Local Guide

WHITMANLAND

1. WALT WHITMAN BIRTHPLACE. 246 Old Walt Whitman Road.

Built by Walter Whitman, Sr. ca. 1819, the Birthplace has been carefully restored by the State of New York and the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association. Walt's father took his bride, Louise Van Velsor, to this house and it was here the poet lived for the first four years of his life before his family moved to Brooklyn. Since then, thousands have visited the Birthplace to pay homage to the man who was to become America's greatest poet. Walt's poetry in Leaves of Grass was to sing songs of hope, beauty, and democracy which are still treasured in the hearts of many people everywhere. During his career as a school teacher, editor, and later as a writer, Walt visited his home grounds on many occasions. In 1881, he wrote "Rode around all the old familiar spots, viewing and pondering and dwelling long apon them, everything coming back to me from fifty years, with childhood scenes. Went first to the old Whitman homestead (Whitman--Carll House) on the upland at West Hills, and took a view eastward inclining south over the broad and beautiful lands of my grandfather and my father. There was the new house (Whitman--Place House), the big oak (no longer extant)...and a little way off even the well-kept remains of the dwellings of my great-grandfather (Whitman-Place Barn) still standing with its mighty timbers and low ceilings...went down nearly a mile further to the house where I was born in the fertile meadow land" (Walt Whitman Birthplace).

2. JOSEPH WHITMAN HOUSE. 365 West Hills Road.

Originally built some time prior to 1692, this is possibly the oldest house in West Hills. It was formally located across the street, and attached to the Whitman-Carll House.

3. WHITMAN-CARLL HOUSE. 356 West Hills Road.

In 1788 Isaiah Whitman sold this property to Captain Timonty Carll, Revolutionary soldier. It remained in the Carll family until 1904. In 1899, Uncle Lem Carll, "a sure as death Democrat" died here. The Carll family was one of the most prominent in West Hills. Across from the house, up on the hill, hunters erected a stone fort to protect them from the Indians at night. This fort, in all probability, was erected shortly after the founding of the town in 1653, and before farms were established ca. 1670. The oldest part of this house was moved across the street in 1908.

4. WHITMAN-WHITE HOUSE. 349 West Hills Road.

Bought by the White family in 1772, this house was built by Samuel Whitman before 1700. Samuel, who died in 1721, was the bachelor son of Joseph Whitman. The house remained in the White family until the early 1900's.

5. WEST HILLS SCHOOL HOUSE. 79 Sweet Hollow Road.

This structure is the old West Hills school house, built in the 18th century. According to the grand-daughter of Lemuel Carll, when the old school building was partially burned in the 1880's, she walked to Melville school.

6. PEACE AND PLENTY INN. 107 Chichester Road.

This inn was built in the latter part of the 17th century and remained in the Chichester family until the early part of the 20th century. It was the center of social life in West Hills for many years and was a favorite stop for President Theodore Roosevelt. Eliphalet Chichester, born in 1737, was a Revolutionary War soldier, and is buried on a hill not far from the inn.

7. WHITMAN-ROME HOUSE. 85 Chichester Road.

Originally built by Nathaniel Whitman, the house was lost in 1821 by his grandson, Daniel Whitman, and Daniel's wife Ollionee for failure to pay a mortgage of $1400. Sold to the Rome family in 1822, the house remained in that family until 1940. It is believed to have been built ca. 1705.

8. WHITMAN BURIAL GROUND

Located on the hill in back of the Whitman-Rome House are approximately 147 discernible gravesites. The Chichester, Pine, Wood, Rome, and Whitman families are represented as is the gravestone of Experience Rogers who married Nathaniel Whitman in 1793. Walt Whitman visited this burial ground in 1881.

9. WHITMAN-PLACE HOUSE. 69 Chichester Road.

Sold in 1835 by Tredwell Whitman, this land was mentioned by the poet as being owned by his great-grandfather of whom he was very proud. It is believed that the barn on this property is a structure from the original homestead of John Whitman mentioned in the 1700 deed in the Introduction. The original homestead was built by Nathaniel Whitman ca. 1690; and the "new house" on the site was built by Jesse Whitman in 1810.



NYS Parks Suffolk County Town of Huntington