Long Island's History - A Treasure Trove

So, as  wannabe writer, I would like to call myself a voracious reader.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  However, one thing is for certain, when a certain book grabs my interest, I will devour it. I will immerse myself in it completely for days on end, until I finish the book. 

 

Two month's ago I took a trip to the local dumpster by us out on Long Island.  A box of old books by the dumpster caught my eye. At the top of the pile was an old dilapidated book titled Long Island's History. It so grabbed by attention that I immediately picked it up and asked the fellow who was standing by, "Are you throwing this book out?"  To which he replied, "Yes.  You can take all of them?"  

I was so excited with my newfound treasure that I passed on the other books. "Thanks," I answered.  "I'm really just interested in this one," I added, referring to the book I was holding. 

I drove off feeling as if I had found Cofresi's treasure.  What a find!

The book by Jacqueline Overton, was published in 1929 by Doubleday Doran & Company and contains a wealth of information on the history of the Island, as well as on Brooklyn and Queens, which were then considered part of the Island.  

Ms. Overton was a librarian, who writes in a no-nonsense concise, clear style, sparing us all the fancy words, but at the same time giving us a highly and thoroughly informative narrative that goes all the way back to the time of the Indians and the first English settlers.  The book is riddled with day-to-day life accounts from journals and diaries of some of the brave people that sacrificed and ventured out to the new land across the ocean, most of whom succumbed to the harsh and crude winters, and the conditions of unexplored territory.  Ms. Overton ingeniously covers the very important role the Island played in the history of the State of New York, the Revolutionary War, and all subsequent events leading up to the year 1929.  

I cannot say enough good things about 

this book and how much I've learned from it. The fact that Brooklyn was part of the Island then and played a very important role in the progress of all of New York and the country as a whole, cannot be stressed enough. This made it all the more interesting and valuable to me, as our own Emily has been living in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn for over five years now.  

I found myself fact-checking practically everything Ms. Overton states; pinpointing the various towns on today's maps; and comparing important buildings, localities, and such. I also found the story of the Long Island Railroad quite interesting.

For those interested in further reading, I did additional research and found various other available sources on Google, as well as copies of the book on Amazon, and other similar venues.

On a lighter note, while you're enjoying the book, consider having a Long Island Tea.  I've attached a vintage photo of the recipe for your enjoyment.  I don't guarantee some of you will be able to concentrate on the book after just one of these "teas", but at least you'll get a nice buzz!

•  Your comments are always much appreciated and welcomed.