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March 2024
History Matters
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Dear Friend,
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In his book, Men’s Lives, Peter Matthiessen described heading to the home of Ted Lester, who lived in Amagansett, aka “Poseyville,” to prepare to go fishing. When he arrived, Captain Lester was using a seine needle to mend one of his nets. “I realized,” wrote Matthiessen, “that watching those blunt, weather-glazed hands slipping that net needle through twine with such speed and deftness was one of the great many small pleasures of life on the beach that I took for granted.”
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Making or even mending a seine net was vital but extremely time-consuming work, and it was typically undertaken in winter when there was little fishing to do. In the late 1970s, while his wife, Anna, filled the seine needles with twine, Captain Bill Havens and his crew spent well over a week completing a new 600 fathom net. As the decades rolled on, the art of using a seine needle seems to have grown more arcane. In the 1980s, Ed Sherrill said that Suffolk County Community College, where he was a professor, offered a lab in “netmaking.”
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Earlier this year, Grace Grimes, a graduate student at The State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, who is interning with us at the East Hampton Town Marine Museum, was interested in learning how to use a seine needle. The Historical Society has numerous seine needles in its collection, and you can see an example that Grace is holding.
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After hours of practice and consultation with contemporary netmakers, Grace has become very proficient. During the closing reception for the Finest Kind exhibit at Clinton Academy last month, Grace displayed her skills. While assisting Stacy Myers, our Education Director, with school programs, she can demonstrate how netmaking was done historically in East Hampton. What an incredible opportunity for our students!
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Sincerely,
Steve Long, Executive Director
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Thank you to everyone who supported the Finest Kind!
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Earlier this month, the Historical Society was honored to have Adelaide de Menil join us for the closing reception of the Finest Kind exhibition, which was curated by Stacy Myers and Tim Regan. Without Adelaide, there would be no Men’s Lives. She commissioned the photography in the book and sponsored the original exhibit of the photographs.
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A special edition of the book with Peter Matthiessen’s signature was displayed as part of the exhibit at Clinton Academy and so we asked Adelaide to sign it, too. Doug Kuntz, Don Eames, Arnold Leo, Calvin Lester, and other attendees graciously added their signatures, as well. You can see images from the reception in the short video below.
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Photos & video credit: Stacy Myers
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3rd Annual East Hampton History Quiz Bowl
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April 9
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
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If you can answer the question about Clinton Academy, join us for our 3rd Annual Quiz Bowl taking place at The Palm, 94 Main Street, East Hampton!
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Hosted by Quizmaster, Paul A. Johnson, test your knowledge of East Hampton trivia and win history-related prizes.
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Teams may consist of 1 to 5 players.
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Tickets are $10 for Historical Society and Chamber Members. $20 for Non-Members. Cash bar.
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Co-Presented by the Greater East End Chamber of Commerce
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Join us for the last installment of our
WINTER LECTURE SERIES
April 12
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The Dominy House and Shops: A New Story
Presented by Robert Hefner, Project Director of the Dominy Shops Museum
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Bob will describe the effort to reconstruct and restore the Dominy House and Shops on North Main Street and what was learned during the process.
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This FREE lecture starts at 7PM at St. Luke’s Church, 18 James Lane, East Hampton
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Photo credit: Library of Congress
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Tour of the Dominy Shops Museum
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73 Main Street, East Hampton
April 13 at 12 Noon
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On the day following Bob Hefner’s Winter Lecture, the Historical Society is offering a special opportunity to tour the Dominy Shops Museum and experience directly what Bob described in his presentation.
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The tour is free for members and $12 for non-members.
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Photo credit: Jeff Heatley / AAQ East End
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Plain Sight Project: History of Slavery on the East End
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Thank you to Donnamarie Barnes and David Rattray, co-directors of the Plain Sight Project for their presentation about slavery on the East End. If you were unable to join us at St. Luke’s Church last month, you can watch the lecture by clicking the image below.
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It’s our 3rd Annual Golf Outing Benefit
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May 23, 2023
Maidstone Golf Club
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Play golf on one of the premier courses in America while helping to support the work of the East Hampton Historical Society.
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Check-in and lunch begin at 11:30am when the putting green and driving range will be open. The Shotgun Start is between 1 and 1:30pm with a reception and awards ceremony on the veranda following your round of golf.
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- $5,000 per Foursome
- $1,300 per Individual Player
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East Hampton Historical Society
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