The History of Gordon Heights

THE
HISTORY OF GORDON HEIGHTS

The first settlement of Gordon Heights extended west from
Gordon Avenue and Baldwin Court, east to West Barlett,
south to Granny, and north to Seymore. Most of the early
building took place within sections 14 (south from Granny
to Park Lane North and Central Parkway West to Barlett
Road.)

The community had its beginning in the
1920's when a man by the name of Mr. Louis Fife went to
the black communities and churches of New York City in
search of presenting a dream to a group of Black
Americans. Little did he know that these black people had
already dreamed of a place in the country to plant
families, crops, and a future for themselves.

As Mr. Fife knocked on the doors of these
people in Harlem, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, he stirred up
their hopes and desires. Financially, this proposition
would mean sacrifice, but these early pioneers knew it
would be worth it for their families. Land was offered as
low as $ 10 down and $10 monthly or $10 weekly. Building
on that land would have to come later. This meant more
sacrificing and saving.

Who were these people? They were workers
in factories, private homes, office buildings, and
whatever jobs were available. They were sincere and
hardworking family people. In many cases, both parents
worked. They were participants in community functions and
organizations to better their families. They were
concerned about the quality of education of their
children. They were concerned about hours away from home
and their children's well being as a result of the
over-crowded situations in the city.

From where did these people migrate? They
came from the West Indies and the South. They came from
strong cultural backgrounds that knew the importance of
land and ownership. They knew what it meant to have and
build a homestead and lay foundations for a solid
well-knit community. Many of them had come from such
communities. They had come to the big city with their
past experiences, and had to defer their dreams. The
opportunity to buy land on Long Island revived a dream
deferred.

And so the pilgrimage to Long Island
began in 1927 when Louis Fife sold five one
hundred-by-one hundred acre plots to these black
pilgrims. His son, Herzl, some years later offered this
explanation of his father's land transactions: "It
was an ordinary commercial venture. But it also happened
that my father was able to place people from the slums of
Harlem in a rural and wholesome atmosphere. On the whole,
it was a moderately profitable venture."

Louis Fife's thoughts were "When I
decided to offer Gordon Heights as a community of small
farms to the public, it filled a need. I was a lone
pilgrim in those days. There were other projects, but
they belonged rather to the fly-by-night, get-rich quick
variety. From the very start, we began to develop to
build homesteads, and lay the foundation for a solid,
well-knit community of small farms. Bankers, both in the
city and on Long Island, would not extend any mortgage
credit, however small. 'It will not last,' they said. So
I had to do it myself, and make it last. In 1933,
Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a call, "Back to the
Land," and followed it through till the end of his
days. He wrote, 'A nation of home owners, of people who
own a real share in their land, is unconquerable.' The
'Back to the Land' movement caught on, and the public
turned to Gordon Heights, which showed promise of
becoming a real community of homesteads.

"There followed hard years for our
country, years of depression, years of W.P.A., of bare
subsistence. People were willing, but they did not have
the means for a homestead. Many developments, some of the
fly-by-night variety, and some honestly planned, could
not stand the strain, and they went under, causing heavy
losses to their investors.

"In those trying years, I gave all I could. Every
purchaser of land had his chance to continue and to hold
on. I nursed the young settlement with all the care and
resources I could command, until it outroad the hard
years, until it grew up into a community that could be on
its own."

The early settlers in Gordon Heights
wanted elbow room, a feel of the soil, and a chance to
grow things and live. Harlem then was a small area. The
area called Sugar Hill was forbidden territory, as was
the East Bronx. The East River became the River Jordon
for the residents. The city was overcrowded.

The settlers heeded the call of the
Gordon Heights Development Corporation. They began their
purchasing of land and slowly moving their families and
properties -- come as summer dwellers at first and some
weekenders. They found it hard and very much a struggle
to survive. However, they became true homesteaders almost
immediately.

They made roads where there was only
wilderness. They built their homes and secured all
necessary utilities. They eventually had their churches,
civic associations, fire department, and sports and
social clubs.

Banks opened their doors to the black
residents for loans for repairs, additions, and new homes
eventually.

Jobs in the early days were not available
to the new black residents. Many of the residents
traveled back and forth to the city daily and some stayed
over during the week in order to afford their place in
the country. Later, jobs opened for these residents.

MR. GORDON HEIGHTS HOMESTEADER - 1942

I have been living here these past fifteen years. We have
all the elbow room we want. We raise vegetables, chickens
and even a piglet or two.
We are not in the wilderness.
We have churches of all denominations. We have a
playground, a firehouse, a community center, a social
club, and Sport clubs. Our men and our women, our boys
and our girls find plenty to do here. Whether it be
church work, civic or social, there's always something
going on that needs our help and attention.
I am glad I've settled here. My wife and I feel happier
because of it. So will you, when you make up your mind to
join us. Don't worry about leaving the city. You'll find
your work and activities right here. We are all waiting
for you. There is plenty of room for all of you.
Godspeed!

Gordon Heights Homesteader

Mrs. Thelma Hall was one of the earliest pioneers in
Gordon Heights. Mrs. Hall was formerly a member of the
Lincoln Drama Ensemble in New York of which a cousin,
Mrs. Evelyn Ellis, played one of the original roles of
Bess in Porgy and Bess. Because Mrs. Hall had the
responsibility of taking care of her cousin and traveling
with her as a professional actress, Mrs. Hall also played
bit parts in the theatre. It was while in the theatre in
New York with this acting company that she first heard of
Gordon Heights.

Mr. Fife came to the theatres seeking
blacks who wished to fulfill that dream of country
living. Mrs. Hall's cousin was interested, and between
1927-28, they bought property on Dunbar - the present
home of Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong.

This was known as Mr. Fife's hunting
lodge. People who came out to look at property and the
area were also fed and rested at this site.

When Mrs. Ellis decided to return to the
theatre, after some illness, she resold the house to Mr.
Fife. While she lived in the house, it was also a chicken
farm, and Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Ellis shared a business with
Mr. Fife of country egg selling to city dwellers. When
Mrs. Ellis returned to the city and the theatre, Mrs.
Hall remained and ran what was the first water system in
this area. Mr. Fife leased out water to the new
homeowners with a well and pump which remains in the
Armstrong home. It was from this system that the first
water came to Gordon Heights. It served the young
community for many years.

Mrs. Hall also produced, directed, and
participated in many original presentations for the
community with many of the young people. She knew many
people in the theatre and they came out to help her. This
was a form of entertainment for the community, especially
the participating young people.

Mrs. Hall also remembers how the young
community enjoyed bus outings, picnics, swimming, and
other activities. The night entertainment spot was the
Casino, later to be bought by Mr. McNeese and known as
Gordon Heights Rest. This building, located on Granny
Road, was bought by Mr. Fife as an entertainment center
in order not to use the churches for non-church
activities. When Mr. McNeese later bought the hotel area,
the place was combined. People now enjoyed entertainment
and a place to live (the hotel).

Mrs. Hall remembers how difficult it was
for Mr. Fife to secure property and to build in this
community for lack of money or a place to secure it.
Whites in certain areas knew who Mr. Fife was buying and
building for. Racism and discrimination dominated
thinking and attitudes towards the young black
settlement.

Interestingly, however, there was an old
white man known as "Pop" Gordon. He owned,
originally, most of the property around the area -
sections I - 4 - among which was the hotel which Mr. Fife
bought. Mrs. Hall remembers him as a kind, old man. The
community was named after him. It became Gordon Heights.

Mr. Hall, who came to Gordon Heights
later (around 1933), was a member of the first black fire
department of the community and New York State. He was
one of the few blacks who did not have to travel back and
forth to the city for his livelihood. He ran a taxi from
the community to Medford and worked at Northport
Hospital. Mrs. Hall continued her work with Mr. Fife in
the Armstrong home for many years. Along with her was a
white man employed by Mr. Fife as caretaker, Mr. Smith,
and later, a Mr. Johnston, also employed as a caretaker.

And so, the first homesteaders came and
began to build a life and a community.

As the community grew, Mr. Fife gave
names to the various roads, later streets. Beach Lane was
named after the Beaches; Adams Lane was named after Mrs.
Thelma Adams Hall; Carr Lane was named after the Carrs.
There was even a Robeson Lane named after the famous Paul
Robeson, black singer and opera performer.

The roads became smoother and were the
first thing that intrigued Mr. Beaton as he drove, in
1932, to Gordon Heights. He described it as a
"smooth concrete ride from the city down Jericho
Turnpike to Gordon Heights."

There were eight homes in the community
at that time. These were the homes of Mr. and Mrs. Rich,
Mrs. Brodie, Mrs. Ellis, Mr. and Mrs. Gray (Prof. Gray)
and his sister-in-law's house, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. Carter,
and Mrs. Morris-.

Mr. Beaton bought 40 lots (20 x 100) on Hawkins in 1933.
His fulfilled dream was to raise chickens and have a cow.
Lots were $35 each.

Mr. Beaton built his home, but with a
different builder than Fife because of a difference of
opinion in price of building and building a very
different kind of home with much larger rooms. Mr. Beaton
remembers discrimination and racial problems with getting
money to build and problems Mr. Fife faced securing
additional sections of land in Gordon Heights, most
specifically the land near Jericho Turnpike which is now
Wilson Avenue.

In spite of prejudice and building
problems, blacks continued their pilgrimage to Gordon
Heights. Around 1936, the Fredericks came, and later, the
Beaches, the Henrys, the Gilmores, the Flats came to make
their home.

Because of lack of telephone poles, the town refused
light. Telephone poles were denied because the town felt
the residents couldn't pay for it. The residents then
discovered that they could get the poles put up if they
accepted the telephone. The black residents then
proceeded to get phones. This was around 1947-48. And so
the lights (in homes) came. It took 14 years for lights
and telephone services. The residents used wood to cook
and kerosene lamps for light.

Children traveled a mile to school in
Yaphank. The school in Yaphank was closed and then they
were transported to Port Jefferson by bus. The bus came
to Granny Road first and then later came closer to the
homes to pick up. Later, of course, schools were erected
and the area became centralized and known as Middle
Island Central Schools. A very unique black man became
the first black to serve on the Board of Education. His
name was Tyrell Wilson.

Tyrell Wilson came to Gordon Heights to
live in 1940 with his family. He planted his roots
firnily as he continued his involvement in the
improvement and concern for mankind. He came to this
community already a devoted civic worker. In 1946, after
the first presidency of Walter Brown of the newly
chartered Gordon Heights Progressive Association, Tyrell
Wilson became president of the Civic Association and
served for ten years as its president. During that time,
the Civic Association fought for more telephones and
telephone service, better roads and lights for the
community. Under his direction, the Civic Association was
able to get power lines in 1947.

Because again there was a problem of
where to meet, land was finally secured by this
Association on its present site. It was planned that this
site would eventually serve two functions - a meeting
place and a place to house fire equipment.

Building materials were donated by the
residents for the building and the men of the community
gave their labor. An earlier fire, the first church
building by Mrs. Spence, had proven without a doubt the
need for a fire department. And so this building would
serve that function too.

Prior to the Gordon Heights Progressive
Association, there was a Civic League with the same
objectives as the Progressive Association. They very soon
merged their efforts to make for a stronger community.

In 1948, Mr. Tyrell Wilson became the first black to
serve on the Board of Education in Middle Island Central
Schools. In 195 1, he was able to get the first black
teacher hired in the district. She was Mrs. Samuel
Farrell.

Mr. Wilson's civic work continued and he
retired in 1970. He is still active, however, in the
development of Gordon Heights.

The community continued to grow and
continues. More sections of the community opened up as
rapidly as the earlier sections. The Coram sections of
land became available and land was bought throughout the
Coram sections.

Many residents either through their
professions or talents contributed so much. Mr. Sydney
Murray worked long and hard with real estate and also
found time to be a poet and singer. He also served many
years as president of the Progressive Association.

Let us not forget the great women in the
settlement of this community. Mrs. Alberta Beach, who
worked long and hard with the Ladies Auxiliary during
those early years in the establishment of its work. She
was also the black reporter for the community to the Long
Island Advance while also serving as financial recording
secretary for many years to the Progres-sive Association.
She was very involved in church work also.

Mrs. Zeathe Armstrong was a very devoted
and kind mother to many homeless children for-many years
in the community. There were others - many -- like her.

Mrs. Hall's involvement in the community
was mentioned earlier. Mrs. Spence was responsible for
the first church build-ing. Mrs. Woodburn worked with the
youth of the community in recreation for many years. Mrs.
Hylton Pinto also worked with the Progressive Association
and programs with the youth especially her sewing classes
at St. Michael's. Mrs. Haynes, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Henry,
Mrs. Una Smith, Mrs. Brooks Payne, Mrs. T. Wilson, Mrs.
M. Carpenter, Mrs. Hattie Jackson, Mrs. B. Allman, Mother
Hudson, and Mother Christian were all contributors in the
building of this great community. And the list goes on
and on.

The women of Gordon Heights were not housewives. They
were supportive spouses. They were builders of homes for
their family and a community for their families and
neighbors. They sacrificed and supported every effort to
make a home and a community. They helped and sometimes
alone. fought fires. They gave parties and sold
refreshments to earn money, not for themselves, but for a
growing fire department and Progressive Association - a
community. In spite of all the struggle and hardship in
those early years, they helped to build homes, continued
families, and shared in the development of a black
community of pride - Gordon Heights.

The history of this great community is
still developing. Homes are going up each and every day.
There are many builders involved in this development
today. The movement from the city to Long Island and
Gordon Heights continues. The desire for a piece of land
to grow things and to find growth for families and a
community goes on.

The original organizations are growing
and many community needs are being met. New organizations
and cultural needs are being discovered. People are
beginning to become as involved as in earlier years. More
families, however, are finding that they must maintain
their jobs in the city as with the earlier settlers, but
jobs have been available for a few.

The development of the black community of Gordon Heights
has come a long way. The residents years ago gave the
community a foundation. Today's residents must continue
to build on that foundation. Gordon Heights, we love you!