One of my favorite views of Long Island is when I careen down Fern Avenue on my bicycle, heading from east to west along the south side of the island, and below me is Harbor de Grace, in all its splendor. White cottages on grand expanses of lawn in the foreground, the sparkling cove with lobster boats moored in the middle ground, and off in the distance is the pond, and then the forested hill heading back up towards the western end of the island. I love this scene, and now, thanks to the Long Island Historical Society’s summer exhibit, “Family Ties and Tales From Harbor de Grace,” we can all learn more about this beautiful part of the island, beyond its aesthetic appeal.
Katharine Stewart, who lives right in the heart of the harbor, and her cadre of committed volunteers, has developed an exhibit that is astounding in its depth. Here one can learn about the history of this part of the island, starting in the 19th century. One can see the buildings that no longer exist, as well as those that still do, and how they have changed. There are also the families, some of which have continued in this harbor for generations, such as the Riches, Clarkes and Rosses. A focal point of the exhibit is the family and genealogy of Benjamin Woodbury (1839-1933) and his wife Margaret Johnson (1841-1914). This is reflected in an impressive family tree that takes up a large portion of one wall, and includes photographs of almost every person in the family. But beyond facts and figures, Katharine states, “We wanted to have personal stories.” There are stories everywhere, from growing up in the harbor, to fishing tales, to celebrations of marriages and births.
In the exhibit you will see photographs, maps, newspaper clippings, poetry (songs), books, oil paintings, and objects, such as a model of the Harbor de Grace fish house, which belonged to Zoeth Leon Rich and Milton Doughty (crafted and given by Donald Rich). Other objects reflect other industries in the harbor, such as scythes used for farming, and ice cutting implements. Besides farming and ice cutting, other industries include stores (one sold provisions and groceries, and another sold antiques), sea moss harvesting, a garage, and an undertaker and lamplighter (yes, same person). But the dominant industry was, and still is to this day, fishing. There is an entire panel about fishing, which includes the names of all those who fished out of the harbor. With the joys and successes of fishing there are also the tragedies, such as shipwrecks and drownings, of which Long Island has had its share.
There are audiovisual aids, such as a DVD by Bob Barancik about Harbor de Grace, and a digital photo frame of the children of Harbor de Grace, especially for young visitors.
In addition to this summer exhibit, the LIHS has a permanent exhibit about World War II on Long Island. One can also peruse through notebooks full of information about previous exhibits, such as fishing, women, beaches, and the 1950s.
The Long Island Historical Society exhibit, located in the community building on the waterfront, is free and open to the public Tuesday and Sunday afternoons from 1:30-4, through the end of August.
