Historic Series: The Southard Homestead

10 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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bellmore, bellmore road, historic, long island, new york, southard, vintage

The Southard homestead was a center home for most of their generations still stands today. You can find the Southard Homestead on Bellmore Road looking timeless as it always has. Owners Albert and Mary Waring have done such a great job at keeping this piece of history alive.

The home was built in 1655 when Thomas Southard came from the Netherlands to purchase land. His 214 acre farm was the building block of the future communities. The house still contains its original timber construction. Before the 1800s, the tenon and mortise style of construction was very popular and this home is a true example of how successful that method was. It was widely used by stonemasons and blacksmiths as well.

There were obvious additions made to the house over the years, but the original portion still remains. The two story building contained three rooms; a kitchen, living room and an upstairs bedroom. It also has its original beams and fireplace. The old cemetery that sat on the land was given to the town and most of the original acres of land were sold off.

The Southard family has a long line of descendants that date back to the English name Southworth. Thomas was the first son to come to the states in 1650 and settled in Long Island. He married Annica Jensen in 1653 when he was in his late 30s. She was almost 10 years younger than him and was of Moroccan descent. They later had eight children, one being Sarah Southard who married David Bedell. You could imagine having eight children would be a good start to stretch the family name.

Eleven generations of the Southard family has lived in this historic landmark. This important part of Bellmore history stands proud and beautiful and still gives residents a place to call home. To think that the original descendants of Bellmore built and lived in this home is amazing. We should all appreciate the bits and pieces of our history because what was then will always reflect what is now.

Historic Series: Civil War Memories

02 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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british troops, burying ground, Fort Golgotha, historic, history, huntington, long island, new york, old burial hill, Old First Presbyterian Church, Soldiers and Sailors building

The historic Soldiers and Sailors building in Huntington, NY is one of the most noticeable on Main Street. It sits on Old Burial Hill, which is sometimes also called Old Burying Ground.

Established sometime in the 17th century, Old Burial Hill is the earliest known public cemetery in Huntington and bears witness to war, violence and hardship for almost seven years. Starting in 1776, Huntington was occupied by the British troops and the residents experienced change like you wouldn’t believe.

Upon this land stood Fort Golgotha. It was built by the British with wood from the Old First Presbyterian Church which was torn down against the towns wishes. Colonel Benjamin Thompson ordered this construction and forced local residents to help. Even the Huntington military was forced to follow British orders. Not only was the area being taken over, the lack of respect for the dead was clearly shown through the removal of over one hundred tombstones. These were later used in the fort to create fireplaces, ovens and stone floors.

If that wasn’t enough, Colonel Thompson blatantly showed no regard for one of the church’s ministers, Rev. Ebenezer Prime. He had the forts exit be built right on his grave so when he passed through he would walk all over him. This especially made the townspeople upset and angry. After the British troops left in 1783, Fort Golgotha was torn down and the Old First Presbyterian Church was reconstructed a year later where it still stands today.

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building was built to be a memorial for the brave men who fought and died in the Civil War. In 1886, the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Association was founded by veterans and residents of Huntington and thanks to their fund raising efforts the building was finally completed in 1892. It was actually designed by the New York City firm of Cady, Berg and See which was very successful at the time. This proves that Huntington had picked itself back up and became an ideal place to live despite the war and its small population.

The building’s architecture depicts the Tudor Revival style of design. This style showcases natural elements and is created with simple and rustic elements. Although there is a good amount of detail it is not ornately presented like Victorian or Art Nouveau. It has heavy lines and looks more structurally sound. Most had high chimneys, pillars and pitched roofs and reflected the Earth’s neutral colors. It was also inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement which rejected mass production and focused on uniqueness and designs of the past.

For Huntington’s 250th anniversary it received the cannon on the side of the building. A gift from the federal government, this cannon once protected New York Harbor. Until 1958, the Huntington Public Library called the building home but later moved to its current location due to space restrictions. Since then it has been used for the town’s offices and is now the office for the Town Historian, currently Robert Hughes. To show their gratitude for their dedication it was donated to the Huntington Historical Society in 2000 for their many efforts to spread awareness of the memorial.

Since the completion of its restoration in 2008, the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building now showcases an exhibit gallery as well as a visitor center. It is open most days of the week to the public. For more information you can call 631-427-4075.

Historic Series: A Hidden Gem

28 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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antique, bellmore, chandelier, children, custody, divorce, fenton glass, flowers, forest hills, german, historic houses, long island, love, magazine, marriage, martin avenue, new york, new york times, patch, queens, restoration, richmond hill, robert findlay, rockville centre, victorian, walter eisenhardt jr

When I began my column for the Bellmore Patch in January 2010, I had received emails from readers expressing their interest in my articles and even sharing their own stories with me. One Bellmore resident, Walter Eisenhardt Jr., contacted me about the historic value of his home. His 100-year-old Victorian house on Martin Avenue brought me great interest. I also found his personal story inspiring. It can teach all of us a lesson in love and how the past can provide a happier future.

Five years ago he moved back to Bellmore and is currently working for the “New York Times” within the fashion section of the magazine. Having loved Queens so much you wonder what brought him back out to Bellmore. This is when his world turned upside down. After a twist of bad fate and a love gone wrong, Walter was embroiled in a bitter divorce and custody battle.

He lives on Martin Avenue in a home that has been standing for over a century. Loving all that is vintage, he fell in love with the house the minute he laid eyes on it. Growing up in a house just like it he knew it was the place he wanted to raise his son. After a short bidding war with another buyer he won the property and got to work. Being the house was so old it needed a lot of it!

Born in Rockville Centre, Walter was a part of a hard working family. Having owned Eisenhardt’s Prime Meats for 70 years proves how a family can keep its roots alive. Handed off to new generations, the German butcher shop was successful in Long Island until the 1970s when his father retired. He grew up in the Bellmore-Merrick area but in his 20s he moved to Queens where he lived in Richmond Hill and Forest Hills in some of their historic buildings.

Right: the original yellow rose bush remains on the property

However, Walter’s plan wasn’t to remodel or change the character of the architecture. His vision of the original house inspired him to restore the home back to its roots and allow it to shine as it once did. Upon my visit to the home, I was taken back by how amazing it all looked. Honestly, it was like stepping back in time. Unbelievable.

From the outside, the wrap around porch gives the home a sense of warmth while the flowers on the side give it life. Here you will find peonies and azaleas to name a few. You will also find the oldest plant on the property. The yellow rose bush is actually original to the home and has been nursed to what it is today.

As you walk to the garage in the back you notice an odd thing sticking out of the driveway. This would be the handle to get to the oil tank, which were metal back in the day. You can still appreciate the original brick floor of the garage and the memorabilia left by the last owner who unfortunately passed away due to cancer.

Original brick floor of garage & memories left from the last owner

As he gave me the tour, Walter told me stories about the past owner and pointed out unique elements that would help me understand the home’s antiquity. I was there almost three hours so you can imagine how great the conversation was. I learned so much about Victorian architecture as well as some of Bellmore’s history.

Being the vintage addict I am, it was very hard not to get excited about the furniture and items Walter had accumulated over time. From one collector to the next, this man knows his antiques! Everything is period correct and in beautiful condition which is something that should not go unnoticed. Especially the Robert Findlay chandelier and rare Fenton glass!

Keeping as many original elements to the house as he could there was still much to be done. As he stripped away the walls, there were great amounts of hand drawn wallpaper that peeked through the layers of wood paneling. The mahogany banister was restored to its beautiful self and a couple of ceiling lights that are true to the house are still in use.

Robert Findlay chandelier and Fenton glass

One of my favorite areas of the home was the fireplace. It had the original wiring and speakers to play the AM radio that was used during war times. The sound has never changed! There is also a work station in the basement from the previous owner that is still useable. Another favorite area of mine.

Attic and basement work station

Hidden gems are sometimes more precious than the ones that stand out. This home has been standing since the 1900s and the land it sits on is very historic to Bellmore. Back then it was called Crescent Lawn and was vast farmland. As the years passed, the owner split the land up into plots and sold it off to the town.

Many houses sit on this historic land today, but only one tells the story of a family who dealt with loss as well as Walter’s story of strength, love and inspiration. Every home has a tale to tell. We must be open to listen and welcome them into our hearts. For Walter, having his home be appreciated for its vintage appeal, historic importance and stunning restoration would mean the world. Not to mention, showcasing the happy home he created for him and his son.

Historic Series: Baldwin – Southard Cemetery

25 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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Baldwin - Southard Cemetery, bellmore, cemetery, historic, long island, nature, new york, seaford, stream, trees, water

Located on Lakeview Road in Bellmore, NY, the Baldwin-Southard cemetery is connected to Mill Pond. Not too far from Sunrise Highway and right off Bellmore Ave. I found this historic burial ground to be peaceful and somewhat void. What a difference it must be from the past. Considering the surrounding area used to be a private farm and Lakeview used to be Mill Road. These days houses and cars fill up the street, yet it still has a sense of tranquility.

Upon walking into the park, a welcome sign greeted me with history of the former farm. It stated the owners were John and Ann Southard and it is likely the cemetery was on their farm located in the back corner. The only stone that remained was for a young girl named Lucy Ann, which I assumed was their daughter. Lucy’s early death at the age of 13 made me wonder what could’ve happened to such a young girl? How did this loss affect the family and the production of the farm? It was questions like these that really got me thinking of the past. History has some great stories to share. So I started to look further.

While doing some research I came across some genial records on Lucy Ann and found a match. Included in this record were Lucy’s parents, John Southard and Ann Whitmore, as well as her birthdate, July 25, 1828. The one thing that didn’t match up was the date of her death. The date listed here was Jan. 29, 1841 while the sign at the cemetery read June 29, 1840. Considering the burial stone was not in the best condition, I could understand the mistake. I couldn’t find any information on her death, but I do know John passed away three years later at the age of 44. I wonder if the deaths of Lucy and John were the result of some sort of illness. Whatever the cause, I assume John was also buried with his daughter at the cemetery. In 1884, at 83 years old, Anne’s death followed.

Both around the same age, John and Ann got married in 1826 while they were in their late 20s. Then gave birth to Lucy two years later. I also found out they had a son. Warren M. Southard was born Dec. 14, 1838 in Seaford, only two years before his sister passed away. Warren lived a long life and made it to 72 years old. Even though he outlived everyone in his family, Ann lived the longest. I wonder what her secret was? Warren’s wife, Harriet, had a good 50 or so years with him before his death.

Looking at a 1906 map, the cemetery was surrounded by land owned by David Bedell, William Fanshaw and Foster Smith. There was nothing recorded about the Southard farm on this map but there was a Mrs. G. B. Southard listed as a property owner just south of the cemetery. Could this be another family member? From what I have learned, Warren and Harriet didn’t have any children so I thought maybe she could be a sister of John or an in law. Who knows who the mysterious woman is? What we do know is that the Southard family lived and worked in Bellmore for a number of years. They have a history here and will be remembered by all thanks to the small memorial at Baldwin – Southard Cemetery.

The next time you pass this special place, think about how life used to be for the Southards. Wonder how they defeated their struggles and celebrated their achievements. Feel the earth beneath you and know that they lived glorious days and sad days standing on this same land. Remember that we are all connected. Time can make a difference but its the stories that keep us all alive. Holding on to memories, yet striving for a new view.