Ida May Keel Laying Introduces the IMP Board

Putting a Face on the Ida May Project and Its Mission

The life journey of the new Ida May began on December 9, 2011, at the official keel laying in J Building on the Western WaterFront of Oyster Bay. Two silver dollars were placed by Clint Smith and Franklin Flower into circular holes made by shipwright Dave Short for them. One is a 1925 silver dollar and the other, a 2011 silver dollar. Ida May Project board member Gregory Druhak said Mr. Short had to enlarge one hole since the 2011 silver dollar is bigger.

Shipwright Dave Short said after the weekend they would be standing up the eight frames that form the body of the ship that they just completed. “We are trying to create some momentum. I want to stay here and see it all through,” he said.

Bayville Village Board Highlights

Monday. November 28, 2011

The Monday, Nov. 28 meeting of the Bayville Village Board began with the recognition of two heroic police officers. The NCPD officers were honored for their selfless bravery during the helicopter rescue of the driver of a car that was hit by a tree branch on Bayville Ave. on Aug. 28 during extreme conditions of Hurricane Irene. The officers, NCPO Darin Costello and NCPO Dan Bednartz, were presented with citations for their bravery.

John Hammond Publishes Book To Help Civil War Researchers

Civil War Records: Town of Oyster Bay Tells of Oyster Bay’s Involvement

Oyster Bay Town Historian John Hammond has recently published a book on the Civil War entitled, Civil War Records: Town of Oyster Bay.

Mr. Hammond explained the publication’s timing and purpose saying, “This year is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, and the publication of about 100 pages - is an index of all of the Town of Oyster Bay records that are relevant to the civil war. It is really a research document for people doing genealogy research or research on the Civil War.”

Oyster Bay Historical Society Executive Director Phillip Blocklyn said of the publication, “I think it’s a wonderful resource, and also the timing of the issue is fortunate because this year we received the Elizabeth Roosevelt donation of her family documents and the James A. Roosevelt connection to the northern war effort ties in very much with that.” FYI: James A. Roosevelt was the brother of TR’s father Theodore Sr. - James A. Roosevelt is also the great-grandfather of Elizabeth Roosevelt, who donated the family documents to the OBHS.

Oyster Bay’s Civil War Connection Is Illustrated by the Roosevelt Collection

James A. Roosevelt Collection at the Oyster Bay Historical Society

Oyster Bay Historical Society Executive Director Philip Blocklyn took several documents from the newly acquired Elizabeth Roosevelt Collection to share with members of the Life Enrichment Center earlier this year. His topic was centered around Black History month and the way in which the new collection unveiled elements of the Roosevelt family’s participation in the Civil War that resulted in President Abraham Lincoln declaring the Emancipation Proclamation, and freeing the African American slaves who were the workforce of the agricultural south.

C.S.A.C. Holiday Sharing Program Is In Full Swing

Donations still needed to make the Holidays bright

It is reassuring to know that here on the north shore of Long Island, while the poor are never far away literally, they are never forgotten virtually. There is a caring system embedded into the community to provide for others – in this affluent community. Those in need yesterday often become the donors of today: the reverse sometimes happens. As life goes on and changes, people remember what the difference is between having and not having.

At this time of year the annual Holiday Sharing Program run by CSAC, a committee of the Interreligous and Human Needs Committee is in full swing. Co-chairs of the Holiday Sharing Program, Carol and Randy Daub were seated on the wooden bench in the Meditation Garden in the back of the First Presbyterian Church on Monday, Nov. 21. They were overseeing the distribution of foodstuffs for Thanksgiving dinners, part of the annual program.

Christmas With the Roosevelts at Sagamore Hill

It’s your last chance as Sagamore Hill House closes on Dec. 5 for three years

On Saturday, December 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sagamore Hill National Historic Site will host Christmas with the Roosevelts at Sagamore Hill.

Please note that this will be one of your last chances to see the Roosevelt Home since it will be closing to the public for a three-year period beginning December 5, 2011 due to a major rehabilitation of the home. However the life of TR at Sagamore Hill will continue to be available through visits to the Visitor Center, Theodore Roosevelt Museum at Old Orchard and the grounds that will continue to be open and free interpretive programs will be offered.

Venditto Proposes Purchase of Maine Maid Inn

Landmark Status Sought

Listeners at the Oyster Bay Town Board meeting for granting landmark status to the Maine Maid Inn in Jericho were surprised and delighted (shown by sudden applause) as Supervisor John Venditto proposed the town might purchase the historic building. The suggestion was made as Town Commisioner of Planning and Development Fredrick Ippolito talked about what happened a year ago with the Octagon Hotel in Oyster Bay. It was a building that was empty, old and dilapidated and in danger of demolition and now it has six apartments and retail space rented – a success story. He said a letter from Sienna bank said the Maine Maid Inn is in foreclosure and they don’t know what will happen with the building.

Trousdell House Loses Buyer But Optimism Is High for Needed Help

Saving a Historically Significant House in Oyster Bay Is Challenging Yet Rewarding

While work is progressing on the Trousdell house, a.k.a. Hillside, located on East Main Street in Oyster Bay, the project needs funding. The house was sold by the Trousdell heirs to the North Shore Land Alliance to preserve open space and with the hope that a prospective buyer would step up to help fund the restoration to turn it into a bed & breakfast for which there is local interest. The 3.5 acre site could have been sold for a subdivision.

“Unfortunately,” Lisa Ott, president of the North Shore Land Alliance said, “We just heard from an article by Bill Bleyer in Newsday, that the people we thought were going to buy the Trousdell house, aren’t going to buy it. The newspaper showed a photograph inside the house of Bernard Austin of Harrison Design Associates of Locust Valley, who did all the pro bono work in beginning the process of restoration.”

USS TR Sailor of the Year Candidates at TR Gravesite

The USS TR Seamen at Theodore Roosevelt’s 153rd Birthday Commemoration

The sailors from the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) earned their right to attend the birthday commemoration of their ship’s namesake, TR our 26th President. The four crew members who participated in the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Youngs Cemetery are all up for nomination as the Sailor of the Year.

“All the sailors are in the running for the Sailor of the Year title,” said USS TR Captain Roger Curry. “Since there are 3,000 crew members, we have to pick the four of the best of the best.”

Kristallnacht Remembrance Has Lessons for Us Today

Oyster Bay Jewish Center Guest Speakers Tell of Growing Up in Nazi Germany

Werner and Lottie Hess were the guest speakers at the Oyster Bay Jewish Center as they shared their stories of growing up in Germany under the rule of Hitler, as Kristallnacht, Nov. 9, 1938 was commemorated.

The story of Kristallnacht has been told many times, but there are always some people who haven’t heard it and the power of its message for humanity. Werner Hess was a teenager living in Germany when Adolph Hitler came to power. He said several prime ministers had tried to rule the country after World War I with no success. Some believed Hitler too would be quickly gone, but instead, he began to initiate the plan he laid out in Mein Kampf to cure the ills of Germany after their defeat in the war. Mr. Hess said over the 12 years of Adolf Hitler’s rein, Germany went from being the most educated and liberal country in the world, to become the most barbarian country.