About East Norwich Civic Association

History

1524 | First European Explorer to Long Island - Giovanni Verrazano

1613 | Adrian Block, a Dutch trader, determines that Long Island is an island after losing a vessel and being stranded temporarily. Names it "Lange Eilandt"

1683 | Long Island divided into counties of Kings, Queens, Suffolk.

1696 | Earliest reference to "Norwich" in town records on a deed dated Feb 18. The name was probably used for several years prior. The name was selected by James & George Townsend (of the Oyster Bay Townsends) to honor their father, who was born in Norwich, England.

1732 | Black Walnut tree seedling planted. 1774First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia.

1776-1783 | British Occupation of Long Island

1781 | Muttontown, a former great sheep district, first appears as a place name in the town record on Oct 17. The name falls out of use by the mid 1800s, and the area began to variously be associated with Norwich, Syosset, Brookville.

1783 | Final Evacuation of British troops from Long Island on December 4

1788 | NY State Ratifies US Constitution

1790 | George Washington tours Long Island

1812-1814 | War of 1812

1826 | Methodist Society was formed in Norwich

1834 | Methodist Church built on site next to present graveyard, south and east of 25a and 106. The land is donated by James Vernon. The Long Island Railroad Company is incorporated on April 24.

1837 | LIRR is extended to Hicksville

1839 | Benjamin Thompson publishes a history of Long Island which describes Norwich as situated about midway between the villages of Jericho and Oyster Bay, and at the present termination of the turnpike leading to Flushing. It contains about 25 houses, one or two stores, a fine hotel and nearly 200 inhabitants, primarily agriculturists. The Methodist church was built about four years since.

1841 | LIRR is extended to Syosset

1846 | Post Office established in Norwich on June 26.

1861-1865 | Civil War Era - Hempstead Plains used as training ground for Union soldiers.

1861 | Norwich becomes officially East Norwich to distinguish its post office from another Norwich in New York State.

1872 | Daniel Horton begins bottling Root Beer near present-day Locust Avenue

1880 | East Norwich enterprise begins publication on September 11. Later becomes the Enterprise-Pilot.

1899 | Nassau County is established on January 1. Created out of the east most section of Queens County

1905 | Present Church Structure was built. Cornerstone was dedicated by Teddy Roosevelt at a ceremony on May 18. The land was for this church was donated by Sarah Vernon. Second Vanderbilt Cup Race sends course through East Norwich. Held again in 1906.

1907 | The Rothmanns buy the Inn on the corner, which may have been built as early as 1752.

1908 | William K. Vanderbilt Jr. constructs Long Island Motor Parkway for Vanderbilt Cup Races.

1909-1910 | Electricity comes to East Norwich.

1910 | LIRR Links to NYC thru tunnel under East River.

1912 | East Norwich Volunteer Fire Company is established on January 20.

1917-1918 | First World War

1924 | Long Island State Park Commission organized under Robert Moses

1925 | Public water is piped throughout East Norwich.

1926 | Natural gas is piped throughout East Norwich

1927 | Charles Lindbergh's solo flight to France.

1931 | Muttontown incorporates and adopts the historic name.

1933 | Northern State Parkway opens

1938 | LaGuardia Airport opens

1940 | Queens-Midtown tunnel opens

1941-1945 | Second World War

1945 | Construction begins on "Miracle Mile" shopping area on Northern Boulevard in Manhasset

1950 | Horan Farm sold. Becomes Radcliff and Norwich Green developments.

1951 | Roosevelt Field airport reopens as a shopping center.

1952 | Shopping Center built on Route 106 (Blueberries, et al)

1955 | Vernon School opened. Planting Fields is deeded to NY State upon the death of William Coe. Matinecock Indians, of the Algonquin Nation, of the Iroquois, gave Planting Fields its name. They used the area to cultivate various crops. William Coe retained the name when he developed the area into an estate.

1961 | Hearing over road widening at Vernon School. Throgs Neck Bridge opens.

1963 | Present firehouse constructed.

1994 | Voters in Nassau County adopt a legislature.