Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society

Upcoming FBHS Events:

Upcoming meetings: Sundays, January 17, February 14, and March 21. 2:00 PM

Sunday, January 17

2:00pm

Claimed by the Sea: Long Island Shipwrecks and Maritime Disasters", presented by Adam Grohman.

Farmingdale Public Library. 516-249-9090.

Sunday, February 14

2:00pm

"George Washington's Long Island Spy Ring" presented by Elizabeth K. Kaplan. (Presented by NY Council for the Humanities)

Village Hall, 361 Main St., Farmingdale

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Links of Interest:

Village of Farmingdale

Central Park Historical Society

Town of Oyster Bay Historical Society

Historic Photos of Farmingdale

Additional links are on some web pages.

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The Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society

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The Farmingdale-Bethpage community is one of the oldest on Long Island. The first non-native settler, Thomas Powell, arrived in 1687. In 1695 he purchased a 15 square mile tract of land known as the Bethpage Purchase from three Native American tribes. For a century and a half, Powell descendants and fellow Quakers were virtually the only inhabitants.

The rest is history. That history and the opportunity to explore the changes that have taken place through the years in story, picture, educational games and more is what this site is about. Some of the items described in greater detail include:

The Farmingdale-Bethpage Purchase has evolved in ways that the early settlers could not have imagined. This section gives some of the highlights.
Bethpage State Park was established in 1932 and in 2002 its Black Golf Course became the first public course to host the U.S. Open Golf Tournament.
The Long Island Railroad was extended eastward to Farmingdale in 1841 and had major impact on the area. It continues to be an engine for Farmingdale’s growth.
Farmingdale State College, Long Island’s first institution of higher learning was established in 1912. It is no longer an agricultural college, but, continues to grow and evolve and has a major influence on the area.
Major Aircraft Industry was established in the Farmingdale-Bethpage area after World War I and had major impact during World War II and beyond. Grumman, Republic and Fairchild are just a few of the major firms that started here.

Other topics of interest within this site, most of which change on a regular basis, include:

A Then and Now page where visitors are invited to view sites as they looked THEN. Visitors are invited to locate and name the site in the photos. By clicking on the NOW button they get a side by side comparison of Then And Now.
An About Us page which contains a listing of the officers and trustees, the mission of the historical society and an application for membership.
Historical Anecdotes pertaining to the region. These are changed periodically.
The Yeoman - The monthly newsletter of the Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society.