I was born in 1950 and spent my days in Central Islip until I was 25. Being able to find documented history of this little hamlet enables one to hold on to an important part of their past. My grandmother came over from Ireland at the very early part of the century, as did many Irish imigrants. The draw was employment in the State Hospital on the south end of town. After meeting my grandfather they had two daughters, both still living. My mother is 84 and my aunt is 77. My mother still lives in town. As you can see, my family has its own history in Central Islip. Growing up in the 50s and 60s was very innocent in Central Islip. There were no malls until the mid 60s so you got to know the store owners in town. Some of them even had children in your classes. Many of the hospital employees knew each other. I myself, worked in the State Hospital on the Grounds Department for about 3 years and witnessed the change in downsizing. Every one of my immediate family also worked in the hospital, several of them retiring from there. The stories told to me by my grandmother, mother and aunt, especially my aunt, were facinating. Right out of the movies. My grandmother has a stained glass window dedicated to her in the Episcopal Church. I got to know many of my family's friends who were local businessmen. Being able to have a pictorial account of the business areas in town before one of the main roads was widened is very precious. Learning about the history of the village and how it progressed actually tales you back to that time. There's a wealth of memories from all the buildings that comprised the business area. Though disappointing to see the buildings go in the wake of progress, this book helps to remember those days for my generation, our parents and grandparents. The town has dramatically changed in the last 50 years and yields a new approach to small communities. This book is very informative and gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling. Thanks Sister Anne.