The Smithtown Central School District and the Town of Smithtown have launched a joint effort to restore and preserve the historic Arthur House, a landmark dating back to 1752 that has long stood vacant and in need of repairs.
School Superintendent Dr. Mark Secaur joined Town Supervisor Edward R. Wehrheim and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine to announce the preservation initiative, which aims to safeguard one of the community’s most significant links to the Revolutionary War era.
“The timing is perfect,” Secaur said. “We’ve been hoping for a solution for years, and the fact that we’re getting ready to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday is wonderful.”
Located on district-owned property at the corner of Main Street and New York Avenue, the Arthur House has been the subject of preservation discussions for decades. Previous proposals to relocate or renovate the structure failed due to high costs, leaving the historic home in a state of uncertainty.
The house is closely tied to Smithtown’s colonial and Revolutionary War history. George Washington is believed to have passed by the property during his 1790 tour of Long Island. Historians have also connected the home and its former residents to the Culper Spy Ring, the intelligence network that aided the American cause during the Revolution.
Built by the Arthur family, which played a prominent role in early Smithtown, the house later served a variety of community functions after being acquired by the school district in 1924.
“Preserving this home helps preserve a direct connection to America’s fight for independence, the Culper Spy Ring, and Long Island’s important role in our nation’s founding,” Secaur said.
Considered one of the oldest surviving homes in Smithtown, the Arthur House has appeared on preservation watch lists and has faced an uncertain future as restoration costs mounted.