May
news & updates
5/21 Issue 6
Upcoming Events


Curious about those antiques in your house that you inherited or purchased? Want to know more about their age, design history, and construction?

Join the Society on Thursday, May 6th at 7pm via zoom as Chief Curator, Richard Barons, will answer your burning questions about your heirlooms. This month, we will be focusing on chairs.

Send in a photograph of your chair, as well as any questions you may have about it, to Marianne Della Croce at [email protected] by Thursday, April 8th. Five will be selected for the discussion.

All submissions will be anonymous. The discussion is free and open to anyone. Please note - we are not able to provide you with an appraisal of your furniture.

Photo: Comb back, bird cage, Windsor rocking chair, painted black, c. 1810. From the collection of the East Hampton Historical Society.

Thursday, May 6, 2021
7:00 PM
Work Continues at Clinton Academy

100 years ago, the Society had its first meeting at Clinton Academy.

Work has begun on the roof, porch, columns, and chimney to bring Clinton and the Town House back to their former glory!

Due to a generous anonymous donation, the work is being overseen by Ben Krupinski Builder.

Keep checking our Social Media pages for updates and progress photos.

Your Help is Needed!

Support us with a donation!
Participate in one of our online programs!
Renew your membership or Join!
Invite your friends to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for the latest!
Note on your calendar the 2021 in person events as they are announced! We hope to see you there!
Get your friends involved! Tell them about us and ask them to join our mailing list!

Consider sowing seeds by giving to our nonprofit.

We hope to see you at one of our events or museums this summer!
Membership Matters

Museums are just as important to the future as the future is to museums. Not only can our museums bring history to life, but they can also shine a light on both our present and our future.

The East Hampton Historical Society has a responsibility and duty to provide a sense of community and place by celebrating a collective heritage, offering a great way to get to know the history of East Hampton, as well as inspiring the next generation to be stewards and caretakers of these wonderful buildings and artifacts.

As we head into 2021, we look toward transforming our museums from spaces of looking and learning to spaces of interaction, participation, and engagement. As the world evolves, so shall we with innovative programming and new ways to utilize technology to improve the visitor experience.

A great way to be a part of the excitement, is to join the Society as a member. Your membership helps us continue to tell the remarkable stories of East Hampton, and to ensure we will be standing for years to come - and entitles you to great benefits!

Join (rejoin) today!
The New York World’s Fair opened in Flushing Meadows in 1939, the second most expensive World’s Fair at the time. It was the first world’s fair to be based on the future.

From the permanent collection is the New York World's Fair 1939 Needle Book. This folded, colorfully lithographed card depicting an artist's vision of World's Fair sites, opens to reveal an assortment of needles. The "Select Assortment" of "Rustproof Needles" are arranged on metal foil in red, green and deep blue.
“Many of the truths that we cling to depend on your point of view.” - Yoda

During May, we are having some fun with our newsletter focused upon the Force and everything Star Wars. So immediately I thought of the connection of History as a Force. I pondered upon of the above quote by Yoda, our Jedi Master friend who studied for our 800 years and who’s wisdom for life can be applied to history.

In fact, people over various periods have seen history differently. Their particular point of view can make for contrasting accounts of historical events, periods, and outcomes. This continues today. As stewards of history, it is our role to present all perspectives. And if done well, our visitors can come to greater understanding toward the “truth” of history by melding all standpoints together.

For instance, we can think about East Hampton’s past from angles, the original colonists, indigenous people, African Americans, immigrants, those born here, those visiting…you get the idea. And we consider those and many other perspectives. We try and weave various assessments together by using documents, objects, photos, oral histories, paintings, architecture and more to present narratives. It is truly a Force of History at work to expose our fantastical local stories.

Yoda’s statement reminds me of what a Mohawk culture bearer friend once told me. He said, the “truth” is as if a group of people were to stand in a circle and look at the center (truth). Each would have their own point of view which would vary and add interesting knowledge to the collective, but each is correct from where they are standing. We look forward to offering you all, various perspectives about East Hampton history this summer season and hope to see you all at one of our museum and events!

Maria Vann
Executive Director
Volunteer Spotlight
Katherine Perksy


Katherine initially became involved with the Society as a docent at Mulford Farm, where she enjoyed learning about the rich history of the area and about life during the colonial period. She met a wide array of interesting people, including local celebrities, several members of the Mulford family, and owners of homes dating back to colonial times who were looking for design inspiration. Here favorite visitors were children, who were always amazed by the lack of technology and indoor plumbing! Katherine has also volunteered for several of the Society’s events including the Antiques & Design Show, the House & Garden Tour, and at the Moran Studio. You may have seen her offer a couple of questions in our “Ask a Curator” program this winter as well!

Katherine enjoys giving back to the community, and has made East Hampton her home base after having lived in Manhattan for 40 years. She appreciates the opportunities that volunteering has provided her to interact with people, to make good friends, and to continue to learn about the area. It also gives her the opportunity to experience great art and design. 

For fun, Katherine swims five or six mornings a week at the YMCA, and takes line dancing classes with Natalie Boyle at the Southampton Cultural Center on Friday nights. She is looking forward to cycling this spring and summer with Kim Covell’s "Team Flying Point" as she trains for Bike to the Beach, a ride from Manhattan to the Hamptons to raise funds and awareness for Autism.  
Volunteer today!

Looking for a way to become more involved with the historical society this season? Consider becoming a volunteer! We have a wide variety of positions open, and there is something for everyone.
 
Visitor Center Volunteers:
Duties include greeting visitors, answering questions about and providing directions to the Society’s sites, and selling merchandise at the shop.  Training is required to learn how to use a point-of-sale system and to learn about our various sites.
 
Event Support:
Duties may include greeting visitors, taking tickets, handing out programs, providing support to staff as needed. 
 
Collections:
Duties include assisting Chief Curator with research, scanning documents and photographs and labelling artifacts. Also assist with entering information into catalogue database, Past Perfect.  

Contact Marianne for more information.
In Case You Missed the Last Ask a Curator!
The Gardens of The East Hampton Historical Society!
Seeking Volunteer Docents

Looking for a great way to meet new people and learn something new? The East Hampton Historical Society is seeking volunteer docents to interpret our historic sites to the visiting public. Duties include creating intellectual and emotional connections to the exhibits for our visitors by walking visitors through the exhibits, and creating positive learning experiences for the visitors, answering questions as needed. 
Training will be provided to learn about the historic artifacts, exhibitions and historic content of the sites.

We are seeking docents for the East Hampton Marine Museum, which will be open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 11am-3pm. If you’re able to volunteer for one shift, or for multiple shifts, we are interested in you!

If interested, please email Marianne Della Croce.  
East Hampton Lil’ Explorers
Family Drop-In Program for Summer Fun!

Drop over to Mulford farm for some "historic" adventures with the Society's education team.

Each day will explore a different theme full of activities, games, and education. All supplies are included, and there is no charge for accompanying adult.


Monday – Young Writers: Ready to earn the Nobel Prize for Literature? Start here! On Monday, August 2nd, we will make our own journals and write a story using historic photos as our prompts. We will also be making our own invisible ink to write secret messages to our friends!

Tuesday – Forces of Nature: Unleash your outdoor curiosity! On Tuesday, August 3rd, we will explore a historic garden and have the chance to sow some seeds there! We will also take a nature walk, create a suncatcher from what we find, and learn about the ecosystem in our own backyard.

Wednesday – Games Galore: On Wednesday, August 4th, play games like East Hampton Kids of yore! Try your hand at rolling a hoop and making your own whirligig! Practice your hand at playing marbles and jacks too.

Thursday – Time Travelers: It’s not your parents’ summer program, but we will be doing activities like they did when they were kids waaaaaay back in the 1980s! On Thursday, August 5th, we will create your own magnetic tetris puzzle, design tubular 80s shades, and make individualized lanyards. Totally rad, dude!

Friday – Concoctions and Potions: End the week with our ice cream party! On Friday, August 6th, we will stir, shake and mix common household items for a sweet snack or two (contains dairy).  Stir up your own tornado in a quick science project too. 

August 2-6, 2021
9:30am-12pm
$15 Future Members per day
$10 Members per day
Curator's Corner
Gwathmey Cottage built in 1965
Being a curator at an historical society means that your purview extends far beyond the objects and buildings owned by a museum. Besides having a grasp of the community’s history (prehistoric to pandemic), you also get to know the families and their genealogies. You come to know the buildings and landscapes around you. Somehow you curate all this diverse material into a myriad of stories, programs and exhibitions. Curators are educators.

Our theme for this month’s newsletter is history’s role in influencing the present. Fashion and design instantly cross my mind. Look at the architecture we see, everyday, all around us. We know our streetscapes are changing. So let us turn to the 1960s for inspiration.

After the Second World War, architectural design often appeared chaotic. In the 1950s passion continued for split-level ranch houses and Cape Cod cottages. European modern design began to take over for the young couples of the 1960s. “From Bauhaus to Our House” was the title of Tom Wolfe’s 1981 rant against the homogenized modernist inspired buildings that so influenced young couples in the ‘60s.      

In East Hampton there was an awakening, of sorts, towards the innovative possibilities that modernist design offered those seeking the perfect sunlit beach house. Indeed one of the most brilliant (and famous) examples of this creative style was constructed on Bluff Road, Amagansett, in 1965. Designed by Charles Gwathmey, for his parents, the Gwathmey Cottage & Studio is a masterpiece of modern design. Truly a sculpture, when first built it was surrounded by flat fields. It stood like a beacon of modern beauty as it overlooked the dunes. By the way, the budget for the project was $35,000.00. It was soon followed by a number of stunning new cottages.

By the late 1980s, modernism seemed out of step with the taste of a new generation. Older designs like the Shingle-Style had taken over the lanes and streets. The International Style gave way to Post-Modernism. But if you drive down Amagansett’s Bluff Road today, you will notice that modernism has lately returned. The scale is certainly larger than the Gwathmey Cottage (at 1680 square feet), but the aesthetic is there. The bold geometry is accented by exterior white walls. The cycle of style comes and goes. What is old, becomes new again.
Virtual Book Club: A Day Like Any Other: The Great Hamptons Hurricane of 1938 by Genie Chipps Henderson

Join the EHHS for their virtual Book Club as they explore A Day Like Any Other: The Great Hamptons Hurricane of 1938 a novel by Genie Chipps Henderson on May 13 at 7:00pm on Zoom.

This is a thrilling story of a day that began much like any other at the ragtag end of the summer season on the eastern end of long island - better known as the Hamptons. The Storm, coming without warning, caught the summer colonists and locals alike off guard as it made landfall at 3:00pm. It brought with it unprecedented wind, rain, and waves so powerful they were recorded on seismographs 5000 miles away in Alaska.

Henderson's skillful storytelling is based on carefully researched facts and woven into an amazing story with compelling characters.

Historic photos and research with be shared by the Author who will be joining the discussion, as well as items from the Society's archive.

If you have any photos you would like included, please email [email protected].



Thursday, May 13, 2021
7:00pm
No charge
Join us for our Book Club Discussion! 

“Hamptons Bohemia: Two Centuries of Artists and Writers on the Beach” by Helen Harrison, who will be joining us for the discussion, and Constance Ayers.

For more than two centuries, the Hamptons have been home to a vibrant community of artists and writers, lured by the golden dunes, refreshing breezes, radiant landscapes, and frequent visits from the Muse. It was here that Winslow Homer painted bathers and strollers on the ocean beach and Lee Krasner created her Earth Series in a cramped studio shared with her husband, Jackson Pollock. From Herman Melville to F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck to George Plimpton, these are just a few of the gifted figures to draw inspiration from this famous and fashionable retreat. Richly illustrated with archival photos and reproductions of the artists' work, Hamptons Bohemia chronicles the evolution of a community and the colorful characters who have inhabited it.

The book is available through the Suffolk County Cooperative Library System for interlibrary loan, as well as for purchase or download on Amazon.
Society members and the public are welcome at no charge. Registration is required. You can register here:  

For more information, or for questions on how to register for the program, please contact Marianne Della Croce at [email protected]. 

At each discussion, participants can offer suggestions for future readings. Recommended books should directly relate to the mission of the East Hampton Historical Society and be readily available for both digital download and purchase online.

Thursday, June 10, 2021
7:00pm
No charge

This special live Zoom event takes virtual visitors on a tour of world famous artist studios — national landmarks located in East Hampton, New York. Doors virtually open to the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center at 4pm, and then participants visit the Thomas and Mary Nimmo Moran Studio at 4:30pm on guided tours using Zoom. There is no charge, but registration is required.

Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center
with Education Coordinator, Joyce Raimondo

Education Coordinator, Joyce Raimondo will virtually guide visitors through Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner's home and studio - a national landmark located in East Hampton, New York. Discover creative ways Pollock and Krasner expressed their feelings with paint. Discuss the art displayed in their home and explore the barn studio filled with paint splatters -- evidence of their masterpieces.

Pollock is best known for applying house paint from sticks onto canvases placed on the floor of his barn studio. He walked around all four sides of the paintings as he created imagery that captures movement and energy. Krasner, also an abstract painter, is known for her innovative technique of cutting up earlier work to create new painting/collages.

THOMAS & MARY NIMMO MORAN STUDIO
with Chief Curator, Richard Barons

Join Chief Curator, Richard Barons, on a virtual tour of the Thomas & Mary Nimmo Moran Studio - national historic landmark, located in East Hampton, New York. In 1884, Moran built the first artist's studio in East Hampton which marked the beginning of the village as an artist's colony. The Moran Studio has been described as "a quirky, Queen Anne style-studio cottage.” Thomas Moran is widely known for his landscape paintings of the Rocky Mountains, and Mary Nimmo Moran for her landscape prints, particularly her etchings.

Wednesday, May 12, 2021
4:00pm
No charge



East Hampton Historical Society www.easthamptonhistory.org
631-324-6850