Home of George Washington’s intelligence operative Robert Townsend, Raynham Hall is a time capsule of Long Island life in the 18th and 19th centuries. Purchased by Robert’s father Samuel around 1740 and expanded from a two-over-two farmhouse into a four-over-four town house whose land extended down to the bay and for acres all around, the Townsend family homestead was named Raynham Hall by Samuel’s grandson, Solomon, when he renovated it according to the Victorian taste of his own time, in the mid-19th century. Having shed most of its surrounding property around the turn of the twentieth century, the house’s final transformation came in the 1940s with the removal of the Victorian elements from the front part of the house, which was then restored back to its original Colonial appearance, but retaining the Victorian rear addition.
*Covid-19 update: Raynham Hall Museum is currently closed for safety reasons. However, you can participate in an outdoor program called “Hang Out with the Historian” available by appointment. Social distancing and masks required. Contact email: cbellerjeau@raynhamhallmuseum.org to make arrangements. There are also several online Programs & Events available. Check the website for updates.
20 West Main Street Oyster Bay, NY 11771 Phone: 516-922-6808
Visit: www.raynhamhallmuseum.org/
