By Nicole Falco
A beach in Valley Stream? As hard as it may be to imagine, there was indeed a man-made beach in A.J. Hendrickson Park in the 1930s. The beach was located where the pool complex is now, according to Libath, past president and lifetime trustee of the historical society. It had once been a New York City reservoir, but the land was turned over to the village and eventually to the state. The beach was finally closed in the 1940s because it began attracting the wrong kind of crowd, and Valley Streamers stopped using it.
The historical society is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and although no formal celebration has been planned, it's not hard to figure out why there should be one.
"I think it's important to show our children and future generations that their community didn't always look like it does now," said Carol McKenna, president of the society and village historian. "Children today take a lot of things for granted, being surrounded by modern technology. I think they should be given an idea of how difficult it was to be a pioneer."
The historical society officially turns 30 on Jan. 17. Three decades ago, its founding members, including Mabel Dibble Ackerly, Lillian Weaver, Emma Bitowski, Howard Ruehl, Fiero and some 20 others, held their first meeting in Fiero's Sylvan Place home. It was Ackerly who dreamt of establishing a historical society in Valley Stream to preserve the community's history and inspired the group's formation.
Ackerly, a teacher and real estate broker, can trace her family history to Robert Pagan, a Scottish farmer who came to the community, then called Near Rockaway, in 1837. Pagan established a post office and christened the community Valley Stream. Ackerly's father, Marshall Dibble, was the very first teacher in District 24. Ackerly's ultimate dream was to restore her family's home on Hendrickson Avenue and establish a museum.
"I would say Mabel was the founder," Fiero said. "It was her idea. I acted like the doctor who brought the baby out."
When Fiero, now 88 and a retired lawyer, served as the society's first president, James Boerckel was its vice president, Weaver was the secretary, Ruehl was the treasurer and Ackerly, Bitowski and Allan Dowdeswell were the directors.
Ironically, the society's earliest records of itself are not as complete as it would prefer, according to McKenna, but a few of its charter members, including Libath and his wife, Agnes, are always available to fill in any gaps.
The society was granted a charter on April 26, 1974. In its first five years it grew from 25 members to more than 500 and took an active role in the 50th anniversary celebration of the village, and Ruehl published "The History of Valley Stream."
"In speaking of the early years and what they were like, I can only touch upon the highlights because the full story would take hours," Fiero said in a 1978 speech. "The organization of the historical society was a challenge. Some went so far as to say that it couldn't be done because there was little known written history and very few or no historical sites or landmarks to be found."
On June 13, 2000, the society was granted an absolute charter by the state. It counts many achievements in its first 30 years, but its greatest may be its home. After years of effort and dedication, the doors of 143 Hendrickson Ave. were open to the public in 1992. Although Ackerly didn't live to see the realization of her dream -- she died in 1980 at 91 -- she surely would be proud.
The Pagan-Fletcher Restoration, declared a National Historic Site in 1977 at the initiative of former Village Trustee William Hammond, is open year-round and welcomes visitors from the community and well beyond.
The house might never have been restored if not for Libath's leadership. By the time the village purchased the house in 1977 for $47,000, it had been allowed to deteriorate. Since 1948, when it was sold by the Fairchild family, it had been used as an office by various companies.
The historical society had raised $100,000 for the restoration, but the project, which was supposed to have been completed with the help of the village, kept being put on hold. When bids were finally received, the estimated cost was well over $500,000, which was much too expensive.
So Libath resorted to Plan B. "I got people to work for little or nothing and to contribute materials," said Libath, one of the 25 charter members. Work began on the house in 1989 and took approximately three years to complete.
Were it not for his wife's insistence, Libath might not have ever joined the society. "My wife forced me to join," he said. "Howard [Ruehl] had put a notice in the newspaper to join and become a charter member, so my wife filled out an application."
"It's very important for him to be a part of this because he's a native Valley Streamer," said Agnes, explaining that Ted's family actually moved to Valley Stream when he was 4.
Today, visitors can get a glimpse of life in Valley Stream over a century ago. Photos of the past line the walls, and there are collections of newspaper clippings, postcards and books written by Valley Streamers. Some of the more treasured pieces include a desk, table and bed donated by the Fairchild family, the last residents of the home.
"I see the most beautiful structure and restoration, which is wholly due to the efforts of one man, and that is Ted Libath," Fiero said. "[The house] is a treasure for the Village of Valley Stream which will attest, for many years to come, to the dedication of Ted and all the dedicated people of the historical society."
Due to illness, Fiero stopped participating in the historical society just as the restoration got under way. Though he's still a resident of Valley Stream, Fiero saw the restored home for the first time last Sunday. In fact, he had not been heard from in so long that some wondered what had become of him.
Now that members know he's doing fine, Libath said he'd probably suggest that Fiero be made a trustee emeritus. "I'll talk it up at the next meeting," said Libath.
The historical society hosts numerous events throughout the year at Pagan-Fletcher, including the upcoming Presidents Day celebration on Feb. 16 and Victorian Tea on April 12. In addition, there are monthly meetings of the society at Holy Trinity Church and a newsletter, "Panorama," that helps bring the community's history to the community.
Libath and Jim Buckley give regular talks, comparing Valley Stream "Then & Now." Also, members Helen Dowdeswell, Agnes Libath, and Adele Hagmann are creating an oral history of the village. Since they began taping conversations with longtime residents, there have been more than 150 tapes made. They're available for listening at the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library.
"A couple of important people in the village had died, like Arthur Hendrickson, a former mayor, and Ira Mumert, a former Wheeler Avenue School principal," Dowdeswell told the Herald last year. "I realized we were letting our history die out. I decided we had to start interviewing people who lived and grew up in the village."
"Telling the kids who they are and where they came from," according to Eileen Brennan, a retired Central High School District history teacher and a historical society member since 1978, is why the society is a vital part of the Valley Stream community.
