Clio Logo

Northport Historical Society

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Now home to the Northport Historical Society, this building served as the community library from the time of its completion in 1914 until 1966. The historical society was established in 1962 and worked to preserve buildings, artifacts, and collections of papers and other records. The historical society operates a small museum in this building in addition to a library that is full of materials for researchers and genealogists.

Images

  • The museum is located in the former Northport Public Library, which was completed in 1914.
  • Exhibits focus on topics such as military history, the growth of business and industry, and the experience of women.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

This Tudor-style structure was built as a Carnegie library in 1914. The Northport Library and Literary Union bought the land for $3,000 and was awarded a $10,000 construction grant from the Carnegie Corporation. It was designed by architect Harry E. Donnell, a member of the prominent Delamater/Bevin family. The building served as the Northport Library's headquarters until 1966, when a new Library was built.

Thereafter, the Northport Historical Society, founded in 1962 by a group interested in preserving the community's history, began mounting exhibits in the former library's showcase. The Village of Northport purchased the Carnegie in 1974 with the intent of preserving it and providing a permanent home and exhibit space for the Society. The building was acquired outright by the Society in 1976 through a generous gift from Stephen and Frank Cavagnero, two members of a prominent Northport family.

Today, the Northport Historical Society maintains a museum and research library in the landmark building where artifacts associated with the area's history are housed, curated and displayed. The Society has an eleven member governing Board of Trustees. The part-time staff is comprised of a Director, Museum Educator and Collections Consultant. The staff, in concert with a corps of approximately three dozen dedicated docents and volunteers, work with students and visitors to illuminate our local legacy through educational programs, thoughtful exhibits and events.

Sources

Northport Historical Society and Museum. Official website of Northport Historical Society. Accessed October 21, 2017. http://www.northporthistorical.org/.

Additional Information