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April 2023
History Matters
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Letter from the Director
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Dear Friends,
Have you needed to go “up island” recently? Prior to moving to the East End fifteen years ago, I wasn’t familiar with the phrase. Where is “up island”? Is it anywhere past the Shinnecock Canal or just west of Southampton? Perhaps it’s anyplace that doesn’t have Hampton Dairy iced tea, aka Bonac Tonic?
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I had assumed going up island or up the island was a 20th century expression until I was researching the Mulford-Gardiner-Buell papers last month at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. Among the documents is a letter written by Rachel Gardiner in 1774 to “Betsey,” a friend living in Rhode Island. Rachel wrote the letter from East Hampton after having been “up the island” visiting her sister, Mary who had just given birth. In this case, “up the island” was likely West Bay Shore since Mary was married to Isaac Thompson who lived in Sagtikos Manor.
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The concerns that Rachel expressed in her letter sound very contemporary. In addition to describing her sister’s difficulty with breastfeeding and new motherhood, Rachel confided to Betsey that she planned to wait to get married. “Let us look before we jump,” she wrote. Rachel wasn’t impressed with the young men in East Hampton, calling them “backward,” and acknowledged that she was perceived as a snob. Indeed, Rachel did look before she jumped, waiting six years until she married David Mulford, Jr. at the age of 29.
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The earliest reference to “up island” that I found in a local newspaper was in August 1888. It was in an article about Clinton Academy, which appeared in the Sag Harbor Express. Looking back at the school’s history, the article mentioned a “hobble-de-hoy” student from “up island” who complained about the food he was served while boarding in East Hampton. Commonly used in the late 19th century, hobble-de-hoy is slang for an awkward or clumsy youth.
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What does “up the island” mean to you? I encourage you to share your history with the expression on our Instagram or Facebook.
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Sincerely,
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Stephen Long
Executive Director
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Woven through History
A Student Exhibition at Clinton Academy
April 7 – May 1
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This school year, Director of Education at the Historical Society, Stacy Myers has worked with elementary school teachers and administrators to develop opportunities for students to learn about the indigenous people of Eastern Long Island and North America. During field trips and classroom visits, Stacy shared numerous artifacts from the collection including native artifacts and identified plants and other natural resources used by indigenous people of North America. With her help, students explored weaving, beading, archeology, anthropology, natural history, and cultural history. The results of these integrated-curriculum activities will be on display at Clinton Academy starting April 7.
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WINTER LECTURE SERIES 2023
Don’t miss our final Winter Lecture
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Friday, April 28 at 7pm
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Join Hugh King and Evan Thomas as they discuss “Architects, Builders, and Tools in the 19th and 20th Centuries”.
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East Hampton Library’s Baldwin Family Lecture Room
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For more information please email or call 631.324.6850.
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Quilts from the Historical Society on display at the
Arts Center at Duck Creek Farm!
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The East Hampton Historical Society is participating in this year’s “Airing of the Quilts” at the Arts Center at Duck Creek Farm in Springs on Saturday, April 22. Practiced as an annual “Rite of Spring” in many parts of the country, “Airing of the Quilts” gives people a chance to literally “air out” these cozy and layered textiles that are often used to keep us warm during the winter months. For museums and historical societies, it provides a way to inventory these objects while also displaying them for the community.
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Practiced for centuries across the globe, quilting has become a recognizable American craft that can teach significant moments in this country’s history. Quilts rely on important skills like resourcefulness and creativity, and they tell stories of lineage and community building, like those made by the famous African American quilter Mary L. Bennett. Quilts also have been used to commemorate massive loss, like the AIDS Memorial Quilt that includes nearly 50,000 panels dedicated to more than 110,000 individuals.
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These comforting objects are essentially beautiful and complex manifestations of the long-held philosophical belief, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
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Our collection has roughly fifty quilts that range from the 1800s to the mid-twentieth century, and they vary in size, material, and level of detail. We are currently reviewing the collection to see which ones we will display at the event in Springs, and we have already come across some interesting finds. We have several pieces that are known as “Crazy Quilts” (see below), as well as a special modern “signature quilt” that was made for an EHHS fundraiser in the late 1980s. The quilt features over two dozen signatures and weaves together well-known names like Lauren Bacall, Bob Fosse, Halston, and Billy Joel with the names of the Sag Harbor Quilters who made the piece, including Harriet Kawecki, Cecilia Wenski, Judie Gaffrey.
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“Airing of the Quilts” takes place Saturday, April 22 at Arts Center at Duck Creek Farm.
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Seeking History Educators this summer
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Are you interested in part-time work this summer introducing the public to East Hampton’s history? The Historical Society is seeking History Educators to lead guided tours of our historic sites and museums. These are paid positions and the hours are flexible. For a detailed job description and application instructions, please visit our website.
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Thank you!
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Congratulations to Dafne Barrios!
The Historical Society’s new Program Manager
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We are thrilled that Dafne, who has worked as Office Manager, is taking on a new role at the Historical Society! In her new capacity as Program Manager, she’ll be responsible for managing the operations and logistics for all our public programs, including guided tours, exhibitions, lectures, special events, and site rentals.
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We’re currently hiring for a new Office Manager! If you’re interested in learning more about the position, please visit our website for the job description and application instructions.
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Save the Date
2nd Annual East Hampton Quiz Bowl
May 10, 2023
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Join the East Hampton Historical Society for our 2nd Annual Quiz Bowl! Hosted Quizmaster, Paul A. Johnson III, attendees can test their knowledge of East Hampton trivia and win history-related gifts and prizes. Stay tuned for more details, but in the meantime start putting together your team, which may consist of between 1 to 5 players.
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Join St. Luke’s Church for a special tour of
THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2023
8:30AM – 6PM
$75 PER PERSON
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Includes Jitney and Tour tickets, and a light lunch
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The tour of the largest gothic cathedral in the world will include its history, architecture, and artwork – from the Great Bronze Doors to the seven “Chapels of the Tongues.”
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A Shop Full of Unique Gifts Online!
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Check out the great items online!
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You can shop online and have your order shipped directly to you or picked up at Clinton Academy.
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Use code FLASH for 50% off your order.
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East Hampton Historical Society
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