This vintage real photo postcard features the Nathan Hale Monument, located in Huntington, New York. After the battle of Long Island, the Briitsh occupied Huntington and the rest of the island. Nathan Hale, twenty one years old and a Yale graduate from Connecticut, volunteered to cross the Long Island Sound and gather intelligence on the British. He came ashore, and began his mission in Huntington. Hale was captured by the British and identified as a spy. He was hung in New York City. His last words are said to be “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”. A monument was erected in Huntington to honor Hale. Famed architect Stanford White created the original design. He also donated money to help pay for the monument. The cost of the memorial was about nineteen hundred dollars. The memorial was erected in 1894. Originally, the monument also served as a drinking fountain and it had two lamps to provide light at night.The monument was quite versatile. It also had a water trough for horses. Huntington also has another long time monument honoring Hale. It is called Nathan Hale Rock. This photo postcard was published by the Gildersleeve Shop. The card has a Northport (NY) postmark that is dated 1909. This postcard is rare. The house in the background of this photograph puzzles me. I would expect to see the town’s Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building or the towns historic cemetery instead. Perhaps there was a house that was adjacent to the memorial that I was unaware existed. Another possibility is that the photographer intentionally combined two photos to make it appear that the monument was in someone’s front yard. More investigation is required. This historic vintage real photo postcard has paper debris on it’s reverse from it’s former residence in an album. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
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