Plaque honors former Greenport mayor Joseph Townsend Jr.

Peconic Land Trust unveiled a plaque in late December honoring East Marion resident Joseph Townsend Jr., a former Greenport mayor and Southold Town councilman who also served as a member of the Trust’s board of directors.

The plaque was installed at the Edwards Farm at Orient Point, which was preserved with Mr. Townsend’s assistance. Mr. Townsend was recently diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The plaque marks the head of a trail that eventually will lead to a new nature observation platform honoring Mr. Townsend and overlooking Hallocks Bay and Orient Beach State Park.

The plaque features a quote from Mr. Townsend: “The upland of the Edwards Farm and its view of Hallocks Bay have been a timeless inspiration. Thanks to the generosity of many, it has been protected forever.”

For more information on Edwards Farm, visit the Trust’s website by clicking here. Tax-deductible donations to the Townsend observation platform can be addressed to the Peconic Land Trust, attention: Townsend Observation Platform, P.O. Box 1776, Southampton, N.Y. 11969.

Photo caption: Mr. Townsend pictured with Peconic Land Trust senior advisor Tim Caufield (left) and president John Halsey. (Courtesy photo)