As one of the oldest communities on Long Island, Farmingdale has a rich architectural heritage.

In an effort to promote awareness of that heritage and instill community pride, the Historic Preservation Committee of the Incorporated Village of Farmingdale last week launched an historic plaque program that will highlight some of the area's more distinctive old homes.

The program was initiated on Saturday, March 4, with the presentation of a plaque at the Connolly home, located at the intersection of Melville Road and Secatogue Avenue. The plaque notes the approximate date the house was built - 1867. The program will place similar markers at selected homes throughout Farmingdale, at a rate of about one a month. According to Deputy Village Historian Daniel Looney, head of the program, the committee hopes to have markers placed at 25 homes by the time the US Open arrives in Farmingdale at Bethpage State Park in 2002, bringing national visibility to the area. The selected structures will range in style from farmhouses, similar to the Connollys', to craftsman houses, to Dutch Colonials, Victorians and Tudors. The plaque program, he added, may be part of an eventual walking history tour of the village which he hopes would promote the heritage of Farmingdale, not only for its residents, but also for tourists who arrive for the US Open.

"We want to show what a great place Farmingdale is, and highlight the history of the area through the architecture," Looney said, explaining the purpose of the plaque program. He added, "It's more than just the house - the bricks and mortar. We hope to highlight the history of the people through the houses."

Indeed, Farmingdale, which was founded in the late 1600s, has a plethora of buildings that pre-date the Post World War II suburban boom, and are reminiscent of the community's rural past.

Village Historian Bill Johnston noted that Farmingdale's large stock of pre-war homes help set it apart from other Long Island communities. He said that old homes are an important fabric of the community because, by lasting so long, they often host more than one generation. "They knit the generations together," he said. He added, "Farmingdale has quite a number of them, and we want to educate our residents, businesses, and newcomers as to what our heritage is, especially in relation to historic homes."

The program has been a collaborative community effort. Volunteers have included plaque designers, Farmingdale High School carpentry students, who constructed the plaques, and writers and photographers who are working on a series of articles on the homes which will coincide with the presentation of the plaques. The articles and photos will be featured in a special series in the Farmingdale Observer, beginning this week.

Looney added that another aim of the program is to encourage residents to preserve and restore aged homes. He noted that the Connolly home was chosen as the first because it illustrates so well how, with enough dedication, a middle class family can successfully restore an old home. "We were very impressed with what the Connollys did to this house," he said. Looney hopes the series of articles on the historic homes, and accompanying photos will inspire other Farmingdale residents to follow suit. Eventually, the village also hopes to hold workshops for residents on restoring old homes.

Structures to be highlighted by the plaque program are being chosen from a pool of applicants. Applications are currently available at Farmingdale Village Hall. To be eligible, the building must have been built prior to 1940. Additional factors the committee will consider are: 1) The building's distinctive architectural features; 2) The extent the building adds character to the community; 3) the building's association with events and individuals of historic importance in the community; 4) the efforts of the owner to preserve the original appearance of the building; 5) uniqueness of the building's style to a particular period. In addition, other homes spotted by the committee as having outstanding historical and architectural characteristics will be selected. The Powell House, located on Merritts Road, is next to be spotlighted.

Homeowner Warren Connolly encouraged others to take part in the program. "We've worked pretty hard on the house, and love the village. So to have this come to fruition is really nice," he said. "This is what drew me to Farmingdale - the fact that there were houses like this. Anyone can live in a development."

"The essence of the program is community pride. And when each of us chip in, as Warren did, everyone in the community benefits," added Looney. "The real essence of Farmingdale is here in the village - Main Street, the houses...We want people to know all over Long Island that there's more to Farmingdale than Route 110."