Historical Society Provides a Link to Local Roots

The old Westhampton Beach Historical Society website is history — the site has recently been revamped to provide residents with more links to their roots, according to Cherie Magee, a Westhampton Beach resident who is editing the site on a volunteer basis.

Magee said the site, which was created by the 24-year-old historical society several years ago, has only been used for announcements on upcoming exhibits, but the society wanted to provide residents with more.

Magee, who has a love of history and whose family has lived in Westhampton Beach for generations, agreed to take on the task and for the past several months, she has been working to fill the site with local history, issues of the society's newsletter dating back to 2006 and events.

"I've gone over it and tried to put up as much information as possible," said Magee, who intends to keep on adding.

"I want to encourage people to use the site and come back again," she said.

Magee also wants to be able to show former residents who have donated historical items to the society what they society is doing with those items in terms of exhibits.

"They don't all live here anymore and I want to show them that we are using their items," she said.

But Magee doesn't plan on stopping at just posting historical information, she eventually would like to make the site interactive, allowing users to post their memories and photos.

Until then, Westhampton Beach residents can learn about historical sites, such as the circa 1740 Foster-Meeker House, which is the oldest standing dwelling in the area; as well as the Pontunk Life Saving Station, the Baldt anchor, the Jessup Lane Bridge Net Reel, and the Pontuck Life Station.

To visit the historical society's website, click here and to follow local history on Facebook, click here.

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