Moriches (Ketcham Inn) update

    In 2005 the Inn building was gently lowered on to the new foundation.  The rebuilding process was started and is now well under way.  Rotted beams have been replaced with specially milled oak to exactly replace the old.  This lumber is being painstakingly replaced by an expert timber framer.   The end result will be a building as it was built in the 1700s.  The original timbers were probably milled at the Oliver Smith mill on nearby Terrell’s River.
    Eventually this historic site will be open as a farm museum and it will be a look at life here in the 18th and 19th centuries. 
    During spring and summer weekends during good weather a used book shop is operated out of the old barns. This is a principal source of money for the restoration process.  These barns were moved and reassembled on site from Eastport, L.I.

Updated Images of the Inn 09/27/06

Doing the roof with old style wood shingles
Finishing the south side of the Inn

Shingling the south side of the Inn
North side, shingled

looking west at Ketcham Inn restoration
roof shingles finished

north roof completed

Images of the Inn from 02/04/06

Looking up at the attic and roof of the 2nd story ball room
in the 1790 portion of the building.
The attic of the carriage Barn

Inn in the Snow
Inn in the Snow

Barn close-up in front
North East 1790 bedroom

1790 2nd story parlor

    The old Inn, originally called the Moriches Inn in Brookhaven Town Records had several building periods.  The first appears to be before 1700.  It was added on to in circa 1710.  In front of this structure another addition was erected about 1754.  The last addition was in 1790 as the Revolutionary war was over.  All sections were joined together to make one building. 
    The Havens, Youngs, Terry and Ketcham families ran the Inn during different periods.  It was run as a commercial hotel serving travelers and stagecoaches.  In later years it was operated as a restaurant. At this time in the 1950s a kitchen was added on to the east end.  It has been converted into an office. 
    Late in 1775 Colonel Hulbert stayed at the Inn on his way back to Bridgehampton from a campaign at Fort Ticonderoga.  Benjamin Havens signed his bar bill.  In 1790 while visiting Wm Floyd, James Madison and his friend Thomas Jefferson stayed at the Inn.
    In 1852 Andrew Ketcham from Huntington bought the Inn and farm.  His family operated it for many years.
    In 1989 saw a fire in the building.  It had been in continuous use since the Revolutionary War.  The building was slated for demolition and the property up for sale. 
    A small group of local citizens obtained permission from the owner to clean up the building to determine its age.  The stories surrounding it indicated that it was old.  Subsequent dating of the architecture indicated its true age. 
    The group took on the task of raising the $175,000 needed to secure the building and grounds.  It took several years to raise the matching funds as required by the state for a matching grant.
    The effort still goes forward and volunteer help is still needed.  Work progresses at a speed determined by raised funds.  In the end we should end up with a Long Island museum second to none.  Please help support our efforts
 
For further information on becoming a member and volunteering please contact us at:
The Ketcham Inn Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 626
Center Moriches, NY 11934
Phone: 631-878-8862, fax 631-878-5528
e-mail: KIFI2@JUNO.COM