Central Park Historical Society

Central Park Historical Society Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Central Park Historical Society, Nonprofit Organization, 47 Powell Avenue, Bethpage, NY.

The Central Park Historical Society was founded in 1986 and is dedicated to stimulating pride and interest in the rich, historical heritage in which Bethpage is entrenched.

The Long Island Motor Parkway in Central Park (Bethpage)On June 6, 1908, the Long Island Motor Parkway staged an officia...
06/14/2026

The Long Island Motor Parkway in Central Park (Bethpage)

On June 6, 1908, the Long Island Motor Parkway staged an official ground-breaking ceremony to commemorate the beginning of construction in Central Park, now Bethpage. With several hundred people in attendance, the original plan was for William K.Vanderbilt Jr. to make the keynote speech. But the sudden and grave illness of his stepfather, Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, kept him away. Pictured is John C. Wetmore, considered the dean of New York automobile writers, who took the podium. He lavishly praised Vanderbilt and the other Parkway organizers for their vision and foresight in conceiving the Motor Parkway and bringing it to fruition. Today, this site is Stewart Avenue and Albergo Court. (Courtesy Howard Kroplick.)

The Long Island Motor Parkway officially opened on October 10, 1908 in conjunction with five sweepstakes races. The Motor Parkway received excellent reviews from the public, newspapers and automobile journals. In their October 15, 1908 editorial entitled “First of the Motorways is Opened,” the magazine, Automobile, predicted the impact of the Parkway and the place of William K. Vanderbilt Jr. in automobile history. They called it “an epoch in motor-driven land transportation.”

Pictured is Deadman’s Curve near North Herman Avenue today. (Courtesy Howard Kroplick.)

The 1908 race was held over the same course as the Motor Parkway Sweepstakes. In conjunction with the construction of the Parkway, a grandstand with a capacity of 5,000 spectators was built on the Hempstead Plains in today’s Levittown. This race was won by an American, George Robertson, driving a Connecticut-made Locomobile. For the first time America could finally boast of victory in an auto race against international competition. The crowd that year was estimated at over 200,000 spectators along the 23.46 mile course.

Pictured is Long Island Motor Parkway in 1908. Today, this location is the wooded median on the Seaford-Oyster-Bay Expressway between Powell Avenue and Plainview Road looking North. (Courtesy Howard Kroplick.)

In 1909, the Parkway was extended westward from Merrick Avenue in Westbury to Jericho Turnpike in Mineola and eastward from Bethpage to Dix Hills. By June 1912, approximately 40 miles of the Parkway was opened from Rocky Hill Road, (Springfield Boulevard) in Queens to Lake Ronkonkoma.

Pictured is the area at Albergo Court and Stewart Avenue where the official ground-breaking ceremony occurred. Historic marker is on east side of Stewart Avenue.

Frog Hollow Garage opened in 1927 by owner Ben Reinke on property at the intersection of Hicksville Road and Stewart Ave...
05/31/2026

Frog Hollow Garage opened in 1927 by owner Ben Reinke on property at the intersection of Hicksville Road and Stewart Avenue. Gasoline was 17 cents a gallon. Reinke was born in 1895 and raised on a farm on Seamen’s Neck Road in Wantagh. His venture into the business world was in the early 1920s when he purchased the first tractor in the area and did contract plowing for the local farmers. A tractor-drawn plow could turn over the soil 5 to 6 inches deeper than a horse-drawn plow, and was in demand because crop yield and quality was increased. By plowing that extra depth, hundreds of arrow heads turned up, which he collected, and Reinke’s collection has been displayed throughout Long Island. By 1923, with his tractor work going well, he married Emily Decker from Newbridge Avenue in North Bellmore. In 1925, their son Duke was born and that same year Ben and Emily bought property in Central Park at the intersection of Hicksville Road and Nibbe Avenue, which is now Stewart Avenue.

Pictured is owner Ben Reinke in front of Frog Hollow Garage in 1927.

In 1927, they built a house and garage showroom on the site. That same year, an agreement was signed with Chevrolet Motor Division and Ben Reinke was now a Chevrolet Dealer. Only 11 units were sold the first year, and sales were progressing, increasing slowly, until the end of World War II when developers bought up farm after farm and built thousands of homes in the surrounding area. Sales jumped and old Frog Hollow ran out of room, so in 1957, a new facility was built on the property to the North. There it continued to grow and sales climbed into the 600 range. Ben passed away in 1972 and the business was carried on by his son Duke who had been a partner since 1950. Emily passed away two years later. In 1977, Frog Hollow closed its doors. Today this location is where Frog Hollow Collision and Carl’s Fence is located. (Courtesy Plainedge Public Library.)

This photo is the corner just north of Boundary Avenue today.

TODAY IS MEMORIAL DAYWe remember and honor our heroes."As we set today aside to honor and thank our veterans, let us be ...
05/25/2026

TODAY IS MEMORIAL DAY

We remember and honor our heroes.

"As we set today aside to honor and thank our veterans,
let us be mindful that we should do this every day of the year
and not just one!"
—Beth Pennington

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE IN CENTRAL PARK (BETHPAGE)Charles Schwartz came to Central Park as a boy in 1909. His family operate...
05/25/2026

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE IN CENTRAL PARK (BETHPAGE)

Charles Schwartz came to Central Park as a boy in 1909. His family operated a florist shop on Central Avenue. During World War I, he served with the 87th Division. Schwartz’s boyhood friend, Archie McCord, did not return from the war and died October 5, 1918. After the war, Schwartz helped found the Archie McCord NY Post 86 of the American Legion on Washington Street and served as its commander. In McCord‘s honor, he arranged the Memorial Day Parade for over fifty years.

Pictured is the Memorial Day Parade in Central Park (Bethpage), marching down Central Avenue in 1930.

In the spring of 1927, seven veterans of World War I met in an old house on the corner of Broadway and Railroad Avenue. They formed a committee and decided to apply to American Legion Headquarters in Indianapolis for a Charter to form a post in Central Park. The rules for granting a charter required that a name, for the new post submitted, must be one of a veteran who had served in WWI and died while in service. In the course of the meeting, two names of men that qualified were submitted to be voted on. They were Archie McCord and George Benkert.

Archie McCord was born in Central Park and was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth McCord. Thomas McCord was a builder of homes, and owned a tract of land in Central Park that extended from a wooded area westward along Central Avenue and south and east to Hicksville Road. It was known as McCordville.

George Benkert was born in Central Park, the eldest son of George Benkert Sr, who emigrated from Germany. George Benkert Jr. entered by “draft” in June of 1918. He was inducted into the 49th Infantry and died shortly after being shipped overseas.

The vote for the name of Archie McCord was unanimously approved by the Charter from Indianapolis on March 24, 1927. The name of George Benkert was approved for the V.F.W. Post in Farmingdale. Pictured is the Archie McCord NY Post 86 of the American Legion on Washington Street in Bethpage.

Pictured is the town’s first Memorial Day Parade after the name change to Bethpage. American Legion member Antonio Finamore, holding flag, marches on Broadway and Baldwin Place in 1937.

CARRIERE STREET formerly Central AvenueWe are sharing photos and captions from Bethpage Resident Joyce Lane Calo. A big ...
05/17/2026

CARRIERE STREET formerly Central Avenue

We are sharing photos and captions from Bethpage Resident Joyce Lane Calo. A big thank you to Joyce! All photos courtesy Joyce Calo.

Central Avenue, which was renamed Carriere Street, is named after Raymond Carriere. Born on April 23, 1923 to Angelina and Paul Carriere, the family consisted of eight boys and three girls. Three brothers plus Raymond were in the service. Raymond graduated from Farmingdale High School and went to work in a coat factory as a pressman. Shortly after, he went into service and was in the parachute division. Sadly he was killed in the first invasion of France and Raymond was the first young man killed in WWII from Bethpage.

Pictured is Ragna Kranz and Willie Englebert and the fire ring used to alert firemen on the corner of Peach Street and Central Avenue in 1921. It had to be struck with a hammer to sound the alarm calling the volunteers to a fire.

Ragna Kranz feeding a cow on Central Avenue, now Carriere Street in 1925. Gertrude Kranz, along with a few others sold potatoes and other farm produce to start the building of the Central Park Assembly of God Church in 1922. It later became the Bethpage Assembly of God Church.

Alice Lane (Kranz) behind the wheel of a “Hup-Mobile” in 1929 on Central Avenue in Central Park.

Al Kranz, Long Island Rail Road Conductor in 1933. Kranz was a conductor for 50 years.

In the baby carriage, Beverly and Adrienne Carolan with sisters Ruth and Joyce Lane on Carriere Street in 1954.

Celebrating Moms all over the world!Strong, fearless, warm, amazing, humble, gentle, loving, patient, selfless, brave, b...
05/10/2026

Celebrating Moms all over the world!

Strong, fearless, warm, amazing, humble, gentle, loving, patient, selfless, brave, beautiful, kind... Happy Mother's Day!

THE BETHPAGE COLONIALSThe Butehorn Brothers of Bethpage formed a Fife Drum and Bugle Corps in the V.F.W. Post 4987, cons...
05/03/2026

THE BETHPAGE COLONIALS

The Butehorn Brothers of Bethpage formed a Fife Drum and Bugle Corps in the V.F.W. Post 4987, consisting of young children playing marching music. They went on to become “The Bethpage Colonials” in 1958.

They appointed Frank Grossmann of Bethpage to be the director. The children, 8 years and up, continued to learn music playing Fifes and Drums, those that did not want to play, joined a Color Guard which was formed with a Drum Major.

Colonial ancient fife and drum corps originated in the early period of our history. The marching cadence was 110, the same as the bagpipe bands of today, which enabled our foot soldiers to march many miles. The fifes provided the rhythm to march to such songs were “Rally Around the Flag, “Road to Boston”, “Yankee Doodle,” and hundreds more. Wood fifes and rope tension drums, color guards, flag bearers, and muskets were used by the corps both then and now.

Achievements and Appearances made a recording for the Valley Forge Freedom Foundation with Buddy Ebsen narrating the story about the Freedom Fighters. The Colonials provided the background music as Ebsen quoted the Bill of Rights. As it ended, the corps played the “Star Spangled Banner.” This was distributed through the country.

They appeared:
• Four times in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades and once put on a show at
Macy’s, which was on national television.
• At the New York World’s Fair from 1964-1965 at Continental Insurance Pavilion
on the weekends plus their recorded music played during the weekdays.
• They led the famous Gasparilla Pirate Parade in Tampa, Florida in 1966.
• They played for the Daughters of the American Revolution at the Plaza Hotel
in New York twice.
• They played at political rallies for President Ford and President Nixon.
• The played the Star Spangled Banner at the opening football game,
at Shea Stadium, for the New England Patriots and Giants game.

There were near 100 members, plus members were all being taught to be patriotic, respectful, and great Americans. Frank Grossmann received a Citizenship Award on behalf of the corps from The Sons of the American Revolution.

Harry A Stolz lived in Central Park on the corner of Broadway and Seaman Ave. The Post Office was inside the Stolz home ...
04/26/2026

Harry A Stolz lived in Central Park on the corner of Broadway and Seaman Ave. The Post Office was inside the Stolz home and he was Postmaster from 1914 to 1920. He also owned the building next to his home where he operated a butcher shop known as the Central Park Meat Market. He had an Model-T Ford truck used for making deliveries and obtaining supplies.

Located next door to the Central Park Meat Market was the Central Park National Bank. Officers of the bank were: Stephen J. Madden, President, William J. Ahern, Vice-President, and Edward C. Dienst, Cashier. Directors were: William J. Ahern, Frank Dupuis, Oscar Jacobs, Stephen J. Madden, Jeremiah W. Robinson, Harry V. Walton, Harry A. Stolz, Harry G. Wilson, Frank Zuk. The Central Park Bank closed its doors during the depression and never reopened.

Cancelled check from the Central Park National Bank. Check was made out to Jacob Schaaf, who sold fire and auto insurance. The check was written by Harry G. Wilson, owner of the Beau Sejour and one of the Directors of the Central Park National Bank in 1928.

THE BETHPAGE GOLF COURSEThe Bethpage Clubhouse and three of the four 18 hole golf courses were open to the public on Aug...
04/19/2026

THE BETHPAGE GOLF COURSE

The Bethpage Clubhouse and three of the four 18 hole golf courses were open to the public on August 10, 1935. The Green Course and Red Course opened in 1932, and the Blue Course opened in 1935. The Black Course opened on May 30, 1936. The Yellow Course, added later, opened 1958.

Robert Moses oversaw every detail of the construction, inspiring designers and architects to excel and produce beautiful work. Among his trademark innovations were the wrought iron directional signs that still stand today at Bethpage State Park. Moses also recommended the “Caddy Boy” profile be cut in every shutter adorning the new brick clubhouse. Pictured is the iconic “Caddy Boy” on a metal sign.

Pictured is the Bethpage Clubhouse date unknown. (Courtesy The Nassau County Parks, Recreation and Museums Photo Archives Center.)

The Bethpage State Parkway was opened in 1936 to serve as a parkway connection from the Southern State Parkway to Bethpage State Park. The parkway cost $1.1 million to construct and with the opening, the Bethpage State Park immediately became a popular destination. Pictured is the exit for the Bethpage State Parkway from the westbound Southern State Parkway.

In 1995, Governor George Pataki and Commissioner Bernadette Castro made a commitment to return Bethpage State Park to its rightful position among the worlds finest golf complexes. The Bethpage Black Course hosted the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Open Golf Championships. On August 23-August 26, 2012, the Barclays first of four season ending PG Tour events that comprise the Fed Ex Cup playoffs took place at Bethpage State Park. The 45th Ryder Cup was held at Bethpage Black this past year from September 23–28, 2025. Pictured is the Bethpage Clubhouse recently.

BETHPAGE STATE PARKIn 1912, 1,368 acres of land in what is now know as Old Bethpage adjacent to the Village of Farmingda...
04/12/2026

BETHPAGE STATE PARK

In 1912, 1,368 acres of land in what is now know as Old Bethpage adjacent to the Village of Farmingdale, were purchased by Benjamin Yoakum, a railroad executive. Yoakum hired Devereux Emmet to design and build an 18 hole golf course on the land, which opened in 1923, and which Yoakum leased to the private Lenox Hills Country Club.

Upon Yoakum’s death in 1929, the Long Island Park Commission took over the lease operating the Lenox Hills Country Club as a public facility. In order to prevent the subdivision of Yoakum estate, and to preserve it as a great future reservation for public recreation, the Long Island Park Commission, by special legislative authorization, purchased the Yoakum Estate, the Botto farms, and other surrounding area farms to create Bethpage State Park.

In 1933, NYS Governor Herbert Lehman called a special legislative session in an effort to help relieve unemployment. This was during Depression. Robert Moses, president of the Long Island State Park Commission, proposed legislation that formed the public benefit corporation known as the Bethpage Park Authority. Consisting of members of the Long Island State Park Commission, the Park Authority was empowered to issue bonds for the acquisition, improvement and operation of Bethpage State Park.

The development plans for Bethpage State Park provided for remodeling the existing 18-hole golf course, constructing three new courses, a large modern clubhouse, a polo field, bridle paths, trails, picnic areas, recreational fields and playgrounds all of which still exist on the grounds of the park. These improvements began under the auspices of the Bethpage Park Authority in 1934 as a Work Relief Project.

Pictured is the Bethpage Golf Course Clubhouse. (Courtesy The Nassau County Parks, Recreation and Museums Photo Archives Center.)

Pictured are residents skiing down a hill in front of the Bethpage Golf Course Clubhouse in winter. (Courtesy The Nassau County Parks, Recreation and Museums Photo Archives Center.)

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47 Powell Avenue
Bethpage, NY
11714

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