Three years in the making, but local filmmaker Richard Altomonte's historical videos for Long Island are complete.

"History Along the Turnpike: Levittown" and "History Along the Turnpike: Franklin Square" debuted about two months ago, with both films affectionately exploring the history of Levittown and Franklin Square from the early days to the present.

The production funding to History Film, Inc. came in two grants over a period of three years through the efforts of Senator Kemp Hannon from the State Office of Parks Recreation and Historical Preservation. Hannon also obtained a grant from the Nassau Decentralization program of the State Council on the Arts. Astoria Federal Savings awarded a $5,000 grant after production was nearly finished and became a sponsor.

"Their sponsorship money made distribution possible," said Altomonte. "Astoria Federal Savings welcomed the opportunity to be associated with an educational project that reflected their mission to serve the community."

The reason Hannon cited these two towns was that they both have active, dedicated and involved historical societies with museums where the history and memories of the towns are retained, said Altomonte.

Dissimilarly, Levittown is a post World War II phenomenon, one of the most important of all post-WWII stories, and Franklin Square is an old town with an immigrant farming history going back to the 1800s. Altomonte said that the Levittown film begins with a tour of the Hempstead Plains followed by early airplane footage during WWII and a profile of the creation of Levittown shortly after WWII.

A number of members of the Levittown and Franklin Square Historical Society are seen on the videos recounting their memories. Home movies and photographs are also featured on the films, including a new Levittowner from 1948 moving in and carrying his wife over the threshold of the unfinished house. Herb Kalb, whose family owned the historic Kalb Hotel on the corner of Franklin Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike in the early 1900s, is shown on the Franklin Square film. The hotel burned down in the 1920s.

The response from the viewers has been uniformly positive, said Altomonte. "The people of Levittown were patient and willing to support the activities, ultimately to save the museum," said Altomonte. "It was very satisfying and I enjoyed the impulse of looking at pictures and spinning all the memories and recollections together. It's great when you find actual moving pictures and weave it all together."

Each of the companion video runs about 30 minutes and the cover of the Levittown video is graced with a painting of a 1950s snow-covered Levittown ranch by the artist and Levittown-native Kristine O'Malley.

An East Meadow resident, Altomonte organized History Film, Inc. to create historical videos. With a bachelor of science degree in filmmaking from Boston University, Altomonte's past projects include a historical video in 1986 called "Yesterday's Time" about Queens County, narrated by Tony Bennett.

While the project did take a couple of years to complete, Altomonte will not be discouraged. His future project on the Hempstead Plains is underway. He is also looking forward to the having new free-standing historical society museum in Rath Park, which is being built in Franklin Square after receiving funding and obtaining a building permit.

The videos are given free of charge to schools and libraries in the towns. Additional copies are for sale as a fundraiser through the historical societies. Copies of the "History Along the Turnpike: Levittown" can be obtained from the Levittown Historical Society at the Museum located in the school building on the corner of Abbey and Ranch Lanes. They are $15 each (add $4 for handling, if mailed) and all proceeds go to support the work of the Society and the Museum. The mailing address is Levittown Historical Society, PO Box 57, Levittown, NY 11756. Call 735-9060 for more details. For a copy of "History Along the Turnpike: Franklin Square," send $10 plus $3.50 for shipping and handling to the Franklin Square Historical Society, PO Box 45, Franklin Square, NY 11010.