Members of the North Hempstead Town Board and the Roslyn Landmark Society were on hand on October 31 to announce that renovations to the historic Hicks Bridge have been completed, as well as the Hicks Memorial Centre at Gerry Pond Park in Roslyn. The park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places but is owned and maintained by the Town of North Hempstead.
The Hicks family was a prominent Quaker family on Long Island actively engaged in land, business, civic affairs, and community development. They owned more than 100 acres in Roslyn Harbor and were the original owners of the Roslyn Grist Mill, a historic landmark located just across the street. The well-known Hicks Nursery and Garden Center still operates on Jericho Turnpike in Westbury.
The Hicks Memorial Bridge was built in 1931 by Alice Hicks to honor Henry Bergh, the founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). While it underwent maintenance in 2009, the bridge had not yet been restored since its original construction and was left in serious disrepair. An initial grant of $25,000 was awarded by the Gerry Charitable Trust in 2016 for its reconstruction; however, the project was never carried out. The current renovation began in April of this year, designed by Architectural Preservation Studio, DPC of New York City and carried out by Henry Restoration Ltd of Nesconset.
The work included:
- rebuilding or stabilizing elements of the north and south walls that had shifted
- replication of stones in cast stone with new stone to match the original.
- replication of missing architectural elements, such as the three stone finials at the top of the piers and the capstone
- repointing of all stonework
- cleaning biological staining from the stones.
- the removal of previous inappropriate cementitious patches and re-patching using restoration mortar or new stone Dutchman repairs
- the addition of a new railing on both sides of the memorial
- the replacement of the existing concrete sidewalk
Notably, a historically accurate replica of the original 28-inch bronze plaque that had been stolen in 1990 was also installed at the center of the bridge. The original was sculpted by David Evans and was placed on the bridge in 1931 with the inscription “To Henry Bergh, founder of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, April 10, 1866, Presented by Benjamin D. Hicks.” It included a eulogy for Bergh written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
“We promised our residents that we would take action on long-overdue projects in our Town, so this completion is especially satisfying,” Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena noted. “North Hempstead is rich in history, and preserving it for our children and their children is a must.”
“Public works is not just about streets and sidewalks — it’s also about creating and maintaining the public spaces that define our community,” Councilperson Mariann Dalimonte added. “This project required some elbow grease, but it came in on time, on budget, and with beautiful results.”