2026 lecture series

"The First Culper Letter" by Bill O'Byrne

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Monday, October 19, 2026
7:00 PM
doors open at 6:45

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free and open to the public

The Setauket Neighborhood House

95 Main St, Setauket / East Setauket NY 11733

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Author and Setauket native Bill O'Byrne will guide a deep dive into the details and references contained in the First Culper Letter. On October 31, 1778, Abraham Woodhull signed his alias: Samuel Culper, to the earliest letter we have from him to General George Washington and describes his first trip to New York.

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Discover his unexpected interview, the conditions and destinations of the British Army & Navy, and his concerns for the secrecy of his identity -- all in one letter!

Bill O'Byrne grew up in East Setauket, New York across the street from the original site of The Roe Tavern in the 1970's. Bill was inspired both by Alexander Rose's book, Washington's Spies (2006), as well as by the historical license employed in the series "TURN," to write a historical novel based on the compelling story contained in the original Culper correspondence in the George Washington Papers in the Library of Congress.

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After 13 years transcribing the letters and researching  their references and impact, Bill published Samuel Culper ~ Setauket Spy in May of 2026. In the course of his research, Bill discovered that his childhood home was built by the nephew of Austin Roe -- the Culper Spy Ring courier. As part of Bill's "Culper~250 Project," he has also published a treasure hunt (The Culper Spy Hunt) and a Culper spy-tour of lower Manhattan (Culper Spy Tour ~ NYC)

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🗓 Monday, October 19
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Setauket Neighborhood House 

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Long Island 250 programming at TVHS is generously sponsored by Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay, Jane & Rob Taylor, and Catherine J Minuse