OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Huntington Liberty Minute: Nathan Hale Commemoration – June 16, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, June 16, 2026
BodyHuntington, New York
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, June 16, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:28

Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Welcome to this Liberty Minute, part of Huntington's celebration of 250 years of American independence.

0:14

After the American loss at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, George Washington asked for a volunteer to gather intelligence on British activities on Long Island.

0:25

Washington had escaped to Manhattan.

0:28

Nathan Hale, a 21-year-old school teacher and Yale graduate, volunteered to undertake the mission.

0:34

He came by boat from Norwalk, Connecticut to the shores of Huntington Bay in September 1776.

0:40

A few days later, after gathering information on the British, he was captured by Robert Rogers, who commanded a unit of British Rangers.

0:48

Hale was taken to Manhattan, where he was hanged.

0:56

The first was a column erected on Main Street in front of the library.

1:00

The second was a large boulder moved to the beach where it was thought Hale had landed to start his mission.

1:06

The boulder was moved inland to the head of Huntington Harbor in 1974.

1:11

Hale is remembered for his last words, which were purported to have been I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.

1:22

Thanks to the sacrifices of generations of Huntington Patriots, liberty endures.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Historic Preservation█████████████████████████████████████████████100%
Summary of Proceedings

Huntington Liberty Minute: Nathan Hale Commemoration – June 16, 2026

This is a historical narration presented as part of Huntington's celebration of 250 years of American independence. No agenda or minutes were available, and the record contains no public comments or board actions.

Historical Narration

  • The segment recounts Nathan Hale's intelligence-gathering mission after the American loss at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776.
  • George Washington asked for a volunteer to gather intelligence on British activities on Long Island; Hale, a 21-year-old Yale graduate and school teacher, volunteered and traveled by boat from Norwalk, Connecticut, to Huntington Bay in September 1776.
  • After collecting information, Hale was captured by Robert Rogers, commander of a unit of British Rangers, and was taken to Manhattan, where he was hanged.
  • The narration describes two memorials in Huntington: a column erected on Main Street in front of the library, and a large boulder moved to the beach where Hale was thought to have landed, later relocated inland to the head of Huntington Harbor in 1974.
  • The narration ends by recalling Hale's purported last words: 'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.'

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to this Liberty Minute, part of Huntington's celebration of 250 years of American independence. After the American loss at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, George Washington asked for a volunteer to gather intelligence on British activities on Long Island. Washington had escaped to Manhattan. Nathan Hale, a 21-year-old school teacher and Yale graduate, volunteered to undertake the mission. He came by boat from Norwalk, Connecticut to the shores of Huntington Bay in September 1776. A few days later, after gathering information on the British, he was captured by Robert Rogers, who commanded a unit of British Rangers. Hale was taken to Manhattan, where he was hanged. The first was a column erected on Main Street in front of the library. The second was a large boulder moved to the beach where it was thought Hale had landed to start his mission. The boulder was moved inland to the head of Huntington Harbor in 1974. Hale is remembered for his last words, which were purported to have been I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. Thanks to the sacrifices of generations of Huntington Patriots, liberty endures.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com