Fitz-Greene Hallock Homestead Gets Clean Up

A Handful of dedicated Lake Ronkonkoma citizens gathered their rakes, chain saws, and gardening boots ready to take on the haggard Fitz-Greene Hallock Homestead, one of the remaining local homes from the 19^th century, for a clean up sponsored by the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society on June 5.

"It's a small patch of how it used to be," said Paul McInerney, 51, from Lake Ronkonkoma, the homestead administrator and board of trustee member for the LRHS. "This was a grand place to grow up; it wasn't inhibited and you walked or rode a bike everywhere."

Beyond the overgrown trees and grass sits the house, which was built in 1888 and lived in by the same family until 1975. The last remaining daughter donated the house to the LRHS in 1995. The contents of the house have been  kept the way the family left it including the bedroom of the only son. He served in WWI never to return home and his room remained closed and untouched. 

The three acres of property includes the main house, a water tank shed, and a chicken coop/furniture repair shop. In the back yard, a depression in the grass can be seen caused by the brick foundation of what used to be an underground icehouse and butcher shop.

" They were about as energy efficient as you can get," chuckled McInerney.

The three-story house has eight bedrooms, each equipped with a writing desk, and one bathroom; originally an outhouse.  The bedroom on the main floor was put into home after the last remaining granddaughter's health permitted her to climb the stairs. There is no heat or hot water, only electric on the first floor and plumbing in the kitchen sink and bathroom.  

Because the house doesn't have heat there are significant cracks in the plastered walls that needs repairing, as well as replacing the roof shingles and trimming down dead tree limbs.

When Fred Seru, 50, of Ronkonkoma, heard about the cleanup he jumped right on it. Seru works for a professional tree climbing and trimming business and donated his time by scaling century old maple and pine trees sawing off branches in an effort to open up the front yard.

"The house needs to be clearly seen form the road, people like the immediate visual element," said Seru.

Dona Gall, 51, of Lake Grove, who works with the LRHS, has an interest in landscape and considers the cleanup summer fun.

"I love seeing the difference in the plants, its like 'I'm here helping bring you back to life,'" said Gall, happily trimming the bottom branches of a pine tree and raking dead leaves.

Aside from donations, the homestead received a federal grant as part of the "Save America's Treasures" program, yet is in desperate need of volunteers. On September 29, the LRHS will host a house tour with room specialists.

The Fitz-Greene Hallock Homestead is located at 2869 Pond Road in Lake Ronkonkoma. For more information or to find out how to volunteer, call (631) 467-3152.