About the Sayville Historical Society

Learn about the history of the Society, what we do, the Edwards Homestead & more!

History

In August 1944, Clarissa Edwards, a descendant of the original settlers of Sayville John and Sarah Edwards, met with a group of interested citizens to organize the Sayville Historical Society. The Society was chartered by the New York State Education Department in June 1945. Clarissa and her cousin Sarah Edwards Hallock lived on the property on Edwards Street until they each passed away – Clarissa in 1948 and Sarah in the early 1950s. Clarissa intended for the Edwards family property to belong to the Historical Society. County records show that Sarah Edwards Hallock transferred the deed for the land and buildings to the society in 1953.

The Society serves the public by acquiring and preserving local artifacts, presenting interpretive exhibits, publishing historical information and maintaining the Edwards Homestead building and property.

The Society offers tours, special events, educational programs and awards scholarships for excellence in Global and US History to deserving Sayville High School students.

Scholarships are awarded to Sayville High School students for Global History and U.S. History.

Class of 2023 Scholarship Recipients:

Benjamin Flaumenhaft (Global History)
Robert DeJardin (US History)

Class of 2022 Scholarship Recipients:

Sophia Sanchez (Global History)
William Kretz (U.S. History)

The Edwards Homestead

The house built by Matthew Edwards is among the oldest homes continuously occupied by the same family in the State of New York. The original farmhouse was built around 1785 on land acquired by Matthew’s parents John and Sarah from William Nicoll IV sometime after 1761. The farmhouse was expanded around the original building sometime around 1830. The land cost $3 an acre and stretched from the Great South Bay to about a mile north of the current Montauk Hwy. East to west, the Edward land was bordered by what is now called Browns River and a hedgerow midway between the present Candee and Greene Avenues.

The mission of the Sayville Historical Society is to:

Collect, preserve, and interpret objects related to the history of Sayville and West Sayville
Research, document, and disseminate information on the same
Preserve and maintain sites and structures on the Sayville Historical Society property