The Sands-Willets House (circa 1735)
Reflects Two Eras
336 Port Washington Blvd.
Open for the 2009 Season
The
Society maintains the Sands-Willets House, part of which
dates from the early 1700s, as a museum and educational center.
The House is typical of the Long Island farmhouses that grew to
fit the need of the families who lived in them.
The Sands-Willets House is located in the Incorporated Village
of Flower Hill, in the Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County,
on a peninsula known in earlier times as 'Cow Neck'. That area
roughly encompasses the Port Washington School District and parts
of Manhasset and Roslyn.
The Sands-Willets House has 18 rooms, 11 of which are furnished
and open to the public. The oldest portion of the house, the Colonial
Kitchen, is believed to have been built by the Sands family around
1735. The Sands family were among the original settlers of nearby
Sands Point. Seven members of this family served in the American
Revolution. The property was purchased by Edmund Willets, a prominent
Quaker and abolitionist, in 1845. He added the Greek-revival style
addition to the house. The Society bought the Sands-Willets House
from Miss Eliza Willets in 1967 and has since restored and renovated
it.
The Sands-Willets House, which is typical of the prosperous
Long Island farm houses of the 18th and 19th centuries, is one
of the few buildings of its kind still standing in Nassau County
and the only one open to the public in the Town of North Hempstead.
The Sands-Willets House is a Village of Flower Hill Historic Landmark
and is also listed on the State and National Registers of
Historic Places.
The Sands-Willets House is named for two distinguished Long Island
families. The Sands family, merchants, farmers, and Patriot leaders,
lived in the house from 1715 to 1845. The Willets family, prominent
in Quaker affairs, owned the homestead from 1845 to 1967. Colonel
John Sands II, served with George Washington's army. Edmund Willets
was active in the abolition movement prior to the Civil War.
The Sands-Willets House has been undergoing renovation and restoration
ever since it was purchased by the Society. Much work has been
done over the years with the c. 1735 bricked-over Sands kitchen
hearth uncovered, the high-ceiling 1840 wing refurbished and furnished,
the electrical system overhauled,the exterior painted and repainted.
However, the preservation process is a continuing one, demanding
constant attention if this historical treasure is to continue
to be an educational resource.
Behind the Sands-Willets house is our Dutch Barn, worthy of a mention here.
Museum Hours/Tours: Tours of the Sands-Willets House are
offered
on the first and third Sunday of every month, through October,
from 2 - 4pm, and at other times by appointment. Tours
are led by docents who are knowledgeable about the history and
architecture of the house
and the collections on display. Group tours by prior arrangement.
Please call or email for
further information.
