A step back in time at the Walt Whitman Birthplace
Is there a landmark in your hometown you’ve never visited? Well, if so, you’re in good company because I’ve spent the majority of my life in Melville, and never visited the Walt Whitman Birthplace. But that changed this month when I took my girls there on a homeschool field trip, and believe me, our visit was time well spent.
Our planned trip just so happened to fall on a snowy, gloomy day. Yes, snow in March! But, instead of being upset about it, I decided to embrace the snowfall as it very well could have been the last of the season. Spoiler alert: it was not the last snowfall of the season (damn you Phil!).
VISITING A LONG ISLAND LANDMARK
Nevertheless, before we visited this Long Island landmark, I took the girls for a drive through my old neighborhood. It was the first time I drove by my childhood home in over 6 years. Wow, just calculating that makes my head spin.
To catch you up, while our little family lived in San Diego, my parents decided to sell our home. And, I could never bring myself to drive through the neighborhood since we’ve been back on Long Island because I didn’t know what kind of emotions would surface.
To be honest, it was a strange experience. One that I protested would happen to me during many fun filled childhood days – playing manhunt until the late hours of the evening, street hockey and stickball when the weather got warmer, or just hanging out in the neighborhood, and getting a random group of kids together when boredom struck on those dog days of summer.
The only frame of reference I have to compare the experience to (or that is coming to mind at the moment) is like the end of the Sandlot when Smalls talks about what happened to the kids of the neighborhood. You know how everyone moves away, and they slowly disappear (on screen) as we get a glimpse into their futures?
Well, long story short...
I love that neighborhood, it made me who I am today. But, man it was weird to drive by houses I used to liberally walk into, knowing that the people who would warmly greet me were no longer there.
Fun Fact: Did you know Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819?
After taking a few loops around the block, and sharing some stories with my girls, it was off to the Walt Whitman Birthplace. Truthfully, I was surprised to see the parking lot so full. On the day we were scheduled to arrive this landmark was only open from 1 pm to 4 pm. And, it was 2:30 when we pulled in.
Thereafter magically backing up our Silverado into a parking spot, the girls and I hopped down onto the slushy parking lot, with snow falling around us. I for one was truly excited to see the treasure that faithfully stood so close to my childhood home.
The Walt Whitman Interpretive Center
The three of us were welcomed into the Interpretive Center almost immediately when we opened the front door. And, after checking in, the girls were encouraged to play with some of the wooden toys that would have been available to kids in the 1800s. While a sweet volunteer, shared many stories about the early days of Walt Whitman’s life.
As someone who is mesmerized by our history, I enjoyed every story she had to share.
Then, it was off to the self guided portion of the tour. I followed a timeline of Walt Whitman’s life starting with his parents. Later ending with a look into how he spent his final days with his brother’s family in Camden, New Jersey.
All the while, if you can picture it, the historic farmhouse lay in the backdrop with a dusting of snow hitting the ground. It was truly beautiful.
When our tour guide led us from the Interpretive Center to the house, he laid out the scene perfectly: “Imagine, in the spot you and I are standing in today, there was only farmland as far as the eye could see. Route 110’s not here, the meat market across the street isn’t here, and neither is the T Mobile building standing right behind us.”
I took a deep breath and told our guide that I would welcome the scene he depicted over the one that stands today.
As an aside, I remember running into one particular neighbor on my morning walks (with our chocolate lab, Cody) who would regale in stories of how our subdivision used to be potato farms. And, that is exactly what the Whitman’s would have farmed when they took over the land in the early 1800s.
You Should Know...
This is a guided tour, and if your little one takes a “hands on” approach to exploring history, you will be on your guard throughout your visit to this 1800s home. During our visit, the tour guide and I spent a lot of time saying these four words to Sadie (4) “don’t touch that please!”
For the most part, she did well. And, you can’t fault a 4 year old for wanting to pick up a doll or a handmade dress and bonnet, just seemingly left behind for a game of finders keepers.
Amazingly, our tour guide pointed out little details throughout the house that we never would have picked up on our own. He was extremely knowledgeable, and made the home come to life in a sense. It was almost like his voice faded into the background and you could see his words come to life in each room we stepped into.
I enjoyed learning about the practicality of early 1800s life. And, believe it or not, there are some elements I would like to employ in our lives today. Not the bedpan though, I am very thankful that WC’s are a thing.
After exploring the parlor, “birthing room”, kitchen and bedrooms upstairs we made our way to the gathering spot. This free standing structure is built around the original floors that were once in the barn on the property. Not to diminish it but, #floorgoals. Imagine the stories those beautiful wide planks would tell… And, imagine the cost it would be today to outfit your home in the very same original, wide planks. Le sigh!
YES, YOU SHOULD VISIT WALT WHITMAN'S BIRTHPLACE
It should take you anywhere from 60 – 90 minutes to make your way through the birthplace. If you’re looking for something to do afterwards, you could always head into Huntington Village. Or, you might want to visit Oheka Castle first. There is loads to do, it just depends on what you’re into, and the season.
In Case You Missed It.....
Where did Walt Whitman live?
Walt Whitman was born in 1819 at home in West Hills, New York. After about five years the family left their farm life behind to make a life in Brooklyn. However, Walt Whitman was known to visit his old home from time to time. You can read more about the Walt Whitman Birthplace Chronology here.
