Getting the Skinny on Syosset's History

Despite being known as a town filled with beautiful homes on tree-lined blocks surrounded by first-rate schools, Syosset was once a farming community. Through the first half of the 1900s, Syosset was a mix of rural farms and plush country homes. If a homebuyer had $20,000 to spend, it would buy them a three-bedroom, two-bathroom place with a fireplace and full basement in 1952.

Reference librarian Barney Levantino shared this information at Tuesday's Syosset Public Library Local History Group meeting. The topic: "Syosset, 1900s-1950s."

Levantino spoke about the ever-changing Syosset to the delight of the audience.

"The purpose of the program is for them to learn a little bit about the community they live in," he said.

Showcasing the growth of Syosset, Levantino noted that there wasn't even a public library in the community in the late 1950s: "Look at Syosset now, it has one of the biggest libraries in Nassau County."

Prior to Syosset High School being built, students attended either Oyster Bay or Hicksville High School. The Northern State Parkway extension in 1949 proved to be a big part of Syosset's modernization.

With a scrapbook laid on the table, the audience was invited to peruse pictures which included the Stanley Summers family home (1923) at 58 Woodbury Way. There were only four houses on the street at the time.

Barbara Selkin came from Hickville to pick up on Levantino's wealth of knowledge about Syosset.

"I figured I could sit and learn about Syosset," Selkin said. "I come here all the time and it's wonderful to learn so much about a place you come to often."

An open forum, Levantino welcomed personal experiences from the audience.

"We are conversing; this is not a lecture," said Levantino.

Several Syosset residents shared their fond memories which included...

"I remember when there was only one stoplight."

"I remember the Lollipop Farm."

"I remember the fox hunts. Whenever I heard di-da-di-da-dee, I knew the fox hunts were beginning."

When he questioned the audience about what initially brought them to Syosset, they all yelled out in unison, "The schools."

In addition to the discussion, Levantino recommended the DVD Syosset for the audience to take home and to read Images of America – Syosset by Tom Montalbano.

One thing is certain: Times are most definitely changing in Syosset, according to Selkin.

"The singer Alicia Keys is selling her home in Syosset for millions," Selkin said. "Syosset must be something special to bring Alicia Keys here. Too bad, she's leaving."

The Local History Group program, which began in 2007, meets once every three to four months. The next scheduled meeting is in October.