Podcast
The Long Island History Project
Hosted by Chris Kretz · EN
Interviews with historians, scholars, authors and anyone with a story to tell and a passion for this unique region of New York.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 217: Whalemen's Songs w Stephen Sanfilippo
4w ago00:56:09Tap to summarizeLong Island played a major role in the development of whaling in the Americas. Native Americans along the south shore were well practiced in harvesting whales near the coast. They shared their knowledge with early settlers, leading to chartered companies and competition for what became, for much of the 19th century, a very lucrative industry. And nowhere was this industry more visible than out of Sag Harbor. Men boarded ships for multi-year voyages around the globe, in a dangerous pursuit to hunt, kill, and dismember giant creatures of the sea. And while they worked at this pursuit, they sang. Stephen Sanfilippo has been tracking whaling songs for the better part of sixty years, preserving and performing them with his wife Susan at festivals, libraries, and historical societies. Some his best finds have come from reading the private journals of seaman in the Sag Harbor whale fishery. These literate young men recorded life on ship, including the lyrics to many of the ballads, shanties, and ditties sung by the crew in the course of their work. On today's episode, Stephen relates the history and preservation of these songs along with what the sources can and cannot tell us about oral traditions and the life of a whaler. Along the way you'll get a masterclass in the history of Long Island whaling and the chance to sing along. Related Research Isle of Beauty, Fare-Thee-Well (Long Island History Journal) "Seasongs" newsletter: email seasonghistory@gmail.com Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum The Whaling Museum and Education Center (Cold Spring Harbor) Whaling bibliography Moby Dick, or The Whale by Herman Melville (find in a library via WorldCat) Songs the Whalemen Sang by Gale Huntington (find in a library via WorldCat) Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana (find in a library via WorldCat) The Sea Lions or The Lost Sealers by James Fenimore Cooper (find in a library via WorldCat) LogBook for Grace by Robert Cushman Murphy (find in a library via WorldCat) Into the Deep: America, Whaling and the World (PBS) Audio Footnotes John Strong, Tracing the Whale Design Brenna McCormick Thompson, We Were the Whalers Music Intro: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0; Isle of Beauty, Fare-Thee-Well (Susan and Stephen Sanfilippo)
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Episode 216: Battle of Long Island with Dan Davis of the American Battlefield Trust
Mar 2300:36:26Tap to summarizeThe Battle of Long Island went down in history as a major defeat for the fledgling American army and George Washington. The fighting in late August 1776 focused around the Gowanus Heights in Brooklyn and saw the patriots outflanked on their left, routed by Hessians in the center, and hunted down across the marshy Gowanus Creek. Washington did manage to evacuate most of his troops but the fight for survival over the coming crucial months left Long Island a bitter memory best left forgotten. But today we remember with our guide Dan Davis, Senior Education Associate at the American Battlefield Trust. In this 250th anniversary year of the American Revolution, we look back at this pivotal battle. Although a definite military defeat, it produced heroes like William Alexander, Lord Sterling and the men of the 1st Maryland Regiment. And the battle is a great opportunity to discuss the meaning of these sites in the history of America and the importance of preserving them for future generations. Further Research American Battlefield Trust Green-Wood Cemetery Prospect Park American Veterans Archaeological Recovery Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0
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Episode 215: The Carnegie Library of Patchogue
Feb 2300:25:11Tap to summarizeThe story of the Carnegie Library in Patchogue is a great case study in library history. The village started with an association library in the late 1800s, a subscription-based collection of books that floated between stores and offices and languished for lack of funds. Then the women's suffragist organization Sorosis spearheaded the effort to turn the neglected collection into a New York State-chartered public library by 1900. The next leap was a $10,000 donation (later raised to $15,000) from steel magnate and library philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The money funded the construction of a neo-classical building on Lake St. that brought state-of-the-art library service to the people of Patchogue. However, by the end of the 20th century the public library had moved down the block, Briarcliff College had come and gone, and the Carnegie building sat empty, soon endangered by looming development. The story has a happy ending as the building now sits at the corner of West Main St. and West Ave, serving as a vibrant teen center and a museum for the Greater Patchogue Historical Society. How did that happen? Listen to Patchogue librarians Jessi Bouchelle and Gary Lutz, along with the Historical Society's Steve Lucas, tell the tale. Further Research Teen Center at the Patchogue Carnegie Library Patchogue Medford Library History Greater Patchogue Historical Society Carnegie Libraries Across America Van Slyck, Abigail A. "" The Utmost Amount of Effectiv [sic] Accommodation": Andrew Carnegie and the Reform of the American Library." The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 50, no. 4 (1991): 359-383. Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0
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Episode 214: Occupied Long Island: Voices from the American Revolution
Jan 1900:59:34Tap to summarizeToday's episode is a recording of a panel discussion hosted on January 15, 2026 by the Long Island Library Resources Council. The panelists, all notable historians who have researched the Revolutionary War period on Long Island, give their insights into what life was like in the area from 1776-1783. This time of British occupation saw the inhabitants of Kings, Queens, and Suffolk counties suffer depredations brought on by British and Hessian troops as well as by Patriot attacks from across Long Island Sound. You'll hear about the enslaved Black woman Liss from Oyster Bay, about the activities of the Culper Spy Ring, and the experiences of others ranging from British officer John Simcoe to Elizabeth Lewis, wife of Declaration signatory Francis Lewis. The panel itself was funded by a WETA grant awarded to LILRC in support of programming related to the PBS documentary The American Revolution by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. Further Research The American Revolution (PBS) Dr. Joanne Grasso The American Revolution on Long Island. (Find in a library via WorldCat) George Washington's 1790 Grand Tour of Long Island. (Find in a Library via WorldCat) Dr. Natalie Naylor Women in Long Island's Past: A History of Eminent Ladies and Everyday Lives. (Find in a library via WorldCat) Long Island Studies Institute Claire Bellerjeau Remember Liss.org Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: the True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth. (Find in a library via WorldCat) Long Island Library Resources Council Feature image from the New York Public Library Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0
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Episode 213: Historic Schoolhouses of Long Island w Zach Studenroth
Jan 1200:27:21Tap to summarizeToday we come to praise the one-room schoolhouse of the 19th century (and some of its earlier forebears). Humble in appearance, these buildings might be easy to overlook but their existence hints at a broader social, cultural, and educational history across Long Island. Zach Studenroth, architectural historian and preservationist, documents this history in Historic Schoolhouses of Long Island from Arcadia Publishing (compiled with his co-author, the late Kurt Kahofer). On today's episode, Zach elaborates on the role of New York State in establishing schools in the 1800s, Walt Whitman's brief foray into teaching, and the surprising afterlife of school buildings as churches, fire houses, and storage sheds. Further Research Historic Schoolhouses of Long Island (Arcadia Publishing) Schoolteaching Years (Walt Whitman Archive) George Bradford Brainerd (Brooklyn Museum) Audio Footnotes Episode 89: Walt Whitman's Birthplace Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0
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Episode 212: For Nothing is Hidden with John Valenti
Nov 2400:38:03Tap to summarizeSteven Damman disappeared from outside a supermarket in East Meadow on Halloween day, 1955. He was not yet three years old. Still unsolved, the case has intrigued many over the ensuing years - none more so than Newsday journalist John Valenti. For Nothing is Hidden, Valenti's new novel, is the culmination of his meticulous research into the case mixed with his years of observations covering Long Island. He presents a fictional version of the disappearance, substituting the Goodson family for the Dammans, while hewing close to the facts. His book is also populated with events of the day, from the habitual airplane crashes around Mitchel field to the notorious high society shooting of Bobby Woodward that dominated the headlines (and police attention). On today's episode you'll hear about Valenti's direct ties to the case, his decisions about constructing the narrative, and tales of Newsday legends like Dick Estrin and Bob Waters. You'll also get a journalist's perspective on history, stories, and human nature. Further Research For Nothing is Hidden by John Valenti Mitchel Field (AAFHA) "Turfman Killed by Wife in Dark." New York Times 10/31/1955 Leon Errol (IMDB) Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0
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Episode 211: To Outwit Them All: Agent 355 and Peggy Wirgau
Nov 1000:23:35Tap to summarizeWhere history fails to provide, authors of historical fiction can fill the gap. In her new novel To Outwit Them All, author Peggy Wirgau delves into the Revolutionary War history of the Culper Spy Ring. More specifically, she tells the story of the unknown woman referred to in Abraham Woodhull's correspondence – only once – as "a lady of my acquaintance." Woodhull supplies her only a number, 355 (Culper code for "lady"). Wirgau provides a name, a family, and a budding romance with British Major John Andre. Wirgau's 355 is modeled after the historical Betty Floyd, relative of William Floyd, and she includes multiple layers of period detail about British-occupied New York City. On this episode you'll hear more about how she pursued her research and how she brought Betty to life along with other members of the Culper Ring. Further Research To Outwit Them All by Peggy Wirgau "The Myth of Agent 355, the Woman Spy Who Supposedly Helped Win the Revolutionary War" HMS Jersey Historical Novel Society Cover image: The Art of Dancing (1724) The Culper Spy Book Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0
Transcribe →Episode 210: Christopher Verga and Nazis of Long Island
Oct 2700:37:41Tap to summarizeEven as Hitler and his Nazi regime ran roughshod over Germany and Europe in the 1930s, there were those in America who championed their rise. And nowhere so much as on Long Island. Camp Siegfried in Yaphank became a focal point for certain German Americans to gather and espouse the Nazi cause. Other groups added fuel to the fire, promoting antisemitism, isolationism, and even the overthrow of the United States government. This is the world that Christopher Verga captures in his new book, Nazis of Long Island: Sedition, Espionage & the Plot Against America (out now from the History Press). On today's episode, Chris walks us through the tangled history of the German American Bund, Father Coughlin, the America First movement, and more. His book documents a time of unrest in the country when militias, foreign agents, and even elected officials actively opposed the American government. Further Research Nazis of Long Island: Sedition, Espionage & the Plot Against America (Amazon) Christopher Verga Longwood Public Library Bayles Local History Room The German American Bund Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0
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Episode 209: Three Village Historical Society Oral Histories
Oct 1000:36:59Tap to summarizeChristian Avenue sits at the heart of the Three Village area on the North Shore of Long Island. Surrounded by Old Fields, Setauket, and Stony Brook it has long been home to a community of Black and Native American families. The names of the people date back to before the Revolution and include the Harts, Sells, Greens, and Tobias. They also provide evidence of the perpetual presence of the Setalcott Indians and their ties to the Shinnecock. Now designated as the Bethel-Christian Avenue-Laurel Hill Historical District, it's an area steeped in history. That's what drew Glenda Dickerson to develop her Eel Catching in Setauket oral history project in the late 1980s. A professor of theater at Stony Brook University, Glenda, her students, and colleagues like Fai Walker and Noberto Valle set out to document and celebrate the history and heritage of Christian Avenue. The project culminated with a theatrical production at Stony Brook. Glenda donated all of her materials from the project to the Three Village Historical Society. Today we sit down with Scott Ferrara, the Society's curator, and Rob Anen of the Long Island Library Resources Council to discuss the history of Christian Avenue, the history of the recordings, and the important stories they tell. Voices on the episode: Glenda Dickerson Lucy Hart Keyes Sarah Hart Hines, Theodore Green, and Caroline Sells Moore Florence Beatrice Sells Woodhull and Violet Rebecca Sells Thompson Ida Mae Glass and Barbara Treadwell Cast members performing in Eel Catching in Setauket Further Research Eel Catching in Setauket – An Oral History Collection Three Village Oral History Collection Glenda Dickerson Setalcott Indian Nation Shinnecock Nation Intro music: https://homegrownstringband.com/
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Episode 208: Culper Spy Day
Sep 1200:42:19Tap to summarizeCulper Spy Day has been an annual tradition on Long Island for over a decade. Created by Margo Arceri in conjunction with the Three Village Historical Society, it has grown into a weekend-long celebration of resilience and resistance during the Revolutionary War. I made the trip this year to experience the sights and sounds and mingle with people who share a similar passion for local history. You'll hear from organizers, authors, librarians, historical reenactors, and visitors from near and far. Each has their own story to tell about how they became fascinated with the Culper Spy Ring and figures such as Benjamin Tallmadge, Abraham Woodhull, and Anna (Nancy) Smith Strong. And if you missed it, don't worry. Next year will be a mega Culper Spy Day coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Further Research Three Village Historical Society Three Village Community Trust Setalcott Indian Nation George Washington's Culper Spy Ring (Emma S. Clark Library) Second Regiment Light Dragoons The Brewster House 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers Drowned Meadow Cabin Tri-Spy Tours Authors Row Sarah Beth Durst, Spy Ring Peggy Wirgau, To Outwit Them All Mark Sternberg, Culper Spy Austin Roe…the Joiner? Kristina Raevsky, Marriage or Espionage: Read Between the Lines Richard Welch, General Washington's Commando Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/ Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0
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