Yorktown History Museum Brings the Past to the Present

YORKTOWN, N.Y.—Since its earliest settlement through its colonial history and role in the War for Independence, Yorktown’s evolution has reflected that of America itself, growing from a lightly populated rural community into a thriving and diverse town teeming with local businesses of all kinds. The Yorktown History Museum (1974 Commerce St. in Yorktown Heights) brings the town’s long and ongoing journey to life with exhibits, photographs, a room full of records from the town’s past, and more.

The Sylvia Thorne Rooms bring visitors back to Yorktown’s colonial past and into the middle of the 19th century. The highlight is a recreated 18th-century two-room interior, complete with furniture, bedding, clothing, and household items. Walking in, you can imagine how our predecessors lived during the American Revolution. You’ll find a “warm and welcoming kitchen” with an open-hearth fireplace, a table set for a meal, and many of the utensils of the era. There’s also bedding, clothes, and more.

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By the end of the 19th century, train travel would help connect Yorktown to New York City and beyond. Today’s Westchester North County Trail (a.k.a., the bike path) follows the path of the Old Put railroad that ran from the Bronx and into Putnam County. The Bob McKeand Room captures the vibe of a town that was once centered around rail travel with an HO-scale layout that recreates the Yorktown Depot area circa 1950. Ironically, the Old Put would close just as Yorktown began to grow into a haven for commuters.

“Old Put line devotees will be thrilled by the large collection of Put artifacts and photos on display,” the museum’s website says. “Step back in time and once again ‘ride the rails’ of the old Put!”

If model home life is more your speed, check out the Marjorie Johnson Room, which is full of exquisite miniature houses, each filled with to-scale furnishings. According to the museum’s website, “The star of this exhibit is the lovely late Victorian house filled to the attic with tiny treasures and it’s especially noted for the ‘stone’ work at its base, its 8,000 hand-cut clapboards and mysterious ghost!”

If you’re interested in how farmers got their work done back in the day, the Arthur C. Lee room captures life when plows were more plentiful than lawnmowers and a one-horsepower “engine” had four legs.

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“From ice-cutting to spring plowing, the cycle of seasons on the farm is represented by original tools,” the museum’s website says. Most of the tools on display were donated by local residents and were once used in homes and on farms in the area. The large saws alone are worth the trip and some very high boots are alone with the trip.

The Woodlands Room is dedicated to Yorktown’s very first inhabitants, the Mohegan Indians, who lived in the area for thousands of years before European settlement.

“Enter the predawn setting of a Mohegan village,” the museum website says. “Let your eyes adjust to the darkness as you listen to the sounds of the forest and river as the settlement, portrayed through murals and a replica of a longhouse.”

Finally, there’s the Doris & Cortland Auser Research Room, full of maps, documents, antiques, and historical records.

The Yorktown Museum is on the top floor of Albert A. Capellini Community & Cultural Center at 1974 Commerce St. in Yorktown Heights, and is accessible by elevator as well as stairs. It’s open from Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more at yorktownmuseum.org.

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