The Huntington Historical Society began as an exclusively female organization in the early 20th century. Spawned by the success of the Town’s 250th birthday celebration in 1903, the Society’s inception was due, in part, to the changing role of American women in the home. This change was just one of several trends which evolved as the economy of Long Island switched from an agricultural to a more industrial base.
In September, 1903, a group of women, many of them from Huntington’s founding families, met at the home of Mrs. Frederic B. Sammis (Lizbeth, as she was known to her friends) to organize a society to “perpetuate an interest in things Historic;……in fact all Historic relics relating to the Town of Huntington since 1653.”
Inspired by the success of the Town’s 250th celebration in July, at which Teddy Roosevelt was the featured speaker, and their involvement in the event as members of the Colonial Women’s Committee, they formed the “Colonial Society”, and on December 3rd, 1903 they received a state charter for the Colonial Society of Huntington. This became the first embodiment of the Huntington Historical Society. Lizbeth, along with Jessie Kendall Brush, Jeanie Dusenbury Platt and Carrie Shaw Dusenbury Shakeshaft were the founding members. Interestingly, they restricted active membership to women, but when the charter was revised eight years later, the membership was open to both sexes.
On April 19th, 1911 they received a new charter for the Huntington Historical Society establishing the organization under its current name. The Society would also have a permanent home, thanks to another insightful woman, Ella Conklin Hurd, who donated the Conklin Farmhouse to the society in 1918. For the details of how this gift was given see The First 50 Years in Detail in the beginning of this page.
