Learning History Never Gets Old

Port Washington, New York (November 2018)—Second grade students at Port Washington School District’s Manorhaven Elementary School recently explored the Old Bethpage Village Restoration (OBVR), Long Island’s 19th-century living history museum. Students were given the unique opportunity to step back in time and perceive what life was like on Long Island over 200 years ago.

“Experiencing the Old Bethpage Village Restoration is a great opportunity for our students to get to know the local history of our region,” said Dr. Kathleen Mooney, Superintendent of Port Washington Union Free School District. “The district continues to offer different ways to positively impact students’ success in the classroom. Field trips serve as a great educational resource to encourage students to expand their knowledge of classroom material beyond textbooks.”

Students participated in an outdoor walking journey through the different areas of OBVR as they learned about the history of each building. The second graders viewed the Benjamin House built in 1867, the Milliner, General Store, and the Noon Tavern. Each building incorporates an exclusive setting with costumed interpreters—farmers, teachers, storekeepers, civic leaders, and blacksmiths—to portray the various jobs throughout a community in the 1800s. Back in the classrooms, students engaged in different activities to reflect upon their time at the OBVR. This included discussions comparing and contrasting the Old Bethpage community during the 19th-century to the Port Washington community today and writing opinion pieces about their favorite elements of the field trip.

The Old Bethpage Village Restoration is located on 209acres of rolling land, with more than 50 different homes, farms, and businesses represented. While the site itself was never home to a village in the 1800s, the agricultural, domestic and commercial activities created at the restoration reliably represent the historical ambiance and physical characteristics of a pre-Civil War Long Island village.

For more information about the Port Washington School District, please visit the district’s website at www.portnet.org.