History: 1800s Photo of Edwin C. Duryea Farm Wagon

LongIsland.com

We dug into the archives and found this historical photo.

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Photo: West Hempstead Historical Society.

The description accompanying this photo in the collection of the West Hempstead Public Library and West Hempstead Historical Society says: Black and white photo of Edwin C. Duryea standing in horse-drawn wagon. Duryea Farm was located on Hempstead Avenue and Chestnut Street.

 

Duryea farmland extended from Chestnut Street to the point formed at the intersection of Woodfield Road and Hempstead Avenue. Duryea worked from 3 a.m. until 10 p.m. carrying goods to market along the wooden planks of Hempstead Jamaica Turnpike.

 

Toll to Jamaica was 18 cents and an additional 14 cents to East New York. Duryea "built" three schools and a fire department in West Hempstead. In 1887, he returned with his farm wagon from Jamaica loaded with office furniture for the new Hempstead Bank.