History will be uncovered in downtown Oyster Bay through the Long Island History Hunt, which challenges participants to take selfies in historic locations from Brooklyn to Montauk. The hunt—which is the first of its kind—will take place from July 1 through September 30 and offer prizes to participants who visit museums, monuments and other historic sites.
“From the Revolutionary War and the Culper Spy Ring, to being the home and final resting place of President Theodore Roosevelt, The Town of Oyster Bay has an incredibly rich history to be proud of,” said Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino.
The Town of Oyster Bay is home to three sites in the history hunt, including the Raynham Hall Museum, Oyster Bay Railroad Museum and the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center.
12 total sites across Long Island will be included in the challenge. Other sites in the hunt are the Montauk Historical Society, East Hampton Historical Society, Oysterponds Historical Society in Orient, Shelter Island History Museum, Smithtown Historical Society and Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, among others.
Once participants register online, they’re challenged to visit the sites and document their visit with a selfie.
Each location prompts visitors to find something unique to the site and take a photo with it. For example, at the railroad museum, visitors are challenged with finding the historical photo of Theodore Roosevelt sitting on the bench and taking a selfie with it.
Visitors who complete any site challenge are automatically eligible to win prizes. Those who enter all 12 earn the title of a ‘Revolutionary Trailblazer’ and are automatically entered into the grand prize drawing, which includes a $500 prize, Saladino said.
In addition to the 12 ‘challenge sites,’ the hunt lists 11 parks that participants can visit to take a break in the middle of their journeys, one of which is the Planting Fields Arboretum in Upper Brookville.
The first regional history hunt is sponsored by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation in partnership with New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
“The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation’s mission is to support the advancement of Long Island’s important historic role in the American experience. All Long Islanders, as participants in the daily events of their towns and neighborhoods, are builders in the legacy and heritage of the places we call home,” said Kathryn Curran, the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation’s executive director.
For those interested in participating, register for the challenge at app.otocast.com/guide/LIHistoryHunt.
