The Custom House served as both the residence and workplace of Henry Packer Dering (1763–1822), one of Sag Harbor’s earliest U.S. Customs Collectors. Dering acquired the property in the early 1790s, shortly after Sag Harbor became a federal port of entry with a growing populace engaged in the servicing of whalers, coastal vessels, and West Indian trade ships.
The house was originally located at the corner of Union and Church Streets before the Old Sagg-Harbour (sig)Committee moved to its current site in 1948 to save it from demolition. In 1966, Preservation Long Island acquired the property. Today, it is interpreted to reflect the work and daily activities of Dering, his wife Anna, and their nine children.
Scope of Collection
This collection contains images and descriptive data for 100 objects, mostly from the 18th and early 19th centuries. The furnishings include items from across Long Island, particularly the East End; New York City; England; and coastal New England. Many pieces descended from the Dering Family, and some are original to the house.
This collection was digitized as part of Preservation Long Island’s Long Island Furniture Project. This initiative aims to reexamine furniture made and used locally and enhance its accessibility to 21st-century researchers and the public. The digitization of Preservation Long Island’s furniture collection was supported by a grant provided by the Long Island Library Resources Council in 2025.
