Local History & Genealogy

LOCAL HISTORY & GENEALOGY RESOURCES

Mattituck-Laurel Library has a diverse array of resources to aid in research on local history and genealogy. They range from databases that provide access to genealogical resources worldwide to unique collections that document local life from the 1800s to the present day. The majority of these materials are discoverable in our dedicated Local History Room and Online Catalog.

In Mattituck, the old Dutch families from the western end of the island were well represented in the Bergen, Duryee, Hamilton, Wyckoff and Waters families.

Above: A photo postcard of the Mattituck Post Office when it was located on the corner of Pike Street and Love Lane circa 1910.

Below: A photo postcard of the Old Mill and the steel bridge over Mattituck Creek which connected Cox’s Neck with Oregon.

View more cards at our online North Fork Postcard Collection

"In history, a great volume is unrolled for our instruction, drawing the materials of future wisdom from the past errors and infirmities of mankind." ― Edmund Burke

Our local History Room is open to the public, and all materials are available for browsing. There are resources on Mattituck history as well as those that are specific to the Town of Southold. We can help you get started in your search for information about your house, the town, or genealogy. If any of the materials you need are housed in one of the locked cabinets, please see a librarian for assistance. Some of our most popular Local History and Genealogy Resources include:

Local Newspaper Resources

Suffolk Historic Newspapers

Access to local newspapers covering nearly 100 years of Suffolk County, NY history, including obituaries.

Mattituck-Laurel News from the County Review Newspaper, 1905 - 1920

Search excerpts from the Mattituck and Laurel columns in the County Review Newspaper, a local weekly published in Riverhead from 1904-1950. Local correspondents recorded newsworthy events that suggest the character of the hamlets at the turn of the century. The County Review Newspaper is available through the New York State Historic Newspapers Project and can be found at NYS Historic Newspapers (Suffolk)

Mattituck News from the Long Island Traveler for the years 1872-1898

Search transcribed excerpts published in the Mattituck column of the Long Island Traveler Newspaper, a local weekly published in Southold from 1872-2004. Local correspondents recorded newsworthy events that suggest the character of Mattituck in the last three decades of the 19th Century.

Donald Gildersleeve Scrapbook Collection

A digitized copy of the Gildersleeve Newspaper Scrapbooks compiled and donated by the late Donald Gildersleeve of Mattituck. The scrapbooks consist of newspaper clippings from local North Fork newspapers. There are 22 scrapbooks covering the years 1915-1982.

Wilmotts & Why-Nots from the Suffolk Life Newspapers

Editorials written by David J. Wilmott the editor of Suffolk Life Newspapers. The Library has a hard copy archive of the North Fork edition of this iconic local newspaper.

Suffolk Life Covers, 1964-1969

A nostalgic look back at the people and events of the North Fork through the front page pictures of the Suffolk Life Newspaper. The Library has a hard copy archive of the North Fork edition of this iconic local newspaper.

Local Directories

Southold Town-Shelter Island Register, 1910-1911

A digitized copy of the Southold Town-Shelter Island Register published by the Lawton Company of Maine.

Mattituck and It’s Vicinity (1933)

A directory of Mattituck published by the local Chamber of Commerce in 1933.

Lain’s Business Directory entries for Mattituck

This directory contains each business, trade and profession for Mattituck in the last decade of the 19th Century.

Telephone Directories

Local telephone directories for each hamlet on the North Fork for the years 1912-1915.

Obituaries and Marriage Indexes

Obituaries Indexes

An index of obituaries published in the Suffolk Times for the years 1900-2003 and an index of obituaries listed in the Gildersleeve Newspaper Scrapbooks.

Marriage Indexes

An index of marriage announcements located in the Gildersleeve Newspaper Scrapbooks and an alphabetical index of marriages recorded by the Mattituck Presbyterian Church from 1884-1934.

Other Local History Resources

A History of Mattituck, by Reverend Charles E. Craven

Reverend Charles Edmiston Craven took charge of the “old Mattituck Church” toward the end of 1895, and became so caught up in its history he devoted all his spare time to researching the Presbyterian church under his care...[and later] enlarged the scope of his work...to write and eventually publish “A History of Mattituck, Long Island, New York,” in 1906.

Back Over the Years

Reminiscences of Mattituck in the early years of the 20th Century. This unique 6 volume collection contains the stories of Mattituck citizens speaking about a time and place they knew intimately. They are transcribed from oral interviews of local Mattituck residents in 1978:
Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3 Volume 4 Volume 5 Volume 6

Summer Camp Memories

Reminisce in photos and postcards about a bygone era of summer camps and days spent in the outdoors of Peconic Bay and Laurel Lake.

North Fork Postcard Collection

View over 1,000 historical postcards of the North Fork from the Library’s collection.

Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sat: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sun: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

631-298-4134
631-298-4764 (fax)

PO Box 1437
13900 Main Road
Mattituck, NY 11952