Culper Spy Ring Sites on Long Island

Setauket and Oyster Bay have long been historic hotspots, but these towns and their association with the famous Culper Spy Ring have been gaining a whole new level of attention since AMC began airing its hit show Turn: Washington’s Spies in April 2014.

Now on its way to concluding its third season, Turn tells the story of George Washington’s Revolutionary War spy network, which was instrumental in helping America gain our freedom from England in 1776. Though modified for the benefit of television audiences, the show is based in some pretty exciting historical facts—and it really did take place in Setauket and Oyster Bay, right here on Long Island’s North Shore.

The below photographs, taken from Instagram, show key locations for Turn fans and history buffs to visit, including the graves of Abraham Woodhull (Chief Spy for Washington and Culper Jr. on the AMC show), Robert Townsend (the real Culper Jr.), Samuel Townsend, Nathaniel Brewster, Selah Strong and Anna Smith Strong. Other major sites are Raynham Hall (the home of Robert Townsend—occupied by British Col. James Simcoe); the Thompson House; the site of Hart’s Tavern; the home of Caleb Brewster; Strong’s Neck; the First Presbyterian Church; the home of Abraham Woodhull; and more.

To find out more about the history of the Culper Spy Ring on Long Island, visit the Three Village Historical Society. They offer regular tours and lectures, and are hosting a Culper Spy Day on Saturday, July 23 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

For more info about the Historical Society, their programs and Culper Spy Day, visit threevillagehistoricalsociety.org.