named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Black History Month Exhibits and Programs
Annual series highlighting the lives and contributions of Black individuals in the North Fork region, including research on enslaved people and their descendants.
Christmas Through the Ages
Seasonal program interpreting holiday traditions across different historical periods in three historic buildings: the Old House, Wickham House, and Schoolhouse.
Family History Day
Annual event featuring reenactors, historical demonstrations, and exhibits focused on genealogy and local heritage, held on the Village Green.
Old Cutchogue Burying Ground Tour
Annual guided tour featuring actors in period costumes who recite scripts based on historical figures buried in the cemetery, offered in partnership with local community groups.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Urban Park and Public Space Conservation 1 activity
- Development and management of the Village Green as a historic public spaceDeveloped and maintains a two-acre Village Green as a central public space surrounded by historic buildings, including installing grass, erecting historic markers, and hosting public events. The site serves as the hub for the organization’s preservation and educational activities.
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Historical and Genealogical Research 1 activity
- Historical research and documentation of underrepresented historiesConducts and shares ongoing historical research focused on individuals such as Keturah, an enslaved woman later manumitted, to expand public understanding of Black experiences in North Fork history and diversify the narrative of local heritage.
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Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
- Maintenance and curation of historical collections and artifactsPreserves, displays, and interprets historical objects such as farming implements, woodworking tools, Native American artifacts, a 1927 Ford Model T truck, and a colonial-era weaving loom. Collections are housed in dedicated facilities including the Red Barn and Village Garage, with educational displays on colonial textile production.
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Museum and Historical Gift Shops 1 activity
- Operation of a gift shop and visitor servicesOperates a gift shop in the Carriage House to support the Village Green, providing tourist information and generating revenue to sustain preservation and educational programs.
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Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Preservation and restoration of historic buildings and landmarksAcquires, relocates, restores, and maintains historic structures including the Wickham Farmhouse, Old Schoolhouse, Old House, and Carriage House, ensuring their long-term preservation and public access. This includes ongoing maintenance, repairs, and reconstruction of elements such as decks and facades.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Provision of public access and information via digital and physical resourcesOffers an interactive map to guide public access to historic buildings and erects roadside markers to identify significant historical sites including the Old House, Old Burying Ground, and Holland Submarine Base, enhancing public engagement with local history.
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Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
- Public education through historical tours, reenactments, and special eventsOrganizes and hosts guided tours, historic reenactments, living history performances, and themed events such as the annual graveyard tour, Family History Day, ghost hunting, and car shows to engage the public with local history and promote community participation.
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Cemetery Operations and Public Access 1 activity
- Stewardship and public access to the Cutchogue Old Burying GroundPurchased the Cutchogue Old Burying Ground for $1 and conducts ongoing upkeep, preservation, and public access, including restoration of monuments supported by grants and annual workshops for its maintenance. Offers guided tours and educational programs at the site.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$148K
Contributions & grants$19K13%
Program service revenue$35K23%
Investment income$93K63%
Other revenue$366
expenses
Total expenses$142K
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead15%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1.30M
Cash$68K
Investments$880K
Liabilities$0
Net assets$1.30M
Liquid reserves80.0 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +54.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 6
- DOROTHEA JORDAN — SECRETARY
- EILEEN SANTORA — VICE PRESIDE
- GLORIA GROOCOCK — PRESIDENT
- PATRICIA SPECINER — SECRETARY
- RICHARD STAUFFER — TREASURER
- VIRGINIA MCCAFFERY — VP ADMINISTR
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- Congregational Church Partner — Owned the land used for the Village Green and leased it to the Council at a nominal fee.
- Cutchogue Free Library Partner — Hosted the Council's first open membership meeting and collaborates through the Local History Room to collect and preserve local historical records.
- Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library Partner — Collaborated on hosting the live theater performance "Ask Mrs. Lincoln."
- Cutchogue Presbyterian Church Partner — Sold the Cutchogue Old Burying Ground to the Council for $1 and previously owned the Red Barn, which was later acquired and moved by the Council.
- Daughters of the American Revolution Partner — Collaborated in commemorating Fanny Ledyard's actions at Fort Griswold through a memorial tablet placed at her grave.
- East End Seaport Museum Partner — Collaborates on the North Fork Revolutionary War Trail to present interconnected stories of the Revolutionary War era.
- Hallockville Museum Farm Partner — Collaborates on the North Fork Revolutionary War Trail to present interconnected stories of the Revolutionary War era.
- Mark Macnish Partner — Director of the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Historical Council & Museums, point of contact for volunteer opportunities.
- Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. Government — Initiated contact with the Cutchogue Chamber of Commerce requesting research on the pre-colonial Indian population, which inspired the formation of the Council.
- Old House Society Coalition — Original group whose members inspired the Council's preservation efforts, including those related to the Old House.
- Old School Wool and Weaving Center Partner — Hosted a visiting expert who examined and documented the historical features of a loom in the organization's collection.
- Oysterponds Historical Society Partner — Collaborates on the North Fork Revolutionary War Trail to present interconnected stories of the Revolutionary War era.
- Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation Funder — Provided a $10,000 grant for monument restoration at the Cutchogue Old Burying Ground.
- Southold Historical Museum Partner — Collaborates on the North Fork Revolutionary War Trail to present interconnected stories of the Revolutionary War era.
- Southold government Government — Collaborates by providing access to official documents such as the manumission record of Keturah.
- Weaver’s Croft Partner — Consulted with the founder, an expert in historic weaving equipment, during the restoration of a colonial-era loom.
strategies · 4
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.
- Community-Engaged Historical Recoverymethodology: community-engaged_preservationBy involving community members in archival research and preservation activities, we recover marginalized histories and sustain public ownership of heritage, because inclusive participation reveals hidden narratives and strengthens stewardship.
- Experiential Historical Educationmethodology: experiential_educationBy using first-person theater, site-based trails, and volunteer interpretation, we create immersive public learning experiences that foster deeper understanding of history, because experiential engagement increases retention and emotional connection.
- Historic Preservation as Community Connectionmethodology: historic_preservationBy preserving historic places and structures, we strengthen community ties to shared heritage and enable collective reflection on historical development, because connection to the past fosters identity and civic engagement.
- Interpretive Material Culture Analysismethodology: material-culture-analysisBy analyzing physical features of historic objects—such as tools and construction techniques—we reconstruct cultural and historical context where documentation is absent, because material artifacts encode functional, temporal, and societal meaning.