By Georgia de Havenon, Historic Preservation Committee Chair
It was a grey day outside, but there was a bright ambience inside as the Village Preservation Committee held its Annual Meeting and Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony on September 28 at the Tennis House on Maidstone Lane. Dave Brown, President of the Village Preservation Society, welcomed everyone. He gave a brief overview of our goals for the meeting, thanking those responsible for organizing it and honored the memory of Polly Bruckmann, a long-time Trustee and Doug Mercer, husband of Trustee Pat Mercer.
In her introduction to the seventh annual award ceremony, Georgia de Havenon, Chair of the Historic Preservation Committee, quoted from the National Trust for Historic Preservation website: “Historical sites are physical reminders of the diversity of our experiences and the history we share.”
“Wayside” the Dr. George E. Munroe house of 1888, designed by Isaac Henry Green, Jr., and located at 24 Ocean Avenue, was given the award for a private project. Kristen and Robert DeLaMater, owners of the home and individuals responsible for its preservation, accepted the bronze plaque awarded for the sensitive restoration of their quintessential shingle style residence that they combined with a tasteful addition. The architectural firm of Fink and Platt were responsible for the work along with John Hummel Builders. Mr. DeLaMater gave an eloquent short acknowledgement of the honor, mentioning that this was the third house over 100 years old in which they had lived. Janet Fink and Arthur Platt spoke about the painstaking work they did, from restoring the “eared” columns on the porch to restoring each window, a project that stretched out eight months.
The award for a public project was given to the Town of East Hampton for the George and Sarah Fowler House, dating from the late 19th century, at 95 Springs Fireplace Road; restored by Ben Krupinski Builders in 2018. The Fowler House is particularly significant, even though it is a modest saltbox structure, because it is the only surviving structure in which members of the Montaukett Indian Nation lived. It is located in the Freetown area of East Hampton, a section of the Town in which freed slaves and indigenous people lived. George Fowler worked as a gardener for Thomas Moran, the Home Sweet Home inhabitants, and others. He also drove Moran’s gondola on occasion.
Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, Supervisor of the Town of East Hampton, accepted the award. The Montaukett Indian Nation was also acknowledged at this time. In her acceptance speech she surprised the audience by announcing that the Town is planning to acquire 66 Wainscott Main St, the Osborne Farm, adjoining Wainscott Pond, thus making access to the pond possible for the public.
Hugh King, the official historian of the Village and Town of East Hampton, then regaled us with insights into the award winners and their places in local lore. In particular, a quiz format about regarding the Fowler House and how various individuals, as wide-ranging as Thomas Moran to Dick Cavett, were connected to the home was not only amusing, but factual too. He also evoked the late 19th century architectural history of East Hampton recounting how Isaac Henry Green, Jr., an important architect, who designed numerous structures in the Village, and often is credited with popularizing the gambrel roof and introducing the shingle style cottage to this area.
The meeting was then adjourned and all enjoyed the delicious homemade hors d’oeuvres, provided by the Trustees of the Village Preservation Society and organized so capably by Trustee Missy Egbert Sheehan.
