-
Black History Month: The life story of a person enslaved on the North Fork
In today’s political climate, you often hear the question, “Why do we need a Black History Month?” The answer is clear to most historians. The stories of Black people and minorities were deemed unimportant, unworthy of being written down or repeated, usually delegated to the footnotes of the stories of colonists and white people. If…
-
A Gilded Age Vision of Nassau Point: Peconic Park
Over the years, much has been made of the plans for Nassau Point known as Peconic Park, but few know the whole story. I have to confess to being among those who don’t know everything about it, but I know more than most and would like to share what I know. The plan may have…
-
Council Receives Cemetery Grant from Gardiner Foundation
The Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council & Museums is pleased and honored to announce that we have been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation. The funds will be used to restore monuments at the Council’s Cutchogue Old Burying Ground located at Main Road and Harbor Lane. The restoration will include monuments…
-
Part V- Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind: The WWI Honor Roll and its Unveiling
Last year, we presented a temporary exhibit entitled “Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind.” For Memorial Day, we will summarize the exhibit in a Five-part blog series for those unable to see it. It presents a fascinating window into how people of the North Fork, particularly those of the Cutchogue and New…
-
Part IV, Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind: Propaganda in the USA
Last year, we presented a temporary exhibit entitled “Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind.” For Memorial Day, we will summarize the exhibit in a Five-part blog series for those unable to see it. It presents a fascinating window into how people of the North Fork, particularly those of the Cutchogue and New…
-
PART III- Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind: Women’s Role in WWI
Last year, we presented a temporary exhibit entitled “Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind.” For Memorial Day, we will summarize the exhibit in a Five-part blog series for those unable to see it. It presents a fascinating window into how people of the North Fork, particularly those of the Cutchogue and New…
-
PART II- Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind: The Dough Boy and the Red Cross Nurse
Last year, we presented a temporary exhibit entitled “Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind.” For Memorial Day, we will summarize the exhibit in a Five-part blog series for those unable to see it. It presents a fascinating window into how people of the North Fork, particularly those of the Cutchogue and New…
-
Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind: PART I- The Service Flag
Last year, we presented a temporary exhibit entitled “Honoring our WWI Veterans and those they left behind.” For Memorial Day, we will summarize the exhibit in a Five-part blog series for those who were unable to see it. It presents an interesting window into how people of the North Fork, particularly those of the Cutchogue…
-
Find out more about us!
This site is usually reserved for blogs about local history. However, we want to take this opportunity during our 2024 membership drive to help you get to know us better. You have seen us around: our events on the Village Green, our lectures and talks in the library, our tours of the Cutchogue Old Burying…
-
Woman’s History Month: Remembering a Local Talent
Historical figures, ancient or recent, leave footprints of their time here, and they are all around us. Sometimes, it’s the buildings they built, the monuments they erected, or the towns they founded. In Jacqueline (Jackie) Penney’s case, it was the paintings she painted. These footprints may go unnoticed, but they are all around us; all we…
-
Love Expressed in Local Valentine Endures for 200 Years
While doing research in the Cutchogue -New Suffolk Library’s history room, under the guidance of Mariella Ortroski, I was going through the research material of Betty Wells that she used for her book Robins Island Reflections 1639-2001. In her research I stumbled upon a very old and rare love letter( that I’m going to call…
-
Reeve Music Manuscript Discovered in Old House
On May 27, The Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council & Museums held its second annual Family History Day. The reenactors of the 3rd NY Regiment mustered their troops just north of the Old House on the Village Green. Between drills, the costumed soldiers relaxed in the Old House parlor, adding ambiance for touring guests. Later in…
-
A Deeply Disturbing Ancient Folk Tune
For this installment we are straying a bit from our local history theme to talk about the history of an old music piece, a version of which was performed for us by the fireplace in the old house by Stephan Sanfillipo back in June 2023. I first heard the song “The Two Sisters” or “The…
-
Why does Historic Preservation Matter?
Historic places are a tangible reminder of our shared heritage. They provide a connection to the past, allowing us to reflect on who we were and how much we’ve grown. Historic preservation is not merely about celebrating our connection to the past but also about understanding the impact of such efforts. In the United States,…
-
Old Cutchogue Burying Ground Tour
This is the fifth year of the Presbyterian Church Graveyard Tour. Having sold out in the previous four years, the tour winds its way through the church’s burying ground. It touches on the Old Bethany Cemetery, from the North Fork Community Theatre to the Mattituck Presbyterian Church. Actors dressed in historically appropriate costumes recite scripts…
-
Long Island woven coverlets from a new perspective
I was first introduced to Emily Werner in October of 2021 when Preservation Long Island published her blog on woven coverlets entitled: Uncovering the Past: An Examination of Long Island Coverlet Styles and Motifs. Emily was a collections and curatorial intern at Preservation Long Island after finishing her coursework for her M.A. in Fashion and…
-
East End version of naval anti-piracy ballad
Stephen Sanfilippo came to the attention of the Cutchogue New Suffolk historical council when we were looking for a colonial balladeer for our Family History Day, where he has enlightened history-minded fair-goers for the last two years. “The Coast of Barbary,” also known as “High Barbary,” “High Barbaree,” or “Cruising on High Barbary,” is an…
-
Remembering Meigs Raid and how our area was involved in the Revolutionary War
This Memorial Day week is an appropriate time to remember our local involvement in the Revolutionary War. And what better way to do it than to read about what happened on the week that marks the 246th anniversary of Meigs Raid, also known as the Battle of Sag Harbor. This was a well-planned, well-executed, and…
-
Readying Ourselves for the 2023 Spring/Summer Season
We are in the process of preparing for our new 2023 season. We have been cleaning the historic buildings, arranging exhibits, and tending to the grounds as well as lots of sprucing up and repairs. Decks on the barn and bathrooms have been rebuilt and repainted, and repairs were made to the Old House, including…
-
Museum’s artifact may link to Shinnecock leader’s whaling ancestor.
I was invited by the president of the Southold Indian Museum, Dr. Lucinda Hemmick to attend their Artifact Day on May 1, 2022. It was decided that we had too many artifacts to even think about bringing to the event, so we made an appointment with Indian Artifact expert Efraim Horowitz to come view our collection.…
-
Advancing the way we perceive Black History
During black history month, we celebrate black cultures and recognize black historical figures. In our recent past, however, black history has been the history we have forgotten to remember and remember to forget. Often this history wasn’t well recorded, and since researchers generally weren’t looking for this information, it wasn’t found. Even if it was…
-
Christmas through the Ages
A 20th Century Christmas As part of our tree lighting and Holiday event on Dec. 3, we interpreted three of our historic buildings to represent Christmas during that period. The Old House, a colonial Christmas, the Wickham House, a Victorian Christmas, and the Schoolhouse, a mid-century Christmas. This is the final of three consecutive blogs…
-
Christmas through the Ages:
A Victorian Christmas As part of our tree lighting and Holiday event on Dec. 3, we interpreted three of our historic buildings to represent Christmas during that period. The Old House, a colonial Christmas, the Wickham House, a Victorian Christmas, and the Schoolhouse, a mid-century Christmas. We will be releasing three consecutive blogs which will…
-
Christmas through the Ages
A Colonial Christmas As part of our tree lighting and holiday event on Dec. 3, we interpreted three of our historic buildings to represent Christmas during that period. The Old House, a colonial Christmas; the Wickham House, a Victorian Christmas; and the Schoolhouse, a mid-century Christmas. We will be releasing three consecutive blogs that will…
Search This Site
Latest Blog Posts
Meetings
Our board meetings are now open to the public! Please join us, we look forward to your participation. Check the Suffolk Times in the beginning of each month for place, time and day.
