President's message, 2025

The Nassau County Historical Society in 2025 has much strength and promise, but also many challenges ahead.

I want to thank the following Board members (all Volunteers) for their continued service: Richard Althaus, Ceu Arantes, Janet Bergholtz, Stephanie Bird, Hon. Robert Bogle, Den Collins, Jr., Den Collins III, David Doucette (Emeritus), Billy Florio, Joyce Gorycki, Lawrence Jones Esq., Madalyn Klein, Jim Marsh, Esq., Maureen McConnell Esq., Jim McKenna, Paul Meli, Gary Monti, Betsey Murphy, Thomas Murtha, Natalie Naylor, Tom Sanders, Ed Schachter, Dolores Sedacca, and Paul van Wie.

George Petersen is our new Board member from Garden City. George made a big splash by his music performance at our very successful Annual Luncheon held in October of 2024 at Davenport Press Restaurant in Mineola.

The Nassau County Historical Society Journal produced in 2024 is an outstanding publication spearheaded by Editor Natalie Naylor and Associate Editor Paul van Wie (now Co-Editor). The articles include: “The Cradle of Aviation Museum, Eighty Years in the Making,” by Gary Monti; “The Country Life Press Campus: F.N. Doubleday’s Progressive-Era Vision,” by Constantine E. Theodosiou; “Speech  at the Laying of the Cornerstone of Nassau County’s Courthouse, July 13, 1900,” by Theodore Roosevelt (reprint);  and “The Museum of Democracy finds a Nassau County Location,” by Bill Bleyer, in addition to  “The Editor’s Message” by Paul van Wie and “The Last Word” by Natalie Naylor.

A tremendous loss occurred on December 7, 2024, with the tragic passing of Edward Smits. Ed served as the Nassau County Historian for more than four decades. He was a beloved Board Member of the Nassau County Historical Society for 61 years and eventually elected Trustee Emeritus by acclamation at the Annual Meeting of the Nassau County Historical Society on October 27, 2024. He was the prime mover in developing Old Bethpage Village Restoration, the Cradle of Aviation, and Nassau County’s museum system.

The Nassau County Historical Society, with the assistance of the Cradle of Aviation Museum, has embarked on creating an initial demonstration exhibit at the Cradle of Aviation Museum. The focus of the first exhibit would be the “Creation of Nassau County.” Using a three-panel display, the exhibit will highlight the early struggles to create a separate county from the western Queens towns, the political drama that led to the separation, and the formation of a new county for the new century. This will be the first of several exhibit displays highlighting Nassau County’s rich history, which will lead to the creation of a museum that can tell that story.

We are planning a membership drive to strengthen and expand the Society, as well as improve our financial situation so we can undertake new projects. We hope to encourage new young, active members and their ideas to help us grow! You can join or renew your membership, make a donation, or provide suggestions on our website or by postal mail to the Nassau County Historical Society, PO Box 207, Garden City, NY 11530-0207. You can also contact our Treasurer, Lawrence Jones at treasurer@nassaucountyhistoricalsociety.org, if you have ideas on how to financially strengthen the Society.

We will have many excellent programs this year. For example, on Sunday, April 27 at the Jericho Library, Andrew Sparberg will speak on "Nelson Rockefeller and the Long Island Railroad’s Transition from Private Sector to the MTA.”

If anyone has suggestions for programs or ways to improve the Society, please contact me at sfairgri@optonline.net or 516-984-4633-cell.

—Scott Fairgrieve