National Register of Historic Places

Suffolk County Historical Society Building

Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York
Listed
July 28, 1994
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
94000786

About this property

Suffolk County Historical Society Building is a museum and library dedicated to preserving historic artifacts of Suffolk County, New York, as well as other parts of Long Island. It is located at 300 West Main Street as well as Osborn Avenue and Court Street in Riverhead, New York. Though the museum building itself has only been around since 1930, the Suffolk County Historical Society was established in 1886 by residents of the county who were concerned about preserving its heritage. Riverhead was chosen as the location of the new society because it's the County Seat of Suffolk County, and County Surrogate Judge James H. Tuthill became the first President. The society began collecting items almost immediately, and the first displays were placed in a small glass case in Tuthill's Riverhead office. Unfortunately, the collection soon outgrew the Judge's office, and in 1893 a small building at the corner of Griffing Avenue and Main Street in Riverhead, which formerly housed the County Clerk's Office, was purchased. Eventually, the growing collection of documents and artifacts outgrew that space too. The building was designed by August Galow with Colonial Revival styling. It was built on land donated by Alice O. Perkins, the widow of prominent Riverhead resident John Perkins during the 1920s, and was completed in 1930. Extensions were added in 1951 and 1964. The library boasts more than 20,000 volumes and over 840 cubic feet (24 m3) of manuscripts, including records, ledgers, diaries, maps, atlases, post cards, newspapers, and other paperwork. In 1994, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Location

300 W. Main St.
Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York
40.92296, -72.66797

Categories

SOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Suffolk County Historical Society Building

This page lists Suffolk County Historical Society Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

US Post Office-Riverhead
Industrial
0.4 mi
Riverhead Main Street Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
Vail-Leavitt Music Hall
Industrial
0.6 mi
Big Duck Ranch
Listed
2.6 mi
Benjamin, James, Homestead
Industrial
3 mi

Nearby Battles

Tallmadge's Raid on Fort St. George
1780Revolutionary War
13.4 mi
Raid on Fort St. George (Mastic, Long Island)
1780Revolutionary War
14.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Suffolk County Historical Society Building listed on the National Register?

Suffolk County Historical Society Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 28, 1994.

What type of historic resource is Suffolk County Historical Society Building?

Suffolk County Historical Society Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Suffolk County Historical Society Building?

The period of significance for Suffolk County Historical Society Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Suffolk County Historical Society Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Suffolk County Historical Society Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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