In a formal letter, Harry Wallace, Chief of the Unkechaug Nation, vehemently objected to the development of Halesite land slated for the proposed Vineyard Bay Estates and requested the Town of Huntington Planning Board halt further activity. Referring to the land’s designation by New York State as archeologically sensitive, Chief Wallace stated, “This property is an area that contains known burials of our people as well as archaeological artifacts of significant spiritual and cultural value.” To eliminate the possibility of desecration, he petitioned for a thorough investigation and archeological survey under the oversight of an independent monitor.
In interviews with the Nathan Hale Nature Preserve Committee, Chief Wallace identified ground penetrating radar as the investigative tool that should be employed when searching for burial sites and archeological artifacts of the Native Americans who were the First Peoples of Long Island.
The full letter from Chief Wallace to the Town of Huntington officials is available here.
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