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Early Organizations and Sites
Gordon Heights Fire Department
Gordon Heights Progressive Association, Inc.
The Gordon Heights Progressive Association was formed in 1945. In 1946, the organization was chartered and a program of civic work for the improvement of the community was adopted.
The Association encouraged the early settlers and members, the residents of Gordon Heights, who were still without telephone and electric services to take advantage of the existing facilities by having them extended to their homes.
The Association was also instrumental in the building and furnishing of our present firehouse.
As a result of the efforts of the Association, postal service by rural free delivery was established on January 1, 1949, and Gordon Heights began to enjoy delivery of mail directly to its residents.
One of the long-range plans of these early settlers who were members of the Association was the building of a combined community center and library. Fund raising began in1950 to lay a foundation in the fall of that year. What a beautiful dream to be fulfilled.
Some early officers of the organization were:
1st President – Walter Brown
2nd President – Tyrell Wilson
Vice President – Chris Henry
Financial Secretary – Rosalyn Woodburn
Recording Secretary – Alberta Beach
Corresponding Secretary – Bertram Riddock
Treasurer – Samuel Frederick
Chaplain – Elder John Beach
The Gordon Heights Playground
In 1947, the Gordon Heights Development and Building Corporation built a baseball diamond on the western portion of the original playground, moving all the equipment, as swings and seesaws, to the eastern section. This playground was dedicated to the Gordon Heights community in 1940 by the Developers of Gordon Heights.
Under the management of John McNeese – owner of Gordon Heights Rest (the hotel and bar) – the team of the Gordon Heights Hawks was organized.
The Hawks had a very lively and interesting season; they played against various teams from the surrounding communities and brought new interest to the many summer and weekend visitors of Gordon Heights who were interested in baseball.
The players of the Hawks in 1947 were:
Ronald Armstrong
Allen Clark
Otis Freeland
Benny Lee
Wilbur Reese
Robert Wilson
Theodore Johnson
Lonnie Cartwright
John Clark
Vincent Henry
Samuel Palmer
Irving Thomas
Tyrell Wilson, Jr.
Will W. Swinton, Jr.
The earlier settlers organized a Playland Committee of residents. They were:
Mr. Paul E. Hall, Charman
Mrs. Thelma Louise Hall
Mrs. Vivian W. Williams
Mr. Theodore La Viscount
Mrs. Charles Palmer, Secretary
Mr. Samuel Palmer
Mr. John McNeese
The community sought ways to improve and keep the park in good shape. They succeeded because they cared. The playground gave and continues to give pleasure to young and old alike. It now becomes the job of the present residents to maintain and utilize it to its full advantage for the benefit of the community.
Churches in Gordon Heights.
Religion remains the foundation of the black community. The early black settlers were no different.
The early settlers met in homes and the Casino for worship. Rev. Travellers was one f the early pastors who worked to establish one of the early churches, AME Zion. Mrs. Foster, one of the community residents, allowed this first congregation to use a temporary site in order to worship. This congregation eventually moved to Granny Road and Gordon Avenue where we presently find Mary AME Zion Church.
Mrs. Spence was a very unique part of the religious development of this community. She assisted Mr. Fife in selling land and also did some missionary work with the new settlers. She was responsible for the erection of the first church building in Gordon Heights which was located on Hawkins Avenue. She came as a missionary many times. She had the gift of raising up churches from nothing. A community resident gave two lots to build the church on Hawkins. Mrs. Spence was delighted that the Lord had called her to fulfill a dream by the residents of Gordon Heights—a church. She came by faith. Se went from house to house soliciting funds to build (from Riverhead to Patchogue). A local lumber company in Port Jefferson agreed to accept a deposit and $50 per month to build the church. It was to be known as the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Later on, this first church was destroyed by fire. No one knew how.
The second church building of Gordon Heights was erected by Elder John H. Beach. This church originally was build as an independent church by supporters of Elder Beach in the city.
On July 25, 1942, the Gordon Heights Seventh Day Christian Sabbath School was organized through the efforts of Elder John H. Beach, supported by Brother James Beaton and Samuel Frederick.
These people, who had a cause and an ideal as their guiding spirit, were not deterred by the lack of a church building. They met in the private homes of the members for their services and held the sessions of the school at the home of Elder Beach.
In the meantime, they acquired a plot of over 10 lots from the Gordon Heights Development and Building Corporation, located on the northeast corner of Pine Grove Avenue and Maple Lane.
On January 17, 1948, the Sabbath School was reorganized into a church body with a full complement of officers and trustees. The church was named the Ebenezer Church of Gordon Heights.
The first Church Trustees were:
James Beaton
Samuel Frederick
John H. Beach
The first church officers were:
James Beaton, Supt.
Evelyn Beaton, Secretary
Beverly Beaton, Asst. Treasurer
Alberta Beach, Treasurer
St. Michaels and All Angels Church was the next church to be established in Gordon Heights. This church, too, had its roots in a dream of the new black residents. A house, leased to the congregation by Mrs. Gilmore, was the beginning of this group of worshipers.
In the summer and fall of 1947, this Episcopalian church was organized under the direction of the Reverent Domenic K. Cannella, and sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, through the Venerable Charles W. MacLean, Archdeacon of Suffolk.
Father Ciannella, with the assistance of two deacons, the Rev. Arthur Fox and the Rev. Harold Bienz, made a thorough survey of Gordon Heights residents, and found among them a considerable number of Episcopalians and adherents of the Church of England. All these people wanted to see a church of their own established. They felt a real need of the Sacrament and gave their unconditional support.
Later, when Wilson Avenue was opened up, a building was erected for this congregation. Among the many families concerned with the development of the church were the Armstrongs, Carpenters, Gittens, Greenes, Halls, Haynes, Mother Hudson, La Viscounts, Alvin Murrays, McCullers, Outlars, Pintos, Hyltons, Porters, Riddocks, Woodburns, and many more.
This church was also lost partially to a fire. The diocese turned the insurance money from the fire over to the Town of Brookhaven for the building to be renewed for the community in the form of the recreation facility. Many residents, especially the early settlers, are enjoying this building now as a recreation center of the Town of Brookhaven.
Many other churches have since been founded in Gordon Heights. Our newest church is Christ Baptist Mission which seems to have evolved in the same manner as our earlier churches. It is presently being housed in the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Teller Avenue. The Rev. Willie Jones is the Spiritual Leader. He is assisted by Rev. Campbell. This church, as with the early churches, projects more emphatically the power of the church in the black community.
Gordon Heights Credit Union
The Credit Union has its origin in 1959. As a result of the felt need to be self-supporting financially, a group of residents –along with the founder of the Credit Union, Jacob Williams – organized the Gordon Heights Credit Union. The idea behind the union was to put money together and have havaliable funds to borrow in needy situations.
The union later received federal backing and became known as the Gordon Heights Federal Credit Union and, of course, is chartered.
In order to become a member, you must have five dollars and twenty-five cents for membership. To be eligible for a $250.00 loan, you must have in your account at least $50. Larger loans require a co-signer, preferably another member of the credit union.
Since 1959, over 600 loans have been granted. Total liability and equity for 1976 is $35,758. There are over 350 accounts presently.
Mr. R. Manning is the present president. There is a credit committee of three people whoa ccept and process applications for loans. There is also a supervisory committee that regularly checks the reasurer’s work.
The advantage of the credit union is to be able quickly to make a loan without an in-depth investigation. It is also a personal investment. Many of the community residents have found the credit union “a blessing in emergencies and a most convenient source.”
The credit union invites residents who have not jointed to become a part of its membership. It’s one more way of making a community effort better. The doors of the credit union are opened each Saturday, from 6-8, at St. Michaels Recreation Center on Wilson Avenue.
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