Cold Spring Harbor
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
(CSHL) was named
the top academic research
institution by the scientific journal
“Nature” in 2019. CSHL has a staff
of 600 researchers specializing in
cancer, neuroscience, genomics and
quantitative biology. Two Nobel
Prize winners have been associated
with CSHL, Barbara McClintock
and James Watson; both are known
for their work in genetics. Barbara
McClintock began her work on the
genetics of corn plants at CSHL
in 1944 and was able to identify
how genes move around on chromosomes
the “Jumping Genes”
which affect the physical traits of
the plant. James Watson and Francis
Crick identified the structure of
the DNA molecule.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
was founded in 1890 by the
Brooklyn Institute of Arts and
Science for biological research,
including Darwin’s Theory of
Evolution. The seashore location
was helpful in providing access to
plants and animals for study. Eight
acres of land and buildings were
donated by the Jones Brothers, proprietors
of the Cold Spring Harbor
Whaling Company. The Jones
brothers were the descendants of
Major Thomas Jones, who served
in the British army before coming to
the United States in the eighteenth
century and engaged in whaling
and real estate. Jones Beach was
originally a whaling station.
The first director of Cold Spring
Harbor Laboratory was Dr. Charles
Davenport, Harvard professor of
evolutionary biology and a proponent
of eugenics. Eugenics was the
movement to improve the genetic
composition of humanity through
the selection of mates with desirable
traits. This led to the dark
side of genetics during the period
of 1921 through the 1930s when
German “racial hygienists” touted
the Nordic race as the eugenic ideal.
Dr. Davenport retired from Cold
Spring Harbor Laboratory in 1934,
and the eugenics program was discontinued
by the end of 1940.
The focus of Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory began with genetics and
it played a role in ushering in the
modern era of molecular biology.
In addition to its research programs,
CSHL is a teaching center
where students and teachers can
use sophisticated equipment for
their experiments. The Dolan
DNA Center, located on 344 Main
Street (currently closed due to the
pandemic), has a museum featuring
exhibits describing relationships
between humans and Neanderthals
and human migrations. DNA is
now used extensively to identify
family relationships, but in the
1980s those techniques were not
available to the public.
A polish woman, Anna
Anderson, claimed to be the Grand
Duchess Anastasi, the daughter
of the last czar and czarina of
Russia, Nicholas and Alexandria
of Russia, who were murdered in
1918. This received much attention
worldwide, and raised many
questions. Using hair from Anna
Anderson and the cooperation of
Prince Philip, who provided his
DNA, the mystery was solved and
shown in an exhibit at the museum.
Prince Philip’s grandmother was a
sister of the czarina, Alexandria,
daughter of Queen Victoria. Prince
Philip carries maternal DNA from
the female side of the Romanovs.
Anna Anderson was not Anastasia.
Cold Harbor is a delightful place
to visit, facing the water, with
many restaurants that are open
with outdoor dining facilities. The
Whaling Museum on 301 Main
street has a collection of artifacts
from the 19th century, including
an actual whaling boat. Long
Island had three whaling stations,
Cold Spring Harbor, Sag Harbor
and Shinnecock. Whaling was an
important industry and profitable
industry, and the fascination and
danger associated with whaling was
described by Herman Melville, who
had been a whaler in his early life and
wrote “Moby Dick.” The seventeenth
century English settlers on Long
Island learned about whaling from
the Native Americans, who followed
the North Atlantic right whale which
swam close to shore during November
through March. Long Island had
many wildlife resources--fish, shellfish,
birds, seals and fertile soil--for
the native American tribes and the
colonists. The Whaling Museum is
open on Saturdays; phone 631-367-
3418 for information.
The Cold Spring Harbor Fishery
and Aquarium is an environmental
center demonstrating the fresh
water ecosystems of New York
State. It contains eight outdoor
ponds showing the life cycles of
trout and other local fish. There
are two aquarium buildings
which display fresh water reptiles,
amphibians and fish; phone 516-
692-6768. Driving to Cold Spring
Harbor along Northern Boulevard
is a scenic way to a charming and
interesting destination.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Dolan DNA Learning Center
Cold Spring Harbor Aquarium
Cold Spring Harbor Whaling
Museum
32 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ May 2021