Suozzi, LaLota pitch 50-mile spy trail to commemorate revolutionary heroes

WASHINGTON — Two Long Island congressmen are proposing the creation of a 50-mile national trail along the North Shore to commemorate a network of American war spies during the Revolutionary War.

The Culper Spy Ring, often called "America's first spy ring," operated out of Long Island and Manhattan to provide George Washington information on British troop movements and other critical matters. It was popularized by the AMC series "TURN: Washington's Spies."

Now, as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary this summer, Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) have teamed to introduce their "Washington Spy Ring National Historic Trail Designation Act."

"The story of the Culper Spy Ring is one of courage and patriotism played out right here on Long Island," Suozzi said. "As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, it’s incumbent upon us to honor the brave men and women who risked everything for freedom, especially those whose heroism took place in our backyard."

Adds LaLota: “As America approaches its 250th birthday, Congress should recognize that without the Culper Spy Ring, General George Washington may never have turned the tide of the Revolution and set the United States on the path to becoming the greatest nation in the world.”

Their bill is a designation bill, and does not authorize any new spending. As envisioned, the trail would span approximately 50 miles along the North Shore of Long Island and Queens, from Little Neck to Port Jefferson, connecting locations used by or associated with the spy ring and its activities.

Key sites along the way include Raynham Hall in Oyster Bay (home of intelligence operative Robert Townsend), the Arsenal in Huntington (used to store gunpowder during the British occupation of Long Island and the town of Huntington) and the Brewster House in Setauket (used to spy on British officers.)

The trail would join the National Trails System, a network that promotes historic preservation, outdoor recreation and heritage tourism across the United States.

Suozzi’s and LaLota’s legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to work in partnership with local officials to develop and administer the trail, to ensure public access and historical preservation. The North Shore Promotion Alliance is identified in their bill as the organization that would administer it in cooperation with the Interior Department.

The Culper Spy Ring is credited, among other things, with uncovering Benedict Arnold’s conspiracy to surrender West Point to the British and uncovering plans to ambush the French army in Rhode Island.

So secret were its operations and operatives that Washington did not know who was in the ring — which had the code name Samuel Culper.