Taking a tour of the Wantagh Museum

As temperatures cool down, leaves begin to change color, and the sun sets sooner, residents of Wantagh may be looking for new ways to spend their free time without going to the beach.

Luckily, Wantagh has something in town that might be the perfect autumn weekend activity.

The Wantagh Museum is located on Wantagh Avenue, and is designated as a county park. It features a post office, a train station, and a large parlor car. Some things at the Museum are authentic, while others are recreated.

“The parlor car was not really a commuter car, not one passengers would use,” Tom Watson of the Wantagh Preservation Society said. “This was more for people with a lot of money. For special occasions it would be put at the end of the train for whoever booked it.”

The parlor car, known as ‘Jamaica,’ was built in 1912, and fully functional until 1968. It moved to the Wantagh Museum grounds in 1972. It features a living room, several bedrooms, and a full dining room in the back. Big names have ridden on this train, including most notably Nelson Rockefeller, former New York Governor and Vice President under Gerald Ford.

The train station functions as the Preservation Society’s office, as well as the museum building. It was built in 1885 and sat on Railroad Avenue for many years before being moved to the museum grounds in 1966, under threat of demolition. Inside are countless artifacts detailing the history of the Wantagh area, dating back to when it was known as Jerusalem.

The post office is a recreation of the 1904 Wantagh Post Office, which stood where present-day Mulcahy’s is. The interior is also fully restored, giving visitors a nice simulation of what it was like in old Wantagh.

Since it is designated as a county park, visitors can always walk on the premises. But the Preservation Society opens up the museums for tours on Sundays. If you are looking for a fall activity in Wantagh, you will want to check out the museum.