2014 Silversmith's Corner Concert Series VIGNETTES

By Danny McCarthy:
S. Wells Phillips was born on February 1, 1827 in Sag Harbor. He came to Greenport in 1844 and later became editor of The Republican Watchman. S. Wells Phillips was the Greenport Band’s first director. A “Summer-time Concert” was given on the lawn of the famous Manhanset House on Shelter Island in 1873. In August of 1882, the Greenport Cornet Band combined with the Southold Village Band and participated in the first Harvest Festival on the Oaklawn Fair Grounds. For the record, the Greenport Band began on September 2, 1851, and we welcome the group now with its continuing talented members who graciously appear during the summers when the Summer Showcase Concert Series takes place.
The Southold Griswold-Terry-Glover Post of the American Legion was founded in March 1919. It was decided that the Post be named after the three Southold boys who lost their lives during World War I: William Griswold, Milton Terry, and Graham Glover; hence to be known as Griswold-Terry-Glover Post. The Legion Hall is rented to various clubs and organizations throughout the year and their affairs are catered by the Post. Among some of the many different events held at the Legion Hall are Bingo games and the Ladies Auxiliary is also at the forefront of the Legion Hall. We can be proud of this organization and salute their efforts.
The first fire house was built by Protection Engine Company in 1888. Eagle Hook and Ladder was housed soon afterward. H. G. Booth was the first department chief. He had taken an active part in organizing the department. About 1890 the Southold Fire District was organized. Hand-drawn apparatus that been customarily used prior had served the same purpose until the spring of 1922. At the annual April 1922 meeting, an appropriation was authorized and the department was motorized. A triple combination pumper was purchased and assigned to Protective Engine Company, and the Eagle Hook and Ladder Company received a ladder truck.
The Rev. Dr. Epher Whitaker was an uvid reader in various fields. Among his subjects he pursued were in philosophy and classical literature. He was familiar with foreign languages. He preached in the Southold First Presbyterian Church and he often preached in the other churches of the Town as well. The history of Southold was something the great man was greatly fascinated with. Let’s go back to a time when local craftsmen worked in North Fork establishments that offered them the chance to serve their community in a special and rewarding business. Let’s put our irons in the fire and take a peek. Among the first trades practiced in Southold were blacksmiths, according to Blacksmiths in Southold and Vicinity by Frances Booth Petty. The word “blacksmith” means a worker in the black metal — iron. Blacksmith shops dotted the early colonial settlement when the blacksmith was considered the most essential member of the community, ranking next to the minister.
A February 26, 1948 Traveler editorial reads: “In this world so filled with rumblings of war, greed among nations and peoples and troubles of all kinds, it is always heartening to know that there are those who are seeking to bring cheer and sunshine into our lives.” In a February 2007 Peconic Bay Shopper article, Gail Horton shared that the then new Southold Sunshine Society president Peggy Murphy of Southold was drawn to the Society because the Society has a way of “doing kind things quietly.” Truly everything is done in a low-key manner with this organization. The Whitaker Historical Collection was given a generous gift of material on the Southold Sunshine Society from Peggy Murphy that includes record books and other important items.
The committee of arrangements deemed it advisable to set up a monument for the two-fold purpose of marking the site of the first meetinghouse and commemorating the Founders of the place, and this was accordingly done. Rev. Dr. Epher Whitaker helped to collect funds to erect that granite monument which was raised in 1893. He was a trained scholar of history who became a leader in preserving and perpetuating the history and traditions of Southold Town and was the Town’s first chief historian.
August 12, 1944 was the date set for Southold’s Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Coming of the Long Island Rail Road. The program was held in Southold’s Community Hall (a.k.a. Belmont Hall) and included old-time songs that were sung by Southold residents who were dressed in costumes of 1844. An historical sketch by Louise Fitz Howell was included titled The Coming of the Rail Road as well as an historical exhibit. The historical exhibit was chaired by Miss Lillian Howell and included material such as letters of the railroad of the 1840s, books, records, and other railroad-related items.

Southold Historical Society began as the Historical Committee of the Southold/Peconic Civic Association on October 12, 1951 and became a Society on February 29, 1960. It was granted a provisional charter from the New York State Board of Regents on April 29, 1960.
The Treasure Exchange is a resale/consignment shop that has such an outstanding inventory of not just decorative items but exquisite objects as well. The Treasure Exchange is located in the H. W. Prince Building on the opposite side of where the Southold Historical Society is located. The many treasures include fine china, glass and silver, jewelry, small pictures, and furniture that are appraised and priced. It is the only antiques & collectibles consignment shop on the North Fork and 2013 marks its 40th year!
The Pine Neck Barn located on the Southold Historical Society Museum Grounds on Maple Lane and Main Street in Southold was originally built in the 1750s. It was originally located in Pine Neck. The Breitstadt sisters were the last owners of the farm. In 1961, they gave the barn to the Southold Historical Society. The story goes that it was taken apart. Each beam, board and shingle was numbered, and they were all put back together on its new site. The rocks for the foundation were reused. The Barn Annex that was built in 1961 has a variety of collections relating to farming and transportation, among other early items.
You can stop in the Southold Historical Society and be taken back in time. The Museum Gift Shop offers substantial “days in our past”-related items. The archives has a wondrous supply of information on-hand that can be of really useful assistance to patrons - whether it’s about genealogy, Southold history, references to buildings, plus oh so much more. The Museum Grounds of the Southold Historical Society is where you can see structures built long before the Revolution, a working carpenter’s shop with original tools, a working print shop which can still turn out notices, a blacksmith shop, a buttery, a carriage house, an ice house, and the one-room Bay View Schoolhouse.
The Southold Historical Society’s mission is to promote interest in and education about the history of Southold and to bring together those persons who desire to discover, acquire, preserve, maintain and exhibit historic sites, buildings and relics.
On October 12, 1957, plans were started for permanent markers to be in place on historical structures and sites in Southold, Peconic, Bayview and Arshamomoque by the Southold Historical Society’s earlier incarnation, the Historical Committee of the Southold-Peconic Civic Association. The markers were created to help celebrate New York State’s Year of History in 1959, and was completed by 1960. The markers can be recognized by the design of a silhouette of an Indian head as well as a Pilgrim’s at the top. The signs were of name-plate size. In every case those who have markers showed a warm pride in the fact that their homes were eligible for such fine distinction.