Wantagh Preservation Society

About Wantagh Preservation Society

The Wantagh Preservation Society operates the Wantagh Museum, a collection of three historic structures that visitors tour to learn about the area's railroad and early twentieth-century history. The main building is the Old Wantagh Rail Road Station, constructed in 1885 and restored to its 1904 appearance. Inside, the restored ticket booth displays information about Emma Whitmore, the first woman to serve as ticket agent at the station. Visitors also explore the Jamaica Parlor Car, a vintage Long Island Rail Road passenger car featuring a solarium, cooking facilities and an early air conditioning system. The third structure is a recreated 1904 Wantagh Post Office, a small replica building that shows what the original post office looked like. The museum grounds offer a hands-on look at Wantagh's transportation and community history. The Wantagh Preservation Society, founded in 1965 to save the railroad station from demolition, operates this museum in Wantagh.