Brookhaven Hamlet Celebrates Memorial Day

In a ceremony that has little changed for decades, Brookhaven Hamlet celebrated Memorial Day.  The parade forms at the High School and proceeds east on South Country Road to the Memorial Triangle.

The parade color guard.

Brookhaven Fire Department Color Guard.

The Fire Department is the lead sponsor of the event.

Brookhaven Fire Department.

Other community organizations were represented.

South Country Ambulance Corps.

Bellport High School Band

Bobby Sterling pleased the crowd with his decorated bicycle taking up the rear.

The day was beautiful, perfect for a parade.  Many from the community lined the streets and attended the memorial ceremony at the Memorial Triangle.

Master of ceremonies for the memorial events was Chief Peter DiPinto, Jr of the Brookhaven Fire Department.  The Bellport High School Band opened with the National Anthem.

Department Chaplain Ed Sives opened with a few remarks and an invocation.

First District Congressman Tim Bishop and Suffolk County Legislator Kat Browning addressed the crowd.

Congressman Bishop

Assistant Chief Bruce Mazza read the names of Brookhaven Hamlet residents who gave their lives serving their country and the bell was tolled for each:  Paul Ballard [WWII], Stephen Brown [WWI], Lawrence Costa [WWII], John M. Ewing [Korea], Paul Fruchtnicht [WWII], Anthony Iarocci [WWII], and Lawrence Kinsella [WWII].*

Memorial wreaths were placed by members of the Brookhaven Fire Department, VFW Post 8300, Brookhaven Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, South Country Ambulance Company, Shirley Community Ambulance Company, Mastic Fire Department, Brookhaven Village Association and Boy Scout Troop 4.

Chief Peter DiPinto, Jr places a wreath.

Past Post Commander Jim Vaughn places a wreath on behalf of VFW Post 8300.

Chief Greg Miglino and members of the South Country Ambulance Company places a wreath.

The service concluded with Lt. Jim Leskowicz singing America the Beautiful, a firing squad volley, taps (with echo) played by members of the band, and a benediction by Ed. Sives, who then lead us in a chorus of God Bless America.  There were not a few tearing eyes.  A fitting Memorial Day remembrance.

*  A person not mentioned is John Joseph Foden, killed in Vietnam 25 Jan 1968.  The Fire Department is aware of the omission.

Wertheim Visitor Center Groundbreaking

The Wertheim Visitor Center groundbreaking ceremony was yesterday, May 17, 2010, with the usual gold shovels. Of interest is a song written by Anne and Charlie Meinhold's daughter Cathy. Anne and Charlie are long-time residents of South Haven.

Cemetery Maintenance Lawsuit Update

Reggie Seltzer called yesterday to let us know that the law clerk doing the reviewing, prioritizing and scheduling for State Supreme Court Judge Tannebaum told her that our case will be "heard,", i.e. a decision will be made, sometime in June. Reggie has been calling this law clerk almost on a weekly basis trying to impress upon him/her the importance of having a decision made ASAP.

Summer II Cemetery Restoration Projects Resume

All the stars are in alignment and we're about to begin year 2 using our Caithness Host Community Benefit grant money to restore the David Hawkins, Richard Corwin and, hopefully, the Barteau, cemeteries. For the David Hawkins Cemetery I have obtained a special use permit, as well as a key to get in, from the USF&WS covering the period May 12 - 21. I'll be meeting with Hollis first thing Wednesday morning, hopefully the cemetery isn't too overgrown. If it is I may need to call on whoever is available to do a quick clean up. The Corwin Cemetery is not a problem because the homeowner in front of the cemetery, Jeff Bland, is giving us his total support. As for the Barteau cemetery, everything depends upon Judge Tannebaum.

We have plenty of money to repair all three cemeteries. Hollis' estimate for David Hawkins is $2,600 and for Corwin $880. We have $5,235 left from the original $11,000 grant, so if the Hawkins and Corwin cemeteries come in as estimated we'll have $2,243 available to repair the Barteau cemetery, should we ever find it beneath the growth.

On the subject of cemeteries, the County, bless their souls, removed the debris we placed in front of the South Haven Church cemetery. But the Town, cuss their souls, hasn't done a thing. Although it's not too bad yet, we'll probably have to drag a lawnmower there soon.

Here are some pictures I took yesterday of the South Haven Church Cemetery.

Marty Van Lith

Pictures Hamlet Walking Tour April 11, 2010

The Fire Place History Club conducted its 3rd tour of the Fire Place Historic District (Brookhaven Hamlet, NY) on April 11, 2010. About 50 people attended, led by John Deitz, on a leisurely walk from the Memorial Triangle to Painters' Restaurant.

We started at the Gazebo in the Fire Place Park. In the background is the Miller homestead. The park is in the center of a former Miller farm trout pond. The story of the highways, historic Brook Store and other farms in the area, as well as the origins of the Memorial Triangle and park, was told.

The former Valentine House -- Jacob Valentine was the long-time proprietor of the Brook Store in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, founded by the Ellison family in the early 19th century.

Light refreshments were served by the Ludlows in the yard of the Chapel House.

Among the homes on the tour was the Richard Corwin homestead (below), and the longtime home of his son, Sylvester Corwin.

.. and the homestead of Nathaniel Corwin, another of Richard Corwin's sons. The Corwins were prominent farmers in Brookhaven Hamlet through the 19th century.

The final stop was Painters' restaurant, historically known as the Better 'Ole Tea Porch, founded by vaudevillians William Seeley and his wife Ma'mselle Florrie Rhodesia, "the lady society juggler."

The tour was one of several events in the Town of Brookhaven celebrating the 355th anniversary of its founding.

Tour guides of the Fire Place Historic District are available.

Photos by Marty van Lith and Richard Thomas

Brookhaven Hamlet Walking Tour Guide Now Available

The next Fire Place (Brookhaven Hamlet) Historic District walking tour will be held Sunday, April 11, 2010 starting at 2:00 P.M. from the Memorial Triangle/Fire Place Park and will continue north to Painters' restaurant. It will be led by John Deitz and members of the Fire Place History Club.

A free tour guide will be available to accompany the walk. This guide is now available online as a pdf file. This is the third walking tour guide of the Historic District prepared by the history club. The pdf file is formated as a booklet, and is best printed two-sided (duplex) on 8½ x 11" paper.

Other guides of the Fire Place Historic District are available online.

You Can't Get There From Here

30 March 2010 -- yet another Spring Storm. This one dumped 16 inches of rain in 24 hours, with moderate wind. Some minor coastal flooding. I passed by here about noon. Tree must have fallen but a short time later—on Beaver Dam Road at Edgar Avenue. By 2 pm, the Town of Brookhaven highway department had it all cleaned up. Just the stump of a tree—and a neighbor walking his dog staring in amazement—was all you could see. It's so rare these days that something good can be said about Town performance.

Photograph by Marty Van Lith