William Floyd (1734–1821), who lived on a large slave plantation on the south shore of eastern Long Island, was the first of four men who signed the Declaration of Independence from New York. [Read more…] about William Floyd’s Daring Demand For Independence
Jericho Public Library
The Battle of Long Island Virtual Program on Sunday
August 27, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the largest battle of the American Revolution – the Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn.
It was the first military engagement following the July 1776 adoption of the Declaration of Independence. [Read more…] about The Battle of Long Island Virtual Program on Sunday
Long Island Women During the Revolutionary Era
Women are almost invisible in most accounts of the American Revolution on Long Island, although they experienced more than seven years of British occupation, skirmishes, and calculated humiliations.
Before the outbreak of the war, it was women who made the boycotts against British goods effective by weaving homespun and devising substitutes for tea. [Read more…] about Long Island Women During the Revolutionary Era
Culper Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide
The Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring has been the subject of numerous books and the television series, Turn!: Washington’s Spies. Using cipher, codes, and invisible ink, the Culper Spy Ring exposed the British plans to attack the Patriots’ French allies at Newport, Rhode Island, and their plot to counterfeit colonial currency. Many of the Culper Spy Ring sites can be visited today.
Bill Bleyer, former Newsday reporter, and the author of George Washington’s Long Island Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide, (History Press, 2023) will speak in person and online on Sunday, February 1st at 2 pm. [Read more…] about Culper Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide
Nelson Rockefeller and the Long Island Railroad
The once privately-owned Long Island Railroad (LIRR) gained access to Manhattan’s core in 1910, fueling Nassau County’s transformation into a metropolitan suburb.
In 1949, the LIRR entered bankruptcy, and in 1950, two terrible train accidents killed more than 100 people and led the state to intervene in LIRR affairs. [Read more…] about Nelson Rockefeller and the Long Island Railroad
Long Island’s Legacy of Eugenics
In the early 20th century, eugenics was at the forefront of scientific discourse in the quest to understand human genetics. On Long Island and throughout the nation, eugenicists were granted unfettered access to conduct experiments on prisoners, psychiatric patients, Coney Island circus performers, Native American communities, and more, all in an effort to legitimize a false science.
The origins of the eugenics movement can be found within the Eugenics Record Office in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, under the direction of Charles Davenport from 1910-1939. [Read more…] about Long Island’s Legacy of Eugenics
The British Occupation of Long Island
Long Island was occupied under the brutal yoke of occupation by the British army and navy from 1776-1783. The scars, trials and experiences of the occupation would not soon be forgotten. [Read more…] about The British Occupation of Long Island
A New Perspective on Post-War Suburban Long Island
The usual story of post-war Long Island is a familiar one: New Yorkers leaving their cramped city apartments for inexpensive Cape Cods and ranches along leafy-green streets in Levittown and other suburban communities. A different history will be presented on Sunday, June 9 at 2 pm in a program by the Nassau County Historical Society and Jericho Public Library. [Read more…] about A New Perspective on Post-War Suburban Long Island
History of the Nassau County Courthouse Complex
The “New” Nassau County Courthouse complex on Old Country Road has been the centerpiece of Nassau County’s judicial system since 1940. It is one of Long Island’s outstanding examples of large-scale civic architecture, and in 2021 was added to the National Register of Historic Places. [Read more…] about History of the Nassau County Courthouse Complex