Senator Flanagan Joins Ward Melville Heritage To Celebrate 65th Anniversary Of Stony Brook Village Center

Senator John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) joined with the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO) to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Stony Brook Village Center. The Stony Brook Village Center was completed in 1941 and welcomed its final tenant, Bayles Hardware, on December 7, 1941.

Senator Flanagan joined with Gloria Rocchio, President of the WMHO, and others from the Stony Brook community outside the Stony Brook Post Office to recognize the occasion. According to the organization, the Village Center is recognized as the first planned business center in the United States and encompasses the vision of Ward Melville.

The anniversary was marked by the Ward Melville Heritage Organization and the United States Postal Service with a commemorative stamp and postcard. The set was provided to post office patrons as part of the ceremony and will be available for purchase through the Ward Melville Heritage Organization while supplies last.

To further celebrate the anniversary, the Ward Melville Heritage Organization's Education and Cultural Center is hosting a Stony Brook history exhibit from now until January 5, 2007. According to the organization, "The History of Stony Brook Village Center and The Emmets of Stony Brook" exhibit features artifacts, memorabilia and models of the Stony Brook Village Center.

The Emmet family was one of Stony Brook's most prominent families. They owned over 165 acres of land, including the Stony Brook Grist Mill and Mill Pond. The exhibit will provide Long Islanders with a taste of Stony Brook life in the early 20th Century.

The exhibit will be on display at the Ward Melville Heritage Organization's Educational and Cultural Center. For more information, please call 631-751-2244 or CLICK HERE.

"Stony Brook history is Long Island history. The timeless beauty of the Stony Brook Village Center and the grandness of the Stony Brook Post Office stand as reminders of our past and of the dedication of those who built our communities," stated Senator Flanagan. "This ceremony allows all of us to enjoy the lives we have built and to look forward to our future."