Footnotes to Long Island History
Suffolk Historical
Society
09/48
by
Thomas R. Bayles
One of the most interesting and important organizations on Long Island
is the Suffolk County Historical society, which is housed in a handsome
brick and stone building on a beautiful triangular plot in the western
part of Riverhead, just west of the Henry Perkins hotel on Route 25.
While the
Suffolk County Fair was in progress in September, 1886, a meeting was
held in the courthouse in Riverhead, which resulted in the organization
of the Suffolk County Historical society on September 28, 1886.
The
officers of the original society were: President, James H. Tuthill of
Riverhead, who was then surrogate of the county; first vice president,
the Rev. Dr. Epher Whitaker of Southold; second vice president, Joseph
H. Petty, Amityville; recording secretary, Stuart T. Terry, Southold;
corresponding secretary, Richard M. Bayles, Middle Island; treasurer,
James H. Pierson, Southampton; custodian, George F. Stackpole,
Riverhead. There were also two councilors elected from each town in the
county, as at presents. Mr. Tuthill continued as president of the
society until his death in January, 1894.
The Board
of Supervisors granted permission for an exhibition case for such
articles as might be brought in to stand in the surrogate’s office.
This was the office and home of the society until the purchase of the
fireproof building on the corner of Main street and Griffing avenue, in
Riverhead, several years later. This building was originally built in
1856 for an office of the clerk of Suffolk county and later occupied by
the Riverhead Savings bank, and was purchased by the society for
$4,000. This continued to be the home of the society until the present
handsome structure was erected.
The objects
of the society, according to Article 2 of its charter, “Shall be to
foster the historical spirit in thought, study, and purpose; to
encourage historical and antiquarian research; to disseminate
historical knowledge; to collect and preserve such autograph letter and
other manuscripts, maps, plans, charts, paintings, engravings, and other
pictorial representations, books, pamphlets, newspapers, curiosities and
antiquities of very kind as may have been of shall be the products of
Suffolk county, or of its several towns, some of which are the oldest
English settlements and religious and civil organizations within the
bounds of the state of New York; and also to discover, procure and
preserve whatever material of any kind may illustrate the history of the
county and of its several towns.”
The old
seal of the society contains in its center a picture of a whaling scene
descriptive of the days when Sag Harbor was the headquarters for the
whaling industry. This was taken from an engraving on an old one dollar
bill of the Suffolk County bank of Sag Harbor, issued in 1844. This
bank was the first of its kind in Suffolk county.
The library
and museum of the historical society at Riverhead should be visited by
every man, woman and child in Suffolk county, and you will be well
repaid for the time so spent, as you will find an immense wealth of
exhibits of all kinds, as well as a library of over 2,500 volumes. What
are your interested in? You will find it in luster, pewter or china,
needlework, quilts, or samplers, mounted birds, butterflies, Indian
relics, guns, cannon and shells, a large display of flintlock guns,
pepper box and dueling pistols, down to the first breech loading rifles
of Civil War days. Also ship models of noted vessels, whaling
implements with trophies and shells brought home by the whalers a
century ago. Also domestic and farming tools of the early colonists
from the settlement of Suffolk county in 1640 through the years.
The
building is open every day in the week except Sundays and legal
holidays, from 1 to 5 p.m. You will be welcomed by the custodian, Mr.
Robinson, and there is no admission charge. Mr. Robinson will be glad
to show you around and help you look up any record in the library.
A visit to
the most interesting and instructive exhibits in this museum will make
you want to come again.
The
Councilors of the society for Brookhaven town are Osborn Shaw and Thomas
R. Bayles.