April 21, 2021
The Roundtree’s resident guide, Bruce Michael, is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to Hamptons history. His knowledge is vast and fascinating, and the facts he knows reveal a side of the area that few people have discovered.
Photo: Bruno Schreck
Below are seven tidbits I learned from our latest discussion.
Which town is the Village of Sag Harbor in? East Hampton or Southampton?
Sag Harbor is in both the towns of East Hampton and Southampton. Division Street is the boundary line between East Hampton to the East and Southampton to the West.
What is the most expensive zip code in the United States?
Sagaponack, 11962, within the town of Southampton
Who owns the largest home in Sagaponack, considered one of the 10 largest homes in the United States?
Ira Rennert, the American businessman and billionaire who is the chairman of Renco Group, a holding company that owns mines and mills. The home has 29 bedrooms and 39 bathrooms and is reminiscent of the Palace of Versailles. It is estimated to be over 100,000 sq feet.
Which TV series that took place in the Hamptons was actually filmed on the East End- “Royal Pains,” “Revenge,” or “The Affair?”
“Revenge” had many scenes that took place in the Hamptons. Those scenes were shot in Wilmington, NC.
“Royal Pains,” had scenes that were meant to be in a mansion in the Hamptons. The mansion was actually Oheka Castle in Huntington, LI, the second largest home in America. Some exteriors were shot in the Hamptons.
“The Affair” was shot throughout the East End, the Hamptons and Montauk. The Lobster Roll in Amagansett was used as a prime location in the series and has since become more popular than ever.
Who is considered to be the first summer settler in 1870, and where was his home?
Theodore Gaillard Thomas, a New York gynecologist, is considered the first resident of Southampton’s summer colony, building a home on the site where the current Wooldon Manor is located.
How did Wooldon Manor get its name?
Jesse Woolworth Donahue, heiress to the Woolworth fortune and a resident of the home for many years, named it Wooldon Manor, alluding to the Woolworth name.
Who built the very first salt box style home in Southampton?
Thomas Halsey arrived at Conscience Point in 1640. He and his wife Elizabeth, homesteaded their property on South Main Street in 1648 and built their salt box home in 1680.