Shelter Island History Museum
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      • April 19 : Spring Farmers Market
      • May 24-August 30: Havens Market
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      • July 2: Sock Puppet Playtime!
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      • August 14: Children's Basket Weaving Workshop
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      • September 27: Oysters 'R' Here Event
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      • November 29: Holiday Farmers Market
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10. Original Saltbox Room
This room was part of the 1742 saltbox structure and was probably used as a bedroom. The original construction is visible through the “window” on the wall.  In the 18th and 19th centuries, when lumber was shipped, a paper invoice was rarely issued since paper was so expensive. Instead, the mill worker  wrote names of the recipients of a shipment  in crayon on the top boards. One beam in this room  (third from the wall) says “Asher Havens Shelter Island.” Asher was James Havens’ grandson,  and must have made renovations when he took over the house in 1856.
The wooden wall opposite the windows was part of the original outside wall. During the latest renovation, when the plaster was peeled away, the original siding was found bearing this stylized letter “B.” The source is not known,  but since James Havens married Elizabeth Bowditch, it may have something to do with her family. Also,  the signatures of George Crook and someone named McCollum, with the date August 16, 1905, appear on the floor. It was not uncommon for laborers to leave their mark, so it is likely that these men worked on the house.

(Proceed to room over main entry)
Picture
Havens House during Asher Havens’ time (1819-1884).
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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Leadership
    • Partners
    • Our Timeline
    • Annual Reports
    • The Havens House >
      • Construction
      • Renovation
  • Support
    • Donate Now
    • Proposition 4
    • 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