In 1894, the Town of Huntington, Long Island, New York erected a granite monument in memory of Captain Nathan Hale, who had landed at Huntington in 1776 on an intelligence-gathering mission for the Continental Army that ultimately resulted in his capture and execution by the British Army. At the time that the monument was erected, it was believed that Hale had also been captured at Huntington and the memorial reflected this claim. This claim was disputed in later years by historians who contended that Hale was in fact captured on the island of Manhattan in New York City. In 1939, a committee was formed by the Board of the Town of Huntington to conduct research into the true site of Hale's capture and determine whether or not the wording on the Hale monument should be revised. After conducting its research, the committee concluded that the historical information suggesting New York City as the site of Hale's capture was inconclusive, and that the monument should remain unchanged.
From the guide to the Town of Huntington, New York Nathan Hale monument research materials, 1939-circa 1957, (Brooklyn Historical Society)
