AMERICA 250 EXHIBIT:For the Blessings of Liberty

OPENING RECEPTION:
May 9, 2025 1:00 – 3:00 pm

$5 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children, members free. Light refreshments will be served.

On August 27th, 1776, the American army under command of General George Washington suffered defeat by the British at the Battle of Brooklyn. Washington's army retreated, and Long Island would be under British control for the next seven years – longer than any other part of America. Nearly a third of Suffolk County residents were able to flee to the mainland, but for those left behind – by choice or necessity – those seven years would be filled with uncertainty, divided loyalties, curfews, raids and confiscation, forced labor, and demands of the ever-present British soldiers. Through our collection of historical artifacts – some of which are on display for the first time – the Suffolk County Historical Society explores this crucial period in our county's history to examine the dear price we paid for the "Blessings of Liberty."