Yaphank Historical Society

Holiday House Tours in Historic Yaphank
2025-12-14 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Begin your visit at the Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Road, Yaphank, where you will register, receive your tour ticket and map. There you will enjoy live holiday music by Don and Susan Cerce along with refreshments to get you in the holiday spirit.
Each historic house will be open and decorated for the holidays, with friendly greeters and knowledgeable docents ready to share the stories behind these historic landmarks.
Donation: $20 for adults • Free for children 12 and under
We hope you will join us!

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Holiday House Tours in Historic Yaphank
2025-12-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Begin your visit at the Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Road, Yaphank, where you will register, receive your tour ticket and map.
Each historic house will be open and decorated for the holidays, with friendly greeters and knowledgeable docents ready to share the stories behind these historic landmarks.
Donation: $20 for adults • Free for children 12 and under
We hope you will join us!

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March 2026 General Meeting
2026-03-19 19:30 - 21:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Guest Speaker: Bill Bleyer, Historian and Author
Topic: The Roosevelts of New York City
Bill Bleyer will talk about the unique places in the city where Roosevelt family members lived and worked and the private interactions behind this famous American family. He will reveal details of Teddy Roosevelt’s lower Manhattan birthplace and “Roosevelt House,” where FDR and Eleanor lived prior to moving to the White House.
Thursday, March 19, 2026
7:30 pm @ Swezey-Avey House
Refreshments will follow the meeting.

April General Meeting
2026-04-16 19:30 - 21:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Topic: Events leading up to the Declaration of Independence
Guest Speaker: Jim Ward, Historian and Librarian
Jim Ward will discuss the events leading to the Declaration of Independence and its lasting impact on history
Refreshments will follow the meeting

18th Century Military Encampment with the 3rd NY Regiment in Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary
2026-05-16 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-05-17 10:00 - 16:00 | Swezey Park
Come join us on May 16-17, 2026, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Swezey Park. The 3rd NY Regiment 1775 Long Island Companies, a Revolutionary War reenactment group, will present an authentic 18th-century military encampment, recreating the daily life of Long Island soldiers and their families during the American Revolution.
This interactive living history program will feature canvas tent quarters for troops and officers, period cooking demonstrations under a dining fly, military drills, field maneuvers, musket and cannon demonstrations and a presentation on the people and fashions. Civilian camp followers will also be on site, illustrating the role families played in supporting the Continental Army.
We invite you to join us for this journey into Revolutionary War history.

Music in the Park with Don and Susan
2026-05-20 17:00 - 20:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Music in the Park with Don and Susan
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Free Concert. Bring a chair and picnic basket and enjoy music by the lake in Swezey Park. We’ll move indoors in the Swezey-Avey House in inclement weather.

May General Meeting
2026-05-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Guest Speaker: MaryLaura Lamont
Topic: William Floyd of Mastic: He Dared to Sign!
William Floyd was a major landowner and prosperous farmer on Long Island, yet he dared to sign the document that made us a free and independent new nation. In doing so he risked his life, his family and home. Come hear the true story of Floyd and the Signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Refreshments will follow the meeting.

Spring Yard Sale 2026
2026-05-30 09:00 - 16:00 | The Hawkins House, 4 Yaphank Ave, Yaphank, NY, 11980, United States
Vendors Set up 7:30 a.m. on the Hawkins House Lawns
No Reservation Required
Donation: $10 per vendor, payable onsite
Call (631) 775-0735 with questions

Yaphank 300th Anniversary Celebration Event
2026-06-07 12:00 - 16:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Tour the Oldest House in Yaphank – The Robinson House – No reservations required.
The home features an original fireplace and bread oven, wide plank flooring, and many other colonial features.
Park and start the tour at the Swezey-Avey House
19 Mill Road, Yaphank, NY
Or park on Walter Street, near the Firehouse
Refreshments at the Swezey-Avey House after the tour
Call (631) 775-0735 with questions

June 2026 General Meeting
2026-06-18 19:30 - 21:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Refreshments will follow the meeting

Topic: A History of Middle Island
Guest Speaker: Paul Infranco, Historian
Paul Infranco will discuss the history of Middle Island.

Part of America 250 Commemorative Celebration and the Yaphank 300 Celebration
2026-06-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Topic: Women in Colonial Times—The Work is Never Done!
Guest Speaker: Diane Schwindt, Culinary and Cultural Historian and Founder of Stirring Up History
Did you ever wonder what it was like to walk in the shoes on an 18th Century woman?
Explore the expression “A woman’s work is never done…”
From clothing to hearth…
From lice to lard…
From birth to death…
Bring to the table all those questions you’ve thought about all those years; examine authentic household items long forgotten; and conclude with a historic yummy treat.
Call (631) 775-0735 with questions

Free Concert in the Park
2026-07-15 17:00 - 20:00 | Swezey Park

July 2026 General Meeting
2026-07-16 19:30 - 21:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Guest Speaker: Robert Von Bernewitz, Local Historian
Topic: “Benjamin Tallmadge and the Tallmadge Trail”
Discover the Revolutionary History of Long Island!
Join us for a presentation on Benjamin Tallmadge and the Tallmadge Trail and learn the story of one of the American Revolution’s heroes. As General George Washington’s chief intelligence officer and leader of the famed Culper Spy Ring, Tallmadge played a vital role in securing American independence.
The presentation will explore Tallmadge’s life and his daring 1780 raid across Long Island, including the capture of a British fort in Mastic and the destruction of a large stockpile of hay in Coram that was destined to feed British cavalry horses.

Antique Spinning Wheel Demonstration
2026-07-26 13:00 - 16:00 | Homan-Gerard House, 5 Yaphank Avenue, Yaphank, NY, 11980, United States
Step back in time and discover how everyday cloth was made before factories and machines. Join master spinner Toni Kaste for a demonstration of an antique spinning wheel as she transforms raw wool and flax into yarn using traditional techniques.
Learn how colonial families produced the materials needed for clothing and household textiles, from preparing fibers and spinning yarn to weaving fabric and coloring it with natural dyes. Toni will explain each step of the process.
This program is fun for all ages. Children will have the opportunity to try using drop spindles and card wool. Whether you are interested in history or traditional skills, this demonstration will offer a glimpse into everyday life in early America.

18th Century Military Encampment
2026-08-08 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-08-09 11:00 - 15:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
18th Century Military Encampment with the 3rd NY Regiment in Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary
Come join us on August 8 and 9, 2026, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Swezey Park on the lake in Yaphank. The 3rd NY Regiment 1775 Long Island Companies, a Revolutionary War reenactment group, will present an authentic 18th-century military encampment, recreating the daily life of Long Island soldiers and their families during the American Revolution; included will be canvas tent quarters for troops and officers, military drills, field maneuvers, and musket and cannon demonstrations. Civilian camp followers will be on site, illustrating the role families played in supporting the Continental Army.
On Sunday, Toni Kaste will be here showcasing the art of traditional spinning from 11:00 to 3:00 pm. She’ll demonstrate how fiber is transformed into yarn using an antique spinning wheel.

Music In The Park - August 2026
2026-08-19 17:00 - 20:00 | Swezey Park

August 2026 General Meeting
2026-08-20 07:30 - 21:00 | Swezey-Avey House, 19 Mill Rd, Yaphank, 11980, United States
Guest Speaker: Zach Studenroth, Author
Topic: “Sag Harbor in the Revolution”
Sag Harbor in the Revolution
Join us for a presentation exploring the role of Sag Harbor during the American Revolution. Learn how this port became a British base after the Battle of Long Island and then the setting for one of the war’s most daring surprise attacks—the Meigs Raid of May 1777. The presentation will also examine what life was like for Long Island residents living under British occupation.
