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DIX HILLS
Putting A Stake In History
By Danny Schrafel/ dschrafel@longislandernews.com
Leaders of the Lower Half Hollow Historic Association urged the town board
Dec. 13 to make a one-room schoolhouse built in 1894 a town historic landmark.
The Huntington Historic Preservation Commission recommended in an Oct.
19 memo that the Old Half Hollow Schoolhouse, located at 5 Seaman Neck
Road in Dix Hills, be designated a town historic landmark. Charlotte Muchnik,
president of the Lower Half Hollow Historic Association, urged the town
council to make that decision a reality.
The Lower Half Hollow Schoolhouse
is a picture of education
from more than 100 years ago, she said. Maintaining the schoolhouse
is an essential part of the association. It represents an uncomplicated
time in our towns history and remains one of the last of its kind
in Huntington.
The 107-year-old building, which currently headquarters the Half Hollow
Historical Association, was recognized with the placement a historic marker
in late June. However, that gesture carries no weight in terms of preservation.
Making the building a town historic site would also put stricter covenants
on altering the building.
[If it is named a historic site], it could not be demolished, and
any exterior changes would need to be approved by the town board acting
on a recommendation by the preservation commission, town historian
Robert Hughes said. Other than just going in and applying for building
and demolition permits and getting it right away, there would be some
review. The main thing is that it would keep it from being demolished.
The Lower Half Hollow Schoolhouse, which served the community through
1931, was built in 1894, according to the Historic Preservation memo.
In the 1931 school year, the district doubled its capacity when they phased
out Upper and Lower Half Hollow in favor of the four-room Hills School,
which was built about 2 miles from the Lower Half Hollow School.
In 1952, an extension was added to the schoolhouse, and Lower Half Hollow
was converted to a private residence. It became the Half Hollow Historical
Association headquarters in 2003 when Marjorie Blachly bought the home
and launched the civic group. Marjorie died in 2009 at age 77. While she
had intended to give the building to the Historical Association, Hughes
said, there were no provisions in her will to do so.
Marjorie, whose ancestor was Moses Blachly of Dix Hills, the first
postmaster of Huntington, felt it was important to keep the history of
our area alive, Muchnik said. By establishing the Half Hollow
Historical Association and hosting their meetings and events in the lower
schoolhouse, she felt certain that the history of Half Hollow Hills and
the schoolhouse would live on.
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