Chicken Hill was an industrialized and residential community in Setauket where residents of the neighborhood held labor-intensive occupations throughout the Three Village area and provided many services to other residents. It was a multi-ethnic neighborhood that included African Americans, Setalcott Native Americans, Russians, Poles, Lithuanians, Romanians, Irish, and Italians. First the Nunns and Clark Piano Factory then the Long Island Rubber Factory employed both residents and immigrants to the United States looking for work and were the economic support for Setauket. The primary religions in Chicken Hill were Roman Catholic, African Methodist Episcopal, and Judaism. As a neighborhood, it existed from 1860 until 1960. The neighborhood was about a mile acreage in Setauket located on Route 25A surrounding the Setauket Methodist Church.  

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Because of the abundance of chickens, it was during the 1890’s that the community surrounding the Setauket rubber factory acquired its pejorative common name “Chicken Hill.”  

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This online exhibit aims to create a cohesive narrative of the economic, social, and cultural features of Chicken Hill. By sharing this history, we highlight the importance of preserving the stories of marginalized communities—those whose histories are often overlooked or forgotten. Chicken Hill is a prime example of a community that may no longer exist physically, but whose cultural memory and influence continue to resonate in the history of Setauket. Through this exhibit, the TVHS ensures that the heritage of Chicken Hill remains a part of our collective understanding and appreciation of local history.