Researchers looking at old issues of local newspapers may find interesting items under headings of localities such as: Needmore, Hetzler’s Corner, Beehive, etc.  These were not necessarily towns or villages.  Instead they identified to the local citizens an area of the county.  A school or church built in or near that locality might also be given the same name.

In 1875 Henry KEMP donated a half acre of land in Salem Township for a church to be built. The deed stated that the land would revert to the heirs if it was no longer used as a meeting place.

Built on the southwest corner of the Tawawa-Maplewood Road and State Route 47 east of Port Jefferson, the church stood for 122 years.  The Beehive one-room school on the northeast corner closed in 1927, was made into a residence and burned down in 1935.

It was thought that the name “Beehive” may have been so named due to the number of bees in the area – or – because it was a beehive of activity with Sunday school, church services, picnics and ice cream socials.

Some of the early families in the area were BAKER, BELL, HERRING and KEMP.  As the members died or moved away, attendance decreased and church services went from every Sunday to a few times in the summer months. The Ladies Aid Society continued to meet at the church a few times a year in order to keep the property.

Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd BELL, who lived in the area, took care of the property until they passed away. As most of the former members were deceased and the inside of the church was in bad shape, the church was razed and the church bell has been placed on a base on the property.