Long Island communities have lost many of our open spaces to the detriment of those who live here and to the original farming and maritime cultures which once prospered in this area. In various ways, Sangha Education Center hopes to extend the legacy of the Stevens Family of Bellmore and the local farming and maritime cultures to which they were a part. We are bridging the gap to bring our common Long Island history together via programs and consulting services.
Through connecting past to present, we wish to evoke a sense of wonder in adults and children alike, enabling all of us to become more compassionate and capable citizens, caretakers for the Earth and one another. We encourage community members to work with us and our community partners towards the preservation of open spaces and local history. We have begun and will be expanding our offering of Long Island History in Your Own Backyard for the future of our children and communities.
History at a Glance
History at a Glance began as online exhibits reflecting the life and times of local families and the farming and maritime cultures to which they were connected. We will eventually offer self-guided tours with a preservations associate available to chat in order to answer questions on-line. And in-person exhibits will be offered at Sangha Education Center. Artifacts, narratives and photographs will be “on display” in partnership with Long Island Traditions South Shore Estuary Project, Bellmore Memorial Library’s local history initiatives, and in collaboration with other community partners on both the North and the South Shores of Long Island. Our location at Historic Malcolm House on the Jericho Preserve adds to our educational contribution of Nassau County’s rich history beginning with Presentations & Historic Walking Tours below.
One narrative in our collection: Timeline and Local Education History Reflection provides background about the history of education, its development in the Bellmores, connection to progressive education and some of the education issues being experienced today. It touches upon the importance of building a “collaborative community” and the role that Sangha Education Center has been serving as reflected in our mission.
Presentations & Historic Walking Tours
Presentations & Historic Walking Tours will be COMING SOON and led by Sangha Education Center staff. Tours will include the former Quaker and African American communities of Jericho, Wantagh/N. Bellmore and Old Bethpage. We will start with the Jericho Preserve modules: Long Island Quakers, Underground Railroad on L.I., Historic Malcolm House and Women in Abolition. Stay tuned for updates!
One pilot tour was provided for our Project Stewardship young adult group during the Spring 2019 and is in the process of expansion for the general public. You can read a blog, A Peek Into A Project Stewardship Outing – History Tour of Old Jericho Turnpike written by one of our peer-mentors, Mellisa Watson, about her experience on the tour! A narrative Long Island and the Underground Railroad written by our local youth historian, Justin Ellis provides some background about historic times, people and places from whom we have much to learn.
If interested in learning more about Long Island History in Your Own Backyard, History at a Glance or Presentations & Historic Walking Tours, contact us. We will be hosting groups and School Programs in the form of field trips beginning 2023.
Long Island History in Your Own Backyard is an interdisciplinary program utilizing our local community history as the backdrop for connections to NYS curriculum on Long Island History, bringing it closer to home. Sangha Education Center is a BOCES affiliated partner / vendor and school districts may contact them for field trip subsidies. Hands-on farming via our Meadow Farm Learn & Grow and the nature and wellness experiences in Forest Bathing reconnect our community to nature, and related maritime themes will also serve as tools for learning.