Tom Kuehhas, director of the Oyster Bay Historical Society said there were about 60 people who took advantage of the final event in this year's series on Historic Preservation, a tour of homes in Florence Park. He said, "It was a nice crowd, and everyone seemed to really enjoy it. People said they had taken similar tours but told me this was one of the best they had been on. All the homeowners were there, greeting people. Sometimes on house tours the owners make themselves scarce and there are only guards watching the houses. This was a more welcoming tour than they had experienced before."

He said, "The great thing about Sydney Street is that it is of the same period and the people really love their homes and have spent a great deal of time and effort restoring them. They are rightfully/justifiably proud of their homes and even while they are from the same period they are not cookie cutter type homes and everyone had them decorated for the holidays differently."

Visitors were given directions to the houses at their first stop, the home of Yvonne and John Cifarelli on East Main Street. There they received information about the houses on the tour. Mr. Kuehhas said, "The area now known as Florence Park was originally meadow and swamp. There were two distinct stages in its development. The first included the area on East Main Street, Sydney Street, and the south side of Melbourne Street between Florence Avenue and Maple Lane (Ship's Point Lane). Individual building lots and streets were laid out in the early years of the 20th century.

"The second stage, which took place in the late '50s and early '60s, included the area to the east of Ship's Point Lane and to the north of Melbourne Street.

"Due to the fact that the architecture in the area comprising the first stage of Florence Park's development is a century old and is so typical of the period, the historical society believes that this section of Oyster Bay merits consideration as a possible historic district."

The Town of Oyster Bay Landmarks Ordinance allows for the creation of Historic Districts. Several years ago, during the time the Oyster Bay Preservation Group was meeting (Stephen Mills was a member) the Oyster Bay Landmarks Commission was considering making West Main Street from South Street to the North Country Exchange an historic district. Unfortunately then OBLC chairperson, Dorothy Horton McGee put herself in charge of the effort to photograph the houses and speak to the building owners and - unfortunately - never came tofruition.

During the Sunday evening tour guests were able to ride in historic fashion by horse and carriage to Gooseberry Grove where Bob Liebold feasted them on hot chocolate, cider and cookies. "They had two full runs of 'tourists' in the 16-seater carriage/wagon that took advantage of the offer, about half of the participants," said Mr. Kuehhas.

Florence Park looked lovely with front doors open to welcome guests and luminaries lighting the walkways of the houses. "It was a delight to see. The whole block really looked festive," said Mr. Kuehhas.

The Candlelight Tour of Florence Park started at the home of Yvonne and John Cifarelli, and from there, visitors walked around the block to the home of Christine and Stephen Mills, on Sidney Street. From there they visited the homes of Maureen and Tom Hardy; Rose and Joseph Rizzo; Melanie and David Nardiello; Janis and Frank Hermann.

The Enterprise Pilot asked Mr. Kuehhas, "Did the tour serve the purpose of raising awareness of historic preservation in Oyster Bay?"

Mr. Kuehhas said, "It was hoping to show what is possible for people who have an old house. These people in some cases restored them from less then fine conditions to prime examples of period restoration. "

He said the tour takers were, "mostly local people showing civic pride and, it was nice greeting friends and neighbors," said Mr.Kuehhas. "I thanked each of the homeowners profusely for agreeing to open their houses for the tour."

This is the fifth year the Oyster Bay Historical Society has offered a series of lectures and events linked to Oyster Bay and preservation. The first was centered on Louis Comfort Tiffany. You will remember that his home Laurelton Hall burned to the ground and that elements of the house are now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Morris Museum in Winter Park, Florida.

The Tiffany series took place in 2000 followed by The Italian Americans in Oyster Bay; Recreation in Oyster Bay; Art in Oyster Bay and now Architecture in Oyster Bay. All the series events have been benefits to raise funds to erect an archival building for the society. As for next year, Mr. Kuehhas said, "We have some broad ideas for next year's series but we have to fine tune it." We are looking forward to the next series. Each one has enriched our appreciation of Oyster Bay. Thank you Mr. Kuehhas, and Maureen Monck, Ph.D. who has worked on the events along with him. Thank you also to the committee members Yvonne Cifarelli, Brad Warner and Barry Curtis Spies.