The large area to the South of Hempstead which now comprises
Rockville Centre, East Rockaway, Lynbrook, and Valley Stream
went under the name of "Near Rockaway". Through this area
ran a broad, shallow stream which later came to be known
as Mill River. The roads were narrow dirt lanes, usually
following old Indian trails. One of these ran east and west
alsong the old Merikoke Indian trail and is now know as Merrick
Road. Another shell covered road known as Long Lane ran along the
west side of Mill River. It is now known as Ocean Avenue,
Lynbrook.
At the junction of these two roads a small settlement gradually
developed. A cemetery was started there in the early 1700's.
Near this cemetery there was an underlying layer of sand
which was mixed with clay taken from another source and used
in the manufacture of building brick. As this sand was used,
a large hole developed and came to be known as "The Sand Hole"
The following was taken from "Church History";
"175 year of Divine Grace";
by Rev. Russell M. Christian*;
In 1784 Philip Cox, a Methodist Circuit rider, roamed the countryside conducting family prayers and
other religious services for those requesting it.
By 1790 the inhabitants of this community--about 40 families--felt the need for
a central meeting place, and so the first church was built on ground given by Isaac Denton,
next to the already existing community Rockville Centre.
It was a crude, barnlike structure, only 20 x 30 feet, and became affectionately known as the "Old Sand Hole Church",
so-called because of its location at a sand hole on the corner of Merrick (Old South Road) and Ocean Avenue (Long Lane).
According to the President of the Nassau Historical Society, "the building laced practically all the elements which we
now associate with a church. There was no organ, no stained glass windows, no steeple", but we hasten to add that the
Spirit of God was there.
Since the Methodist Circuit comprised the whole of Long Island
at this time, there were long intervals between services, so the
people were often as sheep without a shepherd. In spite of this obstacle, the cause of Christ
was greatly strengthened in the stirring ministry of the famous Benjamin Abbott.
*Courtesy of James Pearsall
At the close of the Revolutionary War the Town of Hempstead,
as we know it, was sparsely settled. There was a settlement on
the site of the present Village of Hempstead and a small
group of homes at Christian Hook, now know as Oceanside.
The history of "The Old Church" of Lynbrook has its roots in the very earliest days of the American republic.
Lynbrook, formerly known as Bloomfield and also Pearsall's Corner, was sparsely settled in
pre-Revolutionary days.