As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the West Hempstead Historical and Preservation Society is marking more than four decades of preserving the community’s past while expanding access to local history through exhibits, archives and educational programs.
Founded in 1983, the nonprofit organization is dedicated to collecting, preserving and sharing materials that document West Hempstead’s history. Today, the society has more than 20 active members and a Facebook community of more than 1,300 former residents and local history enthusiasts who have contributed photographs, documents and memorabilia to its growing collection.
“It was just a very lovely thing, and continues to be in many ways,” co-presidant Lesley McAvoy said.
Much of the society’s recent growth began with a student project by Christopher McAvoy, whose high school community service presentation, “Welcome to West Hempstead,” explored the history of the community after he found little historical information available as an elementary school student. The project was presented to the Historical Society, West Hempstead school officials and Town of Hempstead representatives and later became part of the society’s permanent collection.
Over the past decade, the society has expanded its presence throughout the community. In addition to preserving the original West Hempstead Post Office display and McAvoy’s presentation, it has created several permanent historical exhibits at the West Hempstead Public Library, including a rotating display, a conference room exhibit and a display featuring shelving from the original Woodlawn Street library.
The organization has also partnered with the West Hempstead School District to install historical displays in every district school. Exhibits highlighting the histories of George Washington, Cornwell Avenue and Chestnut Street elementary schools, the district administration building and West Hempstead High School were completed between 2015 and 2023. During that time, the society also helped make the high school’s yearbook collection available through the public library.
“We managed to get displays at every single public school in West Hempstead,” she said.
The society has also documented milestone anniversaries for organizations including the West Hempstead and Lakeview fire departments, Riesterer’s Bakery and Chestnut Street School. “It tied the community together a little,” she said. “It’s a changing population here.”
