Top: In The Attic of the Kirby House.
Any town or village has its haunted house. Old Bethpage Village Restoration has its share, and like most villages, most are urban legends which sprang up over the years. Nearly all the buildings in the village were once located elsewhere, and some, like the Noon Inn, brought their legends with them.
And of course the restoration village has plenty of ghost stories of its own, dating from the years the buildings have existing in their current location.
A family spending the night in Lewis Ritch’s 19th century farmhouse reported hearing heavy boots walking about the porch during the night, which they presumed to be the former master of the house, who died in 1835 coming back to his home, which he once shared on Middle Island with his wife Charity and their six children.
In the Conklin house, a fisherman’s cottage which once stood in Village of the Branch and now lives again at Old Bethpage, a woman has been reportedly seen upstairs in period dress, and who was decidedly not a 20th century interpreter. Another interpreter who has worked at the village for over 20 years refuses to set foot in the house. Still another I spoke to talked of being alone in the house reading, when over the top of his book saw a dark shape rushing towards him, only to look up and see nothing there. On another occasion he heard a loud bang, as though a shelf had fallen in the other room, only to find nothing amiss.
The Conklin house once set next to the inn owned by Thomas Hallock, and is one of the newer structures on the site. Walt Whitman is rumored to be one of the earliest tenants, and the house is typical of an English derivative style, with Greek Revival touches. Joseph H. Conklin, married to Thankful Hallock, Thomas’ niece bought the place in 1853. According to Long Island Oddities, the place is reputed to also be haunted by a small boy, afflicted by disability or deformity, who showed up in a census for one year and never again, and was supposed to have been shut away in the house.
The Hewlett House, now restored to 1840, was built during the 1890s in Woodbury, an example of Federal Period architecture. The house displays a gambrel roof, a milk room and large, beehive oven with an inscription of 1796. It also appears to be haunted.
The House was inhabited by the Hewlett Family, including a descendent of the original owners, Lewis Hewlett, who presumably carved his initials into the ceiling above the fireplace. What makes this unusual, is that for some time no one noticed the carving. Then one afternoon, a worker was leaning over the fireplace when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Upon turning around, she found nobody there. This was the first day that the initials were noticed.
There is a tapestry on one of the walls of the house, done by a child learning to embroider, which refers to being buried, rotting bones and their desire not to be forgotten. And appropriately enough, in the parlor one finds a coffin, lain out for a wake, which presents a unique opportunity to see how a family remembered and sent off their dead in the 19th century.
Another visitor reported feeling pulled towards the staircase every time she entered the Hewlett House, which she described as a strong desire to go upstairs, which she finally did, only to report seeing a noose hanging from the top of the stairwell. Another woman felt as if she was being pushed down the stairs, and reportedly the two women decided to hold a seance, at which they contacted Lewis Hewlett who stated that it was he who was hanging from the stairwell.
Security guards tell of one of their own, who heard the voices of men in the basement, and thinking they were intruders made for the door. Unfortunately, the door to the place locks from the outside, and the door had closed and the hapless man found himself locked in. So frightened was he that he went out the window rather than wait for help to arrive.
The Noon Inn is one of the most popular stops, if Old Bethpage photos found on the internet are any indication. It was originally purpose built in East Meadow to be an inn and bar, before being closed down, when it was used for storage. Kids would break into the place and vagrants reportedly used to sleep in there. One such vagrant, according to popular legend which has been discredited by a fellow whose family formerly owned the home, was surprised by three teenagers whom he stabbed to death. The bodies lay undetected for some time, until a security guard found them, and a short time later, according to the story, the vagrant was arrested with some of their possessions, and confessed to the crime. As such with all urban legends, the place took on the reputation of being haunted, and the same night that the vagrant was supposed to have hung himself in his cell, a girl walking down the street outside the Noon Inn saw the three boys’ faces in the windows. It’s stories like this which as I said, appears to have no basis in fact, that add to the richness of a place. And Old Bethpage is fortunate to have brought along the legends, along with the structures which now line the streets of Old Bethpage Village.
The Williams House, restored to 1860, was once home to a certain Henry Williams, farmer and carpenter, and stood in New Hyde Park. A seamstress named Esther once lived there as well. Reports of poltergeist activity abounds in the Williams House. Trunks have been heard moving about upstairs, and upon investigation are found with their contents strewn about.
One hot afternoon, two interpreters were working the Williams House, and opened a window to let in the breeze, which is often quite nice there. They went back to their sewing, which is their charge at Old Bethpage, when they heard the window slam shut. One opened it again, this time propping it up with a stick, which is typically used to lock the windows, by jamming it into the top of the window. They left the room, only to hear the window shut again. Coming back into the room, they found the stick lain on the sewing table. A third time they opened the window, once again propped it open and once again left the room. The window slammed closed again, and this time the stick was found far from the house in the garden, by a child visiting the park. In the Williams house, the workers are on a first name basis with Esther.
On another occasion, two workers were cleaning up in the house. One picked up a small teacup, used originally as part of a toy tea set, when she head a small voice telling her to “Put my teacup down.”
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time at the Williams House. Turkey is roasted in the hearth, and the sights, sounds and smells of a Thanksgiving feast brings the house to life. During the preparations one year, the door to the place kept closing. Even on a November Day on Long Island, so much cooking and activity can quickly overheat a house, so one of the women there propped the door open with a fireplace tool, only to be hit in the head by the same tool when she went back to her work.
The spirits it seems at Old Bethpage Village Restoration don’t mind visitors, but they are very fussy about their homes, even to this day.
What to wear on weird Long Island
i go to camp at Old Bethpage restoration village and today July 13, 2011 we went inside the Hewlett House. On the wall there is a cloth the stitching that a little Girl made at age 6 about she death and if she died to Remember her. One of the workers was telling us about it and in the other Room we heard a bang. If you Read the Passage then you saw that in one of the houses it sounded like a shelf falling that’s what it sounded Like. Then three of my Friends got scared and went into another Room all three of them got Freezing Cold for about a Minute. Then out of no where one of my friends Felt something Grab her arm and dig its nails into her as she looked up she saw nothing. She ran out of the house crying in pain for the Rest of the day she Had a Red arm with tiny little indents or marks on her arm. Who knew one little camp 5 hours Monday through Friday can Scar your Life and Leave you in the pain and Memory of being Grabbed on the arm. Left with marks and when she looked up NOTHING WAS THERE. My opinion is not to Go into that house.
sounds fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! imma go into that house!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bitches be grabbin and scratchin dey want meh body!!!!!!!!!! but how can you blame dem?
Absolutely, just how could you blame them? Granted, I’m guessing they’re wanting to grab, scratch and claw your egotistical, self centered eyes from their sockets, and likely tear you limb from limb till there’s nothing left of you but a wet spot. Speaking of which, likely contained the better part of you if you get my drift. But as you say, can you blame them?
Hi. I’m a docent at Old Bethpage, and spoke with one of the girls who was in this party as I was walking back to Hewlett house where I was stationed that day. I later met the young girl to whom the incident happened, and her sister and I think Grandmother. I see it happened on Wednesday, the thirteenth. I can tell you that the girl was completely healed then, when I saw her arm on Friday. I saw the picture on her grandmother’s cell phone, and can testify that there was a faint letter “H” scratched into her shoulder. Did they mention this above? That the fingernail marks turned to the letter H that night? The sister testified to this also, and what amazed me is that the letter “L” and letter “H” are scratched into the beams of that room where the incident happened (kitchen, read above description of Hewlett House). There are more H’s than L’s. The scratch on her arm looked the same as the H’s scratched on the beams. I made light of the scratchings earlier in the day to the new guy I was teaching the house to, but after I heard about the H on the girls arm and then saw it in the picture…….well, I don’t think I’ll be making light of those scratches on the beams again! To repeat, the girl was completely healed the day I saw her which was two days later on Friday, July 15, 2011.
I just want to clarify something I wrote above– I was stationed at the Hewlett house on Friday, July 15, and was talking to the girls then, not on Wednesday the 13th, when this paranormal event happened.
Yes I know
I’m also the guy to whom the abovementioned incident happened to in the Conklin House– that a massive object seemed to come up to me while I was reading and I jolted and looked up and there was nothing there.
There are many other stories about that house. One that I think is especially interesting is something I was told by a volunteer. She was working in the house and when all the visitors were out, she heard what sounded like a child’s footsteps above in the hall, running from, and back to the “lumber” room (closet) upstairs. The volunteer figured there was someone still in the house. She went upstairs and found no one was there. This is interesting because the Conklins had a disabled boy who they kept locked up in the lumber room. He appeared in a census, and never appeared again. Local rumor where the house was from, Village of the Branch in Smithtown, said that the poor boy died in the room of neglect. Did the volunteer hear his little footsteps?
I remember you of course. You told me many of these stories when I used to tour the site pretty frequently. Hard to do now that I’m a thousand miles away. How has the staff cutbacks affected things? Made my blood boil to hear about it. You guys need more staff, not less.
We just visitied the village yesturday, my children aged 11 and 14 for the first tme, my youngest son loves American history and was REALLY enjoying the village…until…..we went into the general store, he loved the store part, got candy, spoke to the man there, played checkers….then we went into the part of the house that was the “home”….all of a sudden I could see this look on his face and I asked him what was wrong, he said “mom, I dont like this house, it gives me a bad feeling, I dont like this feeling, it is making me afraid…I need to leave now!” it scared me and it scared him. He was fine in all the other house tho.
My daughter felt the same way when she went upstairs and saw the free-standing dress in the middle of the master bedroom… I just laugh!
Hi Kevin this is the girl that was talking to you about it on the was to the hullet house wit my mom and my friends mom
Last summer, I went with my 3 friends. We went upstairs in the Conklin house and immediately got a wierd feeling. Then, we all heard banging, laughing, and someone scraping their foot on the floor in the closet the disabled boy was kept. After we all ran out screaming, we decided to check out the other houses and then go in again. We didn’t hear anything else, but as we were thinking about giving up and going downstairs, something tugged on the bottom of my shorts, pulled my friend’s hair, pushed my other friend, and poked another friend on the shoulder.
Kevin are you still working there? I always wanted to .. but after that happened I wont go into any old houses my aunt has a house its VERY old and I just feel so afraid but all I can tell people. If you believe in God and that hes real then the devil is real too and he sends out his demon’s to hurt and make us do bad things after that happened to me I have to ware a cross everywhere I go basically after this happened when I feel uncomfortable i wishper to myself “I’m the name of Jesus, put saitin behind me” I might seem like a God freak I’m not I just get very scared. Call on God and hell protect you.
I was kind of surprised to see a picture of the Inn when I clicked on the page, but then I wasn’t really surprised. A friend of mine and I went with my son to the Restoration a few years ago. He was sleeping in his stroller, so we went through the house by ourselves. She came dashing out & said, “Okay, you can go ahead & I’ll sit with him.” I walked around downstairs & thought it was really interesting. I had grown up in town & we went on field trips yearly in elementary school, so it was all old hat being there for me. I walked up stairs & had a hard time walking onto the landing. I got to the last step & was petrified! I didn’t see anything or hear anything, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I thought I was going to fall down the stairs, I rushed so fast! My friend laughed at me when I was out of breath when I came out and said to me, “That’s why I rushed you in so fast! Did you get freaked out upstairs?” I don’t know who or what was there, but it definitely affected both of us!
I was in one of the houses on the village, and I heard a loud bang upstairs. No one was in the house. I ran the hell out and never went in again. There are spirits here for sure. No matter what you believe. Even the administration building is haunted. I heard someone breathing behind me. Very scary.
I am a descendent of the Noons. My mothers last name was Noon. Ruth Ann Noon
I remember her taking my sisters and I to the Inn. They were very accomodating and gave me the history on the names and literture they had. Since I have lost them would you be kind and email any info you have.
Thank you
My mother had 5 children
Larry Leslie Passed away
Laura Sloup Alive 64 lives in Mastic Shirley
Pat Leslie Passed away 2008
Diane Moshman Alive 59 Lives in Medford
Jeanne Landsiedel 56 lives in Hampton Bays Email: jeannelandsiedel@yahoo.com
Cell phone 631-678-2454
I was at the Hewlett House on Sept 29 2013. I walked about and looked at a window where a woman is said to gaze from. You can even feel cold spots on the porch I was told. Sadly I didn’t see or feel anything, not even the slightest chill, simply because there are no such things as ghosts… or is it that ghosts don’t come out during the day? Oh I forget which but nonetheless, it is easy to pass on ghost hysteria. Most people on the planet tend to want to believe in an afterlife, and alot of folks like being frightened whether they care to admit it or not. There’s also lots of folks with insomnia in the U.S. and lack of sleep can lead to hallucinations… Put it all together and you have a good ghost recipe. Bon Appetit!
I have been to the Old Bethpage restoration many times since I was a child. I went I think twice on Field trips from elementary school. I love this place so much that I had to bring my son. He is now 10 but the first time he went he was 7. We have been going every year since quite a few times a year. I believe the stories that these homes are haunted. I have always felt things when I am in these houses. One I feel like I am walking amongst the ghosts of the people who lived there. I have always felt in these 19th century places that I was reincarnated from someone in that time frame. I feel it very strongly. I have a friend who knows someone who works as an interperter in these homes who has a lot of spirit driven stories. They have proof of some of these hauntings. I find all of this very interesting and I think not just there but in many places with old historical homes and buildings there will always be spirits of the past. I will keep going to Old Bethpage I hope for years to come and so will my son.
I volunteer at the restoration, and my friend and I were once in the Kirby house when we heard a stomp and went to investigate. Being teenagers, we decided that we would download a ghost app to see if we could pick anything up on it and every name that the app said ended up being a name from the Kirby family tree. The app said to go in the basement but we didn’t end up going down there because it was really scary . Another time, I was alone in Benjamin house, and the door was closed because it was freezing outside, and I felt a constant feeling of being watched. A lady later on came in with ghost hunting tools and told me the Aunt Mina of the house was present and she told the ghost to be nice to me. I was down right terrified the rest of the day.
About 8 years ago, my husband, brother in law and. I were taking a tour of the house that does the baking and has the farm. We all walked past the gated off bedroom and both the men Commented to the docents, the person in the bed making the indentations in the bed looks very real. The female docent and I said that we didn’t see anyone there, yet my husband and brother in law did . It was really real to them and they were insistent as to what they saw, which we did not see. Eerie!!! I never forgot it. Not scary, just weird!
About 8 years ago, my husband, brother in law and. I were taking a tour of the house that does the baking and has the farm. We all walked past the gated off bedroom and both the men Commented to the docents, the person in the bed making the indentations in the bed looks very real. The female docent and I said that we didn’t see anyone there, yet my husband and brother in law did . It was really real to them and they were insistent as to what they saw, which we did not see. Eerie!!! I never forgot it. Not scary, just weird!
I am a volunteer at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. 2 weeks ago I was working alone in the Kirby house (which isn’t mentioned here.) The entire day was relatively normal. At the end of the day, just as I was locking up the front door a pale face suddenly stared at me through the window. As soon as I gasped it disappeared. Really freaked me out but I know what I saw. Despite the lack of haunted tales told about the Kirby house.
the school building, I have the mayor experience, a spirit try to possessed me while I was sitting on the school bench .” felt tire, cool, my energy was taken off,
when I came out the class room my energy came back”. went back next weekend I took pictures of the school and I capture the white mist a couple times with my camera. So I capture the ghost, I have proof that this school is hunted.