Shelter Island History Museum
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    • The Soap, The Salesman And The Sailor
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  • Calendar
    • 2025 Events & Programs >
      • April 19 : Spring Farmers Market
      • May 24-August 30: Havens Market
      • June 7: Shelter Island House Tour
      • June 28 - October 11: Generations of Shelter Island Impressionists Exhibit
      • July 2: Sock Puppet Playtime!
      • July 25: ArtSea Art & Science
      • July 28-Aug 15: Summer Children's Theater Program
      • August 13: Basket Weaving Workshop
      • August 14: Children's Basket Weaving Workshop
      • August 19: ArtLab Workshop
      • September 6: 3rd NY Regiment Encampment
      • September 27: Oysters 'R' Here Event
      • October 11: Harvest Festival Market
      • November 29: Holiday Farmers Market
  • Contact
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Image of the Absolute Charter issued to the Shelter Island Historical Society recognizing it as an educational organization.

Mission

"The Shelter Island History Museum collects and preserves the artifacts, records and stories that define the island's unique history.
​
"We welcome and connect our community by exploring our shared history through exhibits, research, educational programs and performances."

Society History

 November 18, 1922: The first “Shelter Island Historical Society” is Formed
The organizing members were Miss Cornelia Horsford, Mr. Elias Havens Payne, Mr. & Mrs. A.A. Cartwright, Mr. & Mrs. Clarence Cartwright, Mrs. Stirling Wallace, Mrs. Moses Griffing, Mrs. Charles Bateman, Mr. C.H. Smith, Mrs. Russell Conklin, Mrs. Charles Thorne, Mrs. George Cook and Miss Lillian Loper.  Mr. E.H. Payne was elected President, Mrs. Griffing was Vice-President, Miss Loper was Secretary and Miss Payne was Librarian.

By the second meeting of the Society on March 28, 1923, more members had joined and Mrs. Ralph H. Duvall was elected Treasurer.

Mr. Ralph Duvall succeeded Mr. E.H. Payne as President upon Mr. Payne’s death in 1928. Mr. Duvall was the second and last President of the Society.
​
In all, the Society met only 50 times between November 1922 and August 1933. They collected important documents such as a Nut Bread recipe, Presbyterian Confessions of Faith and C.E. Record Book, notes from Lodowick Havens’ diary, five copies of the SI Tribune 1892-1893 and three copies of the Suffolk Times 1897-1927, among other items.


March 12, 1966: The Historical Society is Formed...Again!
Mr. Andrew Fiske phoned a few people who might be interested in forming a Historical Society on the island.  Nineteen people met in the Library, elected officers, defined the purpose and appointed a committee to frame a constitution.
On April 25, 1969, the University of the State of New York granted the Society an Absolute Charter, recognizing it as a non-profit organization.
​

Picture
December 10, 2024: The Historical Society becomes The Shelter Island History Museum
On December 10, 2024, the University of the State of New York amended our Charter, which changed our name to the Shelter Island History Museum, in recognition of our evolution into a museum of local history.

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Leadership
    • Partners
    • Our Timeline
    • Annual Reports
    • The Havens House >
      • Construction
      • Renovation
  • Support
    • Donate Now
    • Elizabeth Pedersen Educational Fund
    • Volunteer
  • Online Exhibits
    • History of Shelter Island
    • A Day in the Life
    • Digital Tapestry
    • "The Lords of Menantic" Companion Exhibit
    • "The Prospect of Summer" Companion Exhibit
    • See Their Names Exhibit
    • This Land is YOUR Land
    • The DNA of Shelter Island
    • Voices from the Vault
    • Then & Now
    • Witness the Manhansett
    • Walter Cole Brigham
    • Alan Shields
    • Helena Hernmarck
    • British Woolworks
    • "Connecting from a Quarantine Kitchen"
    • Havens DIMONscape
  • Havens Store
  • HAVENS FARMERS MARKET
  • PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
  • Education
    • The Shelter Island History Project
    • Race, Ethnicity & Class on SI, 1652-2013
  • Living History Project
  • The Collections
    • Digital Collections
    • New York Heritage Digital Collections
    • Donate to the Collections
    • Finding Aids
    • Film Collection
    • House/Building Registry Project
  • From Our Archives
    • The Soap, The Salesman And The Sailor
    • Historic Women of Shelter Island
  • Calendar
    • 2025 Events & Programs >
      • April 19 : Spring Farmers Market
      • May 24-August 30: Havens Market
      • June 7: Shelter Island House Tour
      • June 28 - October 11: Generations of Shelter Island Impressionists Exhibit
      • July 2: Sock Puppet Playtime!
      • July 25: ArtSea Art & Science
      • July 28-Aug 15: Summer Children's Theater Program
      • August 13: Basket Weaving Workshop
      • August 14: Children's Basket Weaving Workshop
      • August 19: ArtLab Workshop
      • September 6: 3rd NY Regiment Encampment
      • September 27: Oysters 'R' Here Event
      • October 11: Harvest Festival Market
      • November 29: Holiday Farmers Market
  • Contact
  • Directors' Log In