Andrew MacLean was elected as police justice in 1898 as part of William G. Miller’s party. In the same year, he was elected president of the 4th District Democratic Association and was also a delegate to the town convention. In 1896, he was the editor of the Queens County Review along with Charles D. Smith. That year he also received the contract to supply street signs to the village at $.18 each. He invented an automatic fire alarm in 1897. In 1899, he was the organist and sacristan of Transfiguration Episcopal Church. He conducted the music of the Episcopal Church when it was a mission. His wife was a member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. He was still living in Freeport in 1920.
See Also:
Sources:
"Latest Long Island News." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. March 16, 1898, 4. Accessed December 1, 2016. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50376059/?terms=%22andrew%2Bj.%2Bmaclean%22.
"Miller-Smith." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 17, 1900, 13. Accessed November 25, 2016. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50387478/?terms=%22Andrew%2BMacLean%22%2Bfreeport.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg and Regina G. Feeney, November 25, 2016.
Maer's, located at 92 South Main Street, sold women's apparel.
Source:
Voyageur, 1928 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 23, 2016.
Maier's Bakery was established in 1917 by Jacob Maier. Originally located at 49 South Main Street, it moved to 85 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue) around 1951. Maier's son, Charles, later ran the business. It was Charles who purchased the property on South Grove Street from Mr. and Mrs. Louis Silber in 1950.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Maier's Bakery had a contest to guess the weight of "the largest cake ever baked in Freeport." Over 3,000 customers participated in the contest. The cake weighed 182 3/4 pounds. The winner, Richard Redmond of Baldwin, received a $25 war bond.
According to his passport, for which he applied in the 1920s and found on Ancestry.com, Jacob Maier was born in Germany in 1871.
Sources:
Maier's Bakery (advertisement). Freeporter: Official Publication of the Freeport Chamber of Commerce. 1, no. 11, April 1951, 8.
"Maier's Bakery 25 Years Old." The Leader. November 12, 1942, 4. Accessed May 6, 2016. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1942-11-12/ed-1/seq-4/.
"Maier's Birthday Cake Weighed 182 3/4 Pounds." The Leader. November 26, 1942, 1. Accessed May 6, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1942-11-26/ed-1/seq-1/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 6, 2017.
Olaf Magnus Magnusson (1886-1940) was a Swede who was born in Antwerp, Belgium. Anders Magnusson was his father. Magnusson entered Freeport High School in 1899 and graduated in 1902 and was president of his class After taking a course at Brown's Business College, he took a job a secretary to Dr. Maurice Lewi of the State Board of Medical Examiners. Between 1907 and 1908, he was secretary to Senator Carll Burr in Albany. In 1909, Magnusson graduated from Brooklyn Law School and served as secretary to Senator Orlando Hubbs. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1911. For thirty years, he worked for the Nassau County Treasurer's Office, specializing in court and trust fund activities in the county.
Magnusson was the organist at the Church of the Transfiguration. He was involved in the Masonic order.
In 1910, Magnusson married Adelaide Olcott of Sullivan County, NY. Magnusson lived at 32 Rosedale Avenue. . He died at the age of 54 and his funeral took place Christ Lutheran Church.
Sources:
"Freeport News." Nassau County Review. January 25, 1907, 1. Accessed November 30, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1907-01-25/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Olaf Magnusson, County Lawyer, Dies." Newsday. October 16, 1940, 16.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 2, 2018.
South Main Street, from Sunrise Highway to Merrick Road, was for many years, the main shopping district in Freeport. Below is a list of stores that were once located on this block.
See:
A. Siegel and Co. see: Siegel, Abraham
Barasch's Department Store see: Barasch, Harry
Schloss' Department Store See: Schloss, Hyman
Mallard Canal is located north of East 2nd Street and south of East 1st Street.
Source:
Map of Nassau County Barrier Islands, 2014. Accessed October 27, 2020. https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/25617/2019-helicopter-larviciding-Map?bidId=
Researched by Regina G. Feeney. October 27, 2020.
Reverend Dr. Ervin M. Mallette (circa 1934-1998) was the pastor of the Greater Second Baptist Church, located at 129 East Merrick Road in the Bennington Park section of Freeport. Born in Georgia, Mallette was called to the gospel ministry at the age of 12 and was ordained at the age of 16, the youngest minister in the state. When he was 17, he was invited to preach at the Shiloh Baptist Church in Rockville Centre. The pastor at Shiloh would later recommend Mallette to the Baptist congregation in Freeport. He was the fourth pastor of the Second Baptist Church. It was under his leadership that the word "Greater" was added to the church's name.
Mallette's first pastorship was at the Little First African Baptist Church in Woodville, GA, a suburb of Savannah. He received his bachelor's degree from New York University and his doctorate in theology from Sacred Heart in England.
Mallette was a commissioner for the Freeport Housing Authority for 15 years and later served as its chairman. He was also a member of the Village Ethics Commission. The Dr. E. Mitchell Mallette Senior Citizens Apartments on North Main Street were named in his honor.
Known for his singing of gospel music, Mallette released a gospel album entitled Use God's Might.
In the country of Liberia, Mallette was made an African chief and was named a bishop in the Light of the World Interdenominational International Association.
Mallette died at the age of 64 during the funeral services of a friend at the Shiloh Baptist Church.
Sources:
Ervin M. Mallette [obituary]. Newsday. June 30, 1998, A49.
"The Rev. E.M. Mallette Dies." The Leader. July 2, 1998, 1. Accessed June 22, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1998-07-02/ed-1/seq-1/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 22, 2018.
Manhattan House was a hotel located at the corner of Main Street and Pine Street. This hotel was also known as the Manhattan House and Cafe. C. J. Georgens served as manager in 1913. It later became the Commercial Hotel, which was managed by Charles Johnsen.
Click here for images related to the Manhattan House.
Sources:
"An Exchange in Freeport." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 13, 1907, 24. Accessed October 16, 2016. http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57648364/?terms=%22manhattan%2Bhouse%22%2Bfreeport%2Bmanhattan%2Bhouse.
"Freeport Had Many Hotels in the Olden Days." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 24, 1938, 11. Accessed October 16, 2016. http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52615908/?terms=%22benson%2Bhouse%22.
The Montauk Business Directory of Long Island: Queens Nassau and Suffolk Counties. New York: Mort F. Levy Publishing Co., Inc., 1913.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, October 16, 2016.
Martin Matheny Mansperger (1895-1981) was a principal of Freeport High School. Born in Ohio, he graduated from Ohio State University in 1921. Mansperger did graduate work at the University of Chicago and received a Master of Arts degree from Teachers' College, Columbia University. Before coming to Freeport, he was principal of high schools in Zanesville, OH and Mountain Lakes, NJ. He was principal of Freeport High School from 1929 to his retirement in 1952. During his tenure as a principal, he was active in the New York Association of School Principals. Mansperger was also a past president of the Freeport Exchange Club and was an active member of the Freeport Methodist Church where he served as superintendent of the Sunday school. In 1937, Mansperger helped organize the Freeport chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Mansperger and his wife Lois lived at 19 Essex Court. After his retirement, Mansperger moved to Romney, WV.
J. Wesley Southard became principal upon Mansperger's retirement.
See Also:
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Gockley, Bob. "Tuthill New Freeport Baseball Mentor." The Nassau Daily Review-Star. January 30, 1952, 14. Accessed August 14, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031113/1952-01-30/ed-1/seq-14/.
"Mansperger Honored by National Exchange." The Nassau Daily Review. December 7, 1934, 37. Accessed August 14, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1934-12-07/ed-1/seq-37/.
Martin M. Mansperger [obituary]. The Leader. March 26, 1981, 11. Accessed August 14, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1981-03-26/ed-1/seq-11/.
"Revolution Sons Honor Retiring Principal." Nassau Daily Review-Star. November 30, 1951, 20. Accessed August 14, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031113/1951-11-30/ed-2/seq-37/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 14, 2020.
See:
Maresca's Boat Yard was located at 199 Woodcleft Avenue. It was run first by Tony, Phil, and Everett Maresca; later it was run by grandsons Jerry, Bruce, and Peter. Tony, Phil, and Everett's father, Philip Maresca, Sr., built boats in a small yard in Brooklyn in the 1910s. The Maresca family moved to Freeport around the 1920s, and Maresca, Sr. worked as a printer and house builder. Like many Freeporters during Prohibition, Maresca may have supplemented the family income as a rum runner. A scallop boat called the Hercules owned by Maresca was seized on Rum Row and sank when it was towed back to shore. Maresca maintained that it sunk because the Coast Guard had used it for target practice while it was being towed.
During the Great Depression, the family moved to Suffolk County and started a boatyard in Hampton Bays. In 1938, the family returned to Freeport and established a boatyard on Woodcleft Canal. The boatyard had an additional yard on Hudson Canal. Around 1968, Maresca constructed a large facility where boats could be refurbished indoors year round. In the early 1970s, Maresca's Boat Yard serviced 300 to 400 boats per year. These boats included commercial fishing boats, draggers, charters, and yachts.
One of Maresca's most famous clients was band leader and racing boat competitor Guy Lombardo. Tony, Phil, and Everett Maresca were mechanics for Guy Lombardo's speed boat Tempo VI.
In the early 1970s, Maresca's Boat Yard serviced 300 to 400 boats per year. The Maresca Boat Yard operated until the late 1970s. In 1997, the 96,000 square-foot site of the Maresca Boat Yard became the South Street Seaport Museum's Long Island Marine Education Center. It was leased by the Village of Freeport to the South Street Seaport for $1 a year. Later, the site became the headquarters of Operation SPLASH. (Stop Polluting, Littering and Save Harbors).
Click here for images related to Maresca's Boat Yard.
Sources:
Ancestry.com.
Basile, Dominick S. "Freeport Yard Prepares for Future." The New York Times. January 13, 1974, 35.
Bleyer, Bill, Merle English, and Patrick Boyle. "Taking Pulse of Life on Long Island." Newsday. February 23, 1997, 2.
"Freeport Yard Prepares for Future." The New York Times. January 13, 1974, 35.
Hanning, Leo P. "Lombardo Wants Motors Like His Music--'Sweet.'" Newsday. December 17, 1953, 109.
"Launches a Boat Over Back Yard Fences." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 14, 1912, 26. Accessed April 15, 2019. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/54444933/?terms=%22launching%2Ba%2Bboat%2Bover%22.
"Shopping Directory." The Leader. December 16, 1971, 13. Accessed January 26, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1971-12-09/ed-1/seq-11/.
"South Street Seaport is Coming to Freeport." The Leader. June 20, 1996, 1. Accessed January 26, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1996-06-20/ed-1/seq-1/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, April 20, 2021.
Margo & Frank's Mermaid (also known as Margo & Frank's Clam Bar) was located at 379 Woodcleft Avenue. Originally known as Mae and Henry's Clam Bar, it was an open-air clam shack. It was purchased by Margo and Frank Smith in 1964 and turned into a restaurant. In 1975, the Mermaid was purchased by Fran Casalone.
Click here for material related to Margo & Frank's Mermaid.
Sources:
Davenport, John C. "Eats." Newsday. July 20, 1990, A19.
Margo & Frank's Mermaid [advertisement]. The Leader. May 28, 1964, 13. Accessed July 9, 2021. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1964-06-11/ed-1/seq-13/.
Rader, Barbara. "Where to Enjoy Clams, Served on Plain Paper or with Panache." Newsday. July 20, 1977, 8A.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 9, 2021.
Marigold Tea Room (also known as the Marigold Dining Room) was located at 37A Church Street and was operated by Mrs. C. M. Rizer. It opened for business around 1925; soon after the restaurant was expanded into an adjoining space. In 1927, the Marigold Tea Room relocated to the Sunrise Building, located at the intersection of Sunrise Highway and South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue). A Jamaica Avenue location in Jamaica, Queens was opened in 1928. This location was run by Rizer's daughter, Naomi Class, a former vaudeville actress of the team Morton and Glass.
Sources:
Marigold Dining Room [Advertisement]. Freeport High School Yearbook, 1929.
"Marigold Restaurant Comes Here." Long Island Daily Press. December 1, 1928, 3. Accessed July 31, 2018. fultonhistory.com
Marigold Tea Room [advertisement]. Freeport High School Yearbook, 1927.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 10, 2018.
See:
Ed Buckley's Marina see: Ed Buckley's West End Boat Yard
Freeport Tuna Club Marina see: Freeport Tuna Club
Guy Lombardo Marina see: Lombardo, Guy
Long Creek Marina see: Lomabardo, Guy
West End Boatyard see: Ed Buckley's West End Boat Yard
Anna Josephine Martin (nee Mahood) (1885-1977) was the first woman to run for trustee in the Village of Freeport. Born in Belfast, Ireland, Martin came to New York with her family at the age of two. She attended New York City public schools. After graduating from the Maxwell Training School for Teachers, she taught elementary school in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. She met her husband, William Martin, through their mutual involvement in a Brooklyn choir; he sang and she played the piano. The couple married and moved to Freeport in 1913 and raised three children. After living in Freeport for 40 years, William and Anna moved to Massapequa.
Martin was president of the local League of Women Voters, president of the Ladies Auxiliary of both Mercy Hospital and South Nassau Communities Hospital, first president of the Chaminade Mother's Club, Grand Regent of the Catholic Daughters of America, and a past president of the Nassau County Women's Forum. She organized and headed the cultural study group known as the Delphian Society and was also a member of the Massapequa Garden Club. Martin was appointed head of the Interracial Relations Committee in Freeport. She also helped found the Freeport Community Concert Association in 1948, and was president of this organization for 20 years. Martin was also very involved with the Freeport Boy Scouts and Our Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church.
The American Red Cross honored Martin during World War II and, in 1932, she was honored by the United States Flag Association for her work promoting an educational campaign on the significance and uses of the American flag.
In 1928, Martin ran for Village trustee on the Democratic ticket. It was said that even her husband opposed her candidacy. In a five-way trustee's race, Martin came in last place. It was reported that the candidates who came in third and fourth place had been backed by the Knights of the Great Forest, formerly known as the Ku Klux Klan.
Click here for images related to Anna J. Martin.
See Also:
Sources:
"Anna Martin, A Freeport Legend." The Leader. January 6, 1977, 1. Accessed August 4, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1977-01-06/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Brands Man as Selfish to Ban Wife's Career. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. March 9, 1928, 13. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57573889/?terms=brands%2Bman%2Bas%2Bselfish.
"Mrs. Martin Is Defeated." The New York Times. March 21, 1928, 4.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 4, 2017.
Martin Park is the name of the triangle shaped park located at the intersection of East Avenue and Guy Lombardo Avenue, just south of Smith Street. The official name of the park is the William J. Martin, Sr. Memorial Park. It was originally named Grove East Park. The park was re-named on October 25, 1964 in honor of William J. Martin, a local businessman and civic leader. The park's flagpole was donated by Anna Martin, William J. Martin's widow.
In 2015, the WWI Trench Mortar Gun was relocated from Brooklyn Avenue to Martin Park.
See Also:
Martin, William J.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 18, 2016.
William J. Martin, Sr. (1885-1963) was a successful Freeport businessmen and civic leader. Born in New York City, he moved to Freeport in 1913. In 1920, he established the Martin Coal and Oil Company , which was located at 99 Russell Place, Freeport. From 1928 to 1948, Martin was a member of the board of the South Shore Federal Savings and Loan Association. He was also a past president of this bank. He was active in real estate and maintained an office at 33 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue). Martin was credited with re-establishing the Freeport Chamber of Commerce, and served as its president in 1948.
Martin was also the first president of the Freeport Exchange Club, and served on the Freeport Board of Zoning Appeals. He was also active in local civil defense, the Freeport Community Concert Association, Elks Club, Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts, and the Red Cross.
Martin and his wife had three children: William, Jr., Edward, and Patricia Ann. In recognition of Martin's 50th wedding anniversary, Mayor Robert Sweeney declared July 11, 1963, as "Anne and Bill Martin Day" in Freeport.
The Martin family lived at 67 North Bergen Place in Freeport and later moved to 360 East Shore Drive, Massapequa, NY.
Martin died in 1963. He is buried Calvary Cemetery in Queens.
On October 25, 1964, Grove East Park was renamed William J. Martin, Sr. Memorial Park in his honor.
Click here for images related to William J. Martin, Sr.
See Also:
Sources:
Hazelton, Henry Isham. The Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens Counties of Nassau and Suffolk Long Island, New York 1609-1924 (Volume 5). New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1925.
"William J. Martin Dies; The Community Mourns." The Leader. September 12, 1963, 1. Accessed April 20, 2016. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1963-09-12/ed-1/seq-1/.
"William J. Martin, Freeport Business, Civic Leader, at 78." Newsday. September 17, 1963, 34.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, April 20, 2017.
Harpo Marx (1888-1964) was born Adolph Marx in New York. He was the second oldest member of the comedy team which was originally called the Four Nightingales and later, the Marx Brothers.
In 1907, at the age of 19, Marx worked in Freeport as a piano player at the Happy Times Tavern (also known as Schang's Hotel) located on East Merrick Road. His employer, Mrs. Schang and her gang, were later arrested as a major burglary ring on the south shore. Years later, Marx learned that his older brother, Chico, also worked at Schang's. Both brothers were fired by Mrs. Schang; Harpo for contracting measles and Chico for becoming too friendly with one of the girls. Marx chronicled his time working in Freeport in his autobiography, Harpo Speaks.
See Also:
Source:
Marx, Harpo. Harpo Speaks. New York: Limelight Editions. 1961.
Researched by Regina Feeney, December 16, 2017.
There have been several Masonic Lodges in Freeport. These lodges included:
Freeport Chapter, No. 302 F & A M, Royal Arch Masons. In the mid-1920s the Royal Arch Masons met at 20 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue) and Howard Pearsall served as its secretary. This chapter was organized around 1908.
Freeport Chapter, No. 586, Order of Eastern Star. In the mid-1920s they met at 20 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue) and Mabel Schwer served as secretary. The chapter was organized around 1916.
Spartan Lodge, No 956, F & A M. Formed in 1919 with 86 charter member. In the mid-1920s they met at 20 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue) and William L. Wisner served as secretary.
Sunrise Lodge, No 1069, F & A M. The lodge was organized around 1925.
Zabud Council, R & S M, No 84. In the mid-1920s they meet at 20 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue) and John R. Goller served as secretary.
Sources:
"Fraternal Orders." Nassau County Review. February 08, 1918, 5. Accessed July 23, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1918-02-08/ed-1/seq-5/.
"Freeport Eastern Star Celebrates Double Event." The Leader. November 17, 1960, 7. Accessed July 23, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1960-11-17/ed-1/seq-7/.
"Freeport Masons Get Dispensation For Lodge." Brooklyn Times Union. May 10, 1919, 6. Accessed October 27, 2023. Newspapers.com.
"Masons to Launch New Sunrise Lodge."
"Sunrise Masons Dine on Twentieth Anniversary." The Leader. November 14, 1946, 4. Accessed July 23, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1946-11-14/ed-1/seq-4/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 14, 2022.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney on October 27, 2023.
Mathletes is a Freeport High School academic math team. It serves as an academic counterpart to high school athletics that represents Freeport High School in competitions with other high schools. It is a member of the Nassau County Interscholastic Math League.
The Freeport High School's Mathletes program began in 1960. This rookie team finished near the bottom of that year's interscholastic competition. The following year, the Mathletes competed against 50 other schools in Nassau County with more success. This team included Gary Lowenthal, Arthur Davidson, John Varbeck, Susan Terris, Susan Harrison, and Ellen Varmus. The varsity team was advised by John Major and the junior team was advised by Charles Oehler and Grant Duffrin.
In 1971, the Freeport Mathletes scored first in an international mathematics contest sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Fraternity of Higher Mathematics. Freeport High School student James Pace was the highest individual scorer among 400,000 students on 7,000 teams. Additionally, nine Freeport students placed on the international roll, which was the highest number of students from a single school. Junior Glen Hong was the second highest scorer from Freeport and George Gollin, a senior, had the third highest score from Freeport. Math teacher Joseph Holbrook was the faculty advisor for the team.
Freeport took first place in the Annual Long Island Math Championship consecutively in 1977 and 1978. In 1978, Freeport placed five students in the top ten including: Jonathan Nagler (first), Danny Plotnick (second), Tom Meyer (sixth), Billy Dunkley (ninth), and Louis Lobalsamo (tenth). Nagler was the first to win first place two years in a row and held the record for total number of points scored. Plotnick would later coach a math team in Bergen County with his former coach, Joe Holbrook.
In 1972, the Freeport Chamber of Commerce recognized the achievements of the Mathletes by placing a banner across Sunrise Highway that read "Freeport, The Math Capital of the U.S."
Dodd Junior High School's Mathletes took second place out of 54 math teams from Nassau County in the 1978 competition.
By 1981, the Mathlete program had expanded to include five high school teams, eight junior high school teams, and 20 elementary school squads.
Freeport High School took second place during the 1987-1988 Nassau County competition. In 2004, Freeport ranked eighth in New York State and was undefeated in the Interscholastic County Math League. This team was coached by Peter Bruzzo and Joe D'Agostino.
Sources:
"Dodd Mathletes Also Win." The Leader. May 4, 1978, 5. Accessed September 21, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1978-05-04/ed-1/seq-5/.
"Freeport Is Proud of Its Mathletes." Newsday. October 13, 1972, 2A.
"Freeport School First in International Contest." The Leader. June 10, 1971, 2. Accessed September 21, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1971-06-10/ed-1/seq-2/.
"Freeport's Nationally Acclaimed School Programs." The Leader. October 1, 1981, 12. Accessed September 20, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1981-10-01/ed-1/seq-12/.
"High School Highlights." The Leader. February 9, 1961, 4. Accessed September 21, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1961-02-09/ed-1/seq-4/.
"FHS Mathletes Score Again." The Leader. May 6, 2004, 6. Accessed September 21, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/2004-05-06/ed-1/seq-6/.
"FHS Mathletes Second." The Leader. April 28, 1988, 29. Accessed September 22, 1987. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1988-04-28/ed-1/seq-29/.
Voyageur, 1961 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Voyageur, 1923 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 22, 2017.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, August 3, 2023.
Maxson Avenue was named for Henry Maxson, who was a lawyer and Village trustee. It was originally named Central Avenue.
Source:
Zimmerman, Charles J. "What Ever Happened To Randolph, Claude and Jerome?" The Leader. October 15, 1992, 24.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, May 29, 2016.
May Court was named for J.R. May. He was the builder of Mayfair Gardens which is located at West Seaman Avenue and North Brookside Avenue. The development included 100 homes. Construction for this development began in 1937.
Source:
"Model House Starts Colony of 100 Homes." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 19, 1937, 53. Accessed June 18, 2016. http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52620820/?terms=mayfair%2Bgardens%2Bfreeport%2B%22mayfair%2Bgardens%22
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
Reverend George W. Maybanks (circa 1888-1943) was born in South Carolina and was married to Anna B. Maybanks (1900-?), who was also from South Carolina. He attended Payen’s Theological Seminary in OH. He was pastor of Bethel AME Church for 15 years. Rev. Maybanks was also a member of the Inter-Faith Clergy, Morrison-DeLoney American Legion Post 785, and was an auxiliary policeman.
Rev. Maybanks died at the age of 53 in a car accident in Uniondale, NY on Christmas Eve, 1943. He is buried in Greenfield Cemetery.
Sources:
Ancestry.com
“Bishop Conducts Maybank Rites.” The Leader. December 30, 1943, 2.
“Killed in Auto Collision.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 25, 1943, 2.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 1, 2016.
Mayer Brothers was a liquor store located at 86 South Main Street. After fifteen years in business, the store closed in 1918 due to the tightening of liquor laws in the years before the passage of Prohibition.
Sources:
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, October 1, 2016.
Mayer, McCord & Carroll, located at 20 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue), was a real estate and insurance company.
Source:
Voyager, 1928 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 27, 2016.
MAyfair 3 (also known as MA3 or 623) was a Freeport telephone exchange that was issued by the New York Telephone Company in 1953. The exchange covered the communities of Freeport, Roosevelt, Merrick, and North Merrick.
Source:
"Freeport Area to Get 'Mayfair 3' Central." The Leader. February 5, 1953, 2. Accessed December 3, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1931-10-27/ed-1/seq-3/.
Researched By Regina G. Feeney, December 3, 2020.
Mayfair Gardens was a residential development constructed in northwest Freeport in the late 1930s. This community was developed along West Seaman Avenue and North Brookside Avenue by J. R. May and was reported to included 100 cobblestone bungalows. It was adjacent to another housing development that was called Freeport Acres.
The homes included a living room, dining room, two bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom on the first floor and additional space on the second floor for two extra rooms and bathroom as needed. Each home was set on a landscaped plot of 5,000 square feet. The architecture included English Colonial and Cape Cod styles. J. C. Hoyle was the sales manager. In 1937, houses in Mayfair Gardens sold for $5,490.
See Also:
Sources:
"Model House Starts Colony of 100 Homes." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 19, 1937, 53. Accessed August 4, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52620820/?terms=%22mayfair%2Bgardens%22.
"100 Houses Planned at Mayfair Gardens." Nassau Daily Review Star. July 31, 1937, 12. Accessed August 10, 2017. fultonhistory.com.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 10, 2017.
Mayland House, also known Bell Oaks, was considered the oldest house in Freeport. It was built by Jacob Bedell around 1795 and was located near Ocean Avenue and Randall Avenue. This area of Freeport was known as Bedell's Woods. Around 1805, the house was moved east several hundred feet to a location at the northeast corner of Randall Avenue and Main Street. The house was purchased by Rowland Hill Mayland (1848-1916) about 1890 who increased the size and appearance of the structure. After Mayland's death, the house was occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Sidney D. Smith, until her death in 1956. Soon after, the home was torn down to make room for an apartment building.
Click here for images related to the Mayland House.
Sources:
Krieg, Cynthia J. and Regina G. Feeney. Freeport. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2012.
Metz, Clinton E. Freeport As It Was. Freeport, NY, 1976.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 21, 2017.
Freeport Mayors were called "President" until 1927.
See:
1892 Carman Cornelius
1893 William G. Miller
1900 George Wallace
1902 James Dean
1905 Julius Detmer
1906 Hiram R. Smith
1907 Daniel Morrison
1910 John D. Gunning
1912 James Hanse
1913 Smith Cox
1914 Roland M. Lamb
1916 Ernest R. Randall
1917 Sidney H. Swezey
1918 Robert G. Anderson
1920 Clarence Edwards
1921 Robert L. Christie
1923 Hilbert R. Johnson
1924 Raymond J. Miller
1925 W. Irving Vanderpoel
1926 John Cruickshank
1927 Clinton M. Flint
1931 Russell S. Randall
1933 Robert E. Patterson
1941 Worden E. Winne
1943 Clinton M. Flint
1945 Cyril C. Ryan
1949 Robert L. Doxsee
1961 Robert J. Sweeney
1973 William H. White
1985 Dorothy Storm
1993 Art Thompson
1995 Richard Wissler
2009 Andrew Hardwick
2013 - Current Robert T. Kennedy
Agnes McAndrews (nee Geraghty) (1907-1974) was an Olympic swimmer who worked as a swim instructor at Casino Pool and South Shore Yacht Club.
McAndrews did not learn to swim until 1922. Two years later, she swam for the U.S. Olympic team and won a silver medal in the 200 meter breast stroke. By 1926, McAndrews had set ten world records in the breast stroke for distances between 50 yards and 400 meters. Though she competed in 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, she finished in fourth place and did not advance. After retiring from competitive swimming, she turned professional in 1932 and starred in the Jones Beach water ballet.
McAndrews worked as a secretary for the Baldwin School District for 18 years.
McAndrews married her husband, Felix J. McAndrews in 1933. The couple first lived in Freeport but then settled in Baldwin. McAndrews died of cancer at South Nassau Communities Hospital in 1974.
See Also:
Sources:
"Agnes Geraghty Predicts Triumph for U.S. Olympic Women Swimmers." The Nassau Daily Review. August 1, 1936, 25. Accessed February 15, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1936-08-01/ed-1/seq-25/.
"Agnes Geraghty, Swimmer, 67 Dies." The New York Times. March 3, 1974, 51.
"Agnes McAndrews, Olympic Swimmer." Newsday. March 4, 1974, 33.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, February 15, 2020.
McIntyre & Christian, Inc. was a company that handled many different types of business: real estate, mortgages, auctions, and insurance. The firm was located 48 West Merrick Road.
Click here for images related to McIntyre & Christian, Inc.
Source:
Voyageur, 1928 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 27, 2016.
McKinley Place, located between Sunrise Highway and Lexington Avenue, was known as First Place before 1930.
Source:
Village of Freeport Board Minutes, 1930.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 21, 2018.
Henderson McLean, also known as Major Anderson, was a former enslaved person who settled in Freeport after the Civil War. McLean worked on a plantation in Louisiana during the Civil War. When northern troops came to town, McLean joined the 90th New York Infantry and served as a captain’s cook. McLean was wounded by a Confederate sharpshooter and the bullet remained lodged in his chest until his death.
After the Civil War, McLean came to Long Island and worked on a farm in East Rockaway where he eventually married.
McLean and his wife eventually settled in a home on Shell Road (now Hanse Avenue) in the Turks Island section of Freeport (now the Industrial Park). McLean received a military pension of $45 a month.
Henderson died in Freeport in 1910. Though some said he was over the age of 100 at the time of his death, McLean's exact age was unknown.
Source:
"Freeport." South Side Messenger. October 14, 1910, 8. Accessed September 3, 2020. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn96083504/1910-10-14/ed-1/seq-8/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 3, 2020.
McPhilbin Lighting Fixture Co., Inc. was located at 17 South Main Street in 1928. The proprietor of this wholesale lighting company was C. I. Burt.
Source:
Voyageur, 1928 (Freeport High School Yearbook).
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 27, 2016.
Mead & Wright was a Freeport bakery that existed in the 1880s. In 1884, the partnership was dissolved; Mead continued the business alone.
Source:
"Freeport." South Side Signal. May 03, 1884, 4. Accessed June 25, 2016. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031038/1884-05-03/ed-1/seq-4/.
History of Queens County New York with Illustrations, Portraits, & Sketches of Prominent Families and Individuals. New York: W. W. Munsell & Co., 1882.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 25, 2016.
See:
Meadow Island Monument is located south of the Loop Parkway where Jones Inlet meets Swift Creek. It is dedicated to the Smith and Scott families who ran a popular hotel on the island. The granite and bronze monument was purchased in 1905 by Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Scott (nee Smith) for $1,450. One side of the monument lists the names of Mrs. Scott’s family: her parents, siblings, husband, and her children. The other side is dedicated to her brother Charles Smith who was killed by lightning in 1862, and her son Charles A. Scott who lost his life on the battleship
Click here for images related to the Meadow Island Monument.
See Also:
Sources:
Smith, Julian Denton. "The Meadow Island Monument." Long Island Forum. June 1950, 103-120.
Verity, Wilbur A. "Meadow Island Monument." Long Island Forum. February 1978, 45-46.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, November 5, 2016.
Meadowbrook Commons is a 175,000-square foot shopping center located on East Sunrise Highway, adjacent to the Meadowbrook Parkway. It was developed in 1990 by Philips International on 9.5-acres located on the former Firemen's Training Field. The seaside Victorian design of Meadowbrook Commons was created by the architectural firm of Wax Bryman Ferraro & Associates of Cedarhurst.
Its original stores included Marshall's, Foodtown, Walgreen's, Kiddie City, Fashion Bug, RKO Video, Pier One Imports, Parade of Shoes, Dress Barn, and Modell's. Foodtown was later replaced by Stop and Shop.
In 2016, Target opened in Meadowbrook Commons, using the space once occupied by Stop & Shop.
In the 1920s, the location of Meadowbrook Commons was occupied by the cow farm of Mr. W. W. Rice.
Click here for information related to Meadowbrook Commons.
Sources:
"Meadowbrook Commons Update." The Leader. June 7, 1990, 12. Accessed November 10, 2017, 12. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1990-06-07/ed-1/seq-12/.
"Roundabout Freeport." The Leader. July 26, 1990, 6. Accessed November 10, 2017, 6. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1990-07-26/ed-1/seq-6/.
"Target Opens in Freeport." The Leader. October 20, 2016, 1. Accessed November 10, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/2016-10-20/ed-1/seq-1/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, November 10, 2017.
See:
Stafford Meeson (1874-1962) was a well known showman and photographer in Freeport.
In 1912, Meeson's uncle, A. S. Nicholson, died on the Titanic.
Sources:
"Was Known in Freeport." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. May 12, 1912, 3. Accessed May 11, 2021. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/54441425/?terms=%22stafford%20meeson%22&match=1.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 11, 2021.
Meister Beach was developed around 1929 by Albert Meister. The streets were named for his building company: Stirling Home Builders; and his family: wife Jeannette; sons Irving and Lester; and daughters Brunnella and Muriel. This area was known as the “Venice of Freeport.” This same moniker was also once used to describe the Woodcleft section of Freeport. In 1946, Continental Development Corporation got approval to build 39 homes for veterans on 50 x 80 foot plots. Meister Beach once included a public bathing beach.
In some records, Albert Meister's company is identified as Nation Wide Home Builders.
In 1930, the streets and three canals (Albert Canal, Glovers Canal, and Florence Canal) were given to the Village of Freeport by Nation Wide Home Builders.
Click here for images related to Meister Beach.
See Also:
Source:
Village of Freeport Board Minutes, 1930.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 1, 2016.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, October 10, 2018.
Meister Boulevard was named for Brooklyn real estate developer, Albert Meister. He was the developer of Meister Beach.
See Also:
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016,
Merrick Road Hotel was located on the north side of East Merrick Road, west of Henry Street, in 1917.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 23, 2016.
Meserole Avenue was renamed East Milton Street in 1926.
Source:
Village of Freeport Board Minutes, December 12, 1926.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, July 19, 2017.
Meserole Park was developed in 1902 by Long Island Realty. This section includes Shonnard Avenue and is located in northeast Freeport.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg and Regina G. Feeney, May 31, 2016.
Methodist Church (also known as the Freeport Methodist Episcopal Church and the Freeport United Methodist Church) in Freeport was established in 1833 when William B. Raynor helped the Methodists purchase a small wooden store on the west side of the Hempstead-Babylon Turnpike, south of Seaman Avenue, and had it moved to the property of John B. Powell (today Babylon Turnpike, north of Grand Avenue). On June 11, 1833, the following church trustees were elected: Willet B. Raynor, William B. Raynor, William Smith, Jackson Post, and Jarvis Combs. This original church, known as the Sand Hole Church, was used by the congregation for 25 years and was presided over by local and itinerant preachers.
Later, the Methodists erected a church on Main Street for a cost of $1,800. This church was described as having a cupola with an interior furnished "in a neat and plain style." This church was enlarged in 1877.
In 1891, on Pine Street between Church Street and Grove Street (Guy Lombardo Avenue), the Methodists built and dedicated a new building. It was reported the new church accommodated 400 people in the Sunday school room and 375 in the church. Bishop Andrew preached a sermon at the dedication and Rev. Dr. George E. Reed, president of Dickinson College, preached that evening during a platform meeting. A parsonage was also constructed. Additions to the church followed in 1915 and 1928.
In 1909, the Freeport Methodist Episcopal Church celebrated its 50th anniversary with a three-day celebration.
The original steeple had to be lowered after it was damaged by lightning around 1959. The steeple had been hit by lightning sometime in its early history, but no major damage was reported. The steeple was hit by lightning a third time in 1993.
In the early 1900s, the Freeport Methodist Church established the Shell Island Mission in Turks Island (now Industrial Park). The Methodist Church stopped supporting the mission in 1915.
According to the the Freeport Methodist Church, Methodism in Freeport dates back to 1813. It was at this time, the Reverend Thomas Birdsall claimed he was converted by class leader Parker Baldwin in Raynortown.
Click here for images of the Freeport Methodist Church.
Sources:
"50 Years of Methodism." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. February 20, 1909, 9. Accessed May 19, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/54329496/?terms=freeport%2Bmethodist%2Bchurch.
Freeport Methodist Episcopal Church. Freeport: Past and Present, With a Prospect of Its Future, August 21-22, 1900
"Freeport's New Methodist Church." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 5, 1891, 1. Accessed May 19, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031151/1891-07-05/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Items from Along the Shore." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 17, 1891, 1. Accessed May 19, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031151/1891-01-17/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Lightning Strikes More Than Twice." The Leader. September 2, 1993, 4. Accessed May 19, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1993-09-02/ed-1/seq-4/.
"New Church Dedication." Brooklyn Evening Star. February 12, 1859. Accessed October 15, 2016. https://bhs.newspapers.com/image/117452155/?terms=freeport,
"25 Years Ago. Nassau Daily Review Star. December 18, 1940, 3. Accessed May 18, 2017. http://fultonhistory.com
Midship Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge was located at 507 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue). In 1960, the restaurant was owned by Tom O'Saughnessy. Two years later Tommy Kenedi and Ernie Hammermann became the owners. Kenedi served as host, maitre d' and "special mixologist and Hammermann was the head chef. The restaurant was described as having boat slips for customers who arrived by water and a private dinning room for parties and organization meetings.
Around 1988, the restaurant became the Dockside Restaurant (also known as Dockside Cafe & Restaurant). Later, it was purchased by Stephen Manchin in the early 2000s and became Steve's Riptide. Around 2009, the restaurant was purchased by Anthony Rubano and became Wildfish. In 2015, the restaurant changed hands and became Tony Cuban Cucina & Cocktails.
Sources:
"Keeping In Touch with John." East Rockaway Lynbrook Observer. December 14, 1988, 2. Accessed May 3, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83008745/1988-12-14/ed-1/seq-2/.
Midship Restaurant [advertisement]. The Leader. March 10, 1980, 9. Accessed May 3, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1980-07-10/ed-1/seq-9/.
Tony Cuban [advertisement]. The Leader. September 27, 2018, 12. Accessed May 3, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/2018-09-27/ed-1/seq-12/.
Wildfish [advertisement]. The Leader. November 01, 2012, 10. Accessed May 3, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/2012-11-01/ed-1/seq-10/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 3, 2019.
The Mikado was a Chinese-American restaurant located on Olive Boulevard (now Sunrise Highway) near the Freeport Theatre. It operated in the 1920s. In 1923, a dinner was given at The Mikado for Freeport firemen and their families by the committee that organized the Firemen's Jubilee the previous year.
On St. Patrick's Day, 1923, The Mikado was raided by prohibition agents. It was reported in the press that of the five raids made that day, the largest number of arrests were made at The Mikado. Among those arrested were Herman Shieber, the proprietor; Samuel H. Shieber, the manager; Robert Warner, the head waiter; and Yetta Shieber, the cashier.
A request to padlock the restaurant was filed with the United States Court, Eastern District in June 1924. It was charged that The Mikado was selling intoxicating liquors. It is not known if an order to padlock the building was issued by the court. However, The Mikado did remain open. That December, a Christmas party was given at The Mikado by the owner of the Freeport Theatre for the theater actors and employees.
See Also:
Sources:
"Dry Agents Get Ten Joy Celebrants on St. Patrick's Night." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. March 19, 1923, 3. Accessed May 15, 2019. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/60010390/?terms=%22dry%2Bagents%22%2Bfreeport.
"Gives Appreciation Part." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. February 19, 1923, 26. Accessed May 19, 2019, 26. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/60010107/?terms=gives%2Bappreciation%2Bparty%2Bfreeport.
"Padlock Asked." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 27, 1924, 6. Accessed May 15, 2019. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57560484/?terms=padlock%2Basked.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 15, 2019.
Mike's Atlantic Inn was located at 360 Atlantic Avenue. Later, this location became Don Ciccio Pescatore; then Rossini; Essex House; Western Steak House; Buon Giorno; and finally, the Freeport Baldwin Elks Club.
Source:
Buon Giorno [advertisement]. The Leader. April 13, 1991, 9. Accessed April 25, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1991-04-13/ed-1/seq-9/.
Don Ciccio Pescatore [advertisement]. The Leader. November 19, 1981, 8. Accessed April 25, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1981-11-19/ed-1/seq-8/.
Essex House [advertisement]. The Leader. December 8, 1988, 9. Accessed April 25, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1988-12-08/ed-1/seq-9/.
Mike's Atlantic Inn [advertisement]. The Leader. December 22, 1949, 7. Accessed April 25, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1949-12-22/ed-1/seq-7/.
Rossini [advertisement]. The Leader. November 15, 1984, 11. Accessed April 25, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1984-11-15/ed-1/seq-11/.
Western Steak House [advertisement]. The Leader. January 25, 1989, 5. Accessed April 25, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1989-01-25/ed-1/seq-5/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, April 25, 2018.
Milburn Country Club (also known as the Manhattan Country Club, the Milburn Golf Club, and the Willowbrook Golf Club) was a golf course developed in the northwest section of Freeport next to Milburn Creek, which extended from Stearns Park to Grand Avenue. Around 1916, Hugo Stearns and other prominent residents attempted to organize a golf club. It was to be named either the South Side County Club or the Nassau Country Club. Though Stearns did create established a nine-hole golf course in this section, the golf club deal fell through. In 1917, organizers of the Manhattan Country Club purchased the land from Hugo Stearns for $250,000 and expanded the course to 18 holes. Officers of the club included Hiram Smith, August V. Lambert, C. D. Baker, Daniel W. Blumenthal, William H. Fleisch, and Leopold Prince. Smith, a Freeporter, was also the supervisor of the Town of Hempstead. Prominent golf architect Devereux Emmet designed the course. The club officially opened on Decoration Day (now known as Memorial Day) in 1917.
In 1919, membership dues were $100 and an initiation fee was waved for early applicants. For many years the club catered to primarily Jewish patrons. In 1920, the links were reorganized as the Milburn Golf Course by William Fox of the 20th Century-Fox movie studio, Marcus Loew of the theater family, and George Z. Macadie, former U.S. Attorney General.
It was reported that a number of stars of "stage and screen" teed off at the Milburn Country Club, including, Marcus Loew, Will Rogers, and Charlie Chaplin.
In 1941, new ownership opened the golf course to the public. A 14 lane bowling alley was added to the club in 1942. That same year, nearly 100 acres owned by the golf course were purchased by Joseph F. Mittelmari and associates for residential development.
On February 1, 1943, the club was destroyed by a fire. During the blaze, David Armstrong, a lockerman at Milburn, saved the life of a waiter named Victor Larsen, who was asleep in his room on the second floor. Soon after the fire, the club was reorganized as the Willowbrook Golf Club.
In 1949, the Long Island open tournament was held at the Willowbrook Golf Club with professional golfer and Long Island native Al Brosch taking first place.
In 1952, the Baldwin School District assumed ownership of the remaining 35 acre property.
Click here for images related to the Milburn Country Club.
Click here to see the Milburn Country Club on a 1923 map.
See Also:
Sources:
"The American Home of the Future." The New York Times. January 16, 1916, XX4.
Carlucci, Phil. Long Island Golf. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2015.
"Fire Destroys Milburn Club." Newsday. February 2, 1943, 3.
"Gold Course Survived Duffers But It Bows to School Progress." Newsday. May 3, 1952, 14.
Krieg, Cynthia J. and Regina G. Feeney. Freeport. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2012.
"Large Homes Rise as L.I. Projects Open New Models." The New York Times. April 16, 1950, R1.
"Milburn Club Property to Become Home Project." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 20, 1941, 28. Accessed June 29, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52818970/?terms=%22milburn%2Bcountry%2Bclub%22.
Milburn Country Club [advertisement]. Nassau County Review. April 18, 1919, 9. Accessed June 27, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1919-04-18/ed-1/seq-9/.
"Milburn Golf Club Changes Hands." Newsday. April 25, 1941, 27.
"New Golf Club Elects." Nassau County Review. January 26, 1917, 1. Accessed June 28, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1917-01-26/ed-1/seq-1/.
"South Shore Home Sites Offered at Auction Sale." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 15, 1939, 46. Accessed October 25, 2018. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52615621/?terms=%22south%2Bshore%2Bhome%2Bsites%22%2Bstearns.
"Travis Had Career Equaled by None." The New York Times. March 18, 1917, S3.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 29, 2017.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, June 17, 2019.
Milburn Court was named for the Milburn Creek, which runs along the western border of Freeport.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
Milburn Creek (also known as Bigar's Creek, Lott's Creek, Hicks Neck Creek, or Tredwell's Creek) is the stream that is dividing line between Freeport and Baldwin.
In 1686, John Pine was given permission from the Town of Hempstead to dam the creek and built a grist mill. The dam created a large pond known as Milburn Pond. A 1836 map appears to show this waterway as Bigar's Creek. Daniel Tredwell, in his book Personal Reminiscences of Men and Things on Long Island, recounted how David Leinad caught an 11 lbs. 4 on. trout in the creek on April 20, 1840. Tredwell also recalled as a young boy that the Milburn Creek ran a length of 15 miles and was at one point 60 feet wide through a thick forest. The swift current creek was about 5 inches deep and ran over a pebbly bottom. It was reported a bridge existed on Merrick Road over Milburn Creek.
The City of Brooklyn gained control of the Milburn Pond around 1890 for the purpose of supplying water to Brooklyn.
In 1890, a drawbridge over Milburn Creek at Atlantic Avenue was constructed at Atlantic Avenue at a cost of $3,000. This bridge was known as a swing bridge because it pivoted horizontally. Charles Smith was the bridge tender. The bridge lessened the distance between south Freeport and Baldwin by two miles. In 1900, the bridge had deteriorated and Freeport's highway commissioner ordered the road closed until the bridge was repaired. Trolley service used the drawbridge in order to travel from Freeport to Brooklyn. Later, the drawbridge was replace with stationary span.
At one time, Milburn Creek was navigable to Merrick Road. A 1896 resolution to widen and deepen Milburn Creek was defeated by the Town of Hempstead.
A bridge over the creek at Seaman Avenue was known as the Kissing Bridge. In 1908, this wooden bridge was replaced by stone bridge. The area near the Milburn Creek and the Kissing Bridge was referred to as Stanton Park and Lovers' Lane.
In 1914, three developers, Onslow-Moore Company, John J. Randall Company, and the Baldwin Harbor Reality Company, proposed a plan that would widen and deepen Milburn Creek to Merrick Road. The plan included the creation of canals, sandy beaches, and two lakes, Onslow Lake and Randall Lake. The plan never came to fruition.
Milburn Creek was found to be unfit for swimming in June 1945 due to sewage contamination. The Northwest Civic Association opposed a 1946 plan that would have created a 13 acre park on the property along Milburn Creek north of Sunrise Highway. The civic association favored retaining the space as a natural wooded area. Later in 1961, Nassau County created a ten acre park along the southern part of Milburn Creek between Merrick Road and Atlantic Avenue.
Nassau County improved the park by creating a boat basin, a boat launching ramp, and a parking field in 1961. The county budgeted $71,3172 for the improvements. A new bridge over Milburn Creek was constructed at Atlantic Avenue in 1978.
In 2016, the newly renovated Milburn Creek Boat Basin was opened.
Click here for images of Milburn Creek.
Sources:
"County Plans New Park on Atlantic Ave." The Leader. June 8, 1961, 1. Accesed April 8, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1961-06-08/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Milburn Creek Boat Basin Christened." The Leader. November 10, 2016. Accessed April 8, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/2016-11-10/ed-1/seq-6/.
"Money for Barnum Island Bridge." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 9, 1896, 2. Accessed April 8, 2019. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/50430528/?terms=Drawbridge%2Btrolley%2B%22milburn%2Bcreek%22.
"N.W. Opposed to Park Plan." The Leader. October 10, 1946, 1. Accessed April 9, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1946-10-10/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Projected Plan for the Improvement of Milburn Creek from Bay to Merrick Road." The Nassau Post. June 20, 1914, 6. Accessed April 9, 2019.
"Rustic Drawbridge, Long in Disuse, Once Center of Boating and Fishing Activity on South Shore." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. January 17, 1926, 31. Accessed April 8, 2019. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57557890/?terms=Drawbridge%2Bfreeport%2Bmilburn.
"657G Project at Nassau Pk. to Aid Boaters." The Daily News. December 10, 1961, 1059. Accessed April 9, 2019. newspapers.com.
"Town Board." Nassau County Review. June 15, 1900, 2. Accessed April 8, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1900-06-15/ed-1/seq-2/.
Vasil, Eddie. "News In Views." The Leader. July 30, 1964, 4. Accessed April 9, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1964-07-30/ed-1/seq-4/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney. April 29, 2019.
Mill Lane was renamed Lakeview Avenue. Some sources referred to the road as Paper Mill Road.
Sources:
Raynor Town Map, 1868 located at the Freeport Historical Society.
Zimmerman, Charles J. "What Ever Happened To Randolph, Claude and Jerome?" The Leader. October 15, 1992, 24
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 29, 2016.
Mill Road was named for the saw and grist mills that were located on the Freeport River.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
Miller Avenue was named for William G. Miller, who was the second president (mayor) of Freeport (1893 to 1900).
See Also:
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
Isaac W. Miller (1878-1948) was born in Freeport to Morris and Fanny Miller, one of the earliest Jewish families in Freeport. He attended Freeport Schools and was a pupil in an English class taught by Caroline G. Atkinson. An athlete, Miller competed in bicycle track and played centerfield with the Freeport semi-professional baseball team. After graduating school in 1893, Miller attended a business course at Bryant and Stratton's in Brooklyn. Later, he worked for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and The New York Times.
Miller later took over his father's dry goods business, which was located on South Main Street. He was a member of the Freeport Independent Order of Odd Fellows and served a term as grand noble. He and his wife, Florence, were members of the B'nai Israel synagogue. Miller died at the age of 70 after a 16 year illness. He is buried in Linden Hill Jewish Cemetery.
See Also:
Sources:
Alumni Record. Freeport, NY: Freeport High School, 1911.
"Isaac W. Miller, 70, Dies In Main St. Home." The Leader. June 3, 1948, 3. Accessed March 16, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1948-06-03/ed-1/seq-2/.
Morris Miller (circa 1845-1922) was a prominent merchant and patriarch of one of the earliest Jewish families in the village. Born in Weseritz, Bohemia about 1845, Miller immigrated to the United States in 1865. He worked originally as an intenerate salesman. Miller later purchased property on South Main Street from the Methodist Church and began a dry goods business. This store was described as a wooden building with a high stoop. During the 25th anniversary of the Freeport Bank in 1917, Miller was credited to be that institution's first depositor.
In 1897, the Hebrew Union of the Town of Hempstead met at Miller's home. During this meeting by-laws were adopted and a subscription was started to fund a temple and establish a cemetery. Miller was also elected vice-president of the Union.
Along with Hyman Schloss, Adolph Levy, Harry Barasch, and Simon Baumann, Miller is considered one of the pioneering merchants in Freeport. At the cornerstone laying of the B'nai Israel synagogue, Miller was identified as the congregation's oldest member.
Miller and his wife, Fanny, had three children: Carrie (Kollah), Isaac, and Hattie. Miller died in 1922 at the age of 77. He is buried in Linden Hill Jewish Cemetery.
See Also:
Sources:
"Isaac W. Miller, 70, Dies In Main St. Home." The Leader. June 3, 1948, 3. Accessed March 16, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1948-06-03/ed-1/seq-2/.
"Local." Queens County Review. November 26, 1897, 3. Accessed May 9, 2018.http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071432/1897-11-26/ed-1/seq-3/.
"Pioneers in Freeport Saw Possibilities." Daily Review. Circa 1924. Accessed March 16, 2017. fultonhistory.com.
"Scenes at the Cornerstone Laying." Nassau County Review. August 27, 1920, 1. Accessed March 16, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1920-08-27/ed-1/seq-1/.
"With Bank 25 Years." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. March 2, 1917, 16. Accessed March 16, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/53892033/?terms=morris%2Bmiller%2B%22freeport%2Bbank%22.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, March 17, 2017.
Updated May 9, 2018, Regina G. Feeney.
Raymond J. Miller was the eighteenth president (mayor) of Freeport (1924 to 1925). He served as secretary and treasurer of William G. Miller, Inc., which was involved in real estate development and insurance. Miller's parents were William G. and Mary E. Miller. His uncle was John J. Randall. He attended Freeport schools and attended the Bryant and Stratton Business College.
Miller served as the director of the Freeport Bank and Garden City Bond and Mortgage Company. He was member of the Methodist Church and severed on its board. He was also was a member of the Spartan Lodge and the South Shore Yacht Club.
Miller and his wife lived 327 Pennsylvania Avenue. They are buried in Greenfield Cemetery, Uniondale, NY.
Miller was preceded as mayor by Hilbert R. Johnson and succeeded by W. Irving Vanderpoel.
Click here for images related to Raymond J. Miller.
See Also:
Sources:
Hazelton, Henry Isham. The Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens Counties of Nassau and Suffolk Long Island, New York 1609-1924 (Volume 5). New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1925.
Obituary of Raymond J. Miller. Newsday. September 14, 1955, 71.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 29, 2016.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, July 5, 2016.
William G. Miller (1853-1931) was the second president (mayor) of Freeport (1893 to 1900). Miller was also the business partner and brother-in-law of John J. Randall.
Miller established the stand pipe and water system, an excellent fire department, and an electric light plant. He was born in Riverhead on February 2, 1853 to James G. and Elizabeth W. (Wasson) Miller, and moved to Freeport around 1889.
Miller was raised on a farm and attended school until he was 17, when he went to Brooklyn to seek his fortune. He manufactured fine cabinet ware and formed a partnership with John J. Randall in 1882. They constructed buildings, mainly in Brooklyn and then in the vicinity of Freeport. He helped to organize the Freeport Bank, of which he was a director. Miller was president of the Queens and Suffolk County Insurance Company, organizer of the Seventeenth Ward Bank of Brooklyn, director of the Nassau Belt Line, and a director of the South Shore Telephone Company. He was involved in the incorporation of Freeport and was a water commissioner. Miller also served on the board of education and was a director of the Freeport Land Improvement Company. He was a member of the Freeport Methodist Episcopal Church, and he and John J. Randall built a new building for this church at cost. He was very active in the Republican Party and often served as presiding officer of political organizations. Other memberships included the Freeport Club, and the Freeport Golf Club. Married to Mary E. Randall in 1876, they had four children: Raymond J., Marietta R., William G. Jr., and Florence Elizabeth.
Click here for images related to William G. Miller.
See Also:
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 28, 2016.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney and Denise Rushton, July 29, 2016.
See:
Moody Avenue was named for C. N. Moody. Moody who developed Meserole Park, which is located in northeast Freeport.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
Charles Lin Mook (1874-?) (also known as Charles F. Mook and Charlie Mook) was the proprietor of the C. L. Mook Chinese Laundry located at 14 Brooklyn Avenue. Later, he had locations at 6 Brooklyn Avenue and 22 West Merrick Road. In 1913, he submitted an application to place a 2x3 foot sign in front of the store on Brooklyn Avenue. In 1922, Mook bought several stores and apartments from the John J. Randall Company. Two years later, Mook added a Chinese novelty shop to his laundry business on Merrick Road. The store sold silks, teas, plants, and china.
Mook was born in China in 1874 and came to the United States in 1897. He was still listed as an alien in the 1920 Census.
It was reported that Mook was able to identify Chinese writing on an antique Chinese lantern in the garden of J. Huyler Ellison's home as being the Lord's Prayer. Mook was also able to tell Ellison that the lantern was upside down.
Click here for images of the C. L. Mook Laundry.
Sources:
Ancestry.com
C. L. Mook Chinese Laundry [advertisement]. Nassau County Review. 28, 1916, 7. Accessed November 26, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1916-07-28/ed-1/seq-7/.
"Charlie Mook Adds to Merrick Road Novelty Store." The Daily Review. January 19, 1924, n.p. Accessed November 26, 2018. Fultonhistory.com.
Metz, Clinton. "Freeport of Yester-Year." The Leader. December 29, 1966, 14. Accessed November 26, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1966-12-29/ed-1/seq-14/.
"Village Trustees." Nassau County Review. January 24, 1913, 1. Accessed November 26, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1913-01-24/ed-1/seq-1/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, November 26, 2018.
Moore Avenue was named for Charles C. Moore who was active in real estate and insurance. He was also a trustee of the Freeport Board of Education.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
The Moorings (also known as the Moorings Seafood House) was a restaurant and lounge located at 392 Guy Lombardo Avenue (at Carman Street). It opened in the mid to late 1970s.
In 1980, the owners of the property, Bill Tsakanikas and Gus Trastellis, requested permission to construct a 20 by 18 foot one-story addition to the existing building. The restaurant building was torn down around 2006.
Prior to being a restaurant, the building was a private house built by the John J. Randall Company. In 1919, it became the headquarters of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Club.
Later, the building was converted into a restaurant. In the 1930s, the Grove Gardens restaurant was located at this address. It was owned by Eddie "Jumbo" Andrews. In the 1950s, this restaurant was known as the Starlight Rustic Inn (also known as the Rustic Inn) and was owned by Donna Trentine. The Rustic Inn operated into the early 1970s.
Click here for material related to the Moorings.
See Also:
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Club
Sources:
"Hot Licks Experts Do Stuff in Fpt." Newsday. November 11, 1946, 13.
"In the Mail." The Leader. September 22, 1966, 16. Accessed January 8, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1966-09-22/ed-1/seq-16/.
"Legal Notices." The Leader. October 02, 1980, 10. Accessed January 8, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1980-10-02/ed-1/seq-10/.
Paran, Pat. "I Cover the Waterfront." The Leader. April 2, 1964, 10. Accessed January 8, 2019, 10. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1964-04-02/ed-1/seq-10/.
Starlight Rustic Inn [advertisement]. The Leader. April 16, 1964, 13. Accessed January 8, 2019. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1964-04-16/ed-1/seq-13/.
"Telephone Man Honored." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. February 2, 1935, 5. Accessed January 9, 2019. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/52833469/?terms=%22grove%2Bgardens%22%2Bfreeport.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, January 9, 2019.
Victor Moore (1876-1962) was a popular vaudeville actor. Moore performed in 21 Broadway shows including playing the role of Vice President Throttlebottom in Of Thee I Sing. He also appeared in 50 movies. It was reported that he was introduced to his future wife, Emma Littlefield (1883-1934), by an acrobat while they were performing at the Henderson's Music Hall in Coney Island. The couple came to Freeport in 1910, but settled in Baldwin. While in Hollywood, filming the movie called A Romance in the Rain (1934), Moore received word that Littlefield died of pneumonia in the Nassau County Sanitarium in Farmingdale, NY. The couple had three children: Ora Victoria, Victor, Jr. and Robert. Robert had been held as a prisoner of war by the Germans during World War II.
Moore moved back to Freeport in 1941 and lived in the Spanish Villa on Randall Bay located at 700 South Long Beach Avenue. The textured stucco home has a dining room with hardwood floors and a living room with a marble floor and an inlaid fountain. The large kitchen, remodeled in the 1970s, looks out on the canal and back gardens. The second floor has five bedrooms and a light and airy sunroom with views of Randall Bay and beyond. Original bathrooms, lots of closets and a side screened-in porch with views to Jones Beach are found on this floor. The house also features multi-leveled flat roofs. A guest house in the backyard is designed to resemble a light house. It contains a living room, kitchen, three bedrooms and a bathroom.
Moore was a charter member of the L.I.G.H.T.S. Club and was the club's first angel, or president.
On January 16, 1942, at the age of 67, Moore married 22 year old dancer Shirley Paige. The couple met while Paige was appearing in a production of Pal Joey.
In 1962, suffering from heart trouble, Moore was admitted to the Percy Williams Convalescent Home in East Islip, which was managed by the Actors Fund. He later suffered a fatal stroke. He and his first wife are buried in the Abbey at the Cypress Hills Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY.
Moore's notable films include, Swing Time (1936) with Fred Astaire, Duffy's Tavern (1945) with Ed Gardner, True to Life (1942) with Mary Martin and Dick Powell, We're Not Married (1952) with Fred Allen and Ginger Rogers, and the Seven Year Itch (1955) with Marilyn Monroe.
Land owned by Moore in Jackson Heights, Queens later became the Victor Moore Arcade. Located at Roosevelt Avenue and 74th Street, the site is a New York City subway and bus terminal complex. Parts of Alfred Hitchock's film, The Wrong Man, was filmed at the Victor Moore Arcade.
Click here for images related to Victor Moore.
Sources:
"A Footlight Romance." Nassau Daily Review. June 26, 1934, 6. Accessed October 3, 2018. fultonhistory.com.
"Actor Victor Moore Dies at 86; Beloved for Roles as Bumbler." The News Journal. July 24, 1962, 34. Accessed November 5, 2018. newspapers.com
"Inglis, Moore Back, Held in German Camp." Nassau Daily Review. April 30, 1945, 1. Accessed October 3, 2018. fultonhistory.com.
"Mrs. E. L. Moore, Wife of Actor, is Dead in East. Chicago Tribune. June 24, 1934, 18. Accessed October 3, 2018. newspapers.com.
"Victor Moore, or Forty Years a Timid Man." The New York Times. January 6, 1946, SM7.
"Victor Moore, 67, Weds Dancer, 22." Oakland Tribune. July 5, 1943, 2. Accessed October 3, 2018. newspapers.com.
"Victor Moore Was Natural Comic." Newsday. July 24, 1962, 2C.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, December 16, 2017.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, November 5, 2018.
Freeport Lodge, No. 1686, Loyal Order of Moose was a fraternal club that was organized around 1927 and was popular in Freeport during the 1930s.
In 1929, the Moose Lodge raised over $1,000 at an annual dinner dance for the purpose of erecting a new clubhouse (known as a temple). The club's original temple was located at 300 West Merrick Road. They later purchased the first Freeport Elks clubhouse located on Merrick Road and South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue) for $35,000. The Moose spent an additional $40,000 on renovations to the building. It was opened in 1931.
In 1933, Nassau County Police detectives, led by Freeport police chief John Hartmann, raided the Freeport Lodge for showing an "obscene motion picture film." It was reported that several hundred men were in attendance at this “smoker”; all but three of the attendees were allowed to leave after the police raided the event. The three detained were Moose Lodge dictator Martin Krasnoff of 53 Ray St.; Harry Sullivan of 34 Forest Ave., who was the head of the entertainment committee; and Harry Jacobs of Brooklyn.
See Also:
Sources:
"Brief Island Items." The Patchogue Advance. December 2, 1930, 10. Accessed December 19, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn86071739/1930-12-02/ed-1/seq-10/.
"Freeport Moose Raise $1,000 at Annual Dinner Dance." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 8, 1929, 3. Accessed December 19, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59855826/?terms=%22freeport%2Bmoose%22.
"Freeport Moose Seek Membership of 1,000." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 2, 1929, 15. Accessed December 19, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59852407/?terms=%22freeport%2Bmoose%22.
"Islip Town Authorizes Bond Issue to Build New Town Hall." The Patchogue Advance. February 20, 1931, 8. Accessed December 19, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn86071739/1931-02-20/ed-1/seq-8/.
"Raid Freeport Moose; Seize Films, Arrest 3." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. June 3, 1933, 4. Accessed December 19, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59973197/?terms=%22freeport%2Bmoose%22.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, December 19, 2017.
Harding Maurice Morgan (1930-1993) was one of the first African American administrators in the Freeport School District. He began his career on Long Island as a teacher in the Malverne School District. Morgan became an assistant principal at Freeport High School in 1969.
In the early 1970s, he was appointed principal of Dodd Junior High School and helped oversee the construction of the new junior high school facility in 1976. In 1971, Morgan established the Black Educators Committee in Freeport. The purpose of this committee was to promote the hiring of black educators and to advocate for minority children.
Morgan was born in Chester, PA. He was a graduate of New York University. He retired from Dodd in 1989. He died in 1993 at the age of 62.
Sources:
Ancestry.com.
"Former Dodd Principal Dies." The Leader. June 17, 1993, 11. Accessed November 9, 2022. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071065/1993-06-17/ed-1/seq-11/.
Mason-Draffen, Carrie. "Harding M. Morgan, Trailblazer for Black Educators," Newsday. June 11, 1993, 41. Accessed November 9, 2022.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, November 9, 2022.
Mormonism was established in western Long Island around 1839 by Selah Lane of Rum Point (later known as Greenwich Point, and today known as Roosevelt). Lane's home, which was the site of local Mormon worship, was called the "Temple." It has been reported that Brigham Young was a frequent visitor to the "Temple." According to the Mormon publication, Times and Seasons, sixty-three people belonged to the Rum Point branch. By 1841, this branch counted forty-six members. Local converts were said to be baptized in a body of water referred to as "Mollineaux's Mill Stream."
Around 1833, Selah Lane left Long Island and traveled west with the Mormons. Long Island chronicler, Daniel M. Tredwell, whose writings are often hostile to Mormonism, said, in addition to Lane, the following local residents also traveled west as Mormons: Jesse Petit, Ephriam Pettit, Eliza Rhodes, Thomas Doneger, Amos Raynor, Jothan Smith, and Ira Pettit.
In 1870, The New York Times reported that Mormonism was "firmly established" in Freeport. Christian Hook (now known as Oceanside) also had a Mormon presence. Freeport was said to have fifty members, and Francis K. Benedict held the position of Elder in the faith. Benedict, who was the Queens County Almshouse keeper in Freeport, was said to have been baptized by Brigham Young. He may have converted to Mormonism in the 1840s. In February 1870, competing lectures, both against and in support of Mormonism, were presented in and around the vicinity of Freeport.
In 1918, a Mormon missionary was reported in Freeport.
See Also:
Sources:
"The Long Island Mormons." The New York Times. February 12, 1870, 3.
The Long Island Utah. Long Island Farmer. February 17, 1870, 1. Accessed May 11, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031392/1870-02-17/ed-1/seq-1/.
"The Mormons of Long Island." The New York Times. February 10, 1870, 5.
"The New Utah." The New York Times. February 4, 1870, 3.
"Mormon Missionary in Freeport." Nassau County Review. March 15, 1918, 1. Accessed May 11, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1918-03-15/ed-1/seq-1/.
"The Mormons on Long Island." Long Island Farmer. February 03, 1870, 12. Accessed May 11, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031392/1870-02-03/ed-1/seq-12/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 12, 2017.
Daniel Morrison was the seventh president (mayor) of Freeport (1907 to 1910). He was captain of Vigilant Hose Company No. 2 from 1896 to 1897.
After Morrison's term as president of Freeport, he served as the overseer of the poor of Nassau County. He was the overseer for four years, ending with his death in May of 1923, after a short illness. He lived at 27 North Grove Street.
Morrison was preceded by Hiram R. Smith and succeeded by John D. Gunning.
Click here for images related Daniel Morrison.
See Also:
Sources:
Bermudez, Miguel and Donald Giordano. An Illustrated History of the Freeport Fire Department, 1893-2008. Freeport, NY, Freeport Fire Department, 2008.
“Daniel Morrison Dead; Freeport Poor Overseer.” Brooklyn Standard Union. May 17, 1923, 4. Accessed April 7, 2018. http://fultonhistory.com.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 29, 2016.
Updated by Denise Rushton, April 7, 2018.
Morton Avenue was named for the Morton Development Company that developed western Southside Avenue.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
Moser Building is located on the west side of South Main Street, just south of Merrick Road. This building was constructed around 1935.
Click here for images related to the Moser Building.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 25, 2016.
Moser Jewelers was located at 63 South Main Street. In 1929, William A. Moser purchased a jewelry store established in the 1890s by John E. Golding (sometimes referred to as Golding's Jewelry Store).
In 1946, Moser moved to Florida and sold the business to Herman Shenker. During the 59th anniversary of the store, it was reported that Moser Jewelers was the oldest jewelry establishment in Freeport.
Sources:
"Golding's Jewelry Store Now Moser's." The Nassau Daily Review. May 22, 1929. Accessed October 31, 2022. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1929-05-22/ed-1/seq-6/
J. E. Golding [advertisement]. South Side Observer. September 30, 1892, 4. Accessed October 31, 2022. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn84031784/1892-09-30/ed-1/seq-4/.
"Moser Sale to Mark 59th Year." The Nassau Daily Review-Star. August 10, 1949, 36. Accessed May 6, 2019. fultonhistory.com.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, May 7, 2019.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, October 31, 2022.
The Municipal Building (also known as Village Hall and Municipal Hall) is located at 46 North Ocean Avenue. Construction began in 1928 and the building was dedicated on March 13, 1929. The Municipal Building sits on land purchased in 1927 for $38,500. That same year, the firm of Peabody, Wilson and Brown was chosen as the building's architects. Ground was broken on April 11, 1928 and the cornerstone was laid on July 14, 1928. The building includes offices, a courtroom, council chamber, meeting rooms, and police headquarters. The building included a vault and special tax safes. The building cost approximately $325,000 to construct.
The Municipal Building was designed to look like Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA, the birthplace of the United States. The building was enlarged in 1973 doubling the original floor space. A sunken garden at the rear of the building was added later.
In celebration of the United States' bicentennial, a time capsule was buried on the lawn of the Municipal Building on July 4, 1976. In the 2010s, the Freeport Landmarks Preservation Commission commemorated the building with a roadside marker.
Prior to the dedication of the Municipal Building, the village offices were located on Rail Road Avenue and Merrick Road.
Click here for images related to Municipal Building.
Sources:
"Dedication of the Freeport Municipal Building" [pamphlet from the Freeport Historical Society].
"Interior Views of Freeport's New Village Hall, Formally Opened Saturday." The Nassau Daily Review. April 1, 1929, 1. Accessed May 23, 2023. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1929-04-01/ed-1/seq-1/.
"Lack of Accoustics In Freeport Hall Strain Strain Civic Ears." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 7, 1929. Accessed June 17, 2017. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59853541/?terms=%22freeport%2Bhall%22%2Bfreeport.
Krieg, Cynthia J. and Regina G. Feeney. Freeport. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2012.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, June 17, 2017.
Updated by Regina G. Feeney, May 23, 2023.
Mount Avenue was named for Susan Mount, philanthropist and owner of the Mount Estates.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg, May 27, 2016.
Mount Estates was developed in the 1920s. This section of northeast Freeport includes Washburn Avenue. It included 300 lots of 25 x 100 feet or more.
Researched by Cynthia J. Krieg and Regina G. Feeney, May 31, 2016.
Charles F. Mountcastle (1911-1977) was the owner of Mountcastle's Liquor Store at 347 South Grove Street (now Guy Lombardo Avenue). The store's motto was "The Store of Friendly Spirits," according to a 1955 advertisement.
Mountcastle was born in Manhattan to vaudeville actress Christina Burns, who performed under the name Vera Grey. He was raised in Norwich, CT, lived in Freeport from 1920 to 1965, and later moved to Merrick.
Before opening the liquor store, Mountcastle worked for 10 years as a stockbroker with the Wall Street firm of Hoyt, Rose, and Troster. He joined the army during World War II. After the war, he opened the liquor store in 1946. In the late 1940s, Mountcastle joined the Freeport Fire Department as a fire policeman with the Excelsior Truck company. He was injured by a car in 1959 while directing traffic during a fire. He was a Republican committeeman for 25 years and a member of the Firemen's Exempt Association, the Freeport Elks Club, Archbishop Molloy Council 1974 Knights of Columbus, and the William Clinton Story Post, American Legion.
Mountcastle died at the age of 66 after undergoing cardiac bypass surgery. He is buried in Holy Rood Cemetery, Westbury, NY. His son, John, took over the business.
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Charles Mountcastle [obituary]. The Leader. May 5 1977, 13.
Charles Mountcastle [obituary]. Newsday. April 29, 1977, 45.
Mountcastle's Liquor Store [advertisement]. The Leader. September 01, 1955, 16. Accessed October 11, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1955-09-01/ed-1/seq-16/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, October 11, 2018.
Murals have captured the rich history and heritage of the Village of Freeport. Below is a list of Freeport murals:
Twentieth Century Freeport was painted by Francis Norris Streit. This 9-foot 18-inch mural is located in the main lobby of the Freeport Recreation Center. It was created to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the incorporation of the Village of Freeport in 1987.
Suburban Post in Winter and Air Mail are William Gropper murals located inside the Freeport Post Office. These oil-on-canvas paintings were created between 1936-1937 as part of the Treasury Relief Art Program (TRAP), New Deal program.
Sailing Through Freeport History, painted by Brooklyn artist Ji Yong Kim, was sponsored by the Long Island Arts Council at Freeport through an AARP Community Challenge Grant. The mural was unveiled at the south entrance of the Freeport Library on April 12, 2019.
Hans Gabali murals were painted throughout Freeport.
Our Freeport, a mural by Freeport artist Marc Josloff, will be unveiled at the library on Sunday, April 23, 2023.
Murray's Surfside 6 was a restaurant located at 436 Woodcleft Avenue. This restaurant was originally known as the San-Bar (which moved to Hudson Avenue in 1958) and The Beacon House.
On Wednesday nights the restaurant was called the "Playroom" and featured guitarist Tom McMahon.
Click here for images of Murray's Surfside 6.
Source:
"News and Views." The Leader. August 31, 1961, 4. Accessed November 2, 2017. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1961-08-31/ed-1/seq-4/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, November 3, 2017.
See:
Steinmetz Music Store (coming soon)
Mutual Benefit Association was formed in 1888 with eight members. Nine years later, in 1897, the membership roll had increased to 108. Early members included Joseph T. Weyant and William E. Golder
Source:
Queens County Review. February 12, 1897, 3. Accessed August 9, 2016. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071432/1897-02-12/ed-1/seq-3/
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 12, 2016.
Alonzo Webster Myers (1884-1955), born in Orangeburg, SC, came to Freeport around 1908 and settled in Bennington Park. He and his wife, Josephine, lived at 49 Bennington Avenue. Myers worked as a steward at the Freeport Club. In 1912, he started the Myers Messenger Service that operated between Freeport and New York City. Myers was also a general contractor specializing in chimney and kitchen ventilation. He was later employed by the Town of Hempstead as a custodian at the town hall, a position he held for twenty years.
Myers was the founder of Hempstead's Doric Lodge, F. & A. M. He also founded and served as president of the Trojan Civic League, an association of men and women who supported the moral, civic, and political advancement of the African American community. In 1946, Myers served as area vice-chairman for a fundraiser for the Freeport Salvation Army. He was also a member of the Freeport Republican Club.
Myers' mother, Sarah A. Myers, had been born into slavery in South Carolina in 1835. She lived in Freeport with her son for 20 years, dying at the age of 93.
Myers died at home at the age of 71. He is buried at the Evergreens Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY.
See Also:
Sources:
Alonzo W. Myers obituary. The Leader. February 3, 1955, 4. Accessed August 24, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071064/1955-02-03/ed-1/seq-4/.
Alonzo W. Myers [advertisement]. Nassau County Review. June 6, 1919, 2. Accessed August 24, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071433/1919-06-06/ed-1/seq-2/.
"Colored Citizens Say Public Market Is Very Beneficial." The Daily Review. August 5, 1921, 1. fultonhistory.com.
"Freeport." South Side Messenger. May 3, 1912, 5. Accessed August 24, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn96083504/1912-05-03/ed-1/seq-5/.
"Salvation Army Launches Drive." Nassau Daily Review-Star. May 10, 1946, 7. Accessed August 24, 2018. fultonhistory.com.
Sarah A. Myers obituary. Nassau Daily Review. April 3, 1928, 2. Accessed August 24, 2018. fultonhistory.com.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 24, 2018.
Lewis Cary Myers (1867-1951) was the founder of the Royal Typewriter Company. He was born in Newburgh, NY and settled in Freeport in 1921. He studied mechanical engineering at the Pratt Institute. Myers founded his typewriter company with Edward B. Hess in January 1904. Myers is credited with many engineering and design advancements in typewriters. He later retired from the business in 1949.
Myers lived at 20 Wilson Place. His funeral took place at Freeport's First Baptist Church and he is buried in Cypress Hill Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY.
Sources:
"Dies In 85th Year." The Leader. May 24, 1951, 1.
"Lewis C. Myers, 84, Typewriter Expert." The New York Times. May 23, 1951, 94.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, September 2, 2016.
Sarah A. Myers (1835-1928) was reported to be the last surviving Freeporter who was born into slavery. Myers was born in Barnsville, SC in 1835. It was said that her father, Dr. John Stevenson, was also the plantation owner. While enslaved, she married Jacob Myers, an enslaved man from a nearby plantation. Two of their seven children were born to them while they were still enslaved. Her husband died in 1895. Around 1908, Myers moved to Freeport and lived with her son, Alonzo, in Bennington Park.
Myers is buried in Greenfield Cemetery, Uniondale, NY.
See Also:
Source:
Sarah A. Myers obituary. Nassau Daily Review. April 13, 1928, 2. Accessed August 24, 2018. http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn95071428/1928-04-13/ed-1/seq-3/.
Researched by Regina G. Feeney, August 24, 2018.