Swezey-Avey House

The Yaphank Historical Society was founded in 1974 and held its very first meeting at the Swezey-Avey House. Today, the Archives and Offices of the Society are housed here along with a Research Library and rooms for exhibits, meetings, and community programs.

Our Society General Meetings are held the third Thursday of the month, and are open to the public. Please stop by and join us.

Robert & Isabella Hawkins House

Because of the painstaking detail in the restoration and both the local and national historical significance of the site, the Robert Hewlett Hawkins House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, our Country’s highest historical citation.

The Hawkins House has also received national notoriety with photos and articles in Good Housekeeping Magazine, December 1985, House Beautiful Home Decorating Magazine, Summer 1985 and Spring 1986, Victoria Magazine, Summer 1988, August 1989, and July 1991 as well as the New York Times, Newsday, The New York Daily News, as well as a host of smaller publications.

Plans to officially designate the Hawkins House as a House Museum are finally moving forward. Our Historic District Committee working with Richard Martin, Director of Historic Services, Suffolk County Parks, agreed to set an interpretation date of 1884 for the museum. It was also recommended that the formal name of the house be changed to the Robert and Isabella Hawkins House.

230 East Main Street
 

“Mary Louise Booth, born in 1831 in Yaphank, is probably its most celebrated resident. Well known in publishing circles as the author of History of the City of New York, and later as founding editor of Harper’s Bazar, she was also secretary of the first Women’s Rights Convention, an active abolitionist, and a translator of over 40 books in seven languages.” - Tricia Foley

In a partnership between the county and the historical society, the house has been sensitively restored and is now part of Yaphank’s Historic District and open to the public for tours by appointment. It is significant for being an example of an early Long Island half-house, typically found on the east end of Long Island at the time. It was honored with the National Register for Historic Places designation in 2014 and chosen as a New York Women’s History site in 2015.

3 Yaphank Avenue

Yaphank Garage

The old Yaphank Garage stands on the corner of Main Street and Yaphank Avenue. It was built by Yaphank’s Leslie R. Marchant for station owners Sheridan and Ehrenworth. The design was typical of the 1930’s. It was made of cement blocks that were painted white. The trim was red. It first opened in 1937 as a Shell Gas Station/ Garage and Machine Shop.

The Suffolk County Police Historical Society has restored the Yaphank Garage. Mannequins and display boards tell the story of how a small community service station and its local Constable worked together to serve their citizens in the 1930’s and 40’s.

244 East Main Street

St. Andrew's Church

James H. Weeks built St. Andrew’s Church in 1853 to memorialize his granddaughter Susan Maria Weeks, his wife’s namesake, who was buried on the feast of St. Andrew. The Weeks family also established the cemetery in the churchyard. Their granddaughter was the first to be buried there, a centuries long tradition. It is now known as Little Susy’s Church, and is the name of a book written by Reverend Richard Chapin that tells its history. St. Andrew’s Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, St. Andrew’s Church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. The Holy Eucharist Service is celebrated Sunday mornings beginning at 10:00am.