Raynham Hall

Raynham Hall Museum
30 West Main Street, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
516-922-6808
www.rayhamhallmuseum.org

Step back in time to the Revolutionary War, when British troops seized and occupied the home of Samuel and Sarah Townsend, prominent Oyster Bay citizens who were staunch supporters of the patriot cause. Unbeknownst to British Lieutenant Colonel John Simcoe and his Queens Rangers, the Townsends’ son, Robert, was operating as a spy for General George Washington and would regularly transmit information to Washington about British troop movements and other activities. Ultimately, Robert (and perhaps his sister, Sally) played an important role in the colonists’ victory.

Today, the Townsend family’s 1738 homestead serves as one of America’s premier Revolutionary War-era time capsules, regularly hosting special events and exhibits, as well as ongoing tours (both guided and self-guided) for students, clubs, and visitors from all over the United States.