The Long Island History Project

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

Over the span of a few short months in 1931, 19-year old Francis Crowley was on the minds of everyone from the Bronx to Long Island. Known for always packing an extra pistol and steeped in life on the streets, Crowley conducted a crime spree that culminated in North Merrick with the murder of Nassau County Patrolman Fred Hirsch. On today's episode, Jerry Aylward relates the whole story as detailed in his book, Francis "Two Gun" Crowley's Killings in New York City & Long Island (History Press, 2020). Aylward, a former Nassau County detective and criminal investigator for the Department of Homeland Security, provides a look at Crowley's life of petty crime: boosting cars, sticking up drugstores, and haunting the dance halls of Depression-era New York. He also details the work of the Nassau County police, founded in 1925, as they confronted the rising violence around them. Further Research Francis "Two Gun" Crowley's Killings in New York City & Long Island Jerry Aylward home page Patrolman Fred S. Hirsch Boy Gunman Caught in New York City (YouTube)

Mary Louise Booth wrote her own story. A single woman from Long Island, she rose to prominence in the world of New York publishing as an acclaimed author, translator, and founding editor of Harper's Bazaar. She was also a friend and champion of many prominent women, from Susan B. Anthony and Louisa May Alcott to Sarah Tuthill and Dr. Marie Zakrzewska. Tricia Foley, a designer and former magazine editor herself, moved next door to Booth's childhood home in Yaphank and became fascinated with the story. What followed was a decades-long hunt to piece together her legacy through archives and special collections around the country. The result is the comprehensive and beautifully illustrated book, Mary L. Booth: The Story of an Extraordinary 19th-Century Woman. Further Research Tricia Foley Mary L. Booth History of the City of New York , 1867 ed. (Google Books) Harper's Bazaar (Cornell University) Louisa May Alcott Susan B. Anthony The Blackwell Sisters Dr. Marie E. Zakrzewska Sarah Strong Tuthill Sister Poets - Alice and Phoebe Cary