Our History
The Tuthill House Museum >
Thurston Raynor Milk House >


The Tuthill House Museum

In 1991 The Westhampton Beach Historical Society relocated a donated circa 1840 house to a site on Westhampton Beach's historic Mill Road. Josiah Tuthill built the house in 1840, a grandson of John Tuthill who came gram Southold about 1760 to become a first settler of Speonk, later renamed Remsenburg. The house was located on South County Road, a wide avenue made truly beautiful by lovely Colonial and Victorian homes fronted by white picket fences and stately trees,

In the mid to late 1899's the house served as the local post office and gathering spot, with Josiah Tuthill's son, Gilbert, acting as Postmaster.

In 1954 the house was sold and floated by bay to a Foster Lane, Quiogue site.

In 1991, once again the quaint old farmhouse was on the move---this time to a site on Mill Road.

With dedication, commitment and community support, the Historical Society opened the totally renovated house-museum to the public in 1995.
back to top >

 



The Tuthill House Museum
 

Thurston Raynor Milk House

Located on the grounds of the Tuthill House Museum, the Thurston Raynor Milk House was once a part of the Thurston Raynor Homestead that was located on the southeast corner of South Road and Apaucuck Pont Road in Westhampton.

The homestead was named for Thurston Herrick Raynor, who operated a dairy farm at the site and died without family heirs in 1961, the last of five generations of Raynors to have lived at the homestead; the homestead is believed to have originally been constructed by Nathan Raynor in the mid 1700's.

During Thurston's time the milk house building contained a cream separator. Surplus milk was carried from the barns across Apaucuck Point road to the milk house, The milk was treated in the separator, which initially was hand cranked and later operated with an electric motor. The cellar beneath the milk house was used to store the ice packed in salt hay or seaweed to keep the cream cool. Thurston Raynor had a milk route, mostly in Culvertown (Baycrest road area in Westhampton), where he delivered milk and cream via horse-drawn Buggy.

Davis Brothers Engineering moved the Milk House to its current location in August 2005.
back to top >


The Thurston Raynor Milk House