Saturday, October 3, 2026
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, but those who want to learn about the past just need a trip to West Penn Street. There, the Long Beach Historical Society has operated for nearly 30 years and, with a pair of grants from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation totaling $101,160, the 117-year-old building can undergo crucial renovations.
The Gardiner Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Riverhead, NY, which supports the study of local history throughout New York state. The foundation provided one grant worth $91,000 for the dedicated purpose of renovating basic building structures — floors, roofing, etc. — and delivered additional funds for the remaining amount, which will be specifically used to update and upgrade the museum’s exhibit room.
The Long Beach Historical Society was founded in 1980 and has been headquartered at its current location since 1997. The building on West Penn Street was built in 1909 — one of the first homes in the area — and, in 2008, was itself added to the National Register of Historic Places. Due to its landmark status, a restoration expert thoroughly assessed and documented the needed repairs. Society President Jeanne Browne said that the wood floors, roof, electrical system, boiler, and windows are all in need improvement or general repair.
The work is planned to begin immediately and, under ideal conditions, will conclude by the end of the year. The various projects aren’t expected to interrupt the museum’s operating hours, as the multiple projects can be performed as needed instead of requiring a significant shutdown period. “Most of the restoration projects are independent. The floors can be done without affecting anything else,” Browne explained. “We need a new boiler. That can be done without anything else. Upgrading the electric is another thing to do.”
The structural improvements are only one part of the museum’s overall goal. The museum is also home to historical documents, maps and photographs, which are undergoing the arduous process of being digitized and uploaded for easier access and more efficient research.
“We have quite an extensive archive collection. People work up there all the time because we’re constantly getting new material in. And now we’re digitizing it,” Browne said of the museum’s extensive collection. “It used to be that you’d get CDs, DVDs and beta tapes. It’s a huge project and it’s ongoing.”
The museum is run by an all-volunteer staff and relies on a steady stream of fundraising projects to maintain basic operations and present educational programs — including participating in the annual Porchfest, hosting film festivals and showcasing guest speakers.
To learn more about the city’s history and the museum’s efforts to continue preserving Long Beach memories, visit longbeachhistory.org.
