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History
Interview With Our Principal Who Has Worked in the District For Over Forty Years
A Visit From Board Members Who Attended Longwood Schools
Faculty and Staff Members Who Attended Longwood Schools
Some History Lessons
Before the Europeans arrived on Long Island, the American Indians had lived here for 100s of years. They lived in what we now know as Longwood School District. They moved on to reservations when the Europeans were sold our school district in numbered lots. Recently, archeologists have found evidence where some American Indian villages had once been.
While digging in an area in Middle Island, archeologists found a prehistoric Native American Indian village. The remains of this village were the first remains of an entire village ever found on Long Island. The artifacts found at this particular Indian village were believed to be 400 to 1000 yrs. old. Some of the artifacts found at this site were arrow tips, clay containers, and evidence of house structures. All of the artifacts were an indication of a prehistoric Indian village. The Indian village was in a sheltered hollow and near fresh pond water. This was a great location for a winter village. This site may also provide evidence that the population during prehistoric time was much larger than believed. Archeologists also found a much more important piece of artifact. They found something called a “post mold pattern” of three prehistoric house structures. Archeologists are cleaning the remains of this Indian village. The area is being plotted and the artifacts are being cataloged. By the rapid pace of development in Brookhaven, archeological study in the Longwood area may end in 10 years.
This is a picture of a letter written to
Phileteus Phillips from his former neighbor E. Vanderbilt, (a former area
resident) in 1919. Mr. Vanderbilt was requesting a picture of Chief Wam Setta,
who lived in the west area of Middle Island Yaphank Road.
by Andrea Drumgole
Slavery
According to data, slaves were expensive. Prices ranges from forty-eight pounds
of wheat, pork, or beef, to thirty-eight pounds of whale oil. Others might be
sold for a three-acre lot in Newtown, plus eight pounds of beef. Slavery gradually
abolished soon after the Revolution. On February 27.1788, anyone who wanted
to free their slaves had to have a license from the trustees and justices, under
the circumstances that the slave was under fifty years of age, and could provide
for themselves.
1776 Census
(North of Middle Country Rd.)
Males over 50 years of age = 72 people
Males over 16 but under 50 years of age= 216 people
Males under 16 years of age= 200 people
Females over 16 years of age=312 people
Females under 16 years of age=245
Negro men and women under 16 years of age= 51
Negro men and women over 16 years of age=55
Total number of families- 162
Most number of people in one family – 15 (belonging to Swezey, Abel, Wid)
by
Olivia Cooley
The Long Island Expressway is one of the means
of transportation for all Long Islanders. Traveling by road, Long Islanders
use three main routes into New York City: The Long Island Expressway, the Northern
State Parkway and the Southern State Parkway. The Long Island Railroad, the
nation’s largest commuter railroad, controls 741 trains each weekday,
with 1,120 passenger cars and 134 stations.
All of this started in 1939 when people first started constructing the Long
Island Expressway (LIE). It is 70.8 miles long. The last census for Suffolk,
which Longwood is in was 1,440,870. 6,633 of that increase were to Brookhaven
Township. With the development of the Long Island Expressway, it became easier
for the builders, such as the Levitz, builders to start building sections and
communities all over Long Island. It gave people more ways to travel to there
job in the city other than trains and busses. The expansion of the LIE (Long
Island Expressway) and the added HOV lanes (High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes) helped
commuters to get to their destinations faster by carpooling.
I defiantly believe that if the LIE was not built this area would not be as
populated as it is today, it very well may still be mostly potato farms. Without
reliable means of transportation many people would not take the risk of moving
so far from the business area of the big city. Also with the LIE many big business
started to move out the Nassau and Suffolk County. With major hotels all over,
local airports it was possible to do so.
by Stephen Kalogeras
The first settlement in Gordon Heights extended west from Gordon Avenue and Baldwin Court, east to West Barlett, south to Granny and north to Seymore. It began in the 1920's. It was started by Mr. Louis Fife.
The people who lived there were workers in factories, private homes, office buildings and any other jobs they could get. Both of the parents worked and the parents were concerned about the education of their children. The people migrated from the West Indies and the South. The people came from strong cultural backgrounds. The Pilgrimage began in 1927. It was overcrowded and there was a struggle to survive. Louis Fife sold five one hundred by one hundred acre lots. He sold the land to black pilgrams.
The people grew and canned vegetables. They raised chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and pigs.
In 1936, Blacks continued their pilgramage to Gordon Heights. Children that went to Yaphank school traveled a mile to get there. When the Yaphank school closed, the students got transported to Port Jefferson by bus. The bus went to Granny Road first and then came closer to the homes to pick up kids. When the schools were erected, the area became centralized; known as Middle Island Central School.
In 1948, Mr. Tyrell Wilson became the first black to serve on the Board of Education in the Middle Island Central Schools. In 1951, he was able to get the first black teacher hired. Her name was Mrs.Samuel Farrell.
The community continued and continues to grow. More sections of community opened up as fast as the earlier sections. Coram sections of land became available. Land was bought throughout the Coram sections.
The history of this community is still developing. Homes are going up every day. The development of the black community of Gordon Heights has come a long way. The residents years ago gave the community a foundation. Today's residents must continue to build on that foundation.
By
Louie-John Mistretta
Special thanks to Mr. Paul Infranco.
Please visit his site (link below), which was the source of most of our historical information.
Longwood Central School District
