John Leita - Long Island Oddities: Curious Locales, Unusual Occurrences, and Unlikely Urban Adventures

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2013 by John Leita and Laura Leita

All rights reserved

Images are courtesy of the authors unless otherwise noted.

First published 2013

e-book edition 2013

Manufactured in the United States

ISBN 978.1.61423.934.5

Library of Congress CIP data applied for.

print edition ISBN 978.1.60949.920.4

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the authors or The History Press. The authors and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to dedicate this book to the following people, whose help and inspiration made this possible:

To my mother, Virginia Leita.

To my grandparents John and Virginia CaldwellI miss you both more than you will ever know.

To Lauras mom, Maureen Cummings, who has always encouraged her writing.

To Leo Polaski, a great historian and friend.

Thank you all. We could not have done it without you.

INTRODUCTIONS

FROM JOHN

It is my pleasure to have you join me on my journey into what makes Long Island different from anyplace else. Every chapter of this book has a personal connection to me. Growing up here, I have seen a lot change, but that just makes it all the more important to hold onto what is left and to enjoy the rich folklore, roadside attractions and historic places that make Long Island different from anywhere else.

I always had a fascination with abandoned places, roadside attractions and folklore on Long Island. It became obvious that there were others who found these things equally interesting, so ten years ago, my wife and I began a blog called Long Island Oddities. Not only did this allow me to share what I learned, saw and explored with others, but it also gave me valuable feedback about places I wasnt aware of. This book is the culmination of the past ten years of that feedback, tireless research and exploring this island to its fullest.

My first paranormal experience occurred in the first house I ever lived in. When I was three years old, I was sitting on the top floor of an old Bay Shore apartment house near the train station. My mother and her friend were sitting at the kitchen table perpendicular to a window. I looked up at them, and to my utter horror, a face jumped up to the window in between them. It was the face of an old woman sneering at me. I was too horrified to make a sound at first, and by the time I did, she dropped fast. There was nothing under the outside of that window except a three-story drop.

The next apparition I saw was with someone who witnessed it with me. I was still a child when we moved into an apartment building on Keith Lane, in West Islip. The building was once the dairy for Minor C. Keith, a wealthy importer of fruits from Costa Rica. I was sitting on the living room floor with a coloring book. My mothers friend was sitting on the couch. Suddenly, I saw this wavy, clear entity moving toward me. My crayon box levitated and began to move with whatever it was. The wavy thing went through a wall, causing the crayon box to drop to the floor. When I asked my mothers friend if he saw it, too, he seemed quite shaken up, admitting he had. I lived in that apartment for six years and had several other experiences. One time, I even saw what I believe was a UFO. Over the years, I would tell my paranormal stories to others and listen to theirs. I developed a healthy appetite for these stories, and this is what led to my passion for local folklore.

The first abandoned building I remember seeing was the Edgewood State Hospital. I remember gazing into its dark windows from the street and being mesmerized by the thoughts of what mysteries were hidden inside. It was demolished before I got a chance to explore it. Since then, I have explored every interesting abandoned place Ive found. This is as close as you can get to going back in time and seeing how things once were.

My grandparents would always take me on road trips as I was growing up. I loved seeing roadside attractions that gave each place a unique flair. As Long Island gets inundated with strip malls and condominiums, roadside attractions become even more important because they allow the area to retain an independent character.

If you enjoy hearing about these places and stories and know of another one, dont be shy. You can contact me at . Happy reading!

FROM LAURA

I cant express how excited and grateful I am to have the chance to put this book together and share all of our experiences and favorite places. It truly is a great honor, and I hope that you enjoy what we have put together for you.

My interest in the paranormal began at the early age of five, when I had my first experience. Late one night, I was awakened to see a woman standing in my doorway. From the way I was lying, I could see her only from the waist down, but she wore a dark blue knit shawl and some sort of calico printed dress that poofed out a bit at the waist. The oddest thing was that she was also glowing a robins egg blue. This woman proceeded to walk to the bed and pull the covers up over my shoulders before disappearing. The only thought I remember going through my mind was: Wait, thats not Mommy. But strangely, I wasnt afraid.

As soon as I was old enough to go to the library, I remember hitting the books hard, my mind full of questions. Though they had childrens sections divided by grade and reading level at school, there were a few nice librarians who appreciated my eagerness and let me wander into the forbidden adult section. I read so many stories and amazing accounts in those books. The first ghost picture I ever saw was the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall in England. Little would I know that would come full circle when we found the American location with the same family name and its own haunts many years later.

Since then, I have had many more personal experiences of my own, some frightening, some mysterious and some poignant, but the fire of curiosity still burns bright. My husband and I even shared our first paranormal experience together while we were in college in a dorm building we would later learn had a history of being haunted. Years later, as a result of the Oddities blog, we would receive an e-mail from a former student with very similar experiences.

You cant have a strong interest in ghosts without a love of history, and I will always be grateful to have a partner who shares that love. I learned a love of history early on from my mother and grandmother and from visits to new places and museums. I love to try to imagine what it would feel like to live in certain times or to be some of the unique people in our past and deal with the struggles and conflicts that existed. To this day, I am still in awe at the courage and strength of some of our Long Island ancestors, particularly during the American Revolution.

For us, a love for history and ghosts turned into a yearning to explore. I remember when John bought his first digital camera and we walked around the remnants of Kings Park Psych Center taking pictures of buildings and the railroad spur. There was this smell that would waft out from broken windowpanes. It smelled somewhat like books that were kept for years in a basement. It was a musty scent but not unpleasant, and above all it smelled like mystery. It drew us in, and soon I was urging him to do more than photograph the outside. Though our first foray was fraught with fright, and we were nearly ready to leap out of our socks, it was an entry into the brand-new world of urban exploring. Soon, we would share our explorations of other psychiatric hospitals, industrial ruins, old schools and other historic locations. Often it seemed as if everyone had just picked up and left with everything remaining behind.