The Town of Southeast, NY
Historic Sites

Putnam County, New York

Historic Sites Commission

Chairperson, Kathleen Ables

Members: Betty Barrett, Robert Gosselink, Raymond Knox, Michelle Powers, Peter Tringali, (one vacancy)

The Historic Sites Commission consists of seven members appointed for seven-year terms. Meetings are held as needed throughout the year. The Commission serves to protect, enhance and preserve certain landmarks and historic sites within the Town. In addition to the four designated sites listed below, theHistoric Sites Commission has inventoried adn identified many homes and sites dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The four designated sites are as follows:

Old Southeast Church and Old Doansburg Schoolhouse – located south of the State Police Barracks on Route 22. Tours of the buildings are conducted on Sunday afternoons from 1pm to 5pm from May through August. Special events are scheduled on occasion. A New Year's Eve celebration is observed by battery-powered candles each December 31st at 11:45pm in the unheated church.

Old Town Hall – the Southeast Museum, The Town Civic Center, the Justice Court, and the land-use offices of the Town are housed in the Old Town Hall at 67 Main Street. The building was erected in 1896 and served as the Town Hall until 1965 when the Supervisor and Town Clerk moved to One Main Street.

Town Hall – The original First National Bank of Brewster now houses the Town Supervisor and Clerk's Offices at One Main Street. Sitting across from the Brewster Train Station, Town Hall is a central element to Main Street, Brewster.

Walter Brewster House – Owned by the Landmarks Preservation Society of Southeast, the Walter Brewster House was built around 1850 on the hill looking down on Main Street by the Village founder, Walter Brewster. The building has been carefully restored and hosts tours, concerts and special gatherings throughout the year.

Some additional historic homes and sites from the 18th and 19th Centuries include:

  • Yale House at the corner of Old Rt. 22 and Tattle Street (Brewster Hill Road)
  • The Vail House and the Vail Homestead, Peach Lake Road
  • The Triangle House, Tattle Street (Brewster Hill Rd.) and Tonnetta Lake Rd.
  • Crosby-Brewster House, Rt. 312
  • Budd's Tavern (The Elks Lodge), Rt. 22
  • Sherwood House, Sherwood Hill Road and Milltown Road
  • The Birthplace of Fanny Crosby, Foggintown Road (Ms. Crosby was blind, but became well-known as Methodist hymn writer)
  • Dag Hammarskjold House, Foggintown Road (20th Century)
  • Tilly Foster Mines and Stock Farm, Rt. 312 and Rt. 6
  • Enoch Crosby Homestead, Maple Road
  • Howes House, Rt. 6 and Drewville Road
  • The Seth Howes Home ("Morningthorpe"), Turk Hill Road, restored and now occupied by the Delancey Street Foundation

These are only a few of the many homes and buildings noted by Historic Sites.

In addition to these sites, there are two Historic Districts recognized in the Town of Southeast. The Milltown Area Historic District extends along Milltown Road from Route 22 to the Connecticut border and was one of the earliest settlements in the Town. The Starr Ridge Historic District extends along Starr Ridge Road, from Route 6 to the North Salem border. The Historic Districts ontain many of he signficant older homes in Southeast. It is intended that the designation of these Historic Districts will emphasize their value and promote their preservation.

The Historic Sites Commission has been actively involved in advising the plans for the restoration of Old Town Hall on Main Street.

For more historical information including an on-line tour of historic sites in Southeast, visit the Southeast Museum website at:  www.southeastmuseum.org.

 

 

 

 

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Town Hall, 1 Main Street, Brewster, NY 10509