At the invitation of Walt Whitman Birthplace Association Executive Director Cynthia Shor, Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Huntington Station) recently joined the Board of Trustees and staff of the historic site located in his legislative district as they dedicated a 300-book collection of Walt Whitman-related volumes for the new Norman and Jeanette Gould Library. The event also honored donors of both the collection and library who were presented County Proclamations by Legislator Donnelly.
The collection, named in honor of the Marvin Feinstein family, is housed and preserved on the Walt Whitman Birthplace premises and available to the community for scholarly research, historic documentation, and general appreciation of Whitman’s individual and collective writings, according to Ms. Shor. Legislator Donnelly addressed the gathering at the dedication on April 26, offering words of appreciation of the historic donation.
Marvin Feinstein was a lifelong book collector and bookseller who lived in Northport. Upon his passing, Mr. Feinstein’s widow, Miriam, and sons David and Allen, wanted to keep his Whitman collection intact and approached the Whitman Association with a donation of 40 books and an offer to donate half the value of the remaining 250 books. This library is composed of many rare books, including first-editions of Leaves of Grass and November Boughs. When Whitman Association Trustee Jeffrey Gould heard of the literary and historic significance of the collection, he generously offered to secure the collection through the Jeffrey S. Gould Foundation and chose to name the acquisition in honor of his parents, Norman and Jeanette Gould.
Legislator Donnelly was joined by other local and state dignitaries at the dedication including fellow Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Sag Harbor).
“The entire community is grateful to Trustee Jeffrey Gould and the Feinstein Family for making this extraordinary donation to the Walt Whitman Birthplace,” said Legislator Donnelly. “Their generosity enables current and future generations of Huntington residents and visitors to transport themselves back in time as they relish these rare tomes related to our native son, Walt Whitman.”
The Walt Whitman Birthplace is located at 246 Old Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station (www.waltwhitman.org).
Pictured right, Suffolk Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Huntington Station) and, left, Suffolk Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Sag Harbor) join Walt Whitman impersonator Darrel Blaine Ford and Walt Whitman Birthplace Executive Director Cynthia Shor at the dedication of the historic 300-volume Feinstein Collection for the new Norman and Jeanette Gould Library on Thursday, April 26 at the Walt Whitman Birthplace historic site in Huntington Station.