Life in the town of Huntington has evolved dramatically in the 450 years since it was purchased from the Matinecock Indians. Town residents have driven horse-drawn buggies and electric cars down the main streets, in search of everything from seeds to iPhones. Dr. Alfred V. Sforza and Antonia S. Mattheou, the co-authors of Around Huntington Village, will share their collection of historical photographs, highlighting those of Cold Spring Harbor, and the stories they reveal during a free program open to the public at the Cold Spring Harbor Library.
Founded in 1653, the town of Huntington is situated on what is known as the Gold Coast of Long Island. The incorporated villages within the town are Huntington Bay, Lloyd Harbor, Asharoken, and Northport. Huntington has always attracted a population that has created a foundation of diversity. Settlement-era properties, castles of the Victorian period and main streets still adorn the town as witnesses of the people who lived here and a community that is still thriving. A few of the castles and mansions that once existed in the town have disappeared, some by wear and tear and others through neglect. Still others have been converted into academic institutions and museums. Cold Spring Harbor residents will recognize a few of the buildings in their own backyard, including St. John’s Episcopal Church, the Cold Spring Harbor Methodist Church (now the headquarters of Society for Preservation of Long Island Antiquities), and OHEKA Castle.
Dr. Alfred V. Sforza is a dentist, local historian, and lifelong resident of the town of Huntington. He is the author of three books on the town history and a three-term member of the Huntington Historical Society Board of Trustees. Antonia S. Mattheou is the Huntington town archivist. She also serves as the committee chair/grants administrator for the Huntington Harbor Lighthouse Preservation Society. Copies of Around Huntington Village will be available for purchase and signing after the presentation.
