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Historic Documents from Preservation Long Island’s Collection

Now Included in East Hampton Library’s Digital Long Island Collection 

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Hundreds of items from Preservation Long Island’s archives related to Long Island history

are now fully accessible to the public through a searchable online database.

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A military log book belonging to Colonel Josiah Smith, commander of Long Island’s famous regiment of “Minute Men”. It contains a list of the officers serving under him, an account of cash received from the state and miscellaneous army orders of the day covering the month of August, 1776, when the British on Staten Island were about to land on Long Island. An order of the day dated August 23rd says “The enemy having now landed on Long Island, the hour is fast approaching on which the honor and success of this army and the safety of our bleeding country depends.”

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Cold Spring Harbor – Preservation Long Island, the Cold Spring Harbor-based nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation, is pleased to announce that over 500 documents from its manuscript collection, spanning three centuries of Long Island history, are now part of the East Hampton Library’s Digital Long Island Collection. These documents are available online through the DigitalLongIsland.org portal on the library’s website.

Since its founding in 1948, Preservation Long Island has curated one of New York’s most significant regional collections of historical artifacts. Their holdings include more than 3,000 objects and 185 cubic feet of archival materials. This new collaboration provides public access to a selection of 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century documents, offering insights into Long Island’s social, cultural, political, and economic histories. 

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Highlights of the digitized materials include:

  • Colonel Smith’s “Minute Men” ledger orders: Records from 1776 detailing the efforts of Long Island’s renowned “Minute Men,” who defended against British forces advancing from Staten Island.
  • The Henry Packer Dering Letters: Personal correspondence from one of Sag Harbor’s first US Customs Masters, offering glimpses into daily life during the Early American period. 
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A project of the East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection, Digital Long Island is a comprehensive online resource for researchers, historians, students, and anyone interested in exploring Long Island’s past. The collection includes searchable scans of deeds, maps, letters, oral histories, legal documents, photographs, and other materials, making it an invaluable tool for studying the region’s history.

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“We applaud this enormous effort, which increases accessibility to our collections, expands our audience, and—importantly—enhances our engagement with both scholars and the general public,” said Jackie Powers, Executive Director of Preservation Long Island. “From poems and recipes to song lyrics and whaling ship logs, this is a fascinating treasure trove worth exploring.” 

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“This project doubles the amount of our holdings that are currently digitized,” noted Lauren Brincat, Chief Curator and Director of Collections at Preservation Long Island. “Collaborating with the East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection helps bring to light new stories that may be relevant to a broader audience while also enhancing public knowledge of Long Island’s history and cultural heritage.” 

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“This is one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on digitizing so far,” said Andrea Meyer, Head of the East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection. “As a long-time visitor to Preservation Long Island’s important historic sites, I’ve always wondered about the lives of their residents, and it’s even more fascinating than I expected. Working with my staff to scan the records detailing the fall of New York City—just ahead of the 250th anniversary of the 1776 Revolutionary War events chronicled in Colonel Smith’s ledger—truly brought this fascinating chapter of history to life, and I look forward to others sharing the same immersive experience.”

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Preservation Long Island

Preservation Long Island’s mission is to celebrate and preserve Long Island’s diverse cultural and architectural heritage through advocacy, education, and stewardship of historic sites and collections.

Preservation Long Island also maintains and interprets four historic sites, including the collections housed within each:

Learn more at Preservation Long Island.

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East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection

The East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection is a special collection and archive dedicated to the history and people of Long Island. A five-room research and study area located within the library, the Long Island Collection contains a vast array of original, historic, and contemporary materials that chronicle life on Long Island from the seventeenth century to the present day. Learn more at East Hampton Library

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161 Main Street, P.O. Box 148
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
Tel 631.692.4664
preservationlongisland.org 

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AAQ / Resource: Ben Krupinski Builder

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AAQ / Resource: 1708 House, Southampton | Bed & Breakfast

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AAQ / Resource: Riverhead Toyota

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