The Puritan Past of East Hampton, New York

East Hampton, New York

In 1648, East Hampton became the first English settlement in New York State. The governors of Connecticut Colony and New Haven Colony bought land from the Montauk Indians and sold it to Puritan settlers from Massachusetts for about £30.

These farmers first called their community Maidstone after a town in England, later changed to East Hampton.

The settlers came from Lynn and Salem in Massachusetts because they needed more space for their animals than the crowded Massachusetts Bay Colony offered.

Puritan Town Planning Legacy

The settlers built their town in the traditional Puritan New England style. They placed homes on both sides of a wide central common area that served as the heart of community life.

This design showed their belief in shared resources and togetherness. East Hampton’s common, now Main Street, was built on flat land north of Hook Pond.

The town layout has lasted almost 400 years. Today, East Hampton remains one of the best examples of 1600s Puritan town planning in America.

First Homes And Town Common

Settlers received eight to twelve acre home lots on both sides of the common. These lots reached from the common east to Hook Pond and west to what is now Highway Behind the Lots.

Families built their houses at the front of their lots facing the common. Farm buildings stood behind the homes.

Each settler owned their home lot and had rights to use surrounding shared lands. The town set strict rules about using these common lands.

The South End Burying Ground with graves from the 1600s still marks part of the original common.

Agricultural Foundation

Beyond their home lots, settlers divided the good farmland into plots for growing crops and grazing animals. Each type of land had a specific use.

The Eastern Plain between Egypt Lane and Cross Highway held large farm lots. Farmers reached these fields using roads named Further Lane, Middle Lane, and Hither Lane.

Farming was the main work in early East Hampton. Settlers grew corn, wheat, and vegetables. They also raised cattle and sheep.

Some people also fished and hunted whales that washed ashore, sometimes with help from Montauk Indians.

First Meeting House

The settlers built their meeting house right on the town common. This building served as both church and town hall, typical of Puritan settlements.

East Hampton Puritans practiced as Presbyterians. Religion guided daily life in their community.

Town Pond, once a watering spot for farm animals, remains from the 1648 common. Today it adds beauty to the town center.

When England took New York from the Dutch in 1664, East Hampton came under New York’s control, though its Puritan ways stayed strong.

When East Hampton Joined Connecticut

East Hampton was the third Connecticut settlement on eastern Long Island, after Southampton and Southold.

In 1657, East Hampton officially joined Connecticut Colony. This connection gave the growing settlement protection and stability.

This arrangement lasted until King Charles II of England took control. After British ships captured New Amsterdam (now New York City) in 1664, Long Island became part of New York.

This change in government ended East Hampton’s ties to Connecticut but didn’t much affect daily life for most people.

First Artists Discover East Hampton

Thomas Moran built the first artist’s studio in East Hampton in 1884. His workspace quickly drew other artists, starting the area’s art colony.

The studio looked out over Town Pond, showing off the rural scenery that attracted artists seeking inspiration away from busy cities.

In the late 1870s, the New York-based Tile Club artists found the natural beauty of the Hamptons. The Long Island Rail Road invited artists including William Merritt Chase and Winslow Homer to visit and create pictures to promote the area.

Railroad Connection That Changed Everything

When the railroad reached nearby Bridgehampton in 1870, East Hampton changed forever. The remote farming town suddenly became easy to reach from New York City.

Visitors started coming for summer stays, first in boarding houses on Main Street, then in houses built on former farmland. Many wealthy people built large homes they modestly called “cottages.”

The railroad extended to Montauk in 1895, bringing even more rich families to build in East Hampton.

Artists loved East Hampton’s farm scenery. The open fields and old buildings made perfect subjects to paint.

When Abstract Expressionists Arrived

In 1945, art supporter Peggy Guggenheim loaned money to artists Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner to buy a house in Springs, part of East Hampton.

This was a turning point for American art. In a barn studio, Pollock created his famous “poured” paintings that brought worldwide attention to American artists.

That same year, Robert Motherwell also bought property in East Hampton. He found the peaceful setting sparked new ideas in his work.

Pollock and Krasner helped build the artist community in Springs. Their presence drew other major artists to the area.

Willem de Kooning Joins The Colony

Willem and Elaine de Kooning first visited East Hampton as guests of Pollock and Krasner. These visits led them to get their own places later.

In 1963, Willem de Kooning moved to Springs permanently. He set up his studio and home on Woodbine Drive, near Three Mile Harbor.

De Kooning had become famous for his abstract paintings and powerful ‘Woman’ series made in New York City. He loved working in East Hampton and once said, ‘It would be very hard for me, now, to paint in any other place.’

Annual Artists & Writers Game

By 1954, so many artists spent summers in the Hamptons that they started a softball game against local writers. This friendly contest became the East Hampton Artists & Writers Game that still happens today. Willem de Kooning and Franz Kline played in the first game.

Exploring the Puritan History of East Hampton, NY

You can visit the Pollock-Krasner House at 830 Springs-Fireplace Road in East Hampton, though reservations are required through their website or by calling 631-324-4929.

East Hampton’s historic Main Street features preserved buildings from its Puritan era, and Guild Hall at 158 Main Street offers free admission to its galleries displaying local artists’ works.

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