How I Love Sagamore Hill - Exhibit Open until Sunday June 9th!

The Oyster Bay Historical Society opens its spring exhibition with the fine art photographic series Theodore Roosevelt – “How I Love Sagamore Hill” by Xiomáro (pronounced SEE-oh-MAH-ro), a Long Island artist. Xiomáro photographed the interiors of the President’s house at what is now Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. The collection of over 140 photographs was created last year during the removal of the mansion’s contents and furnishings as part of a three-year, $6.2 million structural rehabilitation by the National Parks Service. The debut exhibit features 20 photographs from the collection with each image uniquely titled so that a poetic narrative unfolds about TR and his household. The photographs remain on view at the Society’s Koenig Center through June 2. The exhibit then travels to Harvard University for a year-long display with plans to invite documentary filmmaker Ken Burns as a speaker.

Free Photo eBook

The artist is also offering a free photo eBook, based on the exhibit, at his website: www.xiomaro.com. The website includes information on viewing hours and a series of free gallery talks presented by the artist.

Rarely Seen Views

Theodore Roosevelt’s famed “North Room” by Xiomaro

The photographs show the house in a historically rare condition in that the 22 room mansion, usually chock full of furnishings and mementos, was nearly vacant. Yet, “so much of the Roosevelt family’s personality is revealed by the house,” said Xiomáro, “even though its occupants – and now most of its contents – are absent from the premises.” Images from the exhibition reveal not just the imposing character of America’s 26th President, but also the more intimate domestic nature of his family, such as the textured sconce globes of Edith Roosevelt’s drawing room. “Some of these details,” continued Xiomáro, “may have previously been overwhelmed by a room’s furnishing, or inaccessible to visitors behind velvet rope barriers.”  The artist produced a video with commentary from staff at the Historical Society and Sagamore Hill as well as from Elizabeth Roosevelt, a descendant of the President.

Get Your Halloween Thrills and Chills in Downtown Oyster Bay!

Come visit us in historic downtown Oyster Bay (postcard ca. 1910)

Where better to celebrate Halloween than Oyster Bay, one of the most historic communities on Long Island dating all the way back to 1653?  We've had our fair share of characters pass through from British officers during the Revolutionary War, to the author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Washington Irving himself - who visited Oyster Bay many times, and modern day figures like Mary Mallon who is better known today as Typhoid Mary. Nothing will prepare you for the fun and exciting events family-friendly events we have in store for you this Halloween! Just a few of these follow.

Ghost Rides, Sunday, October 30, 3-7pm
Hop on the horse drawn carriage at Sweet Tomato (91 Audrey Ave.), and just stay on on for a free half-hour circuit ride, OR, for a fee of $10 for adults, $5 for kids (free if they're under 48 inches) you can hop on and off for ghost tours at the following stops: Oyster Bay Historical Society (20 Summit Street), the famously haunted Raynham Hall (20 West Main Street) and the old Railroad Station, (a VERY spooky place at the end of Audrey Avenue) for ghost stories, paranormal investigations, and other spine tingling fun. For more information, call 516-922-6808 or visit www.oysterbayhistorical.org.                                                        

Raynham Hall Museum with spooky Victorian Gothic tower as it appeared around 1880.

What's Cooking Halloween Spooktacular

Thursday, October 27th & Friday, October 28th, 5-7:00pm

There are no tricks to these treats! What's Cooking (30 East Main Street, Oyster Bay) has brewed a Halloween special for our chefs. From tasty treats to decorative ghoulish cookies and desserts, these recipes are as delicious as they are spooky. Create a craft, a take-home treat, There are no tricks to these treats! What's Cooking? has brewed a Halloween enjoy a main course while they are here, and a yummy treat. Menu to include: 

Haunted Chocolate House, 

Mummy Dogs w/ Homemade Fries, Halloween Sugar Cookies, Ghostly Pumpkin Pudding, and Slime Juice. Please visit the What's Cooking website to register!

Last Oyster Bay Farmers' Market of the Year!

Friday, October 28th, 10am-4pm

Come out and get the finest fall produce, as well as special treats that all of our vendors have to provide from pickles, to baked goods, eggs, nuts, dog treats, soaps, mums, and, yes, we have PUMPKINS!  The market is located in Townsend Park by the Derby-Hall Bandstand. Free cider and donuts will be available at the Oyster Bay Main Street table for ghosts and ghouls who stop by and say hi (or boo!).

Halloween Spooktacular! at Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
Sunday, October 30th (various times) - Please Note Day Change from Saturday due to expected inclement weather

Toddlers Only: 11:00am-12:00pm (spooky)Kids 2-10 years: 1:00-2:30pm (spookier)Kids 8+ years: 6:00-7:30pm (spookiest)Held at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center (134 Cove Road)

Have an up-close encounter with some spooky animals, find and decorate your perfect pumpkin from the patch, and go on a Halloween adventure walk. We'll end each session with Halloween stories around the campfire and prizes for the best costumes. The spookiness increases as the day progresses. Registration Required! $5 members / $8 non-members per child, $2 per adult. For more information, please call (516) 922-3200. Please visit the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center website for more info!


Fit Fusion Interactive 1st Annual Halloween Costume Party

Sunday, October 30th- 12:00 Noon - 2:00pm

Enjoy free munchies, games, and prizes at Fit Fusion Interactive (67 West Main St.) an interactive fitness studio located in the spooky and historic Octagon Hotel that was built in 1851.

Christ Church in the 19th century, before this building was encased in stone.

Celebration of "All Hallows' Eve" at Christ Church
Sunday, October 30th- 5:00-6:00pm

The Episcopalian congregation in Oyster Bay, dating back to 1705, invites you to Christ Church (61 East Main St.) to hear spooky organ music starting at 5pm, with the sanctuary lit only by candles from Jack-o-lanterns. A ghost and witch straight out of the Bible will make a special appearance. The fun will then continue next door with a festive supper party for the entire community in the Parish Hall with costumes, games and more Jack-o-lanterns, of course! The event will benefit the Episcopal Relief and Development fund. for more information, please call 516-922-6377.

Oyster Bay Groups Plan Shadow Ball to Aid with Preservation of Historic House

Oyster Bay, NY – The Oyster Bay Historic Preservation Roundtable has launched a community-wide campaign to raise $60,000 to address the pressing stabilization needs of the Adelia and Cornelius McCoon House, the 1844 summer cottage that served most recently as the home of Dr. James Trousdell and family. The house and two-acre property at 198 East Main Street and the corner of Sandy Hill Road was purchased this spring by the North Shore Land Alliance. They are in the process of placing a conservation easement on the property, and making the property available to purchase by a private buyer. The campaign will culminate in a final community thank-you reception held at the house on September 18 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., where all supporters will gather to celebrate the success of their mission.

At the heart of the campaign is the Shadow Ball—a “danceless” fundraiser for which donors purchase tickets to an imaginary ball as their contribution to the McCoon House’s stabilization fund. Such a stay-at-home event is an Oyster Bay fundraising tradition of sorts. Mrs. Chauncey B. Garver, who owned the house with her husband from 1920 to1949, put on shadow balls to raise funds for charity. And, more recently, Angela Koenig arranged stay-at-home Mother’s Day events in support of the Doubleday-Babcock Senior Center (now the Life Enrichment Center).

Lisa Ott, President of the North Shore Alliance said about the event and also the fundraising effort, “I could not imagine a better way to protect this notable house and the land it rests on, then by taking a page from Mrs. Chauncey B. Garver’s fundraising playbook. The Shadow Ball will give us the resources needed to stabilize this important house, so it may be passed on to a buyer with an interest in conservation of the land and preservation of this important building.”

The Cornelius & Adelia McCoon House was originally a Greek revival home with Colonial Revival details added later around 1913. This is one of Oyster Bay’s last remaining examples of a summer colony destination for nineteenth-century visitors that included members of the Roosevelt and Irvin families. The Oyster Bay Historic Preservation Roundtable’s campaign to raise funds for immediate repair and stabilization work represents the first crucial step in preserving such a vital symbol of Oyster Bay history.

The Oyster Bay Preservation Roundtable represents the collaborative efforts of many community organizations, including the North Shore Land Alliance, Oyster Bay Historical Society, Oyster Bay Main Street Association, Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, Raynham Hall, Save the Jewel, and the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities.

The Host Committee for the Shadow Ball fundraiser at this time includes: Phillip Blocklyn, John Bonifacio, Harriet Gerard Clark, Ben Jankowski, Isaac Kremer, Lisa Ott, Rita Pecora, and Alexandra Wolfe.

For more information please contact the North Shore Land Alliance at (516) 484-4419 or visit www.northshorelandalliance.org.

Spend a Day in Oyster Bay, Attractions open Friday-Sunday, 10am-4pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day

The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum is pleased to announce the "Spend A Day In Oyster Bay" tourist program, which will run from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10AM to 4PM. Whether arriving by train, boat or automobile, tourists will be able to spend an enjoyable day in one of the most picturesque and historic areas on the north shore of Long Island. The program's goal is to market and promote the area historical, cultural, and retail establishments, thereby making Oyster Bay a destination for families, tourists, and visitors.

The "Spend A Day" program is featured in the Long Island Rail Road 2011 "Long Island Getaways" package which includes discounted round trip rail fare and local ground transport provided by Oyster Ride's minivans. The van loop includes the major attractions: Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, Planting Fields Arboretum/Coe Hall, Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary and Young's Memorial Cemetery. Also included is the use of "electronic wands" for a self-guided audio walking tour to the many historical attractions in the downtown, including the Oyster Bay Historical Society/Earle Wightman House, Raynham Hall Museum, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, and the Waterfront Center.

Tourists will begin their day at the Railroad Museum's Visitor Center, located a 102 Audrey Ave. Here they will receive a complimentary gift bag, a "Spend A Day" value package which includes discount coupons to participating restaurants and retail merchants, historical locations, and area maps.

The program, a long-held goal of many organizations to capitalize on the potential of Oyster Bay as a viable historical destination, is a collaborative effort of the Railroad Museum, Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce, Oyster Bay Main Street Association, LIRR, and the organizations mentioned above. For more information, visit the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum's website at www.obrm.org., or call 516-558-7036 .

"Dearest Jane...Love L" exhibit opens at OB Historical Society, Feb 14th, 4-6pm

Who: Oyster Bay Historical Society
What: "Dearest Jane...Love L", Jane Bush and her Love Letters from Habana
Where: Earle- Wightman House, Oyster Bay Historical Society, 20 Summit Street, Oyster Bay, New York
When: Hours of Operation: Tues-Fri 10am -2pm, Sat 9am -1pm & Sun 1pm -4pm; Opening Reception: Valentine's Day, Saturday, February 14th, 4-6pm
Why: Read beautiful letters and get swept up in the celebration of Valentine's Day in Oyster Bay.

The Oyster Bay Historical Society presents "Dearest Jane...Love L". A collection of love letters from Luis Francke to his beloved Jane Bush. Luis Francke operated a sugar plantation in Cuba from which he wrote many of his love letters to Jane. After their marriage in 1911 they moved to Glenby, the Brookville estate which Luis built for his new bride and which still exists today. During Luis's long absences due to business, Jane designed a garden on the estate and pursued her passion for bird watching. Jane Bush Francke became extensively involved with the Garden Club of America and with the early development of the American conversation movement. The Jane Bush Francke Bird Sanctuary on the grounds of her former estate, still serves as a legacy to her commitment to open space throughout the country and on Long Island. We would like to thank Ellen Curtis the granddaughter of Jane Bush Francke for her support.