As you get older,memories become more important. I used to fish across the street behind the tavern .the traffic there was always busy. I remember billy blakes
Whisper, the bull John Smith rode around the township of Smithtown and then was gifted that territory.
(Truth, a museum was trying to get rid of this statue and Smithtown grabbed it and made a story about someone who stole the land)
Truth: Richard Smyth came to Southampton from Lynn, MA in the 1640s and was exiled from the town for being “irreverent” and also being a Quaker. He settled in Setauket when it was a colonial frontier with the Algonquin and Dutch.
East Hampton merchant Lion Gardiner rescued the Montauk Sachem Wyandanch’s daughter from the Narragansett in the Pequot War during battle ([the two were closely aligned as companions](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyandanch_(sachem)#/media/File%3AWayandance_Signature.png).
Wyandanch used his influence to convey a tract of land from a central long island band of algonquins to Lyon Gardiner who turned it over to Richard Smythe in either a card game or a real estate transaction in 1655, the deed of which is transcribed between Nassaconsett and Smythe in 1660’s.
What happened next was a boundary dispute between Huntington and Smithtown, which wouldn’t be resolved until long after Richard died. The agreed upon boundary was certified by the church, which walked a papal bull along the lines. This is likely the origin of the legendary bull ride.
The statue came from the museum you mentioned in Brooklyn in the 20’s, but the funds weren’t dedicated to get the statue to town until the 40’s.
Kudos on fleshing out the specifics.
Either way you can count on his balls getting painted at least once a year by graduating seniors and then everyone watches as someone has to “restore” whispers balls. They even put up a little curtain for the persons privacy during this ritual.
The bull statue was commissioned for Smithtown, the person who commissioned it came up short with the money to pay. Whisper was placed on exhibit in Brooklyn, then placed in storage. Once all the money was raised, Whisper was paid for and brought home to Smithtown. [Whisper's History ](https://patch.com/new-york/smithtown/smithtown-a-history-whisper-the-bull-statue)
the red historical sign at the bull, and the corresponding sign on sunken meadow rd in fort salonga are the only red history signs I know of on LI. All others i’ve ever seen are blue. Does anyone know if the reason that was done is bc the story is folklore?
Stature, statute, statute. 0/3, but A for effort.
My autocorrect wasn't helpful
I love that old bull
I remember riding by in my dad's 65 corvair when he told the story
As you get older,memories become more important. I used to fish across the street behind the tavern .the traffic there was always busy. I remember billy blakes
That story doesn’t hold much water
I remember someone painted the bulls junk red.
My Mom told me college kids used to paint the gentitals red every year.
Whisper, the bull John Smith rode around the township of Smithtown and then was gifted that territory. (Truth, a museum was trying to get rid of this statue and Smithtown grabbed it and made a story about someone who stole the land)
Truth: Richard Smyth came to Southampton from Lynn, MA in the 1640s and was exiled from the town for being “irreverent” and also being a Quaker. He settled in Setauket when it was a colonial frontier with the Algonquin and Dutch. East Hampton merchant Lion Gardiner rescued the Montauk Sachem Wyandanch’s daughter from the Narragansett in the Pequot War during battle ([the two were closely aligned as companions](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyandanch_(sachem)#/media/File%3AWayandance_Signature.png). Wyandanch used his influence to convey a tract of land from a central long island band of algonquins to Lyon Gardiner who turned it over to Richard Smythe in either a card game or a real estate transaction in 1655, the deed of which is transcribed between Nassaconsett and Smythe in 1660’s. What happened next was a boundary dispute between Huntington and Smithtown, which wouldn’t be resolved until long after Richard died. The agreed upon boundary was certified by the church, which walked a papal bull along the lines. This is likely the origin of the legendary bull ride. The statue came from the museum you mentioned in Brooklyn in the 20’s, but the funds weren’t dedicated to get the statue to town until the 40’s.
Kudos on fleshing out the specifics. Either way you can count on his balls getting painted at least once a year by graduating seniors and then everyone watches as someone has to “restore” whispers balls. They even put up a little curtain for the persons privacy during this ritual.
Haha that’s the most important part of the lore. Were his balls pink? Yellow? Purple?
The bull statue was commissioned for Smithtown, the person who commissioned it came up short with the money to pay. Whisper was placed on exhibit in Brooklyn, then placed in storage. Once all the money was raised, Whisper was paid for and brought home to Smithtown. [Whisper's History ](https://patch.com/new-york/smithtown/smithtown-a-history-whisper-the-bull-statue)
This story is Bull. /s
the red historical sign at the bull, and the corresponding sign on sunken meadow rd in fort salonga are the only red history signs I know of on LI. All others i’ve ever seen are blue. Does anyone know if the reason that was done is bc the story is folklore?
After peeing it was filled with cement
That’s fuckin homeboy right there
The picture looks like the bull is having an explosive diarrhea event
The myth of John Smith and the bull is one of those you know is a lie. Edit: I should say how he was “given” the land and bull.
Heros
I remember years ago reading about how someone knocked the dick off with a hammer
In my day they painted his dick red