Warwick Historical Society

In April of 1906, a small group of Warwick residents gathered in one of the YMCA Building’s rooms on Main Street in the Village of Warwick (the YMCA Building would later become known as the 1810 House and would be gifted to the organization). They would formally establish an Historical Society for the Town of Warwick. A few of these citizens maintained residences in NYC, and were keenly aware of the New-York Historical Society that had been established a hundred years before.
The first few meetings involved discussions about the title for the Society and the mission. The name which they quickly arrived at was the Historical Society of the Town of Warwick (HSTOW) and the mission was essentially the same. By 1915, membership had grown to 100, and at the annual meeting discussion centered around the possible purchase of the Shingle House on Lake Street (now Forester Avenue) for their permanent home.
This house, which stands to this day and is currently being restored through a New York State grant, is the oldest standing house in the Village. It was built by Daniel Burt for his son Daniel, Jr. in 1764. A few members donated substantial sums to the cause and by July, 1915 had met the cost of the structure for purchase. The members authorized the Board President to sign a contract for the purchase and moved to incorporate the Society.
In 1914 (re-released in 1933) and 1950, the Society published Warwick Historical Papers, Book 1 and 2. These books contain essays and burial records for the area’s private burial plots and church cemeteries. In the 1950s and 60s, the Society took possession of a number of buildings and properties, including the Old School Baptist Meeting House (1810), what came to be known as Lewis Park, the Sly Barn (c.1825), and the 1810 House.
More recently, in the past two decades, the Society has continued to grow physically with the addition of the Azariah Ketchum House (1810), Hasbrouck Carriage House (1840s), United African Methodist Episcopal Church (1906), and Francis Baird Tavern (1766). In January, 2011 the former Albert Wisner Public Library was bought from the town and donated to the Society and re-named the A.W. Buckbee Center (1927). This structure is the location of historic textile and clothing collection, archives, the location of static exhibitions, administrative offices, reception and a large meeting/function space.