The Sagtikos Manor Historical Society was founded in 1963 by the then Islip Town Historian, George L. Weeks, Jr., and a small group interested in preserving the rich history of a growing and changing surburban area. The Society is chartered by the Educational Department of the University of the State of New York. The mission statement of the Society is to preserve Sagtikos Manor and to promote and make known to the general public historical research pertaining to Sagtikos Manor in particular and Suffolk County in general. At the time the Society was founded the Manor was still owned by Robert David Lion Gardiner and Mr. Gardiner was the chief source of the information used by the Society’s docents in narrating the tours of the Manor. In recent years much more research has been done and our knowledge of the Gardiner-Thompson family as well as the house and grounds has greatly increased.
Suffolk County acquired the Manor in 2002 to ensure its preservation. The county maintains the house and grounds and the Society is contracted with the County to give tours of the Manor and to cooperate in its restoration. Since the acquisition, the Society has been able to fund many restorations both in the house and on the grounds as the result of fund raisers, grants and generous donations. All monies raised by the Society at the Manor go to the restoration program.
The George L. Weeks, Jr. Library, maintained by the Society, contains reference material pertaining to the history of Islip Town and the surrounding South Shore area. It is located in the Town of Islip Senior Center on Higbie Lane in West Islip and the collection is available to individuals by appointment only.
