Join us at Preservation Long Island’s Custom House for Meigs Weekend, a public living-history event commemorating Sag Harbor’s role in the American Revolution and the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Preservation Long Island and the Sag Harbor Historical Museum and members of The 3rd New York Regiment, a nonprofit living history organization, are pleased to host Meigs Weekend, a FREE, interactive two day event that includes an 18th century Continental Army encampment and reenactments of the 1777 Meigs Raid, also known as the Battle of Sag Harbor, where Long Island patriots fought back British troops. Costumed troops will march, muskets will fire and Long Island history will come alive for the weekend.
Visitors will also enjoy 18th-century musical performances by Heather Reylek and other musicians, colonial cooking demonstrations by Diane Schwindt, woodworking demonstrations by Colonial Crafts of Connecticut, traditional silhouette cutting by Silhouettes by Hand, and a family-friendly scavenger hunt.
The Sag Harbor Whaling Museum is offering free admission during the weekend event and children’s story readings by the John Jermain Memorial Library will take place on the Custom house lawn.
Self-guided tours of the Custom House will also be available during the weekend event. Visitors will receive a Custom House 250th tour booklet, and Preservation Long Island’s trained Educators will be available throughout the day to answer questions about the site’s history, materials, and architecture. In addition, visitors with the Long Island 250th Anniversary Passport Book will receive a commemorative stamp from the Custom House which is one of Long Island historic sites listed in the Passport Book.
Preservation Long Island celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Join us in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with special events, programs, and tours across our four historic properties on Long Island. As one of the most historic regions in New York, Long Island played a pivotal role in the American Revolution.
Preservation Long Island’s historic houses, exhibition gallery, collections, and archival manuscripts reveal how local people on Long Island contributed to the unique story of our nation’s founding in profound ways. From Colonel Josiah Smith’s orderly book recording the movements of Long Island’s Minute Men in August 1776, as British forces prepared to land, to the writings of Jupiter Hammon (1711–before 1806) — America’s first published Black poet, enslaved on Long Island — whose works grappled with the moral conflicts of slavery and freedom in the early United States, Long Island’s complex and compelling history comes vividly to life.
Be sure to check this page often for additional events and announcements about special programs we are offering for America’s 250th Anniversary. We look forward to celebrating with you as we honor Long Island’s role in our shared history.