One of the finest pre- Revolutionary War homes on Long Island, Rock Hall was built in 1767 for Josiah Martin, a wealthy West Indian plantation owner. The Georgian- style home belonged to two of the area's most famous families, the Martins and Hewletts. In 1948, the Hewlett family deeded Rock Hall to the Town of Hempstead. After an extensive restoration, it opened as a museum in 1953 and is owned and operated by the Town of Hempstead.
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Pre and after Covid, the museum offers a guided tour, programs of historic interest, special lectures and an educational program for students. Visit the museum's cellar. The Warming Kitchen, Cold Storage Room and Wine Cellar offer fascinating views of the rarely seen working areas in an 18th century plantation- style home. Also located in the cellar is the museum's ongoing Archaeology Exhibit Room. There you will see a display of 18th and 19th century artifacts that continue to be uncovered during excavations at Rock Hall.
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Amy Vacchio (main photo, top right), works at the TOH Rock Hall Museum in Lawrence, NY We got some of the latest information from her.
As you know might know, the museum has been closed to visitors and for programs since 2020. TOH Rock Hall Museum is planning (or hoping) to reopen with outdoor programs in the late spring. Museum Grounds are open daily until 4pm. Research continues, and visitors can still enjoy #museumfromhome on Instagram and Facebook.
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During the Fall, Vacchio had the opportunity to learn more about Rock Hall’s history in an unofficial way. The town removed the front porch and due to time constraints, she decided to gather any information before a new porch was constructed. Below are some details of the three day project. Even when the museum is closed, things are still happening. This was in no way associated with the professional archaeological dig that Hofstra University has been conducting at the site.
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On November 16, 2020, the Town of Hempstead removed Rock Hall Museum’s front porch in preparation of the reconstruction of a new porch. The following morning, Salvage Archaeology began under the front porch. Initially using a metal detector along the east side of the newly exposed soil and found a late eighteen/early nineteenth century plain flat brass button and many iron square nails. The newly exposed soil was shifted to salvage any more additional artifacts before the new porch construction covered the site again.
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As this porch has been reconstructed several times, over 250 years, it is considered a disturbed site. A few assisted Vacchio, including Doug Sheer, the president of the Friends of Rock Hall and together recovered a variety of artifacts, consisting of small and large animal bone fragments, bottle and ceramic fragments, clam and oyster shells, strongly suggesting food consumption trash deposits. Datable items within this assemblage included an 1851 U.S. 3 Cent coin, minted 1851 to 1872; a “Dr. Dennis System Renovation & Blood Purifying Syrup” glass tonic bottle circa 1870 to 1900; and a large fragment of a English soft paste porcelain plate with blue Asian motifs, a style popular during the aesthetic ceramic period 1870s to 1880s.
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Later, under the observation of archaeologist Ross T. Rava, we continued expanding the excavation and shifting soil on November 20, 2020. The various mix of scattered artifacts recovered, such as window glass fragments, rusted metal fragments, .22 caliber brass shells, percussion caps, buttons and clothing fasteners, clay pipe stems, drawer pull, porcelain door knob, a soda bottle, bone and shell fragments, a large section of a hand hewn wooden beam, and a lot of iron square and round shank nails, confirmed that the area had been previously disturbed.
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Become a member of the Town of Hempstead, Rock Hall Museum, in Lawrence, and/or subscribe here and get their calendar and be alerted with upcoming events. You can also always find them on our local Mac Kid Five Towns calendar!
Town of Hempstead, ROCK HALL MUSEUM, CIRCA 1767
199 BROADWAY, LAWRENCE, NY 11559
TELEPHONE: 516-239-1157
FriendsofRockHall@gmail.com
https://www.friendsofrockhall.org
Instagram: @friendsofrockhall
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Museum grounds are currently open until 4pm each day.
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