Dan's Papers - May 6, 2008 -

Come To The Evening Event, "A River Runs Through It: The Great Riverhead Legacy"

The history and culture of Riverhead will be explored and celebrated in a two-part series on May 7 and May 9, called, "A River Runs Through It: The Great Riverhead Legacy." These two evening events will include noted speakers, a photo exhibit, music, local foods and wines. They will also unveil the Suffolk County Destination Downtown Program," which is sponsored by the Suffolk County Departments of Economic Development and Cultural Arts.

"This is a unique photography-based, countywide program which we will be producing for communities in Suffolk over the next few years," said Bruce Poli, who was the first arts consultant for Suffolk County in 1982, and who curated, researched and wrote the book, "Suffolk County: A Place in Time," in 1983. On May 7, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Suffolk County National Bank at 6 West Second Street in Riverhead will host "Riverhead: Regional Landmark and Soul of the East End," with a photographic mural exhibition by noted photographer Suzanne Poli. Over the past few years, she toured the Riverhead area, photographing the downtown area, the farms, the Peconic River, the vineyards, and the Long Island Sound.

Included in this exhibit are her color photos of a buffalo farm, a pumpkin farm, a barn with its machinery, a massive rock on the Sound at sunset, a Main Street church, and the famous soda fountain luncheonette on Riverhead's Main Street.

"After photographing the New York City neighborhoods for J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, I decided to come out and do the same for the Town of Riverhead, to try and capture its unique essence," said Suzanne Poli, a 40-year photographer.

Also at this May 7 event, there will be speakers who will discuss Riverhead's role in Suffolk County over the past 200 years up to the present, including Jim Morgo, First Deputy of Suffolk County; Phil Cardinale, Riverhead Town Supervisor; Tom Kohlmann, CEO of Suffolk County National Bank, and Andrea Lohneiss, Regional Director, Empire State Development Corporation. She was also the former Community Development Director for Riverhead. Michelle Isabelle Stark, Suffolk County Commissioner of the LI Film Commission and Cultural Arts, will give introductions.

On May 9, there will be a cultural arts evening program at the Vail Leavitt Music Hall in Riverhead from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This will feature two regional cultural leaders-Richard Wines, of Jamesport, who is President of the Hallockville Museum Farm, and Gaynell Stone of Wading River, Founder and President of the Suffolk County Archeological Association. She will speak about the Peconic River, the regional landscape, and the early inhabitants of the area. An expert on the Long Island native peoples, Stone has authored books on the Shinnecocks and other nations, and she will be signing her books at the event. Wines will present a walking tour of Riverhead historic buildings entitled, "Downtown Riverhead: Historic Center of the East End." Stone will speak about "Strategic Riverhead: Prehistory to the Present."

Food will be provided by Robert James Salon And Spa of Riverhead and wine is courtesy of the Long Island Wine Council. A string quartet from the East End Arts Council School of the Arts will perform on entrance to the Vail Leavitt event.

Bruce Poli said the idea of these events is to "create economic development by showing people what's so great about this area in their own backyards."