Holiday Evening Candlelight Tours at Raynham Hall

By Maureen Daly

Experience how the winter holidays were celebrated in Oyster Bay some 250 years ago, with a guided candlelight tour of historic Raynham Hall, the former home of the Townsend family of Patriot spies - now a treasured museum.

Raynham Hall was the home of the Townsend family, one of the founding families of Oyster Bay, and part of George Washington's "Culper Spy Ring" during the Revolutionary War.

During the war, Samuel Townsend owned the home, and his son, Robert Townsend was living and working in Manhattan as a merchant and a freelance journalist. Robert's   business dealings brought him into close contact with many of the British officers then occupying the city.

George Washington was stationed in Newburgh and West Point - up the Hudson River, and he authorized one of his chief spies, Abraham Woodhull, a/k/a "Culper, Sr.," to recruit young Robert Townsend as an American spy.

Robert Townsend accepted Washington's offer, and took the non de guerre of "Culper, Jr."

Townsend's ties to Oyster Bay were the perfect cover to get information out of New York City, and out to Setauket, and then across Long Island Sound to General George Washington's headquarters. 

During 1779 and 1780, Robert Townsend provided George Washington with valuable information regarding British plans, military strength, and troop movements.

The house is now owned by the Town of Oyster Bay and operated as a public museum by the Friends of Raynham Hall Museum. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Raynham Hall will have candlelight tours from December 13th to 15th, in the evenings from 7:00PM to 8:30PM.  A guide dressed in festive clothes will take you through the home and the family's holiday traditions - through several centuries - from the Revolutionay War to the Victorian era.

Hot spiced cider and historic seasonal treats will be served.

Tickets are $20 for members and $35 for non-members - and can be reserved at http://www.RaynhamHallMuseum.org.