Old Southampton Shores

"In 1887, Southampton was proclaimed 'the most charming of all small cities by the sea.' From 1870 to 1930, the colonial farmsteads that dotted its oldest street made way for the stately second homes of America's most fashionable elite. Hollywood royalty like Ginger Rogers and Jimmy Stewart lived and played in these magnificent second homes. Situated on the east side of Lake Agawam, South Main Street cottagers fished, bicycled, sailed and walked to the beach and into the village throughout the summer season. Today all but five of these grand landmarks survive. Local author Sally Spanburgh uses her historical and architectural expertise to tell the stories behind the construction of these beautiful homes and their remarkable owners"--Publisher description.

The Story of Southampton is a long overdue and engaging general history of the city, from the earliest times to the present day, taking into account its unique architectural development and heritage. It not only looks at the local history, but also how those events had a wider significance – especially in relation to the sea and communications. Peter Neal has an eye for a telling anecdote, and this, together with his lively tone and authoritative research, will make the book appealing to anyone who is seeking to find out more about this fascinating city.

Settled in 1640 by a group of Puritans from Massachusetts, Southampton, NY, changed very little until the railroad line from New York City reached the village in 1870. Then, with daily trains traveling east, wealthy New Yorkers were amazed to discover a bucolic backwater just hours away. By the turn of the century, Southampton was ranked among the most fashionable resorts on the East Coast. Over 200 photographs, many rare and previously unpublished, illustrate the changes that came to agrarian Southampton as successive waves of summer residents arrived, first to stay in farmhouses refurbished as boarding houses, then building their own sprawling summer "cottages." Drawn from local historical archives and private collections, these images will show how small-town life continued over the years in a place now world-renowned for its exclusive clubs, grand mansions, and celebrity residents.