Wood and Water - Furniture on Long Island, 1660–1860Cold Spring Harbor, NY — Preservation Long Island presents, Wood and Water: Furniture on Long Island, 1660–1860, on view from July 2 to November 22, 2026, at Preservation Long Island’s Exhibition Gallery in Cold Spring Harbor. Organized in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Wood and Water explores two centuries of the region’s history through furniture and related decorative arts.

Incorporating objects ranging from high-style chests to everyday seating furniture, Wood and Water interprets a cross-section of Long Island society during these formative centuries in American history, allowing for a furniture-led reflection on our nation’s past.

Visitors to the exhibition will discover the work of the region’s unsung craftspeople, including Quaker joiners, Black makers, women upholsterers, Dutch turners, and Indigenous weavers, alongside the furniture they crafted and used. From the workshop to the home, these objects reveal global networks of exchange, identity, and innovation during a period of profound change.

“Wood and Water reflects our commitment to promoting the region’s role in American history and the decorative arts,” said Jackie Powers, Executive Director of Preservation Long Island. “By highlighting furniture made on Long Island and the many skilled craftspeople who contributed to this tradition, we hope visitors will gain a deeper appreciation for the region’s furniture-making history and a better understanding of how Long Islanders over two centuries made and used furniture to engage with the wider world.”

“More than half of the forty objects on display have never been exhibited and span two centuries, from the English conquest of New Netherland to the eve of the American Civil War,” said Lauren Brincat, Preservation Long Island’s Chief Curator and Director of Collections. “Wood and Water draws from Preservation Long Island’s extensive holdings, incorporating recent research that has identified previously unknown makers and owners, as well as objects on loan from regional public and private collections.”

“Some of Long Island’s earliest European colonists made furniture for a living,” noted Steven Baltsas, Preservation Long Island’s Peggy N. Gerry Curatorial Fellow. “Long Island furniture design reflects the economies, customs, and fashions of places near and far, while drawing upon materials sourced from the Island’s natural landscape.”

Exhibition Catalog

Wood and Water is presented in celebration of two significant milestones: the 50th anniversary of Preservation Long Island’s landmark publication, Long Island is My Nation: The Decorative Arts and Craftsmen, 1640–1830, and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. A special expanded exhibition catalog will be published to accompany Wood and Water. This richly illustrated publication includes extended entries for objects featured in the exhibition as well as essays by contributing historians. Catalogs can be pre-ordered now at 20% off the list price.

Exhibition Location and Hours

Location:

Preservation Long Island Exhibition Gallery

161 Main Street

Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724

Dates: July 2 – November 22, 2026

Hours: Thursday-Sunday from 12:00 pm–5:00 pm

Visit the Exhibition page for additional opening hours that may be scheduled during the exhibition.

Public Programs

Related programs and events will take place throughout the run of the exhibition and include:

Exhibition Opening and Preview Party: Join us in our Cold Spring Harbor Gallery to celebrate the opening of our newest special exhibition. Drinks and light refreshments will be served. This event is free, but registration is required. – July 1, 2026

Authors Talk and Panel Discussion: Get a virtual preview of the forthcoming catalog for the exhibition Wood and Water: Furniture on Long Island, 1660–1860 and join the authors for a deep dive into the world of early Long Island furniture. – August 6, 2026

Historic Furniture Making Workshop: Details coming soon. – August 29, 2026

Tour of the Dominy Workshops in East Hampton: Details to be announced soon. – September 26, 2026

Exhibition Curator Tour: Registration coming soon. – October 24, 2026

Support  

Support for the exhibition and catalog are provided in part by Richard Hampton Jenrette

Foundation, The Decorative Arts Trust and The Gerry Charitable Trust.

Lenders to the Exhibition

Objects on loan from the following collections:

  • Huntington Historical Society
  • Old Bethpage Village Restoration
  • Oysterponds Historical Society
  • Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum
  • Southampton Historical Museum
  • Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society
  • The Long Island Museum
  • Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society
  • St. John’s Episcopal Church, Huntington
  • Six Private Collectors

About Preservation Long Island

Preservation Long Island is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to celebrate and preserve Long Island’s diverse cultural and architectural heritage through advocacy, education, and stewardship of historic sites and collections. 

http://preservationlongisland.org

Preservation Long Island maintains and interprets four historic sites, including the collections housed within each, that embody various aspects of Long Island’s history:

Joseph Lloyd Manor, Lloyd Harbor http://preservationlongisland.org/joseph-lloyd-manor/

Custom House, Sag Harbor http://preservationlongisland.org/custom-house/

Sherwood-Jayne Farm, Setauket http://preservationlongisland.org/sherwood-jayne-farm/

Old Methodist Church and Exhibition Gallery http://preservationlongisland.org/methodist-church/