Back-to-School Season… even in the late 19th century! This week’s archival find is The Franklin Fifth Reader by George Stillman Hillard, c. 1878, a textbook used in public and private American classrooms to teach reading, rhetoric, and public speaking. Inside this fifth-grade reader, we discovered a handwritten poem by a young student. An inscription on the front reads: “Yeate Terry, Patchogue, LI.” Tucked into the book was a loose sheet of paper, a poem likely written by the

In 2025, the Spirits Graveyard Tour, our theme was In Service: Stories & Sacrifice, honoring those who served their community and their country in times of conflict. This Veteran's Day, we are sharing those stories with you, paired with archives & collections. Jedidiah Williamson (1757 - 1837) Revolutionary War At just 18 years old, Jedediah Williamson of Setauket signed the Articles of Association in 1775, pledging his loyalty to the Patriot cause and defying British rule on

By Scott R. Ferrara Stony Brook Community Church, located on Christian Avenue, served as the spiritual stronghold where Rev. William M....