This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Smithtown and the Bull

As a local Credit Union, we here at Teachers Federal Credit Union find our history fascinating.

Few areas have an origin story as interesting as Smithtown.

Local Richard Smith bet the Nesaquake Indians that he can ride his pet Bull around the lands he wanted to stake claim to. If he lost, the natives could have his Bull. If he won, he would be granted title to the lands he encircled. 

On the summer solstice (the longest day of the year), Smith set out to encircle the lands that would become his future claim. Braving the wilderness of Long Island's north shore was no small feat, but Smith pressed on as the sun climbed higher in the sky.

Around noon, Smith rested with a lunch of bread and cheese along the way. This lunch inspired the name Bread and Cheese Hollow, (thus serving as the inspiration for present day's Bread and Cheese Hollow Road, right on the border of Smithtown and Huntington) and continued to press on.

At sunset, Smith finished his roughly 35 mile circle, and the rest is history...

The legend of Richard Smith and his Bull ride is pretty epic... but questions remains- Did he actually ride his bull the 35 miles? If so, how did he do it?

Do you believe the legend of Richard Smith and his bull ride?

TFCU Smithtown is located right in the heart of the downtown, at the corner of West Main Street and Bank Ave. Come in and say hello to Kathleen, our Branch Manager, and her team!

TFCU is locally grown...just like you!



We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?