[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 120 (Thursday, September 5, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             A TRIBUTE TO THE SAG HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL P. FORBES

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 5, 1996

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Sag 
Harbor Historical Society and its efforts to preserve the rich heritage 
of this colonial-era village on Long Island's east end.
  Settled in the mid-1970's, Sag Harbor is a bucolic seaside village 
that was once home to a fleet of whaling ships during the last century. 
Strategically situated on Long Island's south fork, Sag Harbor has 
played significant roles in many of America's earliest events, from the 
Revolutionary War to the Civil War and the industrial revolution.
  Now this bustling maritime port, nestled within the rich farmland of 
the Hamptons, is a destination for thousands of tourists and summer 
residents who come to enjoy the beautiful nearby beaches and local 
sites that the Sag Harbor Historical Society have fought to preserve. 
Though several groups have worked to maintain Sag Harbor's unique 
legacy, none were still active when the Sag Harbor Historical Society 
was created in 1985.
  Among the group's most notable projects was the defense of the 
Umbrella House, a colonial-era building that suffered a direct cannon 
shot during the War of 1812. With its high-pitched gable roof and other 
unique features, the Umbrella House is typical of early American 
architecture. Along with placing Sag Harbor's downtown district on the 
National Register of Historical Places, the society also published a 
395-page tome of local history in 1991.
  Committed historians that they are, the Sag Harbor Historical Society 
members are completely devoted to preserving every aspect of the 
village's fertile heritage. This Saturday, September 7, the society is 
dedicating the opening of a new historical landmark, the historic Sag 
Harbor jail, located behind the equally significant municipal building. 
The historic Sag Harbor jail will serve as a public museum, with 
exhibits on the history of law enforcement and correction in America.
  Built in 1915, the jail house is a classic example of an early 20th 
century lock-up and is an integral part of Sag Harbor's fascinating 
downtown architecture. Built of native hard burned brick, the lock-up 
has 8 inch thick walls around two steel cells for male prisoners and 
another for women. But then in 1985, the little brick jail house was 
slated for demolition to make way for new development.
  The local historians who fought to preserve the jail house organized 
to become the Sag Harbor Historical Society, dedicated to preserving 
their hometown's heritage for future generations. So I ask my 
colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in saluting the 
Sag Harbor Historical Society for all their efforts.

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