Thank you to the historians who piece together the past, the curators and the archivists who protect it, and the teachers and educators who share it. You are the heroes who keep history alive, and I am forever grateful.
Special thank you to the Three Village Historical Society, especially Beverly Tyler, Mari Irizarry, Dan Murphy, and Shamma Murphy. Thank you to Margo Arceri of Tri-Spy Tours, Lauren Brincat of Preservation Long Island, Mark Sternberg of the Drowned Meadow Cottage Museum, and Claire Bellerjeau of Raynham Hall Museum. Thank you to the librarians at the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library and the teachers, librarians, and staff at Setauket Elementary School. Also thank you to the Setauket Presbyterian Church, Caroline Church, the Frank Melville Foundation, Sherwood-Jayne House, and the Long Island Museum. Thank you to everyone who wrote a book or article about the Culper Spy Ring, most especially Bill Bleyer, Alexander Rose, Beverly Tyler, Kate Wheeler Strong, Sarah Marsh Glenn, Selene Castrovilla, Morton Pennypacker, and whoever assembled the “Teacher’s Guide to Three Village” binder in the Emma S. Clark Library. And a shout-out to the people responsible for all the historical markers and signs around Three Village—I don’t think I fully appreciated good signage until I wrote this book.
This book would not exist without my amazing editor, Anne Hoppe, and my incredible agent, Andrea Somberg—thank you both for your support, encouragement, and brilliance! Also, thank you to Mary Wilcox, Jamie Ryu, Catherine Lee, Alison Klapthor, Heather Tamarkin, Martha Schwartz, Jeannie Ng, Melissa Cicchitelli, and all the other fantastic people at Clarion Books and HarperCollins. And a huge thank you to Brandon Dorman for the magnificent cover art!
Thanks and love to my phenomenal family, who now have to deal with me pointing to buildings around town and regaling them with endless historical facts. You are my past, present, and future, and I love you more than words can ever say.
And thank you to George Washington, both for your service and for not burning the Culper letters even though Abraham Woodhull really, really wanted you to. Thank you to the known members of the Culper Spy Ring: Benjamin Tallmadge, Abraham Woodhull, Caleb Brewster, Austin Roe, Robert Townsend, and of course Anna Smith Strong. And thank you to the still-unknown members, as well as Patriots Selah Strong, Jonas Hawkins, Phillips Roe, Nathan Hale, Nathaniel Roe, Nathaniel Woodhull, Nathaniel Sackett, Nathaniel Ruggles (wow, Nathan was a popular name), Charles Scott, James Jay, John Clark, Hercules Mulligan, and the countless other men and women who risked their lives to found our nation.