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The Perkins Local History Collection
Long Island History (Click on link)
Our Yellow Barn's History
The barn was originally the Perkins’ Family Carriage House built circa 1873. It was given landmark status by the Town of Riverhead in 2017. The Perkins House is part of the founding history of Riverhead Town. John Perkins came to America in about 1828. He met his wife Marion and bought the mill at Upper Mills from the Albertson’s and settled in Riverhead. He operated a woolen and fulling mill, manufacturing wool goods and stocking yarns with a specialty in waterproof fabric. John Perkins died in 1866 and his sons, John R. and J. Henry took over his business. J. Henry managed the family’s store and John R. managed the factory. In 1888, J. Henry Perkins started a hydro-electric project, converting waterpower from the Peconic River to electrical energy to provide lights for his neighbors. The Perkins Family also had owned a button factory as well as a chocolate factory. In 1929, The Riverhead Hotel Association opened the Hotel Henry Perkins to honor J. Henry Perkins and in that same year, construction of the Suffolk County Historical Society building began. Both the Suffolk County Historical Society and The Riverhead Free Library properties were gifts from the Perkins Family. The Perkins Carriage House also known as the Yellow Barn is currently being used by The Friends of the Riverhead Free Library for the sale of gently used books to support the library and its programs.
Our Local History
- "A History of the Riverhead (N.Y.) Free Library Including a Brief History of the Town of Riverhead" by Laurel K. Sisson
- "Riverhead Town's African-American Settlement History" (via RiverheadLocal.com)
- Riverhead High School Yearbooks
- Access to Ancestry.com
- Suffolk Topic Guides
- Plain Sight Project
Local History Rooms
These public libraries in Suffolk County have local history rooms:
- Amagansett Free Library - Carleton Kelsey Local History Room
- Brentwood Public Library - Local History Room
- Central Islip Public Library
- Center Moriches Free Public Library
- Cold Spring Harbor Library - Special Collections
- Cutchogue-New Suffolk Free Library - Local History Center
- East Hampton Library - Long Island History Room
- East Islip Public Library
- Emma S. Clark Memorial Library - Rhodes Memorial Collection of Local History by the Three Village Historical Society
- Hampton Bays Public Library - Long Island Collection
- Hampton Library in Bridgehampton
- Harborfields Public Library - Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association's Russell B. Brush Research Center
- Huntington Public Library - Mary Talmage Local History Room
- Islip Public Library
- John Jermain Memorial Library - The Nicole Seligman and Joel Klein Archive Center
- Longwood Public Library - Thomas R. Bayles Local History Room
- Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library - Virginia La Tassa Local History Room
- Mattituck-Laurel Library
- Middle Country Public Library
- North Shore Public Library
- Northport-East Northport Public Library - Local History Center
- Patchogue-Medford Library - Celia M. Hastings Local History Room
- Riverhead Free Library - The Perkins Local History Collection
- Rogers Memorial Library - Long Island Collection
- Sachem Public Library
- Sayville Library - Long Island Collection
- Smithtown Library - Richard H. Handley Collection of Long Island Americana
- Southold Free Library - Whitaker Historical Collection
In addition, other libraries in Suffolk County usually have local history special collections or archives. Inquire at the reference desk.
Local History Contact
Local History Coordinator
James Provencher
Phone: (631) 727-3228 ext. 116
History of the Town of Riverhead
Jacob Henry Perkins
John R. Perkins
Long Island Forum Index (1938-2003)
Library Hours
Monday
11-27-2023
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Tuesday
11-28-2023
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Wednesday
11-29-2023
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Thursday
11-30-2023
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Friday
12-01-2023
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday
12-02-2023
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday
12-03-2023
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The Library is Now CLOSED
(...but this site is Always Open!)
(...but this site is Always Open!)
Suffolk County Historical Society
