Shelter Island History Museum

Shelter Island History Museum The History Museum strives to preserve the Island's heritage for future generations. Only Service Animals are welcome at The Shelter Island History Center.

The Shelter Island Historical Society interprets Shelter Island’s past through historical material and through its people, from the first Native American inhabitants, settlers and town fathers, to those who have made it a caring and unique community through the years. The Society strives to preserve the Island’s heritage for future generations. The Shelter Island History Center's main floor and l

ower level are ADA accessible. Personal photography, without flash, is allowed in the galleries. No photographic equipment (tripods, selfie sticks) is permitted. When sharing your photos on social media, please tag the Society!
Outside food and drink are not permitted inside The History Center. This is a completely smoke-free location. Smoking and Vaping are not permitted anywhere on the grounds.

Here’s what’s happening this Saturday, June 27, at the Havens Farmers’ Market!• Catherine Harper will be on hand to sign...
06/24/2026

Here’s what’s happening this Saturday, June 27, at the Havens Farmers’ Market!

• Catherine Harper will be on hand to sign copies of her book, "I Am The House," described as a “400-year historical saga set on the North Fork…told from two points of view—the houses themselves, and an empathetic narrator who comments on the architecture, the occupants, the development of the town and the area, and the importance to the present of all that past.”
• Authors of "This Land is Your Land," a combination “history book, photo documentary, and guidebook,” will also be autographing this coffee table volume that tells the “story of how a small island has preserved its beauty.”
• You can purchase tickets for our grand Red, White & Blue Gala, which is coming up on Saturday, July 18, at the Artemas Ward Garden on Shelter Island. A welcome reception, featuring the Shelter Island Shuckers, starts at 6 p.m., followed by the Ray Congdon & Company’s Traditional Clambake dinner, a celebratory dessert, and dancing at 7 p.m. Music is provided by Erich Carey & The Constituency, Featuring Nelson Bogart and Shelter Island Friends. For more information, click or paste this link into your browser:

https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/100731-red-white-blue-250th-gala

• Enjoy live music by members of the Jam Band
• Please make sure to stop by the Shelter Island Arts Center (SIAC) and the Shelter Island Senior Center tables for information on these organizations.

Join us this Saturday from 9am-12:30pm, to shop from our amazing local businesses, farm, food, and craft vendors.

And while you’re here, make sure to stop in and see our new exhibit, “Havens House: Witness the American Revolution!”

We are also looking for volunteers. If you’d like to join us, email

[email protected]

or call 631-749-0025 for details.

Celebrate America 250 with these handcrafted baskets you make yourself! On July 9, from 10am to 2pm, members of the Bask...
06/22/2026

Celebrate America 250 with these handcrafted baskets you make yourself! On July 9, from 10am to 2pm, members of the Basket Weavers Guild of Eastern Long Island will show students how to weave one of two patriotic designs. Ages 18+ or 14+ with an adult, and all skill levels are welcome. Space is limited, and registration is required. Use the QR code below, or click https://square.link/u/lTY1fWUp to sign up.

It’s coming up fast!...our Red, White & Blue 250th Gala, that is, which celebrates the semiquincentennial anniversary of...
06/21/2026

It’s coming up fast!...our Red, White & Blue 250th Gala, that is, which celebrates the semiquincentennial anniversary of the signing of our nation’s Declaration of Independence. The party takes place on Saturday, July 18, at the Artemas Ward Garden, Apple Orchard Lane on Shelter Island. A welcome reception, featuring the Shelter Island Shuckers, starts at 6 p.m., followed by the Ray Congdon & Company’s Traditional Clambake dinner, a celebratory dessert and dancing at 7 p.m.

Music is provided by Erich Carey & The Constituency, Featuring Nelson Bogart and Shelter Island Friends. Festive cocktail attire is suggested.

Please RSVP by July 11.

Individual tickets: $400.

Party of 10: $4000. A separate section of 10 seats will be reserved for your group at one of the long tables.

Several levels of sponsorship are also available. Revenue from this event supports the operations of the Shelter Island History Museum, a 501(c) (3), not-for-profit organization. A portion of your support is tax-deductible.

Sponsorship levels:

$2500 “Islander” – 2 tickets to the Red, White & Blue 250th Gala, one commemorative brick, ceremony at the “Patriots Circle.”

$5000 “Founder” – 4 tickets to the Red, White & Blue 250th Gala, one commemorative brick, ceremony at the “Patriots Circle.”

$10,000 “Signer” – 6 tickets to the Red, White & Blue 250th Gala, one commemorative brick, ceremony at the “Patriots Circle.”

$15,000 “Historian” – 8 tickets to the Red, White & Blue 250th Gala, one commemorative brick, ceremony at the “Patriots Circle,” a private reception at the Shelter Island History Museum for up to 20 guests.

To purchase tickets or a sponsorship, please click:

https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/100731-red-white-blue-250th-gala

Red, White & Blue 250th Gala Committee:

Honorary Chair:
William Pedersen

Co-Chairs:
Christopher Carey & Kathryn Dinkel

Committee:
Margaret Colligan
Tom Eagan
Jennifer Eisenstadt
Connie Fischer
Nanette Lawrenson
Ken Nolan
Mike Lubin
Chris Roe

With appreciation to Rich Hogan for providing his beautiful gardens for the 250th celebration.

At 4:24am today, here on the east coast, the summer solstice occurred, marking both the longest day of 2026 and the offi...
06/21/2026

At 4:24am today, here on the east coast, the summer solstice occurred, marking both the longest day of 2026 and the official start of beach season! Visitors to Shelter Island’s shores have long enjoyed dipping their toes—and more!—in our waters, as did the relatives of F.M. Smith, who stayed here 126 years ago, and created a photo album titled “One Summer, July 1900,” to memorialize their vacation. Take a look at these bathing suit fashions from over a century and a quarter ago in these pictures from our archives!

Happy Father's Day! Today, we honor and celebrate the father figures who have shaped Shelter Islanders for generations. ...
06/21/2026

Happy Father's Day! Today, we honor and celebrate the father figures who have shaped Shelter Islanders for generations. Fatherhood can take many forms, and this letter from our archives is a testament to just that.

This letter was written by Walter Francis Havens (1916-1976) to his uncle, George Re*****on Havens II (1890-1977), in 1976. This branch of the Havens family owned and operated a general and grocery store at 15 Grand Avenue in the Heights—known then as G.R. Havens’ Store. Walter Re*****on Havens, the father of Walter Francis and older brother of George Re*****on II, lived on Shelter Island and ran the family business until his death in 1950. George R. II, however, chose a life of academia. (To learn more about George R. II’s fascinating life, visit:
https://www.shelterislandhistorical.org/the-homecoming-of-george-remington-havens-ii.html).

George R. II married Edith “Louise” Curtiss (1887-1977) in 1917, and they shared a deeply loving relationship. The sweethearts never had any children of their own, but we have reason to believe that they acted as second parents to George’s nephew, Walter Francis Havens. It is unclear what family circumstances led to this, but letters between Walter Francis, aka “Wally,” and George R. II show their serious bond.

George and Walter’s paternal relationship may not have been traditionally biological, but their connection is one we can all relate to. This Father's Day, we honor fatherhood in all its many forms and celebrate the fathers, sons, uncles, grandfathers, and more who make up our Shelter Island community!

Happy Juneteenth! As we commemorate our nation's 250th year of independence from British rule, we must recognize that no...
06/19/2026

Happy Juneteenth! As we commemorate our nation's 250th year of independence from British rule, we must recognize that not all Americans were given freedom at that time. The enslavement and displacement of African Americans continued beyond the birth of our nation for nearly another century. Despite President Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, it was not until more than two years later, on June 19, 1865, that the last enslaved persons were freed in Texas. Juneteenth, also known as "Freedom Day," represents a second Independence Day for our country, marking the day all Americans were finally free from slavery.

This year's exhibit, "Havens House: Witness the American Revolution," highlights the names and stories of both enslaved and free African American Islanders during the Revolutionary period. Crank was born into slavery in Southold and later escaped to be with his wife, Florah, and daughter, Diana. In 1764, Crank's enslaver, Abraham Corey, placed a runaway ad in the newspaper for Crank. The description given was used by local artist Michael A. Butler to create this portrait called "Crank at the Crossroads." Butler (also pictured here) generously loaned this piece to the SIHM for this exhibit, and it will be on view until December. To see this piece in person and learn more about Crank and his family's legacy on Shelter Island, be sure to check out the "Havens House: Witness the American Revolution" exhibit. Open Tuesdays through Fridays 10am to 2pm and Saturdays 9am to 12:30pm.

Looking for more ways to celebrate this historic day? Stop by Sylvester Manor’s “Calling Their Names” Juneteenth celebration today, June 19, at 1pm. For more details visit:

https://www.sylvestermanor.org/event/juneteenth-celebration/

The “Culper Spy Ring” is the subject of a presentation by historian and author Bill Bleyer at the Shelter Island History...
06/19/2026

The “Culper Spy Ring” is the subject of a presentation by historian and author Bill Bleyer at the Shelter Island History Museum on Sunday, July 12, from 2-3:30pm. His lecture is the second in our 250th Speaker Series, which is part of the SIHM’s year-long commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Speaker Series is made possible by the generosity of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

Bill Bleyer was a prize-winning staff writer for Newsday for 33 years before retiring in 2014 to write books and freelance for magazines and Newsday. He has authored seven books, including George Washington’s Long Island Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide in 2021. Bleyer tells the story of a secret spy network organized by George Washington and his subordinates to gather intelligence on the British in Manhattan and Long Island in 1778, two years after the Redcoats forced the Continental Army out of New York City.

The “Culper Spy Ring” presentation is free, but donations are always appreciated. Space is limited, but you can reserve your spot by clicking

https://forms.gle/4f88TLSyjhwTR6gN6

After the presentation, make sure to stop by the Havens Store and pick up a copy of George Washington’s Long Island Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide to read more about this amazing time in Long Island history!

Havens House is getting ready for Independence Day with the help of Ben Smith & Island Exterior Cleaning! Over the next ...
06/18/2026

Havens House is getting ready for Independence Day with the help of Ben Smith & Island Exterior Cleaning! Over the next week Ben and his team will be hard at work cleaning and painting the exterior so that this 283-year-old home can celebrate 250 years of the United States, and the many more to come, in style. Thank you, Island Exterior Cleaning!

Here’s what’s happening this Saturday, June 20, at the Havens Farmers’ Market!Special activities for this weekend includ...
06/17/2026

Here’s what’s happening this Saturday, June 20, at the Havens Farmers’ Market!

Special activities for this weekend include live music by members of the Jam Band.

Please make sure to stop by the Shelter Island Senior Center, the Shelter Island Fire Department, and the League of Women Voters tables for information on these organizations.

You can purchase tickets for our grand Red, White & Blue Gala, which is coming up on Saturday, July 18, at the Artemas Ward Garden on Shelter Island. A welcome reception, featuring the Shelter Island Shuckers, starts at 6 p.m., followed by the Ray Congdon & Company’s Traditional Clambake dinner, a celebratory dessert, and dancing at 7 p.m. Music is provided by Erich Carey & The Constituency, Featuring Nelson Bogart and Shelter Island Friends.

For more information, click or paste this link into your browser:

https://shelterislandhistorical.networkforgood.com/events/100731-red-white-blue-250th-gala

Join us this Saturday from 9am-12:30pm, to shop from our amazing local businesses, farm, food, and craft vendors.

And while you’re here, make sure to stop in and see our new exhibit, “Havens House: Witness the American Revolution!”

We are also looking for volunteers. If you’d like to join us, email

[email protected]

or call 631-749-0025 for details.

Address

16 South Ferry Road, PO Box 847
Shelter Island, NY
11964

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 2pm
Wednesday 10am - 2pm
Thursday 10am - 2pm
Friday 10am - 2pm
Saturday 9am - 12:30pm

Telephone

+16317490025

Website

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