Freeport Historical Society & Museum Freeport, New york Newsletter
350 South Main Street, Freeport, NY 11520
Fall 2013
Tel: (516) 623-9632
http://freeporthistorymuseum.org
Calendar of events... January 7, 2014
Winter meeting, Part One (Auto racing) Freeport Memorial Library, 7pm
January 21, 2014
Winter meeting, Part Two (Freeport Stadium) Freeport Memorial Library, 7pm
April 27, 2014
Museum opens for 2014 season
June 10, 2014
Spring meeting (Bob Doxsee of Doxsee Clam) Freeport Memorial Library, 7pm
Winter Meeting Auto Racing on Long Island Presenters: Marty Himes, Regina Feeney and Cynthia Krieg Long Island featured over 40 automobile tracks and courses from 1900 to today. The first race, in 1900, went from Springfield in Queens to Babylon and ran on Merrick Road through Freeport. The presentation will highlight all the venues including the Vanderbilt Cup, Riverhead Raceway, and Islip Raceway. Date: Tuesday, January 7, 2014 Time: 7pm-9pm Location: Freeport Memorial Library Refreshments will be served Freeport Stadium Presenters: Marty Himes, Regina Feeney and Cynthia Krieg The Freeport Municipal Stadium opened in 1931 and is fondly remembered by many Long Islanders. Over the decades, Indy Big Cars, midgets, stock cars, and the demolition derby were featured. It closed in 1983. Share your memories of the Stadium on this evening. Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 Time: 7pm – 9pm Location: Freeport Memorial Library Refreshments will be served
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Welcome New Members! Life
Individual
Hessel family
Marie Johnson
Sandy Lutz
Gary Quilliam
Michael Winkowski
Laura Curran
In memory of...
Cookie and Henry Altengarten donated by Mary Ann Hohensee
100th Birthday Party!
One of the most heartwarming events this summer was the celebration of Dorothy Sellers’ 100th birthday at the Museum. Her friends and family arranged everything and the approximately 100 guests from all of the country toasted her with champagne followed by birthday cake. Guests came from as far away as Mexico and California as well as Freeport’s Mayor Bob Kennedy. If anyone would like to have use of the backyard of the Museum for special occasions, please contact us for additional details. 3
Eagle Scout Project Lee Stetson, a senior at Freeport High School, has been hard at work on his Eagle Scout project. He has transformed the shed, in the backyard, into a maritime museum. He finished painting the outside, put up walls on the inside and painted them. He added shelving and assembled a display that highlights Freeport’s extensive nautical history. It is wonderful to have all these artifacts in one place and we will have a celebration, in the spring, to show it off to the community. If any other Boy Scouts need to do an Eagle Scout project, please contact us.
In Memory of and in Honor of Plantings We lost one of our members, Steve Karr. His family and friends established a memorial fund to purchase an oak tree that was planted in the back of the yard. To celebrate Dorothy Sellers’ birthday, her family and friends established a fund to buy a lace cap hydrangea that is in the bed next to the back door. Sig Feile, of Atlantic Nursery, was extremely generous in helping us secure the plants and arranged to have them planted. Mary Westring is fashioning plaques to identify them. In the spring, we will dedicate both and hope you can attend. If you wish to contribute to either fund, please let us know,. Friends of Freeport
Our backyard
Although the Museum building suffered very little damage from Hurricane Sandy, many of the bushes in the yard were destroyed. The Green Thumbs division of the Friends of Freeport, helped to trim back affected bushes, as well as dug out those that did not survive. In their place, they planted flowers. The Green Thumbs also planted red tulips to show their support of Freeport. Look for them in the spring.
In addition to the work of Friends of Freeport, Ellen Kelly further transformed our garden into a delightful space. She mulched many of the beds and planted additional flowers.
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Donations and Loans
On loan from Margie and Henry Lenahan, a metal sign from the Freeport Daughters of Liberty, founded in 1903. The group was the women’s auxiliary of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. It was a Nativist group that was restricted to native born, white American women aged 16 or over. Over the years, the organizations dropped its exclusionary policies and became a standard insurance society.
On loan from the Freeport Memorial Library, a Freeport High School letterman’s jacket from the 1963 Rutgers Cup team. It was donated to the Library by Stephen Beneville who now lives in North Carolina.
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New Collection This past fall, one of our volunteers conducted her graduate fieldwork at the museum. She scanned over 80 pieces of sheet music and playbills. Please visit www.longislandmemories.org to see this fabulous collection.
Tours! We led some special tours in the Museum. A delightful group of Girl Scouts, with their leaders, spent some time with us. They posed some interesting questions and had a wonderful time in our kitchen. Additionally, the Jerusalem Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution came to visit and was very impressed by our extraordinary collection of Freeport artifacts as well as the building itself. We encourage all groups to make an appointment to tour the Museum.
Have you checked out longislandmemories.org? There is really great historical memorabilia there including: over 5000 digital images of Freeport; Music scores, playbills and programs; Village of Freeport newsletters from 1952-2001; William Clinton Story American Legion Post minutes; Freeport Memorial Library minutes; The Leader ; and six newspapers covering the period from 1895 to 1921.
If you want a copy of a photograph, let us know and we’ll let you know about the suggested donation. Also, consider Regina Feeney and Cynthia Krieg’s book about Freeport as a holiday gift. It is $21.99 and all proceeds are donated to the Historical Society.
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CAKELESS BAKE SALE
No trouble, No cooking, No fuss! Just mail a donation to us! THANK YOU This is our major fund raiser to help pay for the upkeep of the Museum. Since we the House Tour was not been held this year, we ask that everyone take that into consideration as you make your donation. All contributions are tax deductible. Name________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________ Contribution $____________________ Please make check payable to “Freeport Historical Society Mail to Ruth Sandhaas, 20 Arizona Ave., Rockville Centre, 11570 MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS! Because of the hurricane, I was remiss in reminding people to pay their dues. Your mailing label should say 2014. Our fiscal year is from April 1 to March 31. The dues helped to keep the Museum open. If you think you have paid your dues for 20132014, please email us at the address in this newsletter. Thank you for your support. 2013-2014 memberships are up for renewal. Check the mailing label for your expiration date. Please continue your support of the Museum’s operation. Your dues are tax deductible. If you want a membership card, pick it up at the Museum or at the meeting. Freeport Historical Society is a non-profit organization solely supported by memberships and contributions. In addition to the regular memberships, the Society has established a LIFE MEMBERSHIP FUND and a MEMORIAL FUND for receiving gifts. Freeport Historical Society is a non-profit organization solely supported by memberships and contributions. In addition to the regular memberships, the Society has established a LIFE MEMBERSHIP FUND and a MEMORIAL FUND for receiving gifts. Please make check payable to “The Freeport Historical Society”, P.O. Box 323, Freeport, NY 11520 □ INDIVIDUAL ($10 annually) □ FAMILY ($15 annually) □ SUSTAINING ($25 annually) □ ORGANIZATIONS/CORPORATIONS ($50 annually) □ LIFE MEMBER (Single Donor $150) □ LIFE MEMBER (Organizations/Corporations $250) □ MEMORIAL FUND (In memory of) ______________________________________ $_____
Name_____________________________________________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________________ Phone ______________________ Email _____________________________________________________________________________________ Please circle any area of interest as the Society NEEDS your participation and help. Host/Hostess at the Museum
Digital accessioning
Newsletter
Photography Cleaning Hospitality Committee (baking)
Filing
Research Gardening
Membership Mailings
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Graphic Arts
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On the Web
Officers and Trustees President and Curator Cynthia Krieg
Corresponding Secretary Marianne Endo
We can be found on the web at: www.freeporthistorymuseum.org. There you will find our current events and latest news! Don’t forget to check out the longislandmemories.org site! We have over 5,000 photos loaded there.
Recording Secretary Jeanne Booth
Follow us on Twitter! Our handle is @FrptHisSoc
Director of Extension Services Robert J. Raynor
Join our group on Facebook!
1st Vice President Marty Himes 2nd Vice President Jane Jersic Treasurer Ruth Sandhaas
Archivist Regina G. Feeney
Read our blog freeportlihistory.blogspot.com
Genealogist Carol Poulos
Contact us at freeporthistoricalsociety@yahoo.com Ask us about our Second Life office
Lorraine Avitabile
Bill Nelson
Patrice Benneward
Gail Nelson
Miguel Bermudez
Helen Razzano
Rita Carter
Traneice Richardson
Isabelle Drach
Denise Rushton
Paul Eberst
Camilla Wier
Regina Feeney
Lily Wier
Jack Holly
Steven Williams
Ellen Kelly
Frank Young
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