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The Southold Savings Bank was founded in 1858 by Henry Huntting. The bank began in the back of Huntting's home on the corner of Tuckers Lane and the Main Road. It built and then moved to what is now the Southold Library in 1891. It soon out grew its quarters and the bank built another new structure and moved again in 1927 to the corner of Youngs Avenue and the Main Road. The property was purchased by Southold Town in 2018 and today the building houses some of the offices of the town.

Southold Savings Bank c 1960

Southold Savings Bank c 1960

Board Room of the Southold Savings Bank

Board Room of the Southold Savings Bank

Interior of the Bank showing the original safe and later teller stations

Interior of the Bank showing the original safe and later teller stations

The original interior of the bank was a marvel of white marble elegance, it boasted a horseshoe shaped counter that was centered in the two story space. The open end of the horseshoe was to the back and it was anchored with an enormous walk-in safe. 

The interior of the building was updated sometime between 1964 and 1977. The marble horseshoe teller stations were removed and more up-to-date teller area was built on the east side of the building. In 1977, the addition to the west and south was added onto the structure and the drive thru building was added to the site. 

In 1988, the Southold Savings Bank was absorbed into North Fork Savings Bank and the building continued to function as the local bank. North Fork Savings merged into Capital One Bank and in 2018, Capital One decided to downsize its physical presence on the North Fork and put the building up for sale. The Town of Southold in need of office space, acquired it.

Many of the bank’s original features still remain, including the front façade with the beehive sculpted into the pediment. Bees and beehives were a common symbol in the 19th century indicating hard work and industriousness. Inside the building, the walk-in safe still anchors the back of the main room and the dark paneled second floor board room still exists and is still used daily as a meeting room.   

Antiquities, Society for the Preservation of Long Island's. Historic House Inventory - Southold Town. Survey for New York State , unpublished, 1976-1987.

Fleming, Geoffrey K. Images of America Southold. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.

Hallock, Joseph Nelson, Fleming, Geoffrey K. Southold Reminiscences. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2008.

Markers, Committee for the Guide to Historic. Guide to Historic Markers. Southold, New York: Southold Historical Society, 1960.

Whitaker, Epher. Whitaker's Southold. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1931.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Town of Southold's Historian's files

Town of Southold Historian's files

Town of Southold Historian's files