Farmingville, NY – Recently, Supervisor Ed Romaine was joined by Town officials to mark the Town Hall lobby installation of the historic mural that was displayed for over 60 years in the former Town Hall building in Patchogue. This artifact of Brookhaven Town history was painted in 1955 by Mount Sinai artist Robert Zoeller. It commemorates the 300th Anniversary of the founding of the Town of Brookhaven. The mural’s removal from old Town Hall, conservation, and reinstallation in the present Town Hall was done by Jonathan Sherman of Sherman Art Conservation.
The left panel of the mural illustrates the Setalcott Indian village on the edge of a north shore bay, probably Setauket Harbor. The village is busy, but all attention is drawn to the incoming ship, which is bringing the first settlers to the area. The right panel represents the payment for the first deed given to the first settlers. A copy of the April 14, 1655 deed can be seen in the display case in the lobby of Town Hall.
In the center are two seals. The left one is the Seal of the Duke of York. The right one is the Seal of the Town of Brookhaven, used until 1977, when the date was corrected from 1686 to 1655. The three empty areas of beige color are not part of the mural, but were the location of three round-top windows in the former Town Hall spiral staircase. The mural can be viewed during regular business hours at Town Hall, Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Pictured left to right are Councilmembers Valerie M. Cartright; Michael Loguercio and Kevin LaValle; Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro; Councilmember Jane Bonner; Supervisor Ed Romaine; Town Clerk Donna Lent; Councilmembers Neil Foley and Dan Panico.
Division of Public Information - Office of the Supervisor
One Independence Hill
Farmingville, NY 11738
Phone: 631-451-6595