a tangible way.”
In addition to his village historian duties, Schwartz serves as co-vice president of the Roslyn Landmark Society, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving historic sites in the greater region. His work there includes efforts to preserve the Grist Mill, among other landmarks.
Schwartz said his historian role focuses on documenting the village’s history and assisting the Board of Trustees and village administrator with questions. He also recommends preservation projects, such as the current effort to list the Village-owned Flower Hill Cemetery on the National Register of Historic Places.
The cemetery, which opened in 1798 and closed in 1896, has strong ties to the American Revolution and is the burial site of multiple soldiers from that era. Flower Hill designated the cemetery a village landmark in 2023.
Flower Hill is among a few local municipalities with landmark preservation ordinances, a historic register, and a landmark commission. Schwartz serves on the Village of Flower Hill Landmarks Preservation Commission, an advisory board appointed annually by the mayor.
The commission evaluates sites proposed for landmark designation, holding public hearings and voting on eligibility before recommending approval to the Board of Trustees. The board holds additional hearings before voting on final designation.
Schwartz and the commission recommended the landmarking of the Flower Hill Cemetery, which was approved by the trustees in spring 2023. Like his other roles, his work on the commission is voluntary and unpaid.
Schwartz is also a published author. His book, “The Pulaski of Roslyn,” about the Bryant Viaduct, was written in his capacity as an Roslyn Landmark trustee, with royalties going to the society.
“There’s something very exhilarating about being able to write about something and being able to build upon it and then share it with the world and help teach people,” he said.
Recently, he also wrote “Long Island History through Case Law,” which combined his passion for law and history.
“I truly feel it was inspired by some of the research that I’ve done through the village and through the landmark society, and also a lot of it through my past passion for the law and the excitement that I have in law school learning about some of these cases,” said Schwartz about his latest book.
Balancing his volunteer work and law school studies, Schwartz hopes to combine history, law, and geography in his future career.
“Helping people through these fields is very fulfilling,” he said.
Residents can view some of Schwartz’s research and historical displays at the Village Hall’s Historical Gallery, which he helped establish.
With Schwartz at the helm, Flower Hill’s history remains in capable hands.
