Village of Babylon Historical
& Preservation Society

Babylon Village: Where History is Made

Open Wednesdays and Saturdays 1:00pm - 3:00pm

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Membership

We're pleased to announce that you can now become a member or renew your current membership online!

Events

Babylon Village is host to many wonderful events through the year.  Check back often to stay up to date with the latest happenings or join our mailing list to stay informed.
All Events

The Historical Society needs you! Your support is vital. Please check out our latest newsletter. There's lots going on!

Stay up to date with our latest newsletter

Check out our new blog! Babylon Village: Where History is Made

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Are you a member?

Join or renew your membership today.

It's easier than ever! Just click on the "membership" tab at the top of the page.

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MARITIME SMUGGLING ON LONG ISLAND: FROM PIRATES TO RUMRUNNERS – BILL BLEYER

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2025 @ 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL

Listen to a PowerPoint lecture by historian, author and former Newsday reporter Bill Bleyer to learn why pirates like Captain Kidd were attracted to Long Island at the turn of the 18th century and how a visit by Kidd to Gardiners Island led to him dying on the gallows in London. And learn why Long Island was so attractive to bootleggers during Prohibition that the Atlantic Ocean off the South Shore became known as Rum Row and was frequented by bootleggers like William “The Real McCoy” McCoy who supplied gangsters like Al Capone and Dutch Schultz.

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Friday, March 21, 20205 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

$5 per person upon arrival You must provide your own transportation.

Directions will be sent after registration Space is limited, reservations are required: Email: babylonvillagehistoricalsociety@yahoo.com or call 631-796-1016.

The Pilgrim Psychiatric Center hosts The Long Island Psychiatric Museum. It offers a collection of memorabilia, artifacts, and photos representing the history of the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center. Pilgrim State Hospital was created by the Legislature in 1929. It was named for Dr. Charles W. Pilgrim, Commissioner of Mental Health in the early 1900s. The hospital opened for the care and treatment of patients on 825 acres with 100 patients on October 1, 1931. Nine months later, 2,018 patients were hospitalized at Pilgrim. The census rose to its peak in 1954, with 13,875 patients.

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“MY BETSEY”: THE REMARKABLE WIFE OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON – ELIZABETH KAHN KAPLAN

APRIL 27, 2025 @ 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL

Elizabeth Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton came from widely different family backgrounds, yet their marriage was a great success. Included in this talk are their eight children; her reaction to his affair with Maria Reynolds; his fatal duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. She lived for 50 more years as a widow salvaging the reputation of her distinguished husband and working on behalf of orphans and public education in New York.

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THE DRAFTING OF A RADICAL IDEA – THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE – TARA RIDER

MAY 18, 2025 @ 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL

When the “shot heard round the world” occurred in April of 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. However, over the course of the next year as Britain attempted to crush the colonists’ rebellion and the arguments of Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” were read by many, the cry for independence would grow. By the time the Declaration of Independence was signed in the summer of 1776, the Continental Congress would declare that independence was “necessary.” Together, we will explore how this 18th century document would become a significant landmark in the history of democracy, exerting influence not only over the United States, but globally.

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We love our volunteers!

Volunteering at the Village of Babylon Historical and Preservation Society can be interesting and rewarding.

If you're interested, come visit us at the Museum to learn more. We'd love to have you!

    Come Visit Us

    When

    Wednesdays and Saturdays
    1:00pm - 3:00pm


    Where

    117 West Main Street
    Babylon Village, NY 11702


    Services

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    Circa Boards

    Your application will be presented to the Board of Trustees of the Historical Society for approval.
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    Historic Homes

    Download a Historical Homes Form. Thank you for caring for a part of our history.
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    Scholarships

    The BVHS scholarship, awarded to a high school senior who has shown excellence in History.
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    Youth Programs

    The Babylon Village Historical Society hosts tours for scout and other youth groups.
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