Old Bethpage Village Celebrates “1863 Thanksgiving” Over Two Weekends

Preparing food for the holidays at Old Bethpage Village.

Old Bethpage Village Restoration (OBVR) will celebrate an “1863 Thanksgiving” over two successive weekends November 22 - 23 and November 29 - 30 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.

Visitors to the recreated 19th-century village will be able to enjoy the sights and smells of an old-fashioned Thanksgiving, as wood-burning stoves, beehive stoves, beehive ovens and hearths are used to prepare foods and baked goods made from 19th-century recipes.

The culinary exhibits include the “spitting” and roasting of turkey in a tin reflector oven beside the Williams House hearth and preparation of pies at the Powell House. OBVR will also display 19th-century methods of food preservation employed for late fall crops.

In addition, each afternoon, historical period music will be played and at the Noon Inn, children’s stories will be read several times each day.

“This program, which is itself a tradition at Old Bethpage Village, is a wonderful way for Long Islanders to connect with 19th-century American culture during one of our most significant national holidays,” says Jim McKenna, OBVR site director and curator.

Old Bethpage Village provides visitors with a uniqueopportunity to step back in time and experience life in a recreated mid-19th-century American village set on more than 200 acres. Hours are Wed. - Sun., 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Old Bethpage Village will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on November 27 - 28). Entrance fees are $7 for children 5 - 12 (those under 5 are free), seniors and volunteer firefighters; and $10 for adults. It is located on Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage (exit 48 on the LIE); for more information, call 516-572-8400.