On Friday, May 1st, the William Floyd estate held a celebration for the nation’s 250thanniversary with colonial re-enactors and a treasure trove of historical literature, wares, and musical instruments.
National Parks Service superintendent Alexcy Romero emcee’d the guest speakers and spoke of the dedication and service of his staff and other history enthusiasts who helped with honoring William Floyd and the legacy of his home.
“Events like this, as we all know, don’t happen on their own, they are the result of collaboration, commitment, and sharing in the importance of what we are celebrating,” said Romero who thanked Bill Doyle, the Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Suffolk County Department of Health Services, and other members of Tri-Hamlet 250.
Romero also mentioned the new friends group that Doyle would be starting up for the estate.
Chief Harry Wallace from the Unkechaug Nation, the indigenous people of the Mastic/Mastic Beach area where the Floyd estate is located, opened the ceremony with a prayer in the native language and a song accompanied with traditional drums.
Wallace said “when William Floyd’s family was threatened by the British, the Unkechang tribe helped them” by escorting them to the north shore and then onto Connecticut.
Accompanying on drums was Standing Buffalo, a celebrated artist, from the Shinnecock Nation.
Many elected officials were in attendance and spoke for the ceremony including Suffolk County Executive, Ed Romaine, Town of Brookhaven supervisor, Dan Panico, and Town of Islip supervisor, Angie Carpenter.
Romaine, a former history teacher, extolled the tenets of the Constitution as imagined by the founding fathers. “He [Floyd] signed in 1776 and we had no idea what would come after that.”
Panico reflected on the long-standing history of the manor house and how it was donated to National Park Service in 1976 by descendants of Floyd. “I am proud to say I’m a graduate of the school district that bears his name.”
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