Community Corner

Garden City Historian Among 'Long Island's Top Advocates'

John Ellis Kordes to be honored by Oyster Bay Historical Society.

Garden City's official village historian, John Ellis Kordes, has been named one of “Long Island’s Top Advocates for Historic Preservation and Education” by the Oyster Bay Historical Society.

The Historical Society will honor Kordes at its inaugural awards reception on July 10, which will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Woodlands in Woodbury.

This is a first-ever annual awards program to honor individuals across Long Island who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to historical preservation and education. 

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“We are pleased to honor John as one of the top advocates who has done so much for preserving Long Island’s history and furthering education,” noted event organizer Tracey Gittere, president, Legendary Events, Inc. of Carle Place.

Kordes was born and raised in Garden City, graduated from Garden City High School and then Adelphi University.  He has worked with the Village of Garden City and for the Village of Garden City regarding its history since 1989 and has been its official Village Historian since 1996. 

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He has combined his professional skills as a photographer with his knowledge and interest in local history to write and produce two documentary films, “A.T. Stewart’s Garden City” and “The Long Island Motor Parkway.”  He also wrote and published two editions of his book, Visions of Garden City, and has penned six different newspaper columns for several local newspapers and countless feature articles about Garden City history for the Garden City News. 

Kordes also created The Garden City Heritage Tour Maps for walking tours and, for those not inclined to walk, a highly successful historic bus tour of Garden City, which is most often utilized by local schools and other groups. 

In addition, Kordes has also utilized his photographic skills to create Garden City post cards, calendars and posters, all featuring the Village of Garden City.  He is a popular speaker and regularly lectures to various groups about Garden City and also gives historic tours of Garden City’s Cathedral of the Incarnation. 

Kordes also assisted in the restoration of the Long Island Motor Parkway Garden City Toll Lodge (presently, the home of the Garden City Chamber of Commerce) and created a pictorial museum inside of that building.  Furthermore, he developed and taught a course on Garden City history through Adult Education in the public schools. He also handles all inquiries into Garden City history and is in charge of the Village archives.

Proceeds of this important event will benefit the Oyster Bay Historical Society, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a broad public interest in and awareness of the rich and distinctive history of the Town of Oyster Bay. The society collects, preserves, and makes accessible to everyone artifacts, books, documents, records, photographs, and other materials pertinent to the history and development of Oyster Bay and to stimulate and educate the community through exhibitions, programs, and publications designed to interpret our past, to reflect on our future, and to bring our history to life in the present.

You can make a donation in honor of John Ellis Kordes, benefiting the Oyster Bay Historical Society, by visiting www.HonoringJohnEllisKordes.eventbrite.com For more information, call Legendary Events, (516) 222-0550, or email at tgittere@legendaryevents.net.


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