BeverlyTyler's VirtualTourist Home Page

MY HOME, MT. PLEASANT FARM, IN EAST SETAUKET, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK. THE FARMHOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1857 BY SYLVESTER HULSE. HULSE'S DAIRY FARM WAS ORIGINALLY OVER 200 ACRES. AT THE AGE OF 92, SYLVESTER WAS STILL WORKING EVERY DAY.

HISTORY CLOSE AT HAND

My travels around the world (limited) and across the USA (extensive) have convinced me of the importance of meeting local people, learning about local customs, and enjoying the local food in the many places I have visited.

The pages of my travels included here will, I hope, give you the flavor of local places, an appreciation for local history, and a sense that, if you keep your eyes open and listen to the people with whom you come in contact, you will have a more enjoyable time and leave with a greater understanding of the people and places you visit.

I find nothing more stimulating than exploring a village, town or city and learning about its history, its culture and the buildings, landscape, people and events surrounding that history. When I say history I mean from the distant past to the present and into the future as well.

I find nothing more enjoyable than sitting at an outside table in a local cafe/coffee shop/ pub/ or tea room, enjoying the day and watching the world go by, accompanied by friends or a good book. From Saltzburg, Austria to Derby, England to Greenwich Village, New York to Seattle, Washington the world is a study in contrasts and similarities.

I hope to enjoy more of it each year.

BCT

Spring is wonderful in Setauket as both the native plants and the planted plants remind us that this is a time of renewal.

Dogwood trees, rhododendron, azalea, forsythia, boxwood, mountain laurel and tulips all add color.

The winter 2004-2005 was a long one again and on Long Island we a awaited the promise of spring.

THE REAR OF MY HOUSE (OUR MAIN ENTRANCE) IS THE FAMILY ROOM ADDITION. WE RECEIVED OVER TWO FEET OF SNOW IN DECEMBER, 2003. The family room, with the entryway door, replaced the cookhouse which stood here until the 1950s.

Sylvester Hulse's 200 acre farm included an extensive cow barn, a horse barn, a carriage shed and a number of out-buildings including an ice house and a necessary (out house).

PHOTO: DUSK AT THE SETAUKET GRIST MILL IN THE FRANK MELVILLE MEMORIAL PARK.

No matter where I travel in America or around the world, there is no better place in any continent than the community in which I live. The richness of my community is shown in the beauty and textures of its homes and public buildings; its natural parks, preserves and historic trails; and in the quality of life that its citizens strive for and demand.

I find that people who travel and enjoy the sights and sounds of their diverse country, as well as the beauty and special qualities of other lands, find that the experience enriches their appreciation of home.

Wander with me now through the rich fabric of my community. Taste and see the richness of history and culture in this special part of Long Island.

The Town of Brookhaven, which began in the settlement of Setauket in 1655, celebrated its 350th anniversary in 2005. This year, 2006, due to the interest in our historical, cultural and environmental sites, we will have more sites open more often. If you have an opportunity to visit our communities I hope you will enjoy the experience. If not, please join me in the pages of Virtual Tourist.com and take inspiration from my neighborhood and from my travels through "History Close at Hand" around the world.