Thursday, October 1, 2026
Dozens of Oyster Bay residents visited the opening of “Road to Revolution,” a new exhibit about Samuel Townsend at Raynham Hall Museum on Oct. 22.
Townsend, born in 1717, was a father, public servant, revolutionary — and enslaver. He built a merchant shipping business with his brother Jacob. He owned and operated more than five ships that sailed the Atlantic and the Caribbean seas, buying and selling goods and commodities.
“Samuel's story, as well as the stories of those who worked for the Townsend family, reflects the complicated and often contradictory experiences during a period of turbulence and transformation in the American colonies,” the exhibit's introduction read. The goal of the exhibit was to give residents a chance to “walk alongside Samuel Townsend and those around him as they navigated a world on the brink of revolution.”
The exhibit features several primary documents and sources from his life, including trading records, portraits and other records. It also features panels of text providing context about Townsend, from his beginnings as a successful entrepreneur and merchant to having his home occupied by the enemy during the American Revolution.
Townsend was also deeply entrenched in local and regional politics, serving, over time, as Justice of the Peace, Town Clerk, and as a delegate in the New York Provincial Congress, a revolutionary body that organized militias and laid the groundwork for independence.
The event, which took place from 5:30-7:00 p.m. was free for the public and light refreshments were provided to attendees. Raynham Hall Museum is a historic house museum that was once home to the Townsend family, including Robert Townsend, a key member of George Washington's Culper Spy Ring during the Revolutionary War.
The museum preserves the 1738 Townsend family home and interprets life in the 18th and 19th centuries through tours, educational programs, and special exhibits, often using augmented reality to bring history to life. It is listed as a national landmark and is owned by the Town of Oyster Bay, but operated by the Friends of Raynham Hall Museum.
