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HISTORIC YAPHANK WALKING TOUR
By the Yaphank Historical Society
A walk through historic Yaphank can be a very rewarding experience. In order to guide you in this journey, the Yaphank Historical Society has produced a Walking Tour pamphlet. Most of the information located below can be found throughout the Yaphank portions of Longwood's Journey. However, on this page, all information has been integrated into one cumulative package that is conducive to a self-guided tour... Print this page, put on your walking shoes, and prepare to discover the fascinating history of Yaphank!
The above map was graciously provided by the Yaphank Historical Society.
Homes in the Yaphank Historical Society
1. Phillips-Bianca House
2. Sell- Trochanis House
3. Hawkins- Dooley House
4. Hawkins Family Cemetery
5. D.D. Swezey- Mannino House
6. Norton- Mannino House
7. Robinson- Tuthill-Mills-Mannino House
8. Davis-Hoeffner-Mannino House
9. Swezey-Avey House
10. Marchant-Pantanella House
11. Marchant-Merrit House
12. Overton-Schmidt House
13. Ackerly-Saggese House
14. Sereno B. Overton House
15. Homan-Hulse House
16. Davis House
17. Davis-Norton House
18. Presbyterian Parsonage Manse
19. Yaphank Presbyterian Church
20. Walters-Ripple House
21. Delappe-Lacina House
22. Herbert House
23. Howell-Angello House & Carriage Barn
24. Joseph Hololob House
25. Oysterman's Bank
26. Overton-Mouzakes House
27. Middle Island Central School District
28. Krabbe-Englebach House
29. Yaphank Union cemetery
30. Richard Homan -Olsen House
31. Sylvester Homan- Trusnovec House
32. Neuss- Williams House
33. Walter Milian-Joseph Greener House
34. Gus Neuss-Luley House
35. Van Recter-Stroud House
36. Homan-Wittman House
37. Yaphank Community Shop
38. Hammond-Kollet House
39. Howell-Overhoff House
40. Saint Andrews Episcopal Church and Cemetery
41. Booth-Kinney House
42. Weeks-Hololob House
43. Hawkins-Jacobsen House
44. Homan-Hard House and Buckingham Family Cemetery
45. Homan-Gerard Mill Site
Other sites
Descriptions
1. cira 1850. This house is of the basic Federalist design. It is the second house to have stood on this site. The first house stood during the Revolutionary War. It has been said that the Troops of Major Benjamin Talmadge stopped here to drink from the stream that runs behind the house. It remained in the Phillips family until 1945.
2. circa 1860. This is the site of an old roadside tavern. Through the years it has had extensive alterations
3. circa 1858. This house belonged to Robert Finley Hawkins; one of Yaphank's prominent mill owners. He was quite successful in his agricultural pursuits. This house was the focal point of his 151 acre estate.
4. Members of the Hawkins family are buried here. Gravestones date back to 1794
5. circa 1800. In 1967 this house was moved from its original site (Main Street, Yaphank)
6. 1846. Samuel F. Norton, prominent citizen, farmer and builder constructed this house. It originally stood at the site of the N.Y. tele Co. building (Mill Road, Yaphank). In 1974 it was moved to save it from demolition.
7. 1726. This asymetrical Dutch Colonial home has the original hand split cedar shingles, beehive ovens and cooking fireplace.
8. circa 1800. This house is known as a half-house, because of its lack of symetry.
9. circa 1873. This was Van Rennsaler Swezey's home. He and his brother Daniel operated the Swezey Mills on the Upper Lake near this house. It was in the Swezey family until it was sold in 1965 to Brookhaven Town.
10. circa 1918
11. circa 1918
12. circa 1860. Nehemiah Overton built and owned this house. An 1847 account book found in the old kitchen walls, suggests that the Overton's were involved as carpenters, pig farmers and possibly in a game business.
13. circa 1873. Some believe this was a store in the late 1860's. It was completely remodeled in the 1950's.
14. circa 1860. Serino B. Overton was a prominent citizen in Yaphank, who seems to have once operated a butcher shop and dry goods business from this house.
15. circa 1863. This house has been in the Homan family since it was built and the present owners mother, brother and sister were born in the house.
16. circa 1920. This house was built by Albert Davis, and has remained in the family ever since.
17. circa 1873. This home belonged to S.F. Norton in 1873. By 1888 it was in the Davis family and has remained in the family ever since.
18. circa 1874. Built by Samuel F. Norton of Yaphank. House is unaltered and has a small round cellar underneath.
19. 1851. The property for the church was given by James H. Weeks and his wife in 1851. It was erected during the year and dedicated on Christmas Day. Until 1871 it was officially a chapel, governed by the Middle Island Presbytery. The Yaphank Church was recognized as such in 18711. It's tower was erected in 1870.
20. circa 1873. Charles E. Walters owned this home during the 1900's. He donated the land for the Yaphank Fire House and the land for the school, which bears his name.
21. circa 1776. It is said to be the home of Mr. Pope (1930's), an assistant to Thomas Edison.
22. circa 1800. Very old home of pegged construction- lentil once found over door marked 1728. There is a milestone outside gate reading "Manorville 8 mi.". Former home of Dr. Edward Holden in 1873.
23. circa 1873. Was the old wheel and wagon shop.
24. circa 1860. Front recently altered
25. circa 1895. Through the years this building had various uses. Around 1900 it was a Grange Hall. Later it became a restaurant and bowling alley. In the 1950's it was used as a clock factory. The building is now owned by Mr. John McMahon of Yaphank.
26. circa 1869. Home once occupied by Captain Wheelock Coombs and E. Wickham Mills, both prominent store owners in Yaphank during the 1800's.
27. 1926. Formerly the site of an octagon schoolhouse that was moved down the street and used as a fire house. This building was used from 1926 to the 1960's as a school. It then housed the library until 1971 and now serves as a district office.
28. circa 1867. Front of home altered--new brick, porch enclosed, front door moved. Formerly owned by Christian Krabbe who in the late 1800's owned much land in Yaphank.
29. circa 1870. The Yaphank Cemetery Association organized in 1870, consists of four acres bought for $550, in 1872 from J.P. Mills. Non-denominational, the cemetery is still in use.
30. circa 1790. Probably the oldest home along this street. A small addition has been recently added.
31. circa 1873. Present owner is great-grandaughter of Sylvester Homan, a founder of Yaphank. The house has almost continuously been in the Homan family. A front porch was moved to the back of the house.
32. circa 1850. The home has been in the family of the present owner since 1895. Before that it was the home of Rosewell Davis who was the town clerk from 1890-1894. Rosewell Davis was also manager of the Suffolk branch of Sun Insurance Company- the oldest fire insurance company in the world.
33. circa 1873. Alterations
34. circa 1853. Alterations. Mr. Neuss moved away from Yaphank and was made Mayor of a town in Ohio. He now lives in upstate New York.
35. 1926. A pre-cut house from Sears-Roebuck & Company. The metal barn was originally a warehouse from Camp Upton-WWI. The Camp Upton stamp is stenciled on the side.
36. circa 1800. The house has a stone foundation, pressed metal roof and a leaded transom in the front door. Previous owners of the house have been Homan and Davis families. An old County Clerks office was attached to the rear of the building.
37. circa 1873. It is believed that there has always been some type of store at this location. An 1873 map also shows one of these buildings as the Floyd House, possibly a cousin to William Floyd.
38. circa 1848. This was the home of Edmond Hammond, a photographer who specialized in scenic postcards.
39. circa 1885 This was the Charles E. Howell General Store, from 1896-1921. While in operation, the store stood on the east side of the Wittman Rabbitry. It was moved from its original site in 1940. It has since been used as a private residence.
40 1853. Aside from the addition on the east side of the building, this church remains in its original state. It is a replica of a church in Massapequa, Long Island. The gravestones in the cemetery show the names of many of Yaphank's former residents.
41. circa 1823. This was the birthplace of Mary Louise Booth, in 1831. Miss Booth was an author, translator and the first editor of Harpers Bazaar.
42. circa 1827. The home of James Huggins Weeks, who moved to Yaphank in 1827. He was president of the L.I.R.R. from 1847-1850. He sold the land for the site of the Presbyterian Church and donated the location upon which the Episcopal church was built.
43. 1853. The only early Victorian home in the area. Formerly the home of Robert Hewlett Hawkins, born in Yaphank in 1817. The house remained in the Hawkins family until 1887. It is now owned by Suffolk County and is part of the Parks Department Historic Trust. It is now under restoration by the County in conjunction with the Yaphank Historical Society.
44. circa 1814. The Homan-Hard house, also known as the Yellow House, stands alongside the site of the Homan-Gerard Mills. (The Mills were the backbone of Yaphank's thriving industry during the 1800's.) The house was built prior to 1814 and is currently owned by Suffolk County. It was purchased by them in 1963 as part of Southhaven Park. It is now schedule for restoration.
45. 1762. This is the site of the Homan-Gerard Mills. John Homan was first granted permission to build a sawmill here in 1762. The mill prospered and in 1771 Daniel Homan built another grist mill. In 1820 Daniel Homan Jr. received permission to build a third mill. In 1821 Hawkins and Gerard bought these mills, tore down two of them and built one large mill. The mills burned in 1918.
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