Southold Indian Museum

10/13/2026

Check out the Northforker article posted yesterday about our museum! https://northforker.com/2026/10/on-the-north-fork-a-museum-preserves-long-islands-indigenous-history/
We will be open on Sunday Oct 18 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. Just email [email protected] for an appt Mon-Sat!

On Southold’s Bayview Road, a small museum preserves Long Island history that extends far beyond the colonial era. The Southold Indian Museum (1080 Main Bayview Road, Southold, 631-765-5577) grew out of the Incorporated Long Island Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association, which wa...

10/06/2026

Native Americans have incorporated the night sky into their traditional knowledge for thousands of years. If you've seen the NOVA special "Knowledge Keepers", you've already heard about some indigenous astronomy examples from Dr. Chis Cannon. Make plans now to join his upcoming free zoom lecture on Oct 21! Check the flyer here for details and register at https://HamptonsObservatory.org. Visit us to learn more! The museum will be open on Sunday, Oct 11 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.

09/30/2026

Professional excavations of Long Island Native American sites date back to the early 1900's. Heye Foundation professor Dr. Forest H. Saville performed a large excavation near Springs at the southern end of Three Mile Harbor beginning in 1924. During this work, Saville discovered the dark grey chert Paleoindian projectile point seen in this black and white image (enlarged and isolated via AI from a photograph published in Saxon, W. (1973). The Paleo-Indian on Long Island. The Bulletin: New York State Archaeological Association, 57, 1–11.) This Three Mile Island fluted point in the Heye Foundation collection became part of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) collection after the Heye Foundation transferred its entire collection to the Smithsonian Institute in 1989. This point is today stored off display, presumably housed at the NMAI Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, Maryland. (Museum detectives clue: the catalog number for this point is 13/5410). Beginning in 1925, Saville was assisted at the Three Mile Island site by local avocational archaeologist Roy Latham, one of the founders of the Long Island Chapter of the NYSAA (owner/operator, Southold Indian Museum). Notably, Latham first learned professional archaeological excavation techniques while assisting Saville at this project. Want to learn more? We are open on Sunday, Oct 4 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.

09/23/2026

There is much research interest regarding how traditional ceramic manufacturing knowledge was transferred in local Native American cultures, who used rolled coil methods. One archaeological clue to examine is possible "apprentice vessels". This photo represents one of the very small ceramic vessels at our museum which may fit this category. Recovered intact from a soft-clam shell midden, it is small, roughly shaped as a miniature version of a larger pot design, and is possibly decorated by fingernail marks. However, thorough scientific investigation is needed to establish these small pots as learner vessels. Read about one related study here: https://ontarioarchaeology.org/wp-content/uploads/oa089-090_part_03_braun.pdf. Visit us to learn more! The museum will be open on Sunday, Sept 27 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.

09/16/2026

09/16/2026

It's difficult to estimate the total Native population on Long Island before the official dates of settlement, such as the English landing at Southold in 1640. We depend on ship logs and accounts from earlier explorers. This AI video interprets the Arms of Amsterdam Dutch trading vessel entering the Narrows in 1628 and traveling to the East End of Long Island. The captain, Isaak de Rasieres, described dense occupation of villages all along the creeks and bays. Just before contact, the conservative estimate of the population of Long Island Native Americans is around 10,000. This estimate has been steadily increasing over the past decades as we learn more about the carrying capacity of the extensive marine resources. Visit us to learn more! The museum will be open from 1:30 to 4:30 pm on Sunday, Sept 20.

09/08/2026

During September, Long Island Native Americans moved away from gathering resources along the coast to increasing hunting activities. Controlled burns had multiple purposes: removing forest undergrowth made tracking and hunting easier in the fall, provided nutrients to the soil, and the new spring growth attracted even more deer to aid in spring hunting. With the undergrowth removed in the fall, hunting parties worked together to drive the deer through the forest to those waiting with a bow and arrow. This short AI video illustrates a typical local September burn and hunt. Visit us to learn more! The museum will be open on Sunday Sept 13 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.

09/01/2026

Some things are hard to categorize, like Native American ceramic traditions in the Northeast. We are excited to have a new AI tool to help us out! By closely examining detailed photos of restored vessel front views, top views, inside and outside patterns, decoration motifs, and base shapes, AI can spot unifying characteristics that could be difficult for humans to agree on. This figure shows three of our restored ceramic vessels sharing Sebonac tradition traits from different Long Island regions (South Fork, Shelter Island, and North Fork). The Sebonac phase production range was from 900 to 1500 AD in southern New England. Visit us to learn more! The museum will be open on Sunday, September 6 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm. (All photos by Ephraim Horowitz).

08/25/2026

Time for fall caribou hunting! As glaciers retreated from Long Island around 17,000 yrs ago, huge numbers of caribou migrated across land bridges connected to Long Island. Late August was the start time for the annual fall migration as caribou moved south, away from extreme winter snow and winds. These caribou likely served as an important annual game source for the Paleo people just arriving into our area. Caribou bones dated to 13,840 BP were discovered in upstate New York caves, but it has been challenging to find evidence directly linking Paleo hunting activities to caribou bones. Visit us to learn more! The museum will be open on Sunday, Aug 30 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.

08/19/2026

Intense archaeological interest has been paid to the Shoreham-Wading River area for the past 75 years. From 3500 BC to around 1500 BC, the shore area evolved from an open bay to a salt marsh through sedimentation. Both environments provided the local Native Americans with rich resources over that entire period of time. The AI figure shown here illustrates the large number of published documented and dated sites in the area. Visit us to learn more! The museum will be open on Sunday August 23 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm.