The Last Few Years Whenever I'm In Center Moriches, I Always Try To Visit Senix Creek.The Old Boat House Finally Got A Coat Of Paint. Probably For The First Time In 50 Some Years. There's A Whole Lot More On MORICHES HISTORY HERE
THE REAL OLD SCHOOL
It was moved here near the head of Senix Creek from Montauk Highway in Moriches. This was the "District 32 School" built in 1884 that replaced at the cost of 800.00 the original one built in the 1830's. This school minus the dormer additions, served the handful of children for Grades 1- 6 in Mastic & Moriches until 1922, when it was replaced by the modern Moriches Grammer School. The one we called The Annex in the 1950's
A RAINY DAY AT MOUNT PLEASENT
I've been there many times before. It's been around since 1850 and many Moriches, Mastic & Mastic Beach pioneers are laid to rest there including the Penneys, Schultes, Herrleys, Azzattos, and my grandparents the Josephs. This time I came because I have recently made the acquaintance of Fred Weir, a sailor and yacht salesman from the great western state of Washington. Fred is the great great grandson of John Wesley Masury, who undoubtedly built the grandest estate of all in the Moriches Bay Area. Besides that the Masury Family has a very colorful, unique and complicated history that I plan to do more about online in the future. Since last summer Fred has supplied me with a treasure trove of family photos and history. I in exchange gave him photos of the long gone with the wind (and hurricane of '38) "Beauveridge" the Masury Estate on the Forge River and a unopened can of Masury Yacht Paint circa 1930's! Fred who grew up on the West Coast has been to his great great grandmothers resting place in Massachusetts but has never visited Long Island at all. So I thought I'd take a few family pics for him. He was surprised at how modest it is compared to the monument of Laura Carelton Masury of Salem Mass, the first wife of Patriarch John W. Masury 1820-1898. Multi Millionaire J. W. Masury, his second wife Grace , his son John and John's infant son were all initially buried at the estate, but moved to Mount Pleasent in 1950's when the estate was developed. Joining them are daughter Edith M Sturges and her husband Ralph.
FROM THERE WE HEADED OUT EAST......
CAN I HELP YOU?
That same afternoon this fellow was staring me down in a driveway at one of Kenny's clients in Remsenberg.
AND FROM THERE IT WAS ONWARD FURTHER TO THE EAST
To Westhampton, Quoque, and Hampton Bays!
Passing many of the landmark watering holes I used to play in with a variety of bar bands in the '60's & 70's The Bridal Path, The Cave, Boardy Barn, Mad Hatter, etc...... BUT remember there is always a Knapp Connection on these pages! So when in Hampton Bays we just had to cruise past Dodi Knapp's last summer residence on Smith Creek.
REFINED & VERY WELL KEPT & STILL LOOKING GOOD
"Cove Point" was built in 1949 and is vastly different than Joseph F. Knapp's winter home was at The Isle Of Palms in Ft. Lauderdale. The Ft. Lauderdale home (especially in these 1930's pics) reminded me of a Florida version of his Mastic Beach mansion. As I look at this pic Mrs. Schulz's words came back to me "Dodi Knapp" was ALWAYS very particular about his trees.( The ones that remain on his estate property in Mastic Beach bear this out ) Just look at that tree in the front yard! I'm sure it has grown quite a bit since Dodi last saw it in October of 1952. I would think that the view of Smith Creek from his porch just behind that tree hasn't changed much at all.
That evening I went to Ornofrio's Neighborhood Pizza in Mastic Beach with Kenny, Pam, Marty Van Lith and Anita Cohen something we usually do near the end of my visits, but as I stated earlier they all had plans on leaving for Thanksgiving trips before the library show. It was a good wind up to my first full day back.
Nov 13th : Saturday's beautiful perfect Indian Summer day had given way to two days of rain and dreary skies, but it matters not to me when I go back to the Island. There is always time for the beach......and this time was no different. Although Kenny Vitellaro lives less than two minutes from the ocean,(you can hear it from his yard) you can rely on taking a good half hour to get there when he drives, There's something to be said for his consistency so why rush it? This Monday morning before we crossed the Smith Point bridge, we explored the area that was once known as Walter Shirley's Ocean View Estates and Marina. Shirley who died in 1961, never really got that area developed the way he planned it in the late 50's and other than the modern boat ramps and parking lot the county put in, it has stayed pretty much that way.
LOOKING WEST
LOOKING EAST
Although the wind was really kicking up and it was starting to rain we pressed on to Fire Island because I had a special reason to do so.
And although the Atlantic is always a sight to behold, this wasn't my reason for coming to Smith Point Beach.
THIS WAS
The newly completed TWA Flight 800 Memorial
1996 was a terrible year for musician friends of Anne and myself. On my birthday May 11th, we lost Walter Hyatt a very close personal friend and co writer in the Valu Jet disaster in Florida. Then just two months later, Marcel Dadi a French Guitarist aboard TWA Flight 800. I had known Marcel since the 1970's. His portrait was the very first one Anne & I hung in our Clearwater Music Store in 1979. He was here in Nashville, that week for the Chet Atkin's Appreciation Days. (Chet and Merle Travis were Marcel's main inspirations) He was heading home when the plane went down in the Atlantic off Moriches Bay. The memorial was set at Smith Point because it is as close as you can get by land to the crash scene. To this day the cause of the accident has not been fully explained. The flags represent the different nations of all 230 people who perished in a perfect evening sky on July 17th 1996.
SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY .... BUT IT WAS OCTOBER 1980 & JULY 1981
In Our Clearwater, Fla Store Marcel's Portrait Hangs Just Behind My Head While The Late Great Folkie & Songwriter Bob ( "Michael Row The Boat Ashore") Gibson Plays The Banjo ------- Then Marcel Himself In 1981
I would return to the memorial two more times that week. Each time with other friends ( one who lost several friends on this flight ) but I did not take any more photos. These last two photos of the backside of the wall were taken on a much sunnier day on October 15, 2006 by old (since 1956) classmate, friend, and web site contributor Alicia Patera Norwick.
