OF SIDE BARS,SALAD BARS,SAND BARS
& BAR BANDS
A bunch of reverent and irreverent stuff that will never make it into the history books, but would probably put a smile on Nat's lips a tear in his eye and set his foot tapping too...
WHO ARE THEY?
I don't know but either photographer Henry Korten, William Floyd (generals great great grandson) or Hal Fullerton posed them circa 1911 in front of Nat's boarded up place. They may be Lawrences, Floyds, or Lawrence farm laborers etc...they certainly were not tourists.
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SALAD BAR or SOUP & SANDWHICH?
In the late 50's they broke ground in Mastic Beach, over by the town dump for a brand new elementary school. In keeping with the established "Colonial" scholastic theme they named this one after Will's brother in law Nathaniel. Hey Nat How's That for RESPECT? It opened around 1960 and the first principal was Janet Tribble my third grade teacher (the one who skipped me) In 1960-61 the chief cook and bottle washer was none other than my Mom! She would actually make home made stuff to serve and word got around the teachers lounge... Soon there were more than a few Floyd High School teachers from around the corner showing up on her cafeteria line.
The year is 1962 around Easter as I recall .... and that's my Mom in the center with two of her three assistants working wonders with the Wonder Bread. Funny thing is I can't recall the other two ladies names Grace? and ??, I remember they were very nice though ...but I can recall the 4th lady who is not in the picture. Her name was Tess....she used to ride with Mom to work there. After Mom left the Woodhull gig, she went to work cooking at the convent for the Sisters at St. Johns in Center Moriches.
photo: Newsday
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SAND BAR
Originally called Sal's Place, the Sand Bar was the last and seems to be lasting name given to the bar and grille that Tess and Sal Azzatto opened in 1938 just across the street from Nat's Resting Place. This photo is from Jan 2002.
MAY 2004
Honest reverence is still being shown to the General each Memorial Day since 1938 by the Mastic Beach Community
To see more of Jim Rugen's photos of this years event click here
Early Winter 2004/05
Some village idiot has plowed through the fence at Nat's Family Gravesite, leaving it wide open and vulnerable to vandalism. As far as I know the Brookhaven Town Parks Department , who has responsibilty for maintaing this site, is aware of the situation. But nothing has been done to remedy it as of March 2005.
And While Your At It...Someone tell Pataki to send some of his guys down there to spruce up Nat's Sign
Will ya? and tell them to use Masury Paint this time..it lasts and lasts!
And Who Are These Guys? Vandals? ... No Vagrants.
Jeremy, Roger, Larry, Peter, and Leslie, The Vagrants were a high profile Long Island Bar Band from the '60's that I shared more than a few gigs with my band The Strangers at The Eye, The Mod, The Busted Buzzard, and The Action House. Leslie West is going to do the honors here on the vocals with an appropiate song that should bring down the house..... but don't tell Willie Schluder he had to bring it down the hardway with a crowbar.
The Original Sweetheart Ball?
ROCK ON NAT & RUTH
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