|
|
November 2026
History Matters
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
Letter from the Director
———————
|
|
|
Dear Friend,
Thanks to the generosity of people like you, the East Hampton Historical Society is fulfilling its mission “to illuminate the past and inspire the community through the preservation and interpretation of East Hampton’s history.”
Through the year, the Historical Society stewards five historic properties – Clinton Academy (which includes the Town House and Hook Schoolhouse), the Dominy Shops, East Hampton Town Marine Museum, Moran Studio, and Mulford Farm – which are accessible to thousands of visitors annually. |
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
In addition, we recently –
- Celebrated America’s 250th by completing a comprehensive restoration of the Mulford Farmhouse – the first in almost 80 years.
- Completed the construction of our new 5,500 square foot state-of-the-art Collections Center to house our nearly 20,000 artifacts.
- Developed a new monthly podcast that recounts the history of East Hampton during the American Revolution.
- Initiated a multi-year renovation and reinterpretation of the Marine Museum in collaboration with the Town of East Hampton, which owns the building.
- Partnered with the East Hampton Library to present a free series of lectures about East Hampton history.
- Taught cultural and natural history to thousands of students at almost a dozen different historic sites including the Marine Museum, Mulford Farm, the Moran Studio, Amagansett Life-Saving Station Museum, and Cedar Point Lighthouse.
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking ahead to 2027, we will continue expanding our interpretive programming and helping our community engage with the past. As the Annual Report explains, our vision for the Historical Society is to serve as a vital resource where history comes alive – and our community comes together – to explore East Hampton’s layered past.
Achieving this vision depends on you. We need your help to keep the past present in East Hampton.
Please make a gift to the East Hampton Historical Society today!
Sincerely,
Steve Long, Executive Director |
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
Thank you for a wonderful
Semiquincentennial History Festival
|
|
|
Thank you to everyone who attended the History Festival to celebrate America’s 250th at Mulford Farm last month. We were thrilled with the turnout! The Festival brought history to life through colonial demonstrations, historical reenactors, performances and live music. In addition to tours of Mulford Farm with Don Smith portraying Colonel David Mulford, the Festival featured visits to the Home Sweet Home Museum and Pantigo Windmill.
We’re especially grateful to everyone who presented colonial and early American crafts and trades. Mulford family descendant Fen Youmans showcased weaving and flax processing along with Toni Kaste, blacksmith James DeMartis demonstrated Revolutionary-era metalworking, Mark Crandall shared the traditional art of scrimshaw, Janet Badkin made bayberry candles, and Charlotte Rayner and Lois Oliver demonstrated rug-hooking. Special thanks to the Bonac Shanty Crew for providing music and Piper Borsack, Joe Brondo, David Cataletto, Tom Hulse, and Don Smith who performed dramatic monologues about the American Revolution in East Hampton.
In addition to militia reenactors from the 3rd New York Regiment, we were joined by the East End Classic Boat Society, the East Hampton Historical Farm Museum, the Wainscott Sewing Society, and the Greater East Hampton Chamber of Commerce, which organized the street fair on James Lane. Finally, we couldn’t have presented the Festival without the incredible efforts of our Education Committee including Barbara Borsack, Olivia Brooks, David Cataletto, Marjorie Diamond, Cathy Humphrey, Hugh King. and Hilary Osborn Malecki.
|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
38th Annual House & Garden Tour
Saturday, November 28 from 1 PM to 4:30 PM
Tickets will be gone soon!
———————-
|
|
You’re invited to the 38th Annual East Hampton House & Garden Tour benefiting the East Hampton Historical Society! During this year’s edition of the East End’s original House & Garden Tour, you’ll have the opportunity to see five spectacular homes. A cocktail party at a private home kicks off the festivities on Friday, November 27 and the Tour is on Saturday, November 28 from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
Register at the Friend Level or higher by Sunday, November 8 to be listed in the event program.
|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
From the Collection
Scrimshaw Busk
|
|
|
Last month, artist Peter Spacek presented a terrific workshop about scrimshaw for the Historical Society. Making scrimshaw, the folk art of carving and engraving bone, baleen, ivory, shell, or horn, was a common way for 19th-century whalers to pass the time during their long voyages. Historical scrimshaw relies on materials that come from protected marine mammals so Peter, who creates contemporary scrimshaw, described how he incorporates repurposed materials like fiberglass from old surfboards.
Workshop attendees had the opportunity to see several examples of scrimshaw from the Historical Society’s artifact collection, including this busk, or corset stiffener, made from whale baleen. Baleen functions as the teeth of certain whales, which feed by filtering small organisms through baleen plates made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails.
Similar in shape to a ruler, busks were typically made of wood, whalebone, ivory, or metal. For much of the 19th century, fashionable ladies’ dresses required very small waists and to achieve this appearance, women would wear a tightly laced supportive undergarment called a corset or stay. A busk was inserted into a front center sleeve of the corset to keep it stiff and upright. Baleen was especially valued for this purpose as it provided both strength and flexibility.
|
|
|
According to the National Museum of American History, “One of the most intimate pieces of scrimshaw a whaleman could produce was a bone or baleen busk. These were carved and given to a crewman’s loved one…as a unique memento of her beloved’s feelings.”
This busk measures 1.5” wide by 13” long and has a carved arch top. It’s divided into five sections, with numerous decorative flourishes including shields, stripes, an urn, a star, and a ship. Most noteworthy is the verse that the scrimshander inscribed on the central section: “In many a gale / Has been the Whale / Wherein this bone did rest / But now alas! / ‘Tis come to pass / To stay a female’s breast.”
The name of the scrimshander and the date the baleen was carved are unknown. The Historical Society acquired the busk along with other examples of scrimshaw from Edward H. Jones in the early 20th century.
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
Holiday Lights at Mulford Farm
Opening November 27
|
|
|
The East Hampton Historical Society is pleased once again to host “Bonac Lights” this holiday season. Presented by the East Hampton Masonic Lodge – Star of the East Lodge #843, “Bonac Lights” is a holiday stroll around Mulford Farm, located at 10 James Lane in the heart of East Hampton Village. The entire family will enjoy illuminated snowmen, carolers, elves, and the North Pole! In addition to the light displays, there will be food, vendors, music, characters, candlelight tours of the Mulford Farmhouse, and Santa Claus on selected nights. All proceeds from “Bonac Lights” support college scholarships for East Hampton High School students.
Holiday “Bonac Lights” at Mulford Farm will be on display every Friday and Saturday through December 19 from 5:30 PM to 8 PM. Please park on James Lane. Parking is not available on the Farm itself. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children. Tickets may be purchased in advance on the Bonac Lights website.
|
|
| ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
|
|
