Historic Series: Wantagh Park

08 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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children, family, long island, nature, parks, picnic, playgrounds, pool, trees, views, wantagh new york, wantagh park, water

Wantagh Park, located off Merrick Road on 1 King Road in Wantagh, has been part of the county park system since 1961 and sits on 111 acres of land. The waterfront views are captivating and the many areas of seating provide the perfect spots to enjoy the park. I love visiting natural areas like this and seeing what they offer. This one is jam packed with tons of stuff and beautiful scenery.

There are opportunities for a child of every age group to play and provide a lot of activities for children. The playgrounds are set in sand for safety. The play areas are great because the serene environment allows you to relax and catch up with other parents in the community.

If you walk or run, you can appreciate the one and two mile paths, as well as the fitness stations. During the warmer months, you can gather by the picnic areas where you will find tables and grills. Even though I visited in winter, I found the park to be beautiful. Naked trees surrounded the grounds and there was a peaceful stillness in the air.

The Children’s Memorial Butterfly Garden was an unexpected bonus. It is a memorial for children from Wantagh who died at an early age. How beautiful is that?

During the summer months, the swimming complex will come in handy as well. For a small fee, you can enjoy an Olympic sized pool, kiddy pool, as well as a play area and 30-foot water slides. Daily and seasonal passes are available and fees vary. This park has everything!

In the past, the park was named one of the top three parks in Long Island by the Long Island Press. With all it has to offer the community, it is definitely a park you cannot resist. Dogs can enjoy the park as well and get some exercise in the dog run.

Wantagh Park is simply a world of its own. I could tell I would be there for a while.

Historic Series: Seaford Historical Museum

06 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places

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community, historic, history, jackson ave, long island, museum, new york, schoolhouse, seaford, seaford fire department, seaford historical society, seaford new york, waverly ave

Located on Waverly Avenue, the Seaford Historical Museum is the community’s treasured time capsule. It is the home of Seaford memorabilia from its early days as a farming community and a true celebration of the antiquity of the area.

Back in 1893, Seaford had about 500 residents. At this time there were already two schoolhouses for the children in the union free district. The need for more space pushed the community to vote for a budget of $3500 to build a new school, which was originally constructed at the corner of Jackson and Waverly Avenue.

In 1917, due to the increase of students, the school board decided the district needed a bigger schoolhouse. The present one was moved a block away and renamed the Seaford Fire Department headquarters in 1921 and the new Jackson Avenue school opened. On July 4, 1976 it was chosen to be the Seaford Historical Museum in honor of the nations bicentennial.

Today the schoolhouse serves the community as a center of knowledge where one can learn about the history of Seaford. It is is a great place to attain information about the town and the schoolhouse itself. The Seaford Historical Society continues to take donations for the restoration of the building as well as encouraging residents to become members.

Support Seaford history and help the museum last for years to come. Not only is it a reflection of the future but a treasure chest of historical gifts. The building is a beautiful example of 19th century design and continues to carry the memories of lessons learned and future dreams.

Inspiration Photo Friday: Pink Silence

13 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Inspiration Photo Friday

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bathroom, bayard, flowers, light, long island, pastels, peace, photography, pink, vintage

I took this photo in the second floor bathroom of the Bayard Arboretum in Long Island about 4 years ago. There was something about the peacefulness in the room I fell in love with. The light was really beautiful as well. The whole space brought me back in time to my Grandmother’s old apartment back in the day. It may not have looked like hers but the vintage feeling it gave truly made me smile.

HIstoric Series: Takapausha Preserve

12 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Historic Places, The Great Outdoors

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algonkian, animals, birds, earth, forest, greenery, hiking, leaves, long island, museum, nassau county, nature, nature trail, new york, parks, plantlife, preserve, seaford, takapausha, trees

Being a nature lover you can count on me feeling at home at a place like Tackapausha Preserve. Located behind the Tackapausha Museum on Washington Avenue, it brings beauty in its purest form to Seaford, NY. If you need a place to escape from the rest of the world and you are local, this is it.

The preserve is free to enter and closes at sunset. It’s a great place for nature walks and exploring. Make sure you take note of the rules before you continue into the preserve, which are stated clearly at the gate entrances. You can also pick up a trail map at the museum to help guide you.

Taking good care of the preserve is important and even more crucial to the wildlife that live there. With 84 acres this sanctuary is the home of many small creatures including hundreds of bird species, like the ruby-throated hummingbird as well as Egyptian fruit bats. These species live amongst the plentiful oak and maple forests, ponds and streams.

There are three sections of the preserve, which are divided by major roads. However, you can follow the five mile nature trail that continues through the whole park. It fills the space between Merrick Road and Jerusalem Avenue.

You will find a small wetland between Clark and Jerusalem Avenue, a secluded pond (Duck Pond) in the section between Sunrise Highway and Clark Avenue and the Atlantic white cedar stand between Merrick Road and Sunrise Highway.

I really enjoyed my visit to the preserve back in December 2012. I felt as if I was traveling through tunnels of trees that welcomed me with every step. I have to say fall is a perfect time to go to see all the beautiful colors of the leaves and feel the crispness of the atmosphere. Although the warmer seasons would be nice with all the shade from the trees.

The preserve and museum are both operated by the Nassau County Department of Recreation. The county acquired the land in 1938 and since has been one of the most popular preserves on the South Shore. It was named after Chief Tackapausha of the Massapequa Band of Algonkian-speaking peoples.

The Tackapausha Museum is an impressive 3,000 square foot space with animals exhibits as well as activities for children. If you are interested in learning about the ecology of Long Island, you will find it all here. Why not take advantage of this natural resource and explore the gifts of Mother Earth. You can exercise and explore at the same time and its free!

Museum hours are 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday through Saturday and 1 pm – 4 pm on Sunday. Admission for children ages 5-12 is $2 (under 5 is free) and $3 for adults and teens. You can reach them at 516-571-7443 for updates and information.