Archives
The Rye Historical Society serves as the official archivist for the City of Rye in all its past forms. We have a collection of over 25,000 documents including police reports, maps, photos, books, manuscripts, census data, real estate deals, government reports and other historical documentation. The collection also includes the Parsons Family Papers, an important collection of papers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries from John E. Parsons (patriarch and prominent NY lawyer), Herbert Parsons (a U.S. Congressman), his wife Elsie Clews Parsons (a prominent anthropologist) and John Parsons (prominent role in intelligence during WWII).
These archives are carefully stored in the Knapp House. A state-of-the-art fire suppression system has been installed to protect the archives and the structure. Documents, photographs and rare books are kept in a limited access, climate-controlled area. Public access is available by appointment. The Rye Historical Society plans, over time, to digitize the collection and make the archives accessible on-line.
Artifacts
Over the years, Rye History has collected and stores thousands of everyday artifacts that help illustrate our collective stories. The collection of over 8,000 artifacts portrays the daily life of Rye citizens from the colonial era to the present.
The collections include furniture, decorative arts, toys, political memorabilia, archaeological artifacts, bed linens, wedding and other apparel, military uniforms, dummy boards and tools. Yearly exhibits in the Square House display and highlight items in the collection. For example, recent exhibits have included sports equipment, police gear, World War II medals and clothing the collection.
