May 2026

History Matters

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Letter from the Director

Dear Friend,

As I’ve been reporting in our monthly newsletter, we’re restoring the interior of the Mulford Farmhouse to help celebrate America’s 250th. At the same time, we’ve made some changes to the building’s exterior that you may have noticed during the last few weeks. For example, the exterior walls of the Farmhouse look much brighter than they did just a month ago. Since the harsh winter weather led to a considerable accumulation of mildew and moss on the cedar shingles, we arranged to have them cleaned, which was generously donated by BK Builder.

While the siding may have looked ancient, the shingles on the Farmhouse were last replaced in 2001. Prior to that time, the same shingles – according to the 1982 Historic Structure Report – had been on the Mulford Farmhouse since the 1890s. Not surprisingly, by the late 20th century, the siding had deteriorated significantly and needed to be replaced. In the photo below from 2001, you can see the rotted tie beam and girt underneath the east windows, which was pointed out to me by our preservation consultant, Bob Hefner. If you look closely, you can also see evidence of seagrass, which was used as insulation. Richard Baxter, who worked on dozens of restoration projects around East Hampton, oversaw the re-shingling using Atlantic White Cedar shakes. Special thanks to the East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection for scanning images of the 2001 restoration and adding them to Digital Long Island.

By regularly cleaning and maintaining the exterior of the Farmhouse, I hope we can ensure the current shingles last over a century, just like the ones that preceded them.

In addition to cleaning the shingles, we will add a stone step by the front door of the Mulford Farmhouse, which will replace a steep and slippery wooden ramp that was installed about ten years ago. Thank you to the Town of East Hampton for donating the stone that will be placed on top of the millstone you see in the photo.

The distance from the top of the millstone to floorboard of the house is almost eleven inches, which is not a comfortable step height. Ideally, it would be around seven inches. Since the millstone is approximately five inches thick (on the edge nearest to the door), it may originally have been placed on top of the ground and functioned as the step into the house. Over time, the millstone sank into the earth.

As you can see in the above image of the Mulford Farmhouse taken circa 1923, the distance between the millstone and bottom of the door doesn’t look nearly as big as it does today. This is a detail of a photograph from the Armbruster collection in the New York Public Library. Click the link or the image to take a closer look at the photo and examine the millstone.

Keep a lookout for even more changes to come at the Mulford Farmhouse as we get ready for the Semiquincentennial this summer!

Sincerely,

Steve Long, Executive Director

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REGISTER TODAY!

Annual Membership Party

Saturday, June 20, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

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You’re invited to join us on Saturday, June 20 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM for our annual Membership Party at a renowned designer’s home overlooking Gardiner’s Bay.

Tickets –

$200 includes one Membership Party ticket and an individual Historical Society membership.
$500 includes two Membership Party tickets, a Family Membership, and inclusion in our Annual Report.

And, consider joining us in the New Century Circle at the $5,000 level to receive special Membership benefits.

Your generous Membership support enables the Historical Society to educate families from across the community about the history we share.

Photo credit: Blue Carreon

REGISTER TODAY

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TOM TWOMEY SERIES

Thursday, May 21 at 5:30 PM

Historic Gardens in East Hampton by Blue Carreon

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TOM TWOMEY SERIES

This year, the East Hampton Historical Society is thrilled to partner with the East Hampton Library on the Tom Twomey Series. Our next presentation is May 21 at 5:30 PM when Blue Carreon presents the Historic Gardens of East Hampton. Author of The Gardens of the Hamptons, Blue will describe the history of many of our community’s most iconic gardens.

Upcoming Lectures

Thursday, June 11 at 5:30 PM: Prosperous Bohemians: The Rise & Fall of Weekend Utopia

Alastair Gordon, author of Weekend Utopia: Modern Living in the Hamptons, traces the history of the modern movement–both in art and architecture–on eastern Long Island.

Thursday, July 23 at 5:30 PM: The Convict Pastor: Thomas James and the Puritan Roots of Christian Nationalism

The Rev. Jon D. Rodriguez, Pastor of The First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton, presents the life of the Reverend Thomas James, East Hampton’s first minister whose faith defined a community and ultimately landed him behind bars.

Saturday, September 19 at 3:00 PM: Returning to Our Roots

Featuring a panel of contemporary farmers in East Hampton Town, this discussion will focus on what’s inspired a new generation of farmers to work East Hampton’s soil and will highlight the history of the land they cultivate.

Programs are free of charge and take place in the Baldwin Room at the East Hampton Library, 159 Main Street.

REGISTER TODAY

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Watch Valedictory Orations, Songs and Speeches, Harangues and Dialogues: Clinton Academy 1821-1921

March’s Tom Twomey Series presentation hosted by Hugh King

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Catch the latest edition of our podcast

Spirit of ’76: East Hampton in the American Revolution

Entitled “Fear, Responsibility, and Division,” this month’s episode of the Spirit of ’76 explores how the Revolutionary War affected every aspect of life in East Hampton. While fears of a British attack continued in May 1776, tensions between neighbors who had lived side-by-side for generations reached a boiling point. Researched, written, and narrated by East Hampton High School student Colin Kelley, you can find the Spirit of ’76 podcast on WLIW.org, the Historical Society’s website, and our mobile app on www.BloombergConnects.org. It’s also available on most streaming apps.

Thank you to Town Historian Hugh King and East Hampton Town Board Members for inviting Colin to read the May episode of the Spirit of ’76 podcast at a recent Town Board meeting. It was a wonderful opportunity to read into the Town record what was happening in East Hampton 250 years ago. And as Colin explained to the Town Board, producing the podcast has been an eye opener. In history class, students learn about the American Revolution, but there’s never been a focus on how it was experienced by our local community. The Spirit of ’76 explains how East Hampton residents were involved in declaring independence and building a new nation.

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The Historical Society’s Summer Schedule kicks off this month!

The East Hampton Historical Society is thrilled to announce its summer schedule. Join us for guided tours and open houses at our historic sites. We’re kicking off our programming this weekend with opportunities to visit the Dominy Shops Museum and the Thomas and Mary Nimmo Moran Home and Studio.

Check out our calendar for our schedule of guided tours and open houses. Tickets are $12 for non-members and FREE for members.

If you would like to schedule a private tour of one of our historic properties, please email or call 631.324.6850, x2.

Watercolor of the Moran Studio by Mardie Gorman

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East End Women

Exhibition Opening Reception

Saturday, May 16, from 4 PM to 6 PM

Now on display at Clinton Academy, East End Women, a new exhibition features a range of works, including painting, photography, and sculpture. Curated by Karyn Mannix, the show brings together the work of fourteen contemporary East End artists, AG Duggan, Beth Barry, Carol Hunt, Deborah Acquino, Donna Corvi, Joanlee Montefusco, Karyn Mannix, Kerry Sharkey-Miller, Mary Daunt, Setha Low, Teresa Lawler, Veronica Mezzina, Martha Stotzky, and Susan Zises.

As Karyn explains, “the artists gathered do not constitute a movement, nor do they speak in a single voice. What emerges instead is something distinct and self-defined: a shared commitment to engage the viewer without dissolving into a unified definition of ‘women’s art.'”

On display through May 30, please contact info@TheMannixProject.com for more information.

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Register to be listed on the Invitation

20th Annual Antiques & Design Show Benefit

Preview Party – Friday, July 10

6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Get ready for the 20th Annual Antiques & Design Show benefiting the East Hampton Historical Society. Taking place on Mulford Farm, the festivities kick off with a Preview Cocktail Party on Friday July 10, 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. The show’s hours are 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday, July 11 and 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sunday, July 12.

Join us as a Show Sponsor, which means you can attend the Preview Party and shop the Show before the general public. Show Sponsors will be recognized in both digital and printed copies of the Antiques & Design Show Invitation and the Event Program, which will be distributed to thousands of attendees and friends of the Historical Society. To secure your spot in the printed invitation, please review the Show Sponsor opportunities and register by May 18.

This year, we are delighted to have Tom Scheerer serve as Honorary Chair. Joining him is our renowned Design Committee including: