Historic Series: Prime House and Octagon House

29 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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architecture, clapboard, ezra prime, Heckscher Park, historic, history, huntington, long island, new york, Octagon House, prime house

One of the prominent families in the history of Huntington were the Primes. Ezra C. Prime, son of Ebenezer Prime II, played an important part in the town’s industrial history with the business of his thimble factory. He returned from New York City in the 1840s where he owned a silver and jewelry business. Upon his arrival, he built his shop on Main Street and soon after moved the location across the street.

By 1860, Prime owned a significant amount of land from both sides of Main Street. His original house on Prime Avenue, built in 1855, sits across from Heckscher Park where Prime built his dam. The clapboard home is two stories high with a low sloped roof in the back. The rooms were fairly large and inside the home there was a common hallway with an apartment on each side.

The back of the home included slave quarters so it was used as housing for workers as well and is the only example of this type of residence. Its design showcases six-over-six sash windows and sidelights around the door. In 1920, it was converted into a single-family home and cellar fireplaces were added in 1951. All the original moldings, hardware and door are still in tact as well as the fireplaces and oven in the basement.

In 1859, Prime built the octagon house next door. No one knows for sure if it was housing for his employees or just another home for his family but it was lived in until the 1920s. The home was a two-story building with a stucco exterior and hip-roofed cupola. These were built to help with ventilation. And its front porch is a site to see.

The house also showcases a bracketed cornice with subtle detail work that surrounds the top of the house. Think of this as outside molding. It gives the home a little style to play off the hard stucco look. The home’s walls are also 18 inches thick. Here is another beautiful building that is the only one of its kind in the area.

Besides being smart and ambitious Ezra Prime was a creative man as well. He has definitely left his mark on Huntington and, like his homes, has created a history that will always stand strong and never be forgotten.

Historic Series: Old First Presbyterian Church

20 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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architecture, church, Duke's Laws, gabled roof, huntington, long island, Matinecock Indians, Meeting House Brook, modillion cornice, New England colonial, new york, Old First Presbyterian Church, parish, Rev. Ebenezer Prime, Rev. Leverich

The Old First Presbyterian Church of Huntington was originally organized in 1658. At the time it was considered a congregational church with its first minister being the Rev. William Leverich. In addition to working with the church he was also the town’s first miller. He came to Long Island with a small group of men from Sandwich, Massachusetts and bought Oyster Bay from the Matinecock Indians. Later they purchased Huntington as well.

Built in 1665, the church location was called Meeting House Brook, what is now Prime Avenue. According to Duke’s Laws it was mandatory to have a house that can be used for public worship and it had to hold up to 200 people. So in 1715, it was decided that a new church building would be built on the East Hill on Main Street.

Rev. Leverich retired in 1669 and Rev. Eliphalet Jones, a Harvard graduate, took over from 1676 to 1723. After he did his time, Rev. Ebenezer Prime took his position up until 1779 when he passed away. He was a Yale College graduate and came to Huntington in 1719 as an assistant to Rev. Jones.

During the Revolutionary War the church building was seized by the British and eventually was dismantled so its parts could be used to build a fort on the Old Burying Ground. Its bell was also taken and used on British warships. However, it was found in 1783 on the ship Rinoceros and had to be recast before it was able to be used for service.

That year the Huntington residents started to reconstruct the church on 125 Main Street where it sits today. The two and one-half story building has a pitched gable roof and five-story bell tower in the center of the structure. Under the bell tower is where the main entrance stands.

During the 1900s, the addition to the two story, five-bay gabled roof was added to connect the back of the building. Later in the 1970s the parish hall was built as well as the four-bay hipped roof on the west side.

The building is dressed with white wood shingles, multi pane windows and many classic decorative details such as its modillion cornice which surrounds the edge of the roof and the elaborate work above the main entrance. Also take note of its lunette windows which is a nice contrast to the rectangular shape windows that are used throughout the structure.

The First Presbyterian Church expresses a New England colonial style that was mostly used for religious architecture. I happen to love the bell tower due to its height and slim design. It looks beautiful against the tones of the blue sky.

For over 300 years, the church has seen unbelievable change but stands today spreading a message of hope and faith. It gives the town a sense of community and provides it with a gathering place for all. With the ring of its church bell every Sunday you can count on that feeling of togetherness and love, all year round.

Historic Series: The Henry Townsend House

15 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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historic, history, huntington, long island, new york, The Henry Townsend House, west neck district, west neck road

The Henry Townsend House is a beautiful site. Built in 1830 by Henry Townsend himself, this historic home sits on an acre and a half of land. It is part of the West Neck Historic Road Historic District with many other homes and buildings from the 19th century.

Surrounded by a picket fence the property includes a garage, smokehouse, well, shed and a privy which is an outside bathroom. You will see a lot of exterior toilets with older homes in this area. From 1858 to 1909 it was owned by the Scudder family and later the Conklins until 1911. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 at which W.B. Young was the owner.

From first glance, there is a lot to take in. The house is very elaborate in its design and has a great amount of decorative elements that really bring it to life. With one-and-a-half stories, it features a center-hall plan and a one-story side wing. This wing received exterior alterations in the 1850s such as the overhanging eaves above the porch. The glass porch in the back of the home is a much recent addition.

The front porch is held up with posts that feature scrolled corner braces. This design element is continued throughout the entire home. You will notice it significantly on the street side in the carved rafter ends of the home. This Swiss-inspired detailing creates a doll house look and adds an artistic feel to the overall design.

The garage was originally a carriage house built with clapboard design as well. This too has exposed rafter ends included in its one-and-a-half story plan. The six over six sash windows are also very common for this time period.

Because it is part of the West Neck District, the Henry Townsend House is of great significance. It expresses a love for design that you can clearly see. It’s nice to know that the current owners have kept it in such amazing shape. With the colorful flowers and lush foliage, they have brought life to the home, making this historic piece of art a modern day dream.

Historic Series: Mill Pond Park

19 Wednesday Sep 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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animals, bellmore, bellmore patch, ducks, historic, history, lake, long island, mill pond park, nassau county, nature, new york, patch, photography, swans, trees

When I first starting writing for the Bellmore Patch, I wanted to write about a place with hidden beauty. I ventured out to the water in hopes of getting some nice views of the East Bay. I am sure anyone from Bellmore can understand my frustration when I realized those views were only blocked by private homes. I drove around for almost an hour and decided to head back. On my way home I passed Mill Pond Park. I stopped immediately.

Being that it was a nice day, I was excited to check out the lake and capture some nice shots. It was around 4:30 p.m. and the sun was just starting to set. The light that glimmered off the water and against the trees was really beautiful. The park had a sense of peace, which I found appealing. I found it interesting that when I turned back I could see the many cars that passed on Merrick Road yet I felt like I was in another world. This 54-acre preserve seemed like a nice place to walk, sit, read or just simply appreciate what mother nature has given us.

I slowly walked up the path to the right of the lake and fell in love with the trees. One of my favorite characters of nature, trees carry such knowledge and warmth. They see everything before them and hear the sounds that surround them. The detail on some of these particular trees were captivating. History was telling its story right in front of me and I was taking it all in.

Ducks, geese and swans call the Mill Pond home and they are such a delight to be around. There was a small group by the path I had to capture with my camera. They were so calm and comfortable that it almost seemed they were unaware of their surroundings. I soon realized that they noticed I was there and kept an eye on what I was doing.

On the other side of the lake it was slightly a different story. There must have been almost 100 ducks in the water and although they weren’t loud they were much more active. At some point they made me laugh because of their silliness. I find it amusing how they communicate and play. Just another reason to visit Mill Pond Park.

From what I have learned, this pond has been there for more than 100 years. After looking at a 1914 historic map, it seemed it was owned by the Brooklyn City Water Works like most ponds in the area. New York City received most of its water from these ponds during this time. Although the Brooklyn City Water Works is not there anymore, you can still visit the small pumping station northwest of the pond.

A 1927 map of Nassau County has it marked as Jones Pond. That, I assume, was named after S. J. Jones considering his name was listed on the map next to the pond. After some time it was also named after Thomas Jones. It was later acquired by Nassau County in 1967. Thanks to Clarence Anspake, president of The Historical Society of Bellmore, all my findings were confirmed as well as learning some new and interesting facts about the area.

As you look at my photos, try to imagine that this is the first time you are seeing the park. Take your own inspiration from what my lens has captured and gain a new appreciation for what it has to offer. A little peace and quiet is not all Mill Pond Park is good for. With its naturalistic beauty and a setting far from reality you can surely find a new and improved sense of self and unique view on the world around you.