Historical Society of East Rockaway and Lynbrook
The Historical Society of East Rockaway and Lynbrook (HSERL) are maintains the historic collection of documents, photographs, ephemera, oral histories, publications, and memorabilia related to the 3 mile-squared area that makes up the East Rockaway and Lynbrook villages of Nassau County. Few items in the collection remain solely in analog form at the Lynbrook Library and at offsite facilities. Most have been digitized through various grant-supported collaborations and the efforts of Society members.
Collections of note include significant portions of The East Rockaway-Lynbrook Observer (1975-1994) and the Lynbrook Helm Independent Review (1963-1976) newspapers that can be found on https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org. The Lynbrook postcard collection (1910-1950) and the East Rockaway postcard collection (1900-1970) of both black and white, and colorized images depicting street scenes, hotels, inns, movie houses, businesses, and private residences, schools, churches, municipal buildings and aspects of maritime activities and village life are accessible on https://nyheritage.org/contributors/historical-society-east-rockaway-and-lynbrook. For religious or genealogical research, the records of the First Methodist Protestant Church of Rockville Centre, NY. Book 3 (1872-1882) and Book 4 (1882-1896), and the records of the Old Sandhole Church (1834-1872) provide information on births, deaths, marriages, baptisms, general memberships and traveling preachers. They can be accessed here: https://nyheritage.org/contributors/historical-society-east-rockaway-and-lynbrook. The historic photographs collection records similar facets of everyday life dating from the early 20h century. Unique to this collection is an album of images (1912-1918) taken by commercial photographer Leo H. Bock. His subjects of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, dough boys, village parades, local men and women serving in WWI, encampments, and buildings provide a historical perspective of village life in the early 20th century. More recent life perspectives can be found in the ongoing Oral History recording of local residents sharing about life in the community: https://archive.storycorps.org/search/interviews/?q=lynbrook.
Other items maintained by the Society are the scaled Haviland-Davison Grist Mill Museum (1689) model and the marble obelisk (1840) commemorating the wreck of two merchant ships -- The Bristol and Mexico off the Rockaway shoreline (1837). The legacy of restaurateur Henri Charpentier, famed creator of the Crepes Suzette, is also a local treasure. The legacies of these entities are commemorated by the Society through publications and annual community celebrations.
Archives Hours: By Appointment
Address: P.O. Box 351, East Rockaway, New York 11518
Website: www.hserl.com
Contact: psympson@optonline.net
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