Here Ye! Here Ye! Citizens of Smithtown. Please Join the Smithtown Town Council on March 3rd at the Smithtown Performing Arts Center at 7pm for a special Town Board Meeting! You will be able to see your elected officials in period garb in addition to witnessing a Smithtown Town Board Meeting of historical proportions.
However, prior to the special Town Board meeting there will be the Bully Smythe Relay on Sunday March 1, 2015 at 6:00 am. An Olympic-torch style relay; it will follow in the spirit of Richard Smythe’s legendary bull ride. It’s a free event and open to all – to register call 360-2480 x 197
On Wednesday February 25th, there was a special presentation at the main branch of the Smithtown Library. It was a vigorous discussion about the people and how they settled in Smithtown and how they lived in the latter half of the 17th century.
Smithtown author and historian Noel Gish, author of Smithtown, New York, 1660-1929 Looking Back Through the Lens led the discussion with Cathy Ball and Caren Zatyk. They will be providing more provocative discussions throughout this special birthday call. For more information about The Long Island Room and special events regarding Smithtown please call 360-2480 x 197
On Mondays in March there will be an informative lecture series given by Town Historian Brad Harris highlighting the rich and colorful history of Smithtown presented at the Historical Society. They will be: March 2nd and March 30th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Of course one of the most photographed Smithtown 350 Celebratory events will undoubtedly be our Special Town Board Meeting on March 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at the Smithtown Performing Arts Center. At this meeting the Town Board will open the 50 year-old time capsule buried in the front of Town Hall in 1965.
THE BIG GALA is on March Fifth at Flowerfields, cocktails at6:30. For more information call Kathy Albrect
THIS WEEK’S FUN HISTORICAL FACT:
Richard Bull Smythe possession of the “Nesaquauke” lands was confirmed on March 3rd 1665 when the Royal Governor of the Colony of New York, Sir Richard Nicolls, granted him a patent. The Nicolls Patent recognized his ownership of the lands on the eastern bank of the river and acknowledged his disputed claim to the lands on the western bank. The Patent required that Richard Smyth settle ten families upon the land within three years, unless he was able to resolve the dispute he was having with Huntington over possession of the lands on the western bank, then he was required to settle twenty families upon the land within five years. To encourage Richard Smythe to settle families upon the land, the Royal Governor declared that Richard Smythe’s lands shall have the “like and equal privileges” as any other town in the Colony, and that his lands would be exempt from paying taxes during the three (or five) years while he established families on the land (an early tax abatement plan).