Oyster Bay History Walk facts for kids

The Oyster Bay History Walk is a special path in downtown Oyster Bay, New York. It takes you on a 1-mile loop to see 30 amazing historic places. It's also the first path on Long Island to be certified by the American Heart Association as a "Start! Walking Path."

Discovering Oyster Bay's Past

Oyster Bay has a long and exciting history! The first settlers arrived here in the 1650s, and the town's official seal even shows the date 1653. Over more than 350 years, many important events happened here. These events shaped the history of Colonial America and the United States. The History Walk celebrates some of these moments and the people who were part of them. Seven of the places on the Walk are even listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means they are very important national treasures.

This special tour was created by historian John Hammond, Thomas A. Kuehhas (who directed the Oyster Bay Historical Society), and sound artist Claire Bellerjeau. They worked together to bring Oyster Bay's history to life.

An audio guide was made to go with the maps. This way, people walking the path could learn about each site's importance. The audio was first called Talk of the Town. But in 2008, when the American Heart Association certified the path, its name changed to the Oyster Bay History Walk.

Explore the Historic Sites

You can find details about each spot on the linked map.

1. Welcome to Oyster Bay!

The Walk begins at the Baykery Cafe. Here, you'll get a general introduction to Oyster Bay and its rich history.

Many people know Oyster Bay as the home of President Theodore Roosevelt. But there's so much more to discover! Long before Europeans arrived over 350 years ago, the Matinecock Indians lived here. They settled in this area at least a thousand years ago. Later, Dutch and English traders, fishermen, and shipbuilders made Oyster Bay a busy center for sea trade.

Did you know that George Washington's important spy, Robert Townsend, lived here? Even the famous pirate Captain Kidd visited for a short time. And a woman known as Typhoid Mary also spent time in Oyster Bay.

2. Fleet's Hall: A Community Hub

Fleet's Hall was an important building in Oyster Bay. It was a popular place for community events. When Theodore Roosevelt lived in Oyster Bay, this hall was used for public meetings, concerts, and dances. It was even where the first moving picture was shown in Oyster Bay!

3. Moore's Building: President Roosevelt's Office

After a fire, James Moore built this new grocery store in 1901. He used parts of an older brick front from 1891. The building had a large ground floor for the store. It also had two tall upper floors for public meetings.

President Roosevelt used these upper floors as his Summer Executive Offices. His secretary, William Loeb, Jr., and his team handled presidential business here. They had direct "hotlines" connecting them to Sagamore Hill (Roosevelt's home) and the White House. In 1903, the first "round the world" cable message was sent from this building! Moore's Building is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

4. Oyster Bay Bank Building: First Bank in Town

This building was built in 1891. It was the very first bank in Oyster Bay. It originally had 3½ stories and a basement. The bank used the first floor. Other floors were rented to doctors, lawyers, and even a pool hall.

When Roosevelt was Governor of New York in 1900, he rented rooms on the second floor. In 1901, he joined the Matinecock Lodge, which held meetings on the third floor.

The building used to be set back from the sidewalk with wide steps. But in 1927, it was moved forward and lowered. Now, you can walk right into the main floor from the street! A 3-story addition was also built at the back. The building has recently been updated inside and out.

5. Derby-Hall Bandstand: Speeches and Cannons

The bandstand was a place where Roosevelt and others gave speeches. The original bandstand was taken down in the 1930s. But in 1981, a new one was built to look just like it! It's still used for public speakers today.

The new bandstand was meant to honor Roosevelt's daughter, Ethel Roosevelt Derby. However, her godson, Leonard Wood Hall, a New York Congressman from Oyster Bay, passed away before it was finished. Since he was the main organizer of the rebuilding, the bandstand was dedicated to both him and Ethel.

There are three cannons around the bandstand.

• One cannon faces the Town Hall. It's a Civil War-era Dahlgren gun. At its base, there's a metal tablet from the wreck of the USS Maine. The explosion of the Maine helped start the Spanish–American War of 1898, where Roosevelt became famous.
• Another cannon is at the bottom of the stairs. It's a Civil War trophy gun from the USS R. R. Cuyler. This ship was used by the Union Navy to block the coast of Florida. This cannon is a 30-pound Parrott rifle. President Roosevelt himself presented it to Oyster Bay in 1903.

6. U.S. Post Office: Art and History

The current Oyster Bay Post Office building was the first one designed by an architect. New York architect William Bottomley made it look like a mirror image of the Town Hall across the street. It was finished in 1936.

Artists were hired to decorate the inside. Ernest Peixotto painted murals showing Oyster Bay's history. Leo Lentelli, an Italian sculptor, created terracotta panels and a bust of Theodore Roosevelt. This building is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

7. Long Island Rail Road Station: A Train History Hub

The Oyster Bay Railroad Station is the end of this part of the Long Island Railroad line. The first station was built in 1889. It was made bigger in 1901 when Roosevelt became President, because so many more visitors came to town. A newer station was built nearby later for double-decker trains.

The original building is now becoming the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum! This historic building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

8. Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park: A Place to Relax

The land where Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park now sits was once a marsh used for raising cattle. Theodore Roosevelt once said he wished citizens could make this area "a breathing place for all people."

Just a few months after he passed away in 1919, the idea of making a park was approved. Over the next six years, land was bought and work began. A dedication ceremony was held in May 1928. Five thousand people attended, with a parade and even planes flying overhead!

9. Oyster Bay Long Island Rail Road Turntable: Turning Trains Around

Oyster Bay is one of the few train stations that still has an original turntable. It was built in 1902 to replace a smaller one. The turntable helps turn trains around. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

10. Waterfront Center: Oysters and Education

The area where the WaterFront Center is now used to be Jakobson’s Shipyard. During World War II, this shipyard built special boats like minesweepers and tugboats for the US Navy. Today, it's a place for learning and fun activities on the water.

A big part of the WaterFront Center is the Christeen. She is a U.S. National Historic Landmark and is docked right here. The Christeen is the oldest oyster sloop (a type of boat) in the United States, built in 1883. After 30 years of harvesting oysters, she was used for cargo and then for pleasure. In 1989, she was left abandoned. But in 1991, a group of Oyster Bay fans bought and restored her!

Oyster Bay produces a lot of oysters and clams for New York State. The Christeen is now a floating classroom. She teaches students about old boats and how to protect the marine environment of Oyster Bay and Long Island Sound.

11. Captain Kidd's Visit to Oyster Bay

Captain Kidd was a famous privateer, meaning he was hired by the government to attack enemy ships. But he later became known as a pirate. To avoid his crew, who were in New York, Kidd sailed a long way around Long Island to Oyster Bay. He thought this route was safer than the busy waters near Staten Island and Brooklyn.

Kidd arrived in Oyster Bay on June 9, 1699. He anchored his ship offshore. People in Oyster Bay helped him send a message to his wife in New York without revealing his location. But his secret didn't last long. Just over a month later, he was arrested in Boston and sent back to England for trial.

12. Wightman Memorial Baptist Church: An Old Congregation

The first Baptist group started meeting in Oyster Bay in 1700. It's the oldest Baptist congregation in New York State! The first minister, Robert Feeks, was appointed in 1724. He was the first ordained minister of any Christian group in Oyster Bay.

The first church building was a simple wooden structure. During the Revolutionary War, British troops reportedly used it as barracks, like many other churches. As the congregation grew, a larger church was built on this site in 1806.

In 1882, this second building was moved back and turned to make room for a new church. The church you see today was finished in 1908 after years of fundraising. The 1806 building then became a Baptist church school.

Since the early 1980s, the North Shore Assembly of God has used both buildings. They have kept the inside looking original, with carved pews, tin ceilings, a pipe organ, and stained glass windows.

13. The Octagon Hotel: Oyster Bay's First Electricity

In 1887, Phillip and Mary Lavelle bought a business and named it the Octagon Hotel. After Phillip died, Mary took over. She made many modern improvements that brought guests from far away. In 1889, she installed a central heating system, making guests comfortable all year. In 1890, she built a power plant that gave Oyster Bay its first electric lighting! She even had her own direct phone line to New York City.

President Roosevelt's secretary had a one-room office in the Octagon Hotel in 1899. Roosevelt had been elected governor in late 1898. The small office soon became too small, so the staff moved to the larger Oyster Bay Bank Building.

Mary Lavelle brought the Octagon Hotel into the 20th century. Later, a new owner, Charles Davenport, saw fewer customers as newer hotels opened. He eventually sold the building to Edward Fisher, who turned it into Oyster Bay’s first Ford car dealership. It has been used for car businesses ever since.

This is the only known octagon-shaped building in this part of Long Island. It might even be the only octagon-shaped hotel in the United States! There's a plan to restore the building to its original look.

14. The Printery: Home of the Oyster Bay Guardian

The Oyster Bay Guardian is a weekly newspaper. It was started by Nelson Disbrow in 1899. For a few years, it was printed from different rented places. In 1905, a rival newspaper owner made it hard for Disbrow to rent any property in Oyster Bay. So, Disbrow bought his own land on West Main Street. In 1906, he built The Printery, a brown shingled building that is still there today.

The Guardian was printed from this building until 1967, when the Disbrow family sold it. The Printery is still used as a print shop. The Guardian newspaper is still published today, though from a different location.

15. Fort Hill and the Townsend Cemetery: An Old Graveyard

During the Revolutionary War, a British officer ordered his troops to cut down a large apple orchard here. He also told them to rebuild an old fort that stood on this site. Nothing of the old fort remains today.

But the hill is still special to the Townsend family. It's one of their oldest graveyards. John Townsend is believed to be the first person buried here in 1668. His headstone is very old and worn. A bronze marker has been added, noting that he came from England and originally owned this land.

16. Raynham Hall Museum: A Spy's Home

The building that is now Raynham Hall Museum has changed a lot over time. It was first built in 1738 as a four-room house. In 1740, a Quaker merchant named Samuel Townsend and his wife moved in. Their family grew, so they added four more rooms to the back, making it a "saltbox" style house.

In 1851, Samuel's grandson, Solomon Townsend II, added a three-story water tower in the garden. This gave the house the first kitchen in town with running water! Solomon then changed the house into a Victorian villa in the 1870s.

In 1941, the building was given to the Daughters of the American Revolution. Then, in 1947, it went to the Town of Oyster Bay. The Town Council decided to make the building look like its mid-18th-century saltbox style again. In 1959, the Victorian additions were removed.

The museum has two parts. The front rooms are decorated like they would have been in the 1770s (during the Revolutionary War). The back of the house shows the style of the 1870s, how Solomon lived.

The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an active museum that you can visit!

17. Seely/Wright House: Founders of Oyster Bay

This house is right across the road from the Raynham Hall Museum. It was built in 1830 for Dr. Ebeneezer Seely. Dr. Seely was a doctor and also served as the Town Supervisor of Oyster Bay. He was involved in schools and town meetings. There's a story that Dr. Seely knew President Martin Van Buren and entertained him in this house!

Dr. Seely's daughter married Joseph Wright, a local blacksmith. Joseph Wright was a descendant of Peter Wright, who is considered one of the founders of Oyster Bay. Peter Wright and three friends bought the land from the Matinecock Indians in 1653. The Wright family lived in this house for many years.

18. Ludlam Building: Surviving Fires

James Ludlam opened a dry goods store in 1836. After a fire destroyed his first store, he bought land and built the two-story building known as The Ludlam Building. It's built in the Greek Revival style.

After James died, his sons took over the store. They later sold it to Roger Royce, who ran a grocery store there. In 1907, a fire started in the nearby Opera House. The fire company saved the Ludlam Building and the Post Office, even though other buildings were destroyed.

Royce then sold the building to the Kursman brothers, who ran a dry goods and clothing store. In 1932, another fire struck. This time, the inside of the Ludlam Building was completely burned, but the brick walls remained. David Bernstein rebuilt the structure and ran a popular men's clothing store called Dave’s Shop for over thirty years. This brick building is one of the oldest commercial storefronts in the village. For over 20 years, it has been home to Appliance World.

19. Snouders Drug Store: Oyster Bay's First Telephone

Snouders Drug Store has been in this spot since 1884. It's the oldest business in Oyster Bay that has been open continuously! Abel Miller Conklin, a druggist, started the business. He moved to Oyster Bay in 1880 for his health. In 1884, he moved his store to this location and worked with his son-in-law, Andrew Snouder.

Conklin passed away soon after, and Snouder continued the business, keeping the name Conklin's Drug Store.

In 1887, Snouder installed the first telephone in Oyster Bay! For several years, it was the only one in town. Even President Roosevelt's home, Sagamore Hill, didn't have a phone for a while. Snouder's son, Arthur, would carry messages to Roosevelt.

The telephone made Snouders a popular gathering spot. In 1900, part of the store was set aside just for the telephone service. This allowed the switchboard to stay open late. Later that year, Snouder officially changed the name to Snouders Drug Store.

The telephone also brought many reporters to Snouders. They used the phone booths to report news about Theodore Roosevelt, both as Governor and President.

In 1889, a soda fountain was added, and young people started gathering at the store too. This soda fountain was a social center for generations of young people until the 1970s.

20. Hood A.M.E. Zion Church: A Long-Standing Congregation

The Hood African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is the oldest Oyster Bay congregation still holding services in its original church building. This church group was started in 1848 by African American families. In 1856, a small wooden building was built on land given to the church by Edward Weekes. In 1937, after a lot of fundraising, the wooden church was covered with a brick exterior.

The church was first called the First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Later, the name was changed to the Hood A.M.E. Zion Church. This was to honor an early bishop named the Right Reverend James Walker Hood.

For its first fifty years, the church struggled financially. But by 1937, they could pay their pastor and add electric lights and the brick outside. Reverend Kenneth Nelson has led the congregation since 1981.

21. Earle-Wightman House: Home of the Historical Society

This house is named after two Baptist ministers from the 1800s who lived here. It was first built around 1720 as a small one-room home. By 1897, it had been moved to its current spot and made larger.

In 1966, the house was given to the Town of Oyster Bay for the Oyster Bay Historical Society. The society now has its main office here and runs the house as a museum. Two rooms are decorated to show what they looked like in 1740 and 1830.

The 1740 room shows how a tradesman might have lived in the 18th century. The 1830 room shows how a minister would have entertained guests. The garden behind the house has also been restored to look like an 18th-century garden. It has pretty plants and herbs used for medicine, cooking, and fragrance.

The Historical Society also has a research library. It contains books, old papers, photos, maps, and documents about Oyster Bay's military, maritime (sea), and religious history. It also has family history information.

22. St. Paul's Methodist Church: A Growing Community

The first group of Methodists in Oyster Bay formed in 1812. They used space at the Oyster Bay Academy for services when traveling ministers visited. In 1858, the group built a small church. In 1895, a blacksmith bought that building. The congregation then moved to St. Paul's, which they had been building since 1891.

In 1904, a new pipe organ was installed. Half of the cost was paid by the wealthy helper Andrew Carnegie. By 1913, the congregation had grown a lot. To make more room, the entire building was lifted using jacks! A basement was dug out, and several rooms, including a kitchen, were built.

In the 1920s, a tall spire on the bell tower was hit by lightning and had to be removed. The "Carnegie" organ is no longer there, and the inside of the church looks more modern now.

In 1988, St. Paul’s Methodist Church joined with another church. The Bethel Pentecostal Church then moved into this building. Bethel later moved to Westbury, and in 1999, the North Shore Community Church, part of the Presbyterian Church of America, made it their new home.

This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

23. St. Dominic's Church and Chapel: A Beautiful Design

This beautiful Gothic-style granite building was first opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1897. The original covered entrance leads to the chapel. Inside, you can hear the original pipe organ. It's one of only three of its kind in the United States, built in 1901.

St. Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church has grown a lot. They started a grade school in 1922 and a high school in 1928. In 1968, they began building a large, modern church across the street. Today, St. Dominic’s has eleven buildings on its six-acre campus.

24. Oyster Bay Public Library: A Place for Books

Oyster Bay used to have several "reading rooms" run by different groups. In 1893, the People’s Library and Reading Room opened. The building you see now was first built in 1901. Theodore Roosevelt helped lay a cornerstone in 1899 on land given by Mrs. Harriet Swan. Andrew Carnegie also supported the library.

The brick building on the left is where the original wooden building stood. The wooden house on the right was built in 1890. It was bought and combined with the original building in 1975. In 1994, glass and brick additions were added behind the house to make the library even bigger.

25. Stoddard House: Family Histories

Stoddard House, at 107 East Main Street, was built in the 1890s for G. B. Stoddard. For many years starting in 1980, the house was used for offices and historical records by two groups: the Townsend Society of America and the Underhill Society of America. These groups, founded in 1962 and 1892, keep old family records, deeds, and artifacts of the Townsend and Underhill families. These families settled in Oyster Bay in the mid-1600s. Henry Townsend and Captain John Underhill were early members of these families.

26. Oyster Bay High School: Modern Learning

Several school buildings came before this one. This Art Deco building replaced the first high school, which was built in 1901. The new school had modern features. These included loudspeakers in classrooms, an auditorium with a balcony, and a central vacuuming system. It also had one of the most modern gymnasiums in Nassau County.

After 70 years, the gym became old. In 2000, it was replaced with a new, very modern gymnasium, dedicated to Dr. Howard Imhof. The 2000 additions also included a new library and media center.

27. Typhoid Mary's Time in Oyster Bay

Mary Mallon worked as a cook in the New York area between 1900 and 1907. One summer in 1906, she worked for a wealthy banker's family, the Warrens. The Warrens rented a home in Oyster Bay for the summer, and Mary Mallon came with them.

From August 27 to September 3, six out of eleven people in the house became sick with typhoid fever. Doctors in Oyster Bay said typhoid fever was "unusual" there at that time.

The homeowners were worried they wouldn't be able to rent their house again. So, they hired George Soper to investigate in the winter of 1906. Soper published his findings in June 1907. He thought soft clams might have caused the sickness. He also wrote:

"It was found that the family changed cooks on August 4. This was about three weeks before the typhoid epidemic broke out... She remained in the family only a short time, leaving about three weeks after the outbreak occurred. The cook was described as an Irish woman about 40 years of age, tall, heavy, single. She seemed to be in perfect health."

Soper later found Mary Mallon in New York. She was placed in isolation twice because she carried the illness without getting sick herself.

28. Wilson House: An Old Saltbox Home

This is one of the oldest houses in Oyster Bay that is still in its original spot. This "saltbox" style house dates back to the 1750s. A saltbox house has a sloping back roof that ends low to the ground.

Two stories are told about famous visitors to this house. It's said that Marquis de Talleyrand stayed a night here in the 1790s while escaping trouble in France. President George Washington is also said to have stopped here and spoken to children from the porch on April 24, 1790. These stories add even more interest to this special old home, one of the last of its kind.

29. First Presbyterian Church of Oyster Bay: President Roosevelt's Family Church

The first Presbyterian ministry in Oyster Bay began in 1842. After being in different places, they finally settled here. In 1872, led by Pastor Benjamin L. Swan, work began on this beautiful church on the hill. The architect was J. Cleveland Cady, who was just starting his career. He would go on to design famous buildings like the original Metropolitan Opera House. This church was his first, and the only one he designed in the unique Carpenter Gothic style.

Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. (President Roosevelt's parents), attended services here. Mr. Roosevelt's funeral was held here in 1878.

30. Christ Church of Oyster Bay: A Historic Parish

Christ Church was founded in 1705. It's a historic Episcopal church in Oyster Bay, New York. Over the years, several church buildings have stood on this site. One even served as soldiers' barracks during the Revolutionary War.

In the 1870s, a Carpenter Gothic style building was built. In 1925, this building was made much larger and covered in stone. These additions also included beautiful stained glass windows. President Theodore Roosevelt attended church here, and his wife and children were active members. The church is famous for holding Roosevelt’s funeral service in 1919.

Images for kids

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  Octagon Hotel, c. 1910