Statue of Whisper The Bull, Smithtown, Suffolk County, NY

In Suffolk County, NY at the junction of NY Route 25 and 25A is a bronze statue of ‘Whisper the Bull’, a recognizable symbol of Smithtown. Now green with tarnish, the statue was erected ages ago in honor of the founder of the town, Richard Smith. According to legend, he procured the land by bargaining with the local Indians that he could have as much land as he could encircle in one day on the back of a bull. In 1903 a descendent of Smith, Lawrence Smith Butler, proposed to his sculptor friend the idea of a bronze statue to commemorate the epic event. A price of $12,000 was the agreed-upon price and the sculptor, Charles Cary Rumsey set about raising the funds to complete the project.

Although the year is not known, according to historians a local newspaper in Smithtown ran a contest to name the bull, and students from the elementary school won the contest by entering the name “Whisper”. Decades after his arrival to Smithtown, ‘Whisper the Bull’ stands as a proud reminder of the charming legend of the highly controversial figure of Richard ‘Bull’ Smith in the history of Long Island.

The story of Richard ‘Bull’ Smith is a highly controversial subject. His vast wealth allowed him to buy land freely which soon enabled him to assemble a princely domain in the Long Island area. He was often involved in boundary disputes and after a long and bitter dispute over the boundary between the town of Huntington and the lands he owned, the outcome was found in his favor by the courts. Known as one of the great men of Colonial Long Island, he lies buried near the house he built at Nissequogue.

The often-repeated legend of the founder of Smithtown is lacking in historical foundation. Whether true or not, the story has left its mark upon the people of Smithtown and the ‘Bread and Cheese Hollow’ in the neighborhood was apparently so named because it is said that Smith tarried there for lunch on his momentous ride from daylight to dusk. Being a shrewd businessman, Smith recorded his deeds with the local authorities and the Secretary of State on March 2, 1666.

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