The Long Island History Project

Elizabeth Letts has a knack for finding good stories and evoking a time and place. In her New York Times bestselling book The Eighty-Dollar Champion, she uncovers the secluded equestrian world of Long Island's North Shore in the 1950s. It's the story of a Dutch immigrant in St. James with a uniquely talented horse and their attempt to rise to the top of a sport reserved for the wealthy and well connected. On today's episode, Elizabeth discusses how she discovered the story of Harry DeLeyer and Snowball, her insights into writing nonfiction, and her own connections to Long Island. You'll also hear about her new novel, The Ride of Her Life, which follows another journey involvling a woman, a horse, and the hidden landscapes of pre-Interstate America. Further Research Elizabeth Letts The Eighty-Dollar Champion The Ride of Her Life Snowman (Horse Stars Hall of Fame) National Horse Show The Lost "New" Madison Square Garden (Daytonian in Manhattan)

Imagine you were a woman born at the height of the Gilded Age with a passion, not for fashion or society, but for sports. And you grew up riding bareback and driving massive horse-drawn carriages through the narrow streets of Chinatown. Your family's wealth meant you could also sail on the Lusitania and visit Paris every year while you also played on men's polo teams, marched with suffragists, dabbled in race cars, and pursued the women's amateur golf championship. If you can imagine all that (and throw in a reputation for hosting great parties with the Hollywood elite of the 1920s) then you can picture the life of Marion Hollins. We're joined today by Emily Chorba, Rhonda Mohr, and Chris Vaccaro to present the life of East Islip-born golf champion Marion Hollins and celebrate her entry into the 2022 class of the World Golf Hall of Fame. You'll also hear about the Marion Hollins Memorial Project and how you can help fund a fitting monument for her gravesite in Monterey, California. Furhter Research Marion Hollins Memorial Project Outerbridge, David E. Champion in a Man's World: The Biography of Marion Hollins. Chelsea, Mich: Sleeping Bear, 1999. (Find in a library via WorldCat) Pasatiempo (live feed) California Women's Amateur Championships Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame 1920s newsreels of Marion. Fox Movietone News Collection (University of South Carolina Libraries) Marion Hollins: Queen of the Road from The Carriage Journal, May 2021 by Jerry Trapani. World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Loon Hill Studios (vintage photos) East Islip Historical Society Music: Oh! By Jingo! by the All Star Trio

Primo Fiore was born in Brooklyn but raised his family in Deer Park while working as a physical education instructor in West Islip. His gifted speaking voice, combined with a curriculum involving lessons in square dancing, led him on a path to a prolific side career that took him all over the Island. He wound up calling square dances at campgrounds, churches, and school halls and, most notably, at the Bandshell at Jones Beach for decades. Primo's son Mario reached out to the podcast and the result is this deep dive into Primo's life, including his days as a drill sergeant and his assoication with Dan Durlacher, noted caller and son of New York square dancing legend Ed Durlacher. Mario also helps us understand the place that square dancing held in gym class, the art and science of square dance calling, and the state of Jones Beach in the 1970s. Further Research Square Dance History Project New York State Parks Restoring the Grandeur of Jones Beach

Thornhill's Pharmacy has overlooked the center of Sayville from the corner of Main Street and Gillette Avenue for over a century. This is actually the second location of Sewell Thornhill's establishment, opened in 1918. When architect Matthew La Piana and his wife were looking for an old building to restore and occupy, something about this thin slice of wood and stucco on its odd corner lot caught their eye. On today's episode, recorded over Zoom, Matthew describes the restoration journey - the discoveries in the attic, the problems under the many layers of flooring, and the decisions he made while bringing the building back to life. That includes the iconic neon sign that La Piana restored to its former glory. Further Research Matthew La Piana The Dig with Elle McLogan The Buffalo History Museum Podcast Audio Footnote Episode 49 on Sayville architect Isaac Green

Mark Torres has uncovered a little-discussed chapter of Long Island history, the conditions under which many migrant farm workers labored on area farms from World War II into the early 1970s. His new book from the History Press details the social, economic, and historical factors that led to Long Island's migrant labor camps being the focus of much attention in their day. These camps, created out of everything from old mansions to chicken coops, housed migrant workers from the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and the South while operating under a system that often exploited and endangered the workers and their families. Further Research Long Island Migrant Labor Camps: Dust for Blood (History Press) Mark Torres What Harvest for the Reaper? (American Archive of Public Broadcasting) Cutchogue migrant housing from Harvest of Shame (1960)

Since moving to New York from his native Canada, David Griffin has made it his mission to find and document the Revolutionary War-era forts that the British used to help control the length and breadth of the Island. Using primary sources including maps and letters , as well as his knowledge of architecture and British fortification techniques, he has uncovered many locations that are virtually undetectable in today's modern landscape. Further Research Lost British Forts of Long Island David Griffin Author Page – Journal of the American Revolution The Geometry of War: Fortification Plans from 18th-Century America The Lamar Institute Report – The Struggle for Long Island : Expanding Revolutionary War Studies in New York. Audio Footnotes Episode 71: Washington's Spy Letters Episode 48: Richard Floyd, Long Island Loyalist Episode 10: The Truth Behind the Spies: Decoding AMC's Turn

Joysetta Pearse, director of the African American Museum of Nassau County, joins us to discuss the mission and operations of the museum. She shares a number of inspiring stories, many on display at the musuem, from the outstanding Jennings family of 19th century New York to pre-teen millionaire Sarah Rector to the children of Birmingham who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Further Research African American Museum of Nassau County Jennings vs. Third Ave. Railroad incident Mighty Times: The Children's March Sarah Rector

A wall of ice dominated the landscape of Long Island thousands of years ago. During the Pleistocene Epoch, a large mass called the Laurentide ice sheet stretched across most of modern-day Canada and the northern United States. The melting of that glacier marked the birth of the island, with the geography from Brooklyn to Montauk taking shape under intense natural pressure. Miranda Maliszka and Anthony Johnson, students at Hofstra University, join us today to discuss their research into this time period. Their Digital Elevation Model helped them study the factors effecting the melting of the glaicer and the surrounding area. We also look at the outstanding features that the glacier left behind. Plus: a bonus Valentine's Day message! Further Research An Approach to Understanding the Landscape Exposure Rate for the Post-Wisconsin Late Stage Glaical Melting on Long Island, New York using a Glacial Withdrawal Simulation by Miranda Maliszka, Anthony Johnson, Denis Darnaud and Antonios Marsellos 27th Conference on Geology of Long Island and Metropolitan New York Ancient Climate Events: Pleistocene Glaciation

We've got two segments for you today. The first is a conversation recorded online through the Brentwood Public Library during a podcast demonstration last year. Our participants recall some childhood memories of summer attractions on Long Island (so many drive-ins!). Next, Ithaca College journalism major Antonio Ferme sits down with us to discuss local media, local history, and local journalism. Can these three work together? If so, how? Further Research Brentwood Stories podcast Nunley's Carousel Antonio Ferme WICB Ithaca Ithaca Now podcast

It's the early 70s in West Islip and St John the Baptist High School is gearing up for a crucial game against St. Agnes of Rockville Centre. But for freshman Mickey Quinn and the rest of the class of '75, the events of that night will reverberate beyond the court for years to come. Today Mickey joins us to discuss Growing Up a Cougar, his account of that game, that night, and his years at SJB. Special thanks to Fabio Montella. Further Research Facebook Group for Growing Up a Cougar Spotify playlist for this episode St John the Baptist High School Good Samaritan Hospital - History