Local Guide

OTHER IMPORTANT SITES

A. JAYNE'S HILL. Reservoir Road.

Located in Suffolk County's West Hills Park, this elevation is the highest point on Long Island. The hill was known by several different names; it was known as Oakley by the early white settlers, High Hill by Silas Wood, Long Island's first historian, and Jayne's Hill after the prominent pioneer family. In 1825, the mount was surveyed by Abel Ketcham for Silas Wood at 354 feet above sea level. It was a great triumph for Wood, a West Hills native, that the hill surpassed Hempstead Harbor Hill as the highest point on Long Island. The hill has since been resurveyed, a number of times, at the turn-of-the-century, and by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, as a triangulation station, and is presently known at an elevation of 400.9 feet above sea level. In Walt's day, one could see from the hill, on a clear day, the ships sailing off Fire Island, and before the growth of trees to the north, Connecticut was clearly visible. In 1850 Walt Whitman wrote, "West Hills is a romantic and beautiful spot; it is the most hilly and elevated part of Long Island. The "high hill" (Jayne's hill) affords an extensive and pleasant view." Today, the quiet, shaded hill-top, with its wooded slopes, still holds the memory of the poet who tarried there for inspiration in by-gone years--a stone plaque marks the mount's pinnacle. On a clear day one can still see the Atlantic Ocean from this spot.

B. COYLER HOUSE. 26 Mt. Misery Road.

Built ca. 1819 by Walt Whitman, Sr., the design of the structure is almost identical to that of the Birthplace. The house was originally part of a farm of 80 acres acquired by Richard Coyler from Tredwell Whitman and has been the subject of numerous sketches and paintings, including those of George Avery, Rudolph Ruzicka, and Hobart Nichols. At the time of the poet's visit to the house in 1850, it was occupied by Walt's Aunt Sarah and her daughter Hannah, the widow of Richard Coyler, "These three days, we have been on a visit (father and myself) to West Hills, the old native place. We went up in the L.I.R.R., and so in the stage to Woodbury--then on foot along the turnpike and 'across lots' to Colyer's, I plumped in the kitchen door. Aunt S. (Sarah), father's sister, was standing there."

WALT WHITMAN'S VISIT TO WEST HILLS

In 1881 Walt Whitman wrote to the New York Tribune to describe his trip with Richard Maurice Bucke to West Hills and his Birthplace. He was anxious to show his friend and literary executor the place where he had spent so many happy times. This is what he said:

"A Week at West Hills."

New York Tribune, August 4, 1881

Sir: I have been for the last two weeks jaunting around Long Island, and now devote this letter to West Hills (Suffolk County, 30 miles from New York), and the main purpose of a journey thither, to resume and identify my birth-spot, and that of my parents and their parents, and to explore the picturesque regions comprised in the townships of Huntington and Cold Spring Harbor. I shall just give my notes verbatim as I pencilled them.

Went down nearly a mile further to the house where I was born (May 31, 1819) in the fertile meadow land. As I paused and looked around I felt that any good farmer would have gloated over the scene. Rich corn in tassel, many fields; they had cradled their wheat and rye, and were cutting their oats. Everything had changed so much, and it looked so fine, I began to doubt about the house, and drove in and inquired, to be certain. I saw Mrs. J--- wife of the owner, (son of the J--- that bought the farm of my father 60 years ago.) She was very courteous, and invited us in (Dr. Bucke, of Canada, with me), but we declined.

We drove back to the homestead, let down some bars at the foot of a slope, and ascended to a spot most interesting of all.

The Whitmans as originally spreading from this outset, were long-lived, most of them farmers, had big families, and were strenuous for the best education that could be obtained. One is mentioned as a great linguist, and sometimes acted in the courts as interpreter with the Indians; and down to the present date twelve of the name have graduated at Harvard, five at Yale and nine at other New England colleges. There have been ministers and deacons and teachers by the dozen.

I write this back again at West Hills on the high elevation (the highest spot on Long Island?) of Jayne's Hill, which we have reached by a fascinating winding road. A view of thirty or forty, or even fifty or more miles, especially to the east and south and southwest; the Atlantic Ocean to the latter points in the distance--a glimpse or so of Long Island Sound to the north.

Huntington, Aug. 1.--We are just leaving; a perfect day in sun, temperature after the rain of yesterday and last night. I am indebted to Charles Velsor, Henry Lloyd, John Chichester, Lemuel Carll, Lawyer Street, Charles Shepard and other friends and relatives, for courtesies. Seems to me I have had the memorable though brief and quiet jaunt of my life. Every day a point attained; every day something refreshing, Nature's medicine. All about here, an area of many miles, Huntington, Cold Spring Harbor, East and West and Lloyd's Neck (to say nothing of the water views), the hundreds of tree-lined roads and lanes, with their turns and gentle slopes, the rows and groves of locusts, after the main objects of my jaunt, made the most attraction, as I rode around. I didn't know there was so much in mere lanes and trees. I believe they have done me more good than all the swell scenery I could find.

August 3, 1881 W.W.



NYS Parks Suffolk County Town of Huntington