Then and Now: East-Setauket Post Office and Rubber Factory Homes
This former East Setauket post office building was built in the 1880s. It used to stand on Main St. next to Setauket’s downtown rubber factory. The post office building moved to it’s current location on Shore Rd. in the 1920’s.
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The Setauket rubber factories provided work for many at the turn of the 20th century. Known locally as the Rubber Factory Houses, these 1 1/2 story structures housed factory workers. The 3 attached units are still intact on Old Town Rd. and are slated to be moved and for preservation.
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It’s funny that I’ve ridden by the rubber factory houses and the little post office building hundreds of times never noticing them or knowing their history. It wasn’t until I began looking for information on the Setauket area that their presence was made known to me. The history of the area is like an onion. You peel back one layer only to discover something else. It’s fun to give my inner nerd a workout.
Suburban Exploring – Local Long Island:As I continue to learn, Long Island has some lovely and interesting places that are rich in history, some of which are hiding in plain sight. What better way to explore these historical gems than by motorcycle? This post is part of a series of motorcycle rides that focus on local Long Island history.
Cool! You’re right — there is a tremendous amount of history on the Island. A month ago, PBS broadcast a fabulous documentary on the history of Huntington, which I bought on DVD and sent to my dad. We should look more closely at our home.
Thanks Ralph & Wendy 🙂
I would love it if more people were interested in preserving a rich meaningful history rather than putting up a new Dunkin Donuts. With space being the ultimate commodity here on the Island, I’m not so sure that sentiment could ever take hold~
I’ll have to see if Netflix has that PBS documentary. Sounds like it’s right up my alley~
Things like this make me wish I had a time machine strapped to the bike 🙂
The video is really well-done and features several local leaders whom my father and I know personally (like Len Totora, owner of L&L Camera, who recently died; and Bernadette Castro [of Castro Convertibles] who narrates). Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the video on NetFlix or Amazon; I think the only way to get it is by making a charitable contribution to PBS. Here’s some info: http://www.longislandexchange.com/press/2010/06/03/wliw21-production-celebrates-the-town-of-huntington/
Awesome, thanks for the link Ralph 🙂
I’ve been reading local historical society books – this would make a really nice edition. So much to see, so little time.
Thanks again!