The Past Is Closer Than You Think

Bethpage, NY - ghost of grandin - Wednesday, November 15th, 2006 : goo

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In the early 1960s a bunch of Nassau County insiders came up with the idea to buy a bunch of land where an old farm was located and base a historic restoration out of that land acquisition.

And so the Old Bethpage Village Restoration was born. Growing up in Patchogue, I, along with the majority of Long Island schoolchildren visited the restoration in 2nd grade. I revisited it this summer, and the integrity preserved in the restored buildings is remarkable. The Powell farm is the only building that is exactly where it was when it was built (which was in 1855) but the other buildings and the grounds in general were really astoundingly mesmeric.

The Layton General store.

The porch outside the Noon Inn.

Broken wagon outside the Noon Inn.

Window inside the District 6 school house.

The blacksmith, who judging by his accent and hairstyle, got his hands on a flux capacitator or was just really enthusiastic about his role.

Wood inside the blacksmith shop. It should be noted that these pictures were taken during the middle of August, and there was a massive fire burning in that shop. It was hot.

Schenck farm; oldest surviving Dutch structure on Long Island, one of the oldest in the US.

Fence outside the Hewlett farm, originally constructed in 1796.

Fence on the outer edge of the restoration

One of the biggest attractions the restoration has to offer is the "Old Time" baseball games played on the field there. The players and umpire all dress in 19th century garb, follow 19th century baseball rules (no baseball gloves, for instance). And it's all taken quite seriously. At the game I attended, one of the players was fined $1 for "ungentlemanly conduct" -- he struck out and used an expletive to express his frustration.

Several baseball players congregating.

The two team names were authentic; that day it was the New York Mutuals and the Glenhead Zig Zags. Both were actual teams.

More baseball players congregating.

www.oldbethpage.org/home.htm

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