Gravesite, Rev. Paul Cuffee
Why it's listed
This small gravesite in Hampton Bays holds the marble marker of the Rev. Paul Cuffee, a Shinnecock preacher who died on March 7, 1812, aged 55. The New-York Missionary Society, which employed him for his last thirteen years of work on eastern Long Island, erected the stone. It stands in a clearing within a wooded, triangular parcel between Montauk Highway and the Long Island Rail Road, where road and track embankments leave it in a hollow. Around the stone are a twelve-foot-square post-and-rail fence, a sign, a bench and an urn base, all of cast concrete from about the 1920s. The ground once held other Shinnecock graves and a church; remains were moved to the reservation in the 1860s. The marker is damaged by cracking, chipping and erosion, and run-off has buried parts of the later features. The site was listed for its Native American heritage and its link to Cuffee, who was among the last native preachers to Long Island's Indians.
Significance in brief: The site marks the burial place of Rev. Paul Cuffee, a Shinnecock preacher employed by the New-York Missionary Society, and is the sole survivor of an Indian burial ground and church once on the spot. It is tied to Native American ethnic heritage on Long Island. The 1920s enclosure features reflect later efforts to protect and honor the grave.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 10000852, listed October 8, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N side of Montauk HWY opposite 216 Montauk HWY, Hampton Bays |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | October 8, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000852 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1812-1920 |
| Architectural style | No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Native American |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Site is wooded and overgrown with difficult access; the gravestone is broken and repaired, and the stone and 1920s features are deteriorating and partly buried by road run-off. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.88424, -72.51026 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 10000852.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q114881942
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.