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Historical Society of Greater Port Jefferson

Port Jefferson, NY · EIN 237063724 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A54 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · portjeffhistorical.org
revenue
$139K
expenses
$107K
net assets
$752K
employees
6
program ratio
28%
mission · from form 990

The organization's mission is to discover, preserve and disseminate knowledge about the greater Port Jefferson area

profile · synthesized from sources

Historical Society of Greater Port Jefferson is dedicated to discovering, preserving, and sharing the history of the Port Jefferson area in New York. The organization operates the Mather House Museum and a complex of historic outbuildings featuring collections related to local shipbuilding, clocks, and 19th-century rural life. It sustains its work through public events, membership, and fundraising activities.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Annual Country Auction
Live auction held at the Mather House Museum featuring unique items and treasures, with a professional auctioneer and 12% buyer's premium
Antiques and Garden Weekend
Annual event featuring antiques, collectibles, garden items, and homemade baked goods; includes raffles and a 50/50 drawing, with proceeds supporting the Mather Museum Complex
Clock Guild Repair School
Tuition-free classes teaching antique clock maintenance, repair, and restoration; open to beginners and advanced students, meeting year-round at the museum
Mather Museum Complex Exhibits
Historic site featuring the Mather House and multiple outbuildings showcasing shipbuilding tools, carriages, a country store re-creation, farm tools, and period kitchens
Spinney Clock Collection
Permanent exhibit of over 250 antique clocks, including tallcase, wall, shelf, and specialty clocks from the Ross and Tex Spinney collection
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 1 activity
    • Host annual country auction and fundraising events
      Hosts an annual country auction at the Mather House Museum featuring unique items and treasures, with proceeds supporting the maintenance of the museum complex; also benefits from Antiques and Garden Weekend proceeds.
  • Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
    • Operate the Mather House Museum and historic museum complex
      Operates the Mather House Museum as headquarters and a public museum with seasonal hours and guided tours, and maintains a museum complex including multiple historic buildings and exhibits related to local trades and daily life in Port Jefferson’s history.
  • Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
    • Preserve and share local history of the Greater Port Jefferson area
      Discovers, preserves, and disseminates knowledge about the history of the Greater Port Jefferson area through research, collections, and public outreach.
  • Railroad and Canal Heritage Preservation 1 activity
    • Provide tuition-free instruction in antique clock restoration
      Operates a school for the maintenance, repair, cleaning, and restoration of antique clocks, offering tuition-free classes taught by expert instructors and supported by a specialized library and donated clocks for student practice.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Display and maintain extensive antique clock collections
      Displays over 250 antique clocks from the Ross and Tex Spinney collection and maintains diverse clock displays across multiple rooms, including grandfather, wall, shelf, and specialty clocks from various countries and historical periods.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$139K
Contributions & grants$73K52%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$13K10%
Other revenue$53K
expenses
Total expenses$107K
Program expenses28%
Admin / overhead72%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$24K
Grants paid out$1K
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$759K
Cash$210K
Investments$165K
Liabilities$7K
Net assets$752K
Liquid reserves42.0 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +40.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 9
  • Anthony Butera — Trustee
  • Axel Drees — Treasurer
  • Beth Pranzo — Trustee
  • Catherine Quinlan — Trustee
  • Grace Ryan — Trustee
  • Jim Boyd — Trustee
  • Kathleen Cash — Trustee
  • Laura Warren — Trustee
  • Nikki Palumbo — Trustee
relationships · 8

Who they work with

  • Kunz Family Nursery Partner — Maintains the Wayne Helmer Herb Garden located behind the Mather House.
  • Mather House Museum Partner — Hosts the annual country auction on its grounds.
  • Northwell Mather Hospital Partner — Supported the Historical Society of Greater Port Jefferson.
  • Northwell Mather Hospital Partner — Supports the Antiques and Garden Weekend.
  • Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation Funder — Provided financial support to the Historical Society of Greater Port Jefferson.
  • Spinney Block Collectors’ Guild Partner — Operates a clock repair and restoration school in collaboration with the Historical Society at the museum complex.
  • Suwassett Garden Club Partner — Maintains the Thomas Jefferson Perennial Garden located at the museum complex.
  • Vanderbilt Estate Partner — Source of a historic rolling bar with a clock insert displayed at the Historical Society.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Engagement Through Living History and Storytelling
    methodology: living-history-recreation
    By recreating historical environments and using storytelling, the organization fosters public connection to local history because immersive and narrative experiences make the past more relatable and memorable.
  • Hands-On Skill Transmission to Preserve Craftsmanship
    methodology: hands-on training with donated materials
    By using donated artifacts as hands-on training tools, the organization preserves traditional horological skills because experiential learning enables intergenerational knowledge transfer and practical mastery.
  • Preservation and Thematic Dissemination of Local History
    methodology: preservation-and-dissemination
    By discovering, preserving, and thematically organizing historical artifacts and stories, the organization increases public understanding of the greater Port Jefferson area because structured, narrative-driven access enhances engagement and learning.