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Welcome to West Hempstead - Connecting our Community from the West Hempstead Historical Society

Writer: Thomas Tittmann
Thomas Tittmann
17 hours ago
8 min read

Updated: 1 hour ago

Some members of our group have expressed an interest in creating a book about West Hempstead.


As one of those interested, I’ve been recommending that we also focus our efforts on an online publication (website and Facebook). Here’s why:


  • It will be available to everyone

  • It can help increase membership - because of its easy access

  • It can build more diversity in the group

  • It will stay current…not fixed in a book

  • It will allow viewers to add their personal comments


When I checked, the following URL's seem to be available for our proposed site:


Draft Format for Website


On the proposed website, we'll add links to these sites.

  • West Hempstead Historical Society

  • West Hempstead Community Support Association

  • West Hempstead Public Library

  • West Hempstead Echo

  • West Hempstead Then and Now


In addition, we'll create a separate webpage for the online history "book" that will include links to chapters highlighting memorable parts of our town's history, such as:


Examples of businesses that are or were a part of our town for many years.


--->>>The videos showcase what an online history "book" can offer viewers. The footnoted references follow the video.


  • Riesterer's Bakery and Cafe (oldest bakery on LI and NYS) (1)

  • Berkeley Models (2)

  • Aurora Plastics (models) (3)

  • Abilities, Inc. (serving the disabled community) (4)

  • Community Cafe (almost 100 years of service)

  • Barnes & Sorrentino Funeral Home (since 1962)

  • Island Garden Arena - esp. it's musical history (see draft)


Online Welcome Wagon: Our Introduction to our Town


Found this interesting view of our welcome sign...takes in some of the park...including the clock allows us to take folks back in time...




It's also used as the thumbnail for Homes.com's video of our town that I sent some of you a few days ago. The link follows the next two images.


Their narrated video includes outside and inside shots of some of my favorite spots:






Longtime Businesses


(1) Riesterer's Bakery and Cafe



An online history "book" can allow people a place to add their input:



David and Adam from the West Hempstead Echo's "This Week in West Hempstead Podcast" (more on this further down) visited Riesterer's for their 94th anniversary.



[from the video description] Everyone's favorite hometown bakery celebrates its 94th year in business with classic cars, coffee and delicious treats, music and lots of fun in the bakery's parking lot. As they gear up for their next 94 years with a revamped website and delivery across the country, Echo was there to join the party.


Here are your favorite sweet crafters...


As the singer says: "It's a family affair..."



I had one of these classics "peoples' cars". To see the other classics, enjoy the video.




(2) Berkeley Models


New video on the history of Berkeley Models started by Brian Barry's godfather Bill Effinger.




(3) Aurora Plastics



My career in auto mechanics started with these VW's:





[from description] Color photo of the Aurora Plastics Corporation factory being torn down in 2006. Aurora Plastics moved from Brooklyn to West Hempstead in the mid-1950s. It manufactured plastic model kits and electric slot cars. Aurora Plastics had its headquarters at 44 Cherry Valley Road and its factory was located on Hempstead Turnpike. The factory was demolished in 2006 to make way for a Shop N Shop shopping center.



For children of all ages...





This May 28, 2026 Facebook post is an example of how an online history "book" can be enhanced by readers' comments. This post has 34 comments.





(4) Abilities, Inc.


The West Hempstead Historical Society recently visited the Viscardi Center in Albertson. They carry on the foundational work of founder Henry Viscardi.


West Hempstead location - started in 1952 - was the only business in the US staffed by mostly disabled people.





This 1952 article from The Beacon mentions that Brian's godfather Bill Effinger (owner of Berkeley Models) was a key member of the team that secured the financing for Mr. Viscardi's business.

Note: The site lists the West Hempstead Historical Society as the holder of this image.



[from the description] Clipping from The Beacon newspapers dated Oct. 2, 1952. Article in The Beacon about the opening of Abilities, Inc., the "First of its Kind in the Country." Abilities, Inc., founded by Henry Viscardi, Jr., employed the "able" disabled. The building was located at 59 Railroad Avenue. The business competed for local business contracts.


West Hempstead Historical Society





[from the article that follows] Founded in 1983, the nonprofit organization is dedicated to collecting, preserving and sharing materials that document West Hempstead’s history. Today, the society has more than 20 active members and a Facebook community of more than 1,300 former residents and local history enthusiasts who have contributed photographs, documents and memorabilia to its growing collection.

“It was just a very lovely thing, and continues to be in many ways,” co-president Lesley McAvoy said.

Much of the society’s recent growth began with a student project by Christopher McAvoy, whose high school community service presentation, “Welcome to West Hempstead,” explored the history of the community after he found little historical information available as an elementary school student. The project was presented to the Historical Society, West Hempstead school officials and Town of Hempstead representatives and later became part of the society’s permanent collection.



[from the next article] Did you know that the Town of Hempstead once had a farm that housed 40 St. Bernard dogs? Or that Martin Luther King Jr. had spoken at the Island Garden Arena? West Hempstead High School sophomore Chris McAvoy did, thanks to the countless hours he spent researching the history of his hometown for a project.


West Hempstead Historical Society President John Shaud praised Chris for his efforts and well-executed, educational presentation. The project, Shaud said, is “the most important event of the Historical Society in years.”

It was under Shaud’s encouraging supervision that Chris was able to find historical documents, photographs and maps in the Historical Society’s archives. But Chris expanded his research, visiting Hempstead Town Hall, St. George’s Church, Hempstead Village Courthouse and Library, and Old Bethpage Village Restoration. He also had help from Town of Hempstead Historian Thomas Saltzman, Village of Hempstead Library Special Programs Coordinator Steven Rung, Nassau County Photo Archivist George Fisher and “West Hempstead Now and Then” historical blogger Yossi Azose.





[from the following article] In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Day Jan. 17, residents of Malverne, West Hempstead and Lakeview reflected on the close history the local communities share with the civil rights movement’s desegregation efforts of the 1960s as well as past visits by King himself.

In a statement detailing the history of the segregation in the Lakeview-West Hempstead area, the West Hempstead Historical Society emphasized “how deeply the history of this national holiday (MLK Day) is entrenched in our own community.”




West Hempstead Community Support Association (began 1995)



WHCSA is also active in our town. I reviewed their website and Facebook pages and feel that what we will be creating will not conflict with their efforts; rather, it will enhance it.


West Hempstead Public Library


Our library has a large collection of information about our town's history.




Another from this source:


[from the About page] The West Hempstead Public Library and the West Hempstead Historical and Preservation Society work together to bring the area’s history to the public.


The West Hempstead Historical and Preservation Society was founded in 1983 as a non-profit. Its mission is to collect and to preserve historical materials relevant to our community and to use them to educate the public about its rich history. Currently, there are 25 members and over 1,200 Facebook followers.

The Society possesses over 500 original photos dating from 1900 to the present. Copies of photos from various sources total in the thousands. Artifacts from different time periods (books, typewriters, phones, washboards, toys, tools, etc.) and memorabilia specific to West Hempstead history (old programs, diplomas, report cards, tickets, bank account records, bills, ration tickets, newspapers and the like) number in the hundreds. It also possesses a collection of West Hempstead High School yearbooks spanning from 1954-2021. Society meetings are held at the local Riesterer’s Bakery or the West Hempstead Public Library.

The library is home to a permanent display of 40 archived photos in the Board Room, and a main floor display which highlights a different historical topic quarterly. The main floor also features a photo collection celebrating the library’s 50th Anniversary. This exhibit, uniquely displayed on original shelving from the 1956 library building, showcases each former location of the library and a write-up of its history.




West Hempstead Echo (website & YouTube)




[from the description] West Hempstead Echo is a one-stop digital resource for local news, events and all things happening in West Hempstead, NY. Our goal is to bring you hyper-local information and events wrapped up in one meaningful and consistent user-friendly site. Our commitment is to keep you informed of breaking news on information impacting you on a daily basis with mobile alerts. We will also be producing a weekly podcast featuring a summary of news events happening in West Hempstead. We want to put the “local” back into hyper-local news.



This Week in West Hempstead Podcast




October 9, 2026 Episode (link after the two images)




--I enjoyed their mixture of stories complete with wisdom and humor.


FYI - Riesterer's is one of the sponsors of this episode and the video's description says: Riesterer's gets ready to celebrate 95 years serving the community,


On the West Hempstead Echo's website, they included the following Oct. 12 News12 article (link with video follows below the next image) on Riesterer's 95th anniversary event:

The party will run [Sunday Oct. 18] from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.


I think this is John S...



[from the video] A popular Nassau County shop is inviting the community to help them celebrate almost a century of serving Long Island.

Riesterer’s Bakery and Café in West Hempstead is marking 95 years in business with an anniversary party this coming weekend.

The family-owned confectionery is the oldest on Long Island and across New York State, according to owner Karl Riesterer Sr.

Customers can head down to their location on Hempstead Avenue on Sunday, Oct. 18, for free baked goods, coffee, drinks, and music.

The party will run [Sunday Oct. 18] from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.



Included is a 2025 post they did that featured a clip of a band at Creative Corner.


West Hempstead Now and Then


There's also an historical blogger - Yossi Azose - that has 76 posts about West Hempstead and Lakeview's origins and important facts. The post go from 2009 to 2023...LOTS of interesting history. Some of the articles include original stories from our local groups and newspapers.

The site has a side menu with topics.





 
 
 

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