It was a celebration 150 years in the making as Babylon Town officials past and present gathered in the Town Board Room at Town Hall for an event marking the anniversary of Babylon’s first Town Board meeting. The event, hosted by Town Historian Mary Cascone brought together elected officials from the state, county, neighboring townships as well as our villages to mark the official start of Babylon’s sesquicentennial celebrations.
In 1872, voters of the old Town of Huntington voted to separate and create a new township called Babylon. The New York State legislature approved the bill to create the Town of Babylon on March 13, 1872. Less than a month later on April 2, 1872, voters went to the polls to elect their first Town Supervisor and Town Board. After the ballots were tallied, the newly-elected officials met that same day at the American House hotel in Babylon village, and held their first meeting where a total of five resolutions were passed.
Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez, Councilmen Anthony Manetta, Terence McSweeney and DuWayne Gregory, Town Clerk Gerry Compitello and Receiver of Taxes Jennifer Montiglio helped recreate the meeting, each portraying a former board members and reading aloud the resolutions passed that day. “We have to commend Town Historian Mary Cascone for never letting us forget the significance of history,” said Supervisor Rich Schaffer. “She does a tremendous job as our Town Historian and all the information she compiled for this reenactment is proof of that.”
Following the reenactment, former town officials including former Supervisor, Judge Arthur Pitts spoke fondly about their tenures of service to the community. The event concluded with Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth, who entertained attendees with a modern-day “it’s not you, it’s me” letter written from Huntington’s perspective of the breakup.
To see all event photos, please visit our website: https://www.townofbabylon.com/570/150th-Event-Photo-Slideshow
To watch the reenactment, please click here: https://youtu.be/kQ8r8Z4nOGQ
Photo Left to Right: Town Clerk Gerry Compitello, Councilman DuWayne Gregory, Councilman Terence McSweeney, Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez, Councilman Anthony Manetta and Receiver of Taxes Jennifer Montiglio