Pergolas in Seaford, NY

The original settlers of Seaford were the Marsapeaques, a Native American Indian tribe. They called the area “Great Water Land.”

European settlement began with the arrival of Captain John Seaman, a native of Seaford, East Sussex, in England. After obtaining the patent for the area, Seaman oversaw the creation of Jerusalem South, the first European name given to the town which was to become Seaford. It was also widely referred to as Seaman’s Neck.

During the 19th century, as villages across Long Island started to grow (due to the creation of the Long Island Rail Road), the town of Jerusalem South seemed to be unaffected. In 1868 the town was renamed to the current name of “Seaford”, to honor Captain Seaman’s hometown in England. During this time, Seaford remained an agriculturally developed area. Over time, the town gained a post office, a church, and a one-room school, established in what would many years later become the first fire house and today serves as the home of the Seaford Historical Museum. Although the town itself was practically unchanged, many New York City residents had discovered that the area was attractive as a summer retreat.