The Oysterponds Historical Society and the Orient Association have been left in the lurch after the owners of Orient United Methodist Church decided to go with another buyer.
The landmarked 1836 building will be sold to John Wesley Village LLC, based in Riverhead.
The article in the June 15 Suffolk Times on the proposed deal between Oysterponds Historical Society and the Peconic Land Trust to “save” the Orient Methodist Church building raises many more questions than it answers. READ
Over nearly 200 years, members of the Orient community have established a special connection to the former Orient United Methodist Church building on Village Lane.
With its hand-carved oak pews, colorful stained glass windows and newly restored traditional church organ, the beauty of the building — both inside and out — is something many locals would like to see preserved well into the future.
Orient groups are continuing their efforts to purchase and preserve the Orient United Methodist Church building on Village Lane and are looking for support from Southold Town.
Oysterponds Historical Society vice president Ed Caufield and Orient Association president Bob Hanlon said Tuesday that one goal is to create a coalition between Suffolk County and the town, both of which have set aside funds for land preservation, so the town won’t bear the financial burden alone.
It was unusual: The pews at the recently shuttered Orient United Methodist Church were filled this past weekend. Rather than gathering for a sermon, however, locals flocked there Saturday morning to hear from the Oysterponds Historical Society and Orient Association about the building’s future.
To the editor:
The Oysterponds Historical Society wishes to thank the North Fork community for all its support this summer. READ
How did Oysterponds Historical Society land U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as its special guest for Sunday’s Heritage Day celebration in Orient?
Elsbeth Linn Dowd is traveling across the country from Oklahoma to return to Long Island to serve as Oysterponds Historical Society’s new director.
Amy Folk had always heard about the Bark Washington painting, which depicts the hunting of a school of whales. Ms. Folk joined Oysterponds Historical Society in Orient a few years after the painting mysteriously disappeared along with other artworks.
Karen Lund-Rooney has made the switch up the road from Oysterponds to Southold.
After months of conducting interviews, the Southold Historical Society appointed Ms. Lund-Rooney as its new director, starting last Monday. READ
