Exhibits & Events

For full details and to register for any of the Suffolk County Historical Society's upcoming events, please call: (631) 727-2881.

A SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE:
Man and Nature in Suffolk County's Past

From New York City's wealthy elite to the resident locals making a living here, Long Island has been recognized as a mecca for sportsmen (and sportswomen) for over 150 years, earning its own exhibition at the National Sportsman's Show from 1895 to the 1940s. Illustrating how hunting evolved from necessity to popular sport, eventually leading to the introduction of protective conservation laws, this exhibition will explore how the "sporting life" – through job opportunities, increased rail traffic, hotel and resort development, and eventual wildlife conservation – influenced our way of life on Long Island. Through an amazing assortment of hunting equipment, hand-carved decoys, duck boats, fishing gear, themed toys, clothing, magazines, and more, A Sportsman's Paradise explores all that Suffolk County offered to those who were seeking its natural rewards. Exhibit curated by Jamie Reason. Exhibit design by Joshua Cortez. In our Grand Staas Gallery January – October 2024.

BOOK & BOTTLE:
The Jews of Long Island, 1705-1918
with Brad Kolodny
Thursday, April 18, 2024 – 6:00 pm

In an engaging narrative, the author will tell the story of how Jewish communities were established and developed east of New York City, from Great Neck to Greenport and Cedarhurst to Sag Harbor. Including peddlers, farmers, and factory workers struggling to make a living, as well as successful merchants and even wealthy industrialists like the Guggenheims, Brad Kolodny spent six years researching how, when, and why Jewish families settled and thrived there. Archival material, including census records, newspaper accounts, never-before-published photos, and personal family histories, illuminate Jewish life and experiences during these formative years. With over 4,400 names of people who lived in Nassau and Suffolk counties prior to the end of WWI, The Jews of Long Island is a fascinating history of those who laid the foundation for what has become the fourth largest Jewish community in the United States today.

Members Free; Non-Members $8. Includes refreshments. Space is limited! Registration + nonrefundable prepayment required. Call 631-727-2881 x100 to reserve. Or reserve at Eventbrite for a small surcharge:

BOOK & BOTTLE:
Carrie's Letters:
A Glimpse into Rural Family Life in Baiting Hollow, 1880-1910
with Debra Warner Anderson
April 27, 2024 – 1:00 pm

A box of long-forgotten letters written in 1880 to 1910 by a young woman, Carrie (Terry) Warner, mainly to her sister, provides insight into her life in Baiting Hollow as she studied to be a teacher, married a local farmer, and became the mother of six sons before her untimely death at the age of 48. Debra Warner Anderson, the great-granddaughter of Carrie (Terry) Warner, will explain her process for compiling the book of letters with commentary and will help us get to know Carrie, her thoughts, her sense of humor, and her rural family life in late-nineteenth to early twentieth-century eastern Long Island.

Members Free; Non-Members $8. Includes refreshments. Space is limited! Registration + nonrefundable prepayment required. Call 631-727-2881 x100 to reserve. Or reserve at Eventbrite for a small surcharge:

BOOK & BOTTLE:
Sun, Sea, Soil, Wine:
Winemaking on the North Fork of Long Island
with Richard Olsen-Harbich
May 4, 2024 – 1:00 pm

The North Fork's longest-tenured winemaker will discuss his recently published SUNY Press book on winemaking. Learn what makes the North Fork the perfect place for making wine. Olsen-Harbich will take us on a journey through the history of North Fork winemaking, including an exploration of the geological and ecological qualities of the North Fork environment and its deep-rooted agricultural history that led to the area’s production of high-quality, award-winning wines. This event will also include a Book Sale & Signing. Members Free; Non-Members $8. Includes wine & cheese. Space is limited! Registration + nonrefundable prepayment required: 631-727-2881 x100.

BETWEEN THE BAY AND THE SOUND:
A North Fork Family Album
From the Private Collection of Ellen Doughty Korsower. Curated by Helene Verin.
In Our Gish Gallery thru February 3, 2024

After buying a Jamesport bungalow in 2013, curator/designer Helene Verin was inspired to learn more about the family that once lived in the home. Introduced by neighbors, Helene reached out to Ellen Doughty Korsower, who grew up in the home and whose genealogy reaches back to Peter Hallock, born about 1600 and reportedly the first Hallock to arrive on the North Fork. Ellen began sharing snapshots & tidbits about her family's life on the North Fork with Helene, and the beginnings of this exhibit were formed. With familiar early family names - Youngs, Wells, Horton, Hallock, Tuthill, Ackerly, Budd, Aldrich, and others - this charming photography exhibit captures the spirit of life on the North Fork from the 1860s to the 1960s.

ABOUT THE CURATOR: An award-winning contemporary designer of shoes, rugs, wallpaper, and tiles, Helene Verin is a former professor at FIT and has lectured around the world. Her work has appeared in countless books and publications, and she has worked for many museums and galleries.

ROAD TO ORIENT:
Featuring the Photography of Neil Scholl and Peter Dicke
In Our Gish Gallery
Enjoy the scenery and views of the North Fork as though you were enjoying a Sunday drive in this captivating photography exhibit that captures all of the natural beauty of the North Fork, photographed through all seasons. Neil Scholl is Professor Emeritus of New York Institute of Technology, where for 20 years he taught photography and graphic design. His work is focused on street and documentary photography and has been widely exhibited at galleries, including Gallery North, Heckscher Museum, Montauk Lighthouse Museum, Water Mill Museum, and the Islip Art Museum. Peter Dicke, an original member of Gallery 338 in Huntington, was introduced to photography by his grandfather and, as a teenager, created his first black-and-white photographs with a Speed Graphic camera. Peter continues to develop his passion for image-making via digital photography, where his focus is on documentary and landscape images.

SUFFOLK COUNTY: A TIMELINE EXPERIENCE!
New Permanent Exhibit Opens to the Public
June 3, 2023
Gallery hours: 10:00am to 4:30pm
(excluding holiday weekends)
Designed as the new core of the Suffolk County Historical Society Museum, this new interactive permanent exhibit, “a museum within a museum,” provides a comprehensive timeline of over 200 historically significant moments that shaped Suffolk County into the vibrant community it is today. From the geological formation of Long Island, to the arrival of its indigenous people, moving forward through history to modern times, our greatest residents and achievements figure prominently in this exhibition celebrating our history, our heritage, and our people. Our story is told through over 200 artifacts and documents, photos, digital screens, and interactive digital experiences that will delight every visitor, while walking guests through our history, century by century.

This exhibit is funded in part by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, with additional support from Roberta Cooper in memory of James B. Cooper III and the Cooper Family.

SCHOOL OF THOUGHT:
The History of Education and Schooling in Suffolk County
A permanent exhibit in our lower level display case.
Curated by Joshua Cortez.
Prior to the nineteenth century, education was limited and localized. "Schoolhouses" were often housed in post offices, public buildings, or the houses of private instructors. The introduction of statewide legislation in the early 1800s by Ezra L’Hommedieu and Jonathan Nicoll Havens, both of Suffolk County, initiated a surge of schoolhouse construction and the hiring of teachers. Within a century, Suffolk emerged from these one-room schoolhouses to become the home of nationally recognized collegiate institutions like Stony Brook University, La Salle Military Academy, and Dowling College. This exhibit explores many facets of education in Suffolk County, including early teacher qualifications, high school athletics, curriculums of the past, and collegiate education.

MASTERS OF METAL:
Suffolk County's Early Silversmiths
In our History in the Hall Display Cases
In March 2020, the Suffolk County Historical Society secured a significant acquisition of over 100 pieces of silver crafted by Suffolk County's earliest known silversmiths. With works by Joel, John, and Paul Sayre, Elias Pelletreau, B. Coleman, and Col. David Hedges, this display case exhibit glistens with the handcrafted work of these fine eighteenth-century artisans. The SCHS Board of Trustees is proud to present this notable collection, exhibited for the first time.

Silversmithing was one of the earliest arts practiced in the American colonies. As early as 1638, just eight years after Boston had been settled, fourteen-year-old from Boston named John Hull is documented to have been apprenticed to his half-brother Richard Storer to learn the art of crafting in silver. The increase of silver coins available in the colonies added to the growing importance of silversmiths. Early American silversmiths were influenced by both Dutch and English designs, but eventually there evolved an “American” style – simple and sturdy in design, substantial in weight, and well crafted.

BE A WITNESS TO HISTORY!
The Suffolk County Historical Society invites you to be a witness to our living history. Please consider sharing your COVID-19 experiences for our historic archives. Email your stories to: librarian@schs-museum.org. Be sure to put "COVID-19" in your subject line and to include your location and contact information.

ONGOING

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE!
Please join the Suffolk County Historical Society and support local history preservation. Founded in 1886, SCHS is a non-profit organization that collects and preserves the rich history of Suffolk County. We operate a history museum, an expansive library and archives, and a multitude of events, programs, and educational lectures and workshops. Our unique and ever-growing collection of artifacts reflects more than three centuries of local history. Visit our website or call 631-727-2881 for more information.

SCHS PHOTO OF THE WEEK SERIES!
To subscribe to our popular Photo of the Week Series, send an email to librarian Wendy Polhemus-Annibell: wannibell@schs-museum.org.

OFF-SITE EXHIBITIONS

SUFFOLK COUNTY PINE BARRENS PICTORIAL EXHIBIT
On display at the Suffolk County Water Authority Education Center in Hauppauge. A standing display on loan from the Suffolk County Historical Society provides an overview of the history of the Pine Barrens and the critical role this region plays in the protection of Suffolk County's precious groundwater. The SCWA Education Center is located at 260 Motor Pkwy, Hauppauge, NY.