Waldo Cabrera
Locust Valley, NY — The Quaker community on Long Island gathered to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Matinecock Meeting House, a landmark built in 1725 that has long stood as a symbol of Quaker perseverance and spiritual life. For three centuries, Friends have met in this simple wooden structure—through revolution, social upheaval, and renewal—guided by the core belief that there is “that of God in everyone.”
The anniversary also became a homecoming for former members who once worshiped at Matinecock before moving away from Long Island. Among the attendees were Town of Oyster Bay Clerk Richard LaMarca, Friends Academy Head of School Paul Stellato, North Shore Historical Museum representative Linda Darby, and former Friends Academy teacher Melinda Wenner Badley.
The day began with a traditional Quaker worship session, 45 minutes of silent reflection inside the Meeting House. Guests then gathered at Friends Academy for a celebratory luncheon.
The Quaker movement took root in 17th-century England amid religious conflict, and early Friends brought their message to Long Island decades before William Penn established Pennsylvania—making the region one of the earliest centers of American Quakerism. Since George Fox’s first visit in 1672, the Matinecock Meeting has remained a steady witness to Quaker values across generations.
More information is available at matinecockquaker.org.