By the time you read this, Montauk resident and WW II veteran Pat DeRosa will have been inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame for the year 2021. A saxophonist extraordinaire whose comprehensive talent includes mastery of other musical instruments like the oboe and clarinet, Pat DeRosa embraces music of every style and… Read more »
Pictorial maps enjoyed great popularity from the 1930s to the 1950s, and partnered beautifully with tourism and the travel industry. This gem was designed by Harry A. Chandler, a popular creator of bird’s eye views and pictorial maps whose ads could be found in NYC papers during the early part of the 20th century. This… Read more »
And now for little bit of Halloween fun … with spirit photography! This interior shot of the Shagwong Tavern from the Al Holden collection features a very happy threesome, one of whom is identified on the back of the photo as former Shagwong owner, Jimmy Hewitt. However, people who believe in ghost photography would claim… Read more »
Joan Lycke conducted an oral history in 1995 with Elizabeth Job, a Montauker who, along with her husband, became a caretaker for the Carl Fisher estate after the war. Job spoke of Fisher’s brilliant mind, overflowing with ideas to bring wealthy vacationers to Montauk. The carriage with white horses that strode down to the Montauk… Read more »
Ira M. Lewis was a Coast Guard chief who was in charge of the Montauk Lighthouse from February 1957 to August 1959. Chief Boatswain’s Mate (BMC) Lewis, who grew up in a “waterman” family on the east coast of North Carolina, was an accomplished swimmer and boatman, who became a Surfman at the age of… Read more »
This week’s Throwback Thursday gets much explanation from the description that also appears in the image, information that was supplied by Gert Murphy, who donated the photograph and who also, unknowingly, donated the clothes to her sister, Peggy Murphy Connery. Kevin McCann, a photographer who grew up in Montauk, is currently doing research on the… Read more »
Some of his happiest days were spent in Montauk, Mary L. Trump relates in her recent book, Too Much is Never Enough, about her father, Fred Trump, and his family. Fred C. Trump, the first-born son of Fred Trump, Sr., was expected to take over the family business, but flying was his passion. After guiding… Read more »
This photograph, which probably dates from the early 1960s, was taken by Margaret (Peg) Joyce, a teacher at the Montauk School. The fabulous headgear designed by her students utilized paper cups, cardboard, and other paper throwaways. The extremes of these innovative headpieces distantly recall traditional or “folk” headwear, discoverable on historic-costume sites that make us… Read more »
On September 15, 1998, Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders were officially disbanded, or “mustered out.” Many had recuperated from the ills of the Spanish-American war at Camp Wikoff in Montauk, or were still recovering there when the news came through. No doubt this unit’s trek away from Camp Wikoff was filled with emotion. The Rough Riders… Read more »
The Ford Times was a publication produced between 1943 and 1993 by the Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, Michigan. An entertaining potpourri of travel articles, automotive tips, and gadget news (plus recipes from America’s great inns on the road), the Ford Times was also noteworthy for its illustrations. Artwork commissioned by art director… Read more »