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Historic East Hampton
The town includes the village
of East Hampton, part of the village of Sag Harbor, (the other
part belongs to Southampton Town) and the unincorporated hamlets
of Wainscott, Springs, Amagansett and Montauk which together
make the Town of East Hampton.
On a modern note, what sets
East Hampton apart from the other Hamptons is a government
intent on preserving its quaint and charming small town character
- here you won't see sprawling malls, neon lights, fast food
stores and other modern day intrusions (not even self-serve
gas stations) littering the highways and roads leading into
East Hampton.
Wainscott
Coming from the West, Wainscott
is the first hamlet you go through when entering the town
limits. It is basically still much farmland though there are
many new vacation homes among the old ones dating back to
the 1700's.
Sag Harbor
North of Wainscott is Sag Harbor,
a quaint village that was once an important whaling town and
until the middle of the last century, rivaled New York as
the busiest port of entry in the United States. Its spectacular
views and idyllic setting make it a favorite of writers and
artists who seek inspiration away from the social frenzy of
the other villages.
There is an amusing anecdote
about Sag Harbor during the latter part of the last century.
Since the village is part in Southampton and part in East
Hampton, and one town was "dry" while the other was "wet",
the street that was on the dividing line was named Division
Street. At the end of the street, on the wharf, was a bar:
predictably, half the bar was dry, and half was wet. We assume
customers stuck to one side of the bar.
Village of East
Hampton
The Village of East Hampton was
voted "America's Most Beautiful Village" by National Geographic.
Thanks to a strong preservationist policy, the village has
maintained its quaint, small town character. There are majestic
old elms, green expanses, windmills, of the English, not Dutch
variety, and the famous Town Pond with its with 300 year old
cemetery - a virtual voyage back in time.
Right in the middle of the village,
before the historic Hook Windmill that dominates the green
triangle is a fork in the road leading on the left (North
Main Street) to the northern part of the town and on the right
(Montauk Highway) leading further east.
Springs
Going north leads one to Springs,
a hamlet surrounded by Accabonac Harbor, Gardiner's Bay, and
Three Mile Harbor. Springs is also famous as the home of the
painters Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, and the Krasner-Pollock
Museum. Some of the most spectacular and serene beaches can
be found here in the calm of the bay waters.
Amagansett
Going further east, one arrives
at Amagansett. The center of the hamlet is so tiny that you
may pass it without knowing, so drive slowly to savor its
beauty and avoid a speeding ticket. The town does need its
revenue. Amagansett is also full of history with most of the
houses on Main Street dating back to the late 1600's.
Napeague
Finally, east of Amagansett lie
11 miles of road leading to Montauk, the eastern most point
on Long Island. Napeague Strip, which is part of the road
between Amagansett and Montauk and runs parallel to the ocean
and Gardiner Bay, is a spectacular drive along the undulating
dunes with its beach grasses, scrub pines and clusters of
weather beaten beach houses.
Gardiner's Island
No discussion of East Hampton can be
complete without a mention of Gardiner's Island, nestled within
Gardiner's Bay. This is almost a feudal fiefdom which has
been in the hands of the Gardiner family for over 300 years.
It was bought by Lion Gardiner from Wyandanch, the Sachem
of the Montauket Indian tribe.
Actually, it was a gift to Lion Gardiner
for the help he gave to the Sachem's daughter, but Gardiner
bought it to shore up his title. He even went so far as to
have the colonial governor confirm his title, just to make
sure. Make sure he did, because his descendants, including
the current Lord of the Manor, still own it: NO TRESSPASSING!
Gardiner, by the way, was also
a confidente of Captain Kidd who is said to have buried his
pirate treasure on the island. It has never been found.
Montauk
Montauk is bordered by Block Island
Sound on the north and the Atlantic Ocean on the south. Jutting
out from a promontory is the famous Montauk
Lighthouse, built in 1796
as a beacon to guide ships and guard them against running
ashore. This is the end of Long Island - after this, it's
Portugal!
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