In 1658, a woman named Goody Garlick stood trial on Long Island — accused of witchcraft decades before Salem. Her story reveals a lesser-known chapter of colonial fear and persecution right here on our shores.

“The belief in the supernatural has been ubiquitous throughout history. As many people said, “When you can’t explain the weather, the harvest fails, and the cow won’t give milk—clearly, it’s a witch. But was it?”, says Dr. Tara Rider.

Dr. Tara Rider of Stony Brook University brings this remarkable history to life in an evening lecture at the Reichert Planetarium. Discover how superstition, social tension, and the search for scapegoats shaped early Long Island — and how echoes of that era still resonate today.

When: Wednesday, September 23, 2026 · 7:00 PM
Where: Reichert Planetarium, Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport, NY 11721
Speaker: Dr. Tara Rider, Stony Brook University