Most of Coram was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1979. Below: 4 old photos and papers from 1873 on and old-book passages.
Coram is the oldest settlement in the central part of the town of Brookhaven. Its early name was "Wincoram", perhaps the name of a Native American who lived in the area as late as 1703. The first European settler in the area was likely William Satterly, who sought permission to open a tavern to cater to travelers in 1677.
During the American Revolutionary War, Benjamin Tallmadge with his contingent of Light Dragoons arrived and he with 12 Culper Ring men captured and burned 300 tons of hay the British were storing for winter to feed their horses. George Washington, on hearing the news, sent the following letter to Tallmadge:
Passages that mention Coram, cut from the printed page as they were published.
...History of Suffolk county, New York1882 · page 23Read the page →
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As late as February 6th 1792 the trustees, having met at the house of Joshua Smith at Coram, directed one of their number, Isaac Overton, to invite the Rev. David Rose to preach an election sermon in the Baptist meeting-house at Coram, on the occasion of the coming annual town meeting on the first Tuesday in April, the sermon to begin at 11 o'clock in the forenoon.
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...History of Suffolk county, New York1882 · page 48Read the page →
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Coram is an ancient settlement, lying on the old Country road, near the geographical center of the town. The name is supposed to have been derived from that of an Indian chief, Coraway, who once lived in the neighborhood. When the settlements on the south side, which were made first at Fireplace and Mastic, became of sufficient importance to balance in a degree those of the north side it was found desirable to fix upon a place of
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Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Coram, 1873 to 1999
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2007
2004