Farmingdale, Long Island, New York---Then and Now
**The OLD days of Long Island....Wide Open Spaces, here a Nursery
As a 30 year resident of this town, I've been here longer then our new Mayor...For anyone familiar with Long Island, I moved all the way from Wantagh (The Gateway to Jones Beach) to arrive at what I consider the exact middle of Long Island...Farmingdale. We are neither the prestigious North Shore nor the trendy South Shore but are right in the middle, bordering two Counties, Nassau and Suffolk.
**Our Columbus Day Fair, Main Street and Conklin, Farmingdale, Long Island, 2007
My personal facts that I know is that Farmingdale used to be called the Town of Hardscrabble. It was purchased from land already acquired in our neighboring town of Bethpage, New York (some may remember a post I did there about the US Open returning to Bethpage next year). My "block" had exactly TWO houses on it originally, mine and the one right next door and the rest were-potato fields - and Pickle Farms. At one time Farmingdale and it's surrounding towns were home to more then 30 pickle farms! One of the "Owners" of our blocks, of Dutch Decent, is actually buried with his family on the block.
The style of homes varies here quite a bit from the older "cottages" of which I own one to the newer and very expensive new homes that go up all over town. The land is now allowed to be constantly sub-divided and with the possible exception of my home, there are no longer "starter" homes available in our lovely town. The wide open spaces, for the most part are gone by the ongoing construction of new homes and businesses. Some of the homes in "early" Farmingdale were built together-Queens type style as they were attached. It is the way people were used to living. That's the unofficial version of Farmingdale.
**Farmingdale Memorial in Farmingdale Village
Here's the historical facts: Once known as Hardscrabble (although no one knows exactly why), a man named Thomas Powell purchased 15 square miles of land from three native American tribes in 1687. Wise move. These became the areas of Farmingdale, Bethpage, Old Bethpage, Melville, N. Massapequa and Plainview. Our potato farms are long gone although we have some interesting facts about Farmingdale. These areas of Long Island really became popular when the Long Island Rail Road included a stop here in 1841. Little by little the potato fields and pickle factories that filled the area began to go and in 1902 they built a large Agricultural Collage, now SUNY Farmingdale University.
**Old Bethpage/Farmingdale Golf Course
Golf brought class to the area in the Farmingdale/Bethpage area with the building of The Farmingdale Golf Course which already had one US Open here and is scheduled to have another US Open next year. One of our most treasured residents, Chief Deputy Peter J. Ganci of the FDNY was lost in the tragedy of 2001.
**Peter Ganci, St. Killian's Church, Farmingdale, NY
Still, Santa comes every year with treats for the children and Main Street retains its share of fairs and small town stores and shopping. We have our fairs and Main Street, just like any little town. It may be a bit unusual that some of the early settlers are buried with their families on the blocks they lived on...but that was Suburbia long ago. And here it is today...pictures from around town on "old" and new...Farmingdale, Long Island, New York.
**The extra special QUIET Residents of Farmingdale :)
**If Pictures say a thousand words:
**Older Architecture: Farmingdale Methodist Church
*Carole Provenzale has been a Certified Feng Shui Consultant since 1997 and is the Founder of Feng Shui Long Island, providing Feng Shui Consultations on site for New York City (Manhattan) and all of Long Island.
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Carole,
What an intriguing history of your area! Lovely photos too....I'm enamoured by the old house in the picture near the bottom. I imagine it has a very interesting past.
You certainly are knowledgeable about the beginnings of your whole region...thanks for sharing this wonderful post.
This would be good in the Heritage Properties and Historic Sites group too...
(((-:
Jo
Carole, it amazes me how few people treasure the history of a town and can't see what character the historic homes usually have. Progress? Hmmm.
Love the picture of the church!
Carole.... I can definitely related to the golf US Open at Bethpage. I will be getting a hold of my cousin that lives in that area, who can get good passes and tickets because of what he does and because of who he knows.... in any case, they sound like small, quaint towns.
Hi Carole,
This is a great blog. I live in Farmingdale for 12 years and I didn't know so much as you do.
Thanks for all the good info.
Tommy
Love the photos and history of your area. Preserving our history is so very important, we learn so much about ourselves from where we've been.
Hi Carole...I tink the price of progress is getting to you too. You have been sounding a bit nostalgic about your town lately. I feel that way when I go back to where I grew up....so many places that are now only in my memories!
Is that a sign of getting old? Hmmm...(I'm already there...doesn't matter!)
Hi Carole
What a great property. It is a sellable listing from day one.
Sincerely
Tom Braatz
Jo, Thanks, I didn't even think of this for heritage properties but I'll put it under there. This town does have an interesting past---and I'm so old I've become part of it :)
Lisa, I have to say I wouldn't like to live in that house next door with the wonderful view of it :) it's so odd that they left a "house" sized shape and made it a cemetary on our block!
Joan, Thank you, I had all these pictures of Farmingdale already collected...and many more but I lost the first post I was doing....
Lisa, I don't see it as progress either. I love the "old" feeling that was here and the vintage homes that came with a lot of land. I'm sorry it's gone, now....
Jeff, It's not what you know, it's definitely WHO you know :) I hope the weather is good for this Open and this time we have many new motels and hotels so finding a place shouldn't be difficult....Look me up when you get here, I'm one mile from there!
Jennifer, Riverhead with the outlets is so built up now but I remember too when there was nothing there but the old Main Street....I know upstate has changed as well but you do put restrictions on your land I believe...and don't tear them down. I still love it up there and I'm going to take a ride up this summer, it's been a long time.
Tommy, I've been here for 30, I've had a really long head start! And before that I was around the corner in Wantagh so there's not that much of Long Island I don't know :)
Cynthia, I wish they preserved a little more...or a lot more :) I heard recently they may take down our old Rail Road station which I LOVE. New isn't always better.
Joan, It may very well be but it absolutely makes me sad that my kids grew up here and don't remember we didn't have to lock our doors because there was always a neighbor coming in or going out. Or how SAFE it was; things changed here but they honestly didn't change for the better, I wish they could remember how lucky they were and I'm really glad I remember how lucky I was!
Tom, We had a wonderful and interesting history here. Thanks for your comment.
Marzena, I remember the pickle factories and the buckets we would bring home....that was "old" New York :)
Rosario, There are a few of these cemetaries and other then the fact that our block is named after these people, I can't find any information on them. They must be very early settlers of the block....
Maureen, I didn't know about it, I have to go look at it. It was for the other contest, Historic Downtown and I didn't see the one you're speaking of....thank you for letting me know.
Carole - Mmmmmm....pickle farms. I'm thinking anyone that is involved with genealogy research might happen upon this blog and is going to love reading about the history of the area.
Jackie
Dear Carole, Your recollection and even some to the photos of your town reminds me of the neighborhood feel of growing up on the south side of Chicago -which I was back to visit this past week for a funeral. Funny how things still look alot the same as years back, and other things are changing (like new houses popping up in spots where old ones have been torn down). Thanks for the memories :) great post
Sincerely,
Grace
Jackie, We knew the owner of one of the pickle farms...I think that's all we are back then :)
Andrew, Thank you. I think you probably went to Port Jeffereson which is closer to Stonybrook...the other town is Port Washington which is closer to the city. They're both great towns, though with lots to do.
Jeff & Grace, I went to Chicago years ago...I saw some brownstones when I wandered out of the city so I'm not sure where I was but it was beautiful. The people are also so NICE there!
Nestor and Katerina, I know, it wasn't at all wise for the Indians. Right now on Long Island they have one small parcel of land our East and they're trying to take that away from them as well---what a shame. They have a wonderful Pow-Wow every year that we spend hours in traffic to get to!
Fernando, I don't see Santa in the summer, I believe he heads back to the North pole....(Loved the pickle joke btw)! :)