Wading River Historical Society has been the keeper of the small village’s history for over 75 years. Formed in 1947, the Society had its beginnings at a meeting in the Wading River Congregational Church on January 5 of that year, where it was formally established and its constitution adopted. In the early 1950s, the Society negotiated to acquire the home of Mary Raynor Howell for the purpose of housing the Society. The deed to the property was presented on July 11, 1952. Believed to have been built in about 1826, the house was owned by Frederick Hudson, Zophar Mills, Gabriel Mills, and other families, until in 1864 it was deeded by Ebenezer Jones to Daniel B. Howell. It then became the home of Chauncey and Mary Raynor Howell.
The Society maintains the History House, which features local artifacts, farm tools, vintage clothing, historical documents, and books on local history and genealogy, and it hosts visits of school children and individuals by appointment.
The Society maintains the History House, which features local artifacts, farm tools, vintage clothing, historical documents, and books on local history and genealogy, and it hosts visits of school children and individuals by appointment.
Wading River and Shoreham History In Pictures
A volume of photographs of historic Wading River and Shoreham has been written by Jane Alcorn, Wading River Historical Society vice president, and Mary Ann (Mimi) Oberdorf, Shoreham Village historian. Comprised mainly of photographic postcard images, the book is available for signing by the authors at events within the Wading River and Shoreham communities. It is also available at local stores (ACE Hardware, Forte's Florist, Shoreham Drug), through Amazon.com, and at some Barnes & Noble stores.
"Wading River, settled by New Englanders in 1671, is reminiscent of a classic New England town with its steepled Congregational Church, village green, ancient cemetery, horse farms, and colonial homes. Shoreham, settled at the turn of the last century, went high-tech with the arrival of brilliant inventor Nikola Tesla and his famous tower and laboratory, and highbrow as an eastern outpost of the Gold Coast. The two communities are linked by geography and shared traditions, such as a railroad line (sadly abandoned in 1938), a beautiful beach for summer fun, summer camps galore, an equestrian tradition, and glorious tennis--an unbroken rivalry since 1924. Shoreham and Wading River is an illustrated tale of two good neighbors vividly told through the magic of historic postcards from the Shoreham Village historical archives, the Wading River and Suffolk County Historical Societies, and private collections."
"Wading River, settled by New Englanders in 1671, is reminiscent of a classic New England town with its steepled Congregational Church, village green, ancient cemetery, horse farms, and colonial homes. Shoreham, settled at the turn of the last century, went high-tech with the arrival of brilliant inventor Nikola Tesla and his famous tower and laboratory, and highbrow as an eastern outpost of the Gold Coast. The two communities are linked by geography and shared traditions, such as a railroad line (sadly abandoned in 1938), a beautiful beach for summer fun, summer camps galore, an equestrian tradition, and glorious tennis--an unbroken rivalry since 1924. Shoreham and Wading River is an illustrated tale of two good neighbors vividly told through the magic of historic postcards from the Shoreham Village historical archives, the Wading River and Suffolk County Historical Societies, and private collections."
Ms. Alcorn and Ms. Oberdorf are interested in obtaining additional historic documents and photographs for inclusion in a possible second volume. If you have items to share or lend, please contact them through the form on this site. Books are available in Shoreham and Wading River at local businesses (Forte's Florist, Shoreham Drugs, etc.)
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Wading River Historical Society is on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wading-River-Historical-Society/569352723127926 Visit our page and "Like" us! NEWS: The roof repair has been completed! Maintenance of the History House is an on-going job. Thank you to Sid Bail for making all the arrangements for this repair. If you have not yet paid your dues for the 2023 year, now would be a great time to do it! Regular members $20 Couple $35 Family (three or more related people in one household) $50 Business $100 Please send your check to the address below. Interested in becoming more involved? Want to be a member of the WRHS Board of Trustees? Contact us! |
Calendar of Events:
Coming Up: FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING OF 2023! After a long hiatus we will resume in-person meetings at our Wading River Historical Society building. The meeting will be held this Thursday, May 18 at 7:30 PM and will focus on “Heirlooms, Mementos and Artifacts: Why People & Museums Collect”. Sid Bail will make a brief presentation about our glass bottle collection and Jane Alcorn will be bringing items that she has collected. We are also asking members to briefly share information about some of the things they have collected that might be related to a hobby, monetary investment, antiques, historical value, or family heirlooms. If you are interested in sharing with us at this meeting please contact Sid at wrcivic@optonline.net as soon as possible. Topic: Heirlooms, Mementos and Artifacts: Why People & Museums Collect Time: May 18, 2023 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Place: Wading River Historical Society History House North Country Road, Wading River, NY 11792 We are happy to move forward with our WR Historical Society friends and community! Please join us for these events! Check back for further announcements. |
Post Office Box 263
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