Vanderbilt Cup Races

Bill San Antonio has written an excellent article of my new book North Hempstead for the Manhasset Times and Roslyn Times.

Please join me at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, February 5, 2014 for a book signing at Book Revue, 313 New York Avenue, Huntington.. All proceeds from this book signing will be donated to the Let's Do Lunch program of the Sid Jacobson JCC located in East Hills.

Enjoy,

Howard Kroplick

New book touts N. Hempstead history

Posted: Thursday, January 2, 2014 1:20 pm

BY BILL SAN ANTONIO

A new book commemorating the history of the Town of North Hempstead will be released in early 2014 in connection with the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Long Island Sound.

Written by Town of North Hempstead historian Howard Kroplick and with a forward by Town Clerk Leslie Gross, “Images of America: North Hempstead,” will be out Jan. 20 through Arcadia Publishing,

“It’s amazing how often I’ve been referring to it when people call asking me questions on the history of North Hempstead or to talk about the landmarks,” said Kroplick, a resident of Roslyn. “It’s nice, very quick, not all comprehensive, but it’s a really good reference to the history, to the people, for the various landmarks and it’s also a fun book.”

The book highlights the homes of famous North Hempstead residents William Cullen Bryant, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Philip Sousa, George M. Cohan and Groucho Marx, as well as the estates of the wealthy Vanderbilt and Guggenheim families.

In addition, the book features 12 “Now and Then” pages that showcase the town’s transformation from a farmland setting to the bustling suburbia of today and incorporates all 17 of the town’s official landmarks.

“I think it’s important for people to know the history of where we were and we’re going, and I hope it would cause some of the people to appreciate some of the things we have here,” said Kroplick, who has written books for Arcadia on the Vanderbilt Cup races and the Long Island Motor Parkway. “Something like [recently demolished Gold Coast mansion] Inisfada, it’ll be more difficult to take down in the future if people know more about them.”

Kroplick and Gross collaborated on the research for the pictorial book by using official North Hempstead historical documents and photographs from the surviving families of the town’s founders.

“I think the combination of the background and research, plus the photos that Howard and I chose to include make it something that will be a page-turner,” said Gross, of Great Neck. “The forward is really just a thank you note from me to Howard and from me to the residents of North Hempstead who I think will really appreciate it.”

Kroplick said the cover image of a man from the early 20th century reclining by the side of a road in Sands Point was a perfect representation of the kinds of photographs in the book.

“I got it from the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society. They have a beautiful collection from the early 1900s, and this one is from the Witmer Collection,” Kroplick said. “I thought it was in a beautiful setting and I thought it was very relaxing. I showed it to people and they really loved it, more than any other one I showed them.”

“It’s so exciting to me that people, even if they’re thinking of moving here, people who have lived here their whole lives, it’s so wonderful to take it in your hands and say, wow, this is an amazing place,” said Gross. “Sometimes we walk through life with blinders on and take things for granted. You can pick up a book like this and really get a flavor for the area and what it used to look like.”

Arcadia Publishing officials said proceeds from the book’s purchase will go toward various North Hempstead agencies, including Child Abuse Prevention Services, the Roslyn Landmark Society and the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center.

Kroplick has been the Town of North Hempstead historian since April 2012 and also serves as a member of the town’s Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission, a trustee on the Roslyn Landmark Society and president of the Long Island Motor Parkway Preservation Society.

Gross has served two terms as town clerk but was defeated for re-election in November by Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink.