Visit Us

Oysterponds Historical Society (OHS) is located in the heart of historic Orient Village, at the eastern tip of Long Island’s North Fork. We invite you to immerse yourself in the unique heritage of the region by visiting our annual summer exhibitions which feature artifacts, documents, diaries, art, photographs, furniture, household items, fishing and farming implements, and more drawn from OHS’s vaunted collections, the breadth and depth of which are virtually unrivaled for a local historical society on Long Island.

 

Visit Village House and Webb House, two historic 18th-century buildings restored and period-furnished to illustrate day-to-day life in their heyday. Enjoy our 8 1/2-acre campus and compelling exhibitions; we hope you join us for special events, community gatherings, and educational programs for all ages.

 

 

We hope to see you soon!

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Village House

Imagine arriving at the Orient wharf by steamboat and strolling down the street in this fashionable summer resort. Built in 1798 and substantially enlarged in the 1850s, Village House today is open to the public arranged and decorated with period furnishings to reflect the building during its heyday as a boarding house, circa 1880. Renovations in 2009-2013 included roofing, gutters, drainage improvements, exterior painting, electrical upgrades, a climate control system, wall and ceiling repairs, new paint, refinished floors and hardware. The 2nd floor features six exhibition spaces in what used to be guest lodgings.

Webb House

The Webb House was built in the late 18th century in what is now Greenport and probably served as an inn. The building was moved in the first part of the 19th century from its original site to the King’s Highway (now Route 25) where it was used as a farmhouse. In 1955 it was moved again – this time by barge – to Orient and became part of OHS in the 1980s. Webb House today is open to the public and decorated and period-furnished as it was during its late-18th and 19th century prime. A Maritime Exhibition is on permanent display on the 2nd floor.

Old Point Schoolhouse

The Old Point Schoolhouse, originally called the “Down-Neck School,” was built in 1873 to serve the community living near Orient Point. Closed in 1930 for lack of students, it lost its cupola in the great hurricane of 1938. In 1949, OHS acquired the building as a gift from Orient resident Edwin King and moved it to its current location on Orient’s Village Lane. Today, the main floor of the Schoolhouse features the Janet T. Swanson Exhibition Gallery, which houses an annual exhibition culled from OHS’s collections. Just after Thanksgiving, it is transformed into the magical Beach Plum Holiday Shop.

Hours

Several of Oysterponds Historical Society’s historic buildings are open to the public on a regular basis during the summer months and contain compelling exhibitions of contemporary or historical significance featuring significant items culled from OHS’s collections.

 

Six new exhibitions in Village House and the North Fork Fishing & Farming Exhibition in the Red Barn will open to the public on Memorial Day Weekend.  The permanent Maritime Exhibition in Webb House will open on Saturday, July 6th.

 

We look forward to seeing you then!

 

Admission for OHS Members & children is free. Admission for non-Member Adults is $10, which grants same-day access to all buildings.

Directions

Arriving by Car
From the West (Long Island): Take Route 48 or 25 to Greenport, then continue 3.9 miles on Route 25 to Orient. Heading east, turn right at the monument onto Village Lane and continue to our campus on the left.
From the East (New England via Cross Sound Ferry): Heading west on the Main Road in Orient, turn left at the monument onto Village Lane and continue to our campus on the left.

 

Arrive by Bus
Take the Suffolk County Transit Bus S92 from Greenport, East Hampton, or the Orient Ferry to Orient Village. Walk down Village Lane and continue to our campus on the left.

 

Arrive by Hampton Jitney
Take the Hampton Jitney  North Fork Line to the Orient Village stop. Walk down Village Lane and continue to our campus on the left.

 

Arrive by Train
Take the Long Island Rail Road to Greenport. Then take the Suffolk County Transit Bus S92 to Orient Village. Walk down Village Lane and continue to our campus on the left.
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