HomeMy WebLinkAboutWE-18 FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM
,r UNIQUE SITE NO.�(?�1U `6 WE-18
DIVISION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ,QUAD
NEW YORK STATE PARKS AND RECREATION SERIES
ALBANY, NEW YORK (51 H) 474-0479 NEG. NO.
YOUR NAME: Town of Southold/SPLIAPATE: March 1988
YOUR ADDRESS: Town Hall, Main Rd. TELEPHONE: 516 765 1892
Southold LI NY 11971
ORGANIZATION (if any): Southold 'Town Community Development Office
IDENTIFICATION
1. BUILDING NAME(S): Pox Mansion/Manston house
2. COUNTY: Suffolk TOWN/CITY: Southold VILLAGE: Eishers island
3. STREET LOCATION: Mansion House Dr. , opp._ Central Ave. _
4. OWNERSHIP: a. public ❑ b. private � Fer uson III.
S. PRESENT OWNER�'1 S W• Buller and H.L. AI KESS:
6. USE: Original: residence Present: residence
7. ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC: Exterior visible from public road: Yes E� No ❑
Interior accessible: Explain private residence
DESCRIPTION
n. BUILDING; a. clapboard ❑ b. stone ❑ c. brick 1�i d. board and batten ❑
MAT[iRIAL: e. cobblestone ❑ F. shingles ❑ g. stucco ❑ other:aluminum siding
1). STRUCTURAL a. wood frame with interlocking joints Di
SYSTEM: b. wood frame with light members ❑
(if kricwn) c. masonry load bearing walls fE ? see Hine
d. metal (explain)
e. ether
10. CONDITION: a. excellent Lid b, good ❑ C. fair ❑ d. deteriorated ❑
11. INTEGRITY: a, original site ® b. moved ❑ if so,when?
c. list major alterations and dates (if known):
Modern siding added.
12. PHOTO: neg: KK XII-35, €m SE 13- MAP: NYS DOT New London 2uad
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14 TFIRFATS TO BUILDING: a. none known b.zoning El c. roads 11
d. developers ❑ e. deterioration ❑
f. other:
15. RELATED OUTBUILDINGS AND PROPERTY:
a. barn El b. Carriage house El c. garage 0
d. privy El e. shed El f. greenhouse 1:1
g. shop 11 h. gardens El
i. landscape features: stone terrace walls
j. other: old foundation remnants
16. SURROUNDINGS OF THE BUILDING (check more than one if necessary):
a.open land ZI b. woodland R
c.scattered buildings U
d.densely built-up C1 e. commercial ❑
F. industrial ❑ g. residential 10
h.other:
17. INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS:
(indicate if building Or structure is in an historic district)
Located in a low density, residential area, north of Fishers
Island's small commercial area. There are scattered, former
hotel cottages (now residences) to the SW, W, and N. Large
open field directly S/SE. Mix of open and wooded land else-
where.
18. OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES OF BUILDING AND SITE (including) interior features if known):
Large, 7 bay, steeply gabled-roof house with 2 front entrances.
5 pedimented dormers on roof slope. Windows 2/2. Interior
end chimneys plus an off-center chimney.
SIGNIFICANCE
V). DATE OF INITIAL CONSTRUCTION Circa 1800, remodelled circa 1860's.
ARCHITECT:
BUILDER:
,,o msTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE:
The original 17th century Winthrop house stood on or near this
site. Reportedly, that was destroyed but rebuilt. This historic
Fox house may incorporate part of that rebuilt Winthrop house.
In the late 19th century, this Fox house became the Mansion
House hotel and over the following years it was greatly en-
larged and many cottages were built for guests. The hotel
additions have all been removed. The building is historically
of great significance as it is, or was near, the site of the
first 17th century winthrop Manor House, and also reflects the
mid-nineteenth century period when Fox owned Fishers Island.
21. SOURCES: Fishers Island, Its History and Development. F.E. Hine,
1907.
Fishers Island, N.Y. , 1614-1925. H.L. Ferguson, 1925.
The Winthrop Manor of Fishers Island. Rev. M.L. Woolsey,
:t The Order of Colonial Lords of Manors in America, 1927.
Form prepared by Kurt Kahofer , research assistant .
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First Floor
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Pamphlet "Munnatawket Hotel, Mansion House and Cottages, Fishers island, N.Y. "
East Hampton Free Library, File L 104.2.
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Pamphlet "Munnatawket Hotel, Mansion Douse and Cottages, Fishers Island, N.Y. "
East Hampton -Free Library, File L 104.2.
rIUKbUHr JUNt. I I 1965 THE SMITHTO WN NEWS
WE-18
I
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fltI
News of 1Loncr Ago
In the as yet unpublished uscripts preserved for man-,A, I
Smith genealogy, ."The Fam- ears by
the
h W nthr
Ily of Richard Smith," compiled of New London...the discovery
by the late Dr. Frederick K. of these manuscripts was made
Smith of Warren, ohio, with a h
the aid of Mrs. William H. Fi her' and large anC
Smith of Stony Brook, It is
suggested that fimithtown's faun- first purchased by John Wln.
der, Richard Smyth may have throp, Jr. in 1644." I
played some part In bringing r
about the Montauk Indian sa. The letters reflect the dangers f
chem Wyandance's gift to Lion and hardships, the hopes and ;
Gardiner in 1659 of the "Nese- disappointments, the illness and
quouke land" which Smyth la- loss, suffered by the Saybtnok t
ter bought from Gardiner and settlers, and the problems they
which makes up mnst of the met and overcame with courage j,
Smithtown of today. and Ingenuity.
Dr. Smith wrote that.Rich- The letter of chief Interest
and Smyth's attention may have to us here is the one of latest
been called to the "Nesequake date.The island mentioned was _
ef"'E}idp'VPyai�danee the Isle of Wight, now called
gave It to Gardiner, or "what Gardiner's Island, which Lion
seems equally probable he may Gardiner bought In 1639. The
have had.something to do with letter, written on November 5th,
bringing about the transaction, 1 6 6 4 Is headed. "To
by way of suggestion, thinking the much honored Jahn Win-
that Lion Gardiner's acquain- thrope at Connecticut, these dd."
tance and influence with the The body of the letter, with
Indians claiming the title... spelling modernized by us,
would be greater than his own." reads:
RIchard Smyth may indeed
have hoped, from the day on "Honored Sir,-I have made
which he first saw the Nese- bold to write unto, you a line
quake land"that he might some or two. So it Is, that by a
day own it,es sped him,but It very nearly neighbor of yours it was pro-
pounded unto me the sale of a
My island, but I having chil-
AL the time Lion Gardiner dren and children's children,
acquired the land, he and John am not minded to sell it at 1
Winthrop,Jr., Governor of Con-
necticut and son of the Govern. present; but I have another
place, (I suppose) more Con-
or of Massachusetts, had been venient for the gentleman khat
friends for a quarter-century, would buy, living upon Lang
-'-" In 1635, John Winthrop, Jr., Island. between Huntington
who had been in England, re- and Setauket: only I thought -----
turned to Massachusetts `with good to make you acquainted
a commission from the Lord with it, because I would not
Say, Lord Brooke and divers
ether great persons in England, willingly he a means of would
to hei(in a plantation at Con- leg into these Parts, that would
not like you and my old friends
necticut and to he governor in this river; and therefore, if
there." The "Lords and Gen- you and :air. Willis and Mr.
tlemen" a I s o commissioned Allen, Mr, Stone, and other of
Lion Gardiner to come to Amer. my friends like not the bus-
ica to build a fort at the mouth
of the river, thous, I can yet stop. If it be
thought he will be as cordial
In 1883, Curtiss C. Gardiner to you as I have been and yet
of S1 Louis, published the am, It shall be, otherwise not.
So desiring, when
"Papers and Biography of Lion m,can have
Gardiner." In 1994, he published opportunity, let
me under-
Gardiner."
second book, "Lion Gardiner stand your mind therein. I rest
and his Be,cendants" which in. Yours In what duty and ser-
vice I can, Lion Gardiner.
corporates t".material in earl-
ier book with revisions, cor- "His name is Mr. Daniell
recti— and new material Searle."
and illustrations. - 1
The papers in both volumes Winthrop endorsed the let-
ter, "Lieut: Gardiner about sale
contain Iwtter writtan .hv Linn of land o,pnn Long,..to the Gov-
Gardiner to John ntrop, Jr., ernor of Barbados that then
between November 8th, 1630, was,'Mr. Serle."
and November 5th, 1664. In
a note preceding the letters, The sale was not carried out;
Curtias C. Gardiner stages that perhaps Messrs. Winthrop, Wil-
they are "part of the collection, lis, Allen and Stene and Gar-
i which have been published from diner's "other friends" did not
time to time, by the &Nss'ehu-� favor it. Had it gone through,
this might be Searletown or The Smithtown News
�s�etts Histoi•icai Si+c�dty. under s
,. Serletown, not Smithtown, .and 1 1 g��`
Hiss,gi9n41da:•pi `W >¢r4p.-.'thCr.<we'd,, not he celebCating
Papera'rbeurg as mass- ,man k+the:ftnithtown,tercentenozy., t
i
i98 FISHERS ISLAND. � FISIMRS ISLAND. `
It has been the interest and purpose of the Messrs. Ferguson to 1'he original part of the Mansion House and the Brick Yard house M x
H. give a high, substantial character to the island by gradual develop were constructed from the local manufacture, The first brick on the (1) B
ro ment and by making restrictions in all deeds against undesirable ' h su
tslland of which we have definite information, was made by Eugene to Z
occupations and nuisances. When they took possession of the island, U'
Strickland. He sold to D. C. Sage, from whom the interests passed �' H
En 0
they realized the importance of regular boat communication with the into the hands of the Fishers Island Brick Manufacturing Co., whoCa
mainland, which had always been irregular and uncertain. Some of
sv made an excellent brick, with a yard capacity of sixteen and one- R a
the old residents still have cause to remember the old steamer" Fishers quarter million per annum.
Island," the first steamer to make regular trips reguar trps to New London. In the last few years, the Messrs. Ferguson have erected twenty p
rt Many others have pleasant memories of the "Skip-jack,"a relic of five summer cottages, and large additions to the Mansion House for �
the island, and of Capt. Nash,who never failed to entertain hisassen_ o
p the accommodation of the increasing number of summer visitors,
r, gets with stories from a fertile brain. These steamers had their day About twenty other cottages have been built for the empluyeen on the
rr like the sloop " Faye Fox,"and were succeeded by the steamer "Mun- bland. I+Iany own their own homes and find it a most delightful
natawket" in 1890, which is still the winter boat of the island. To
meet the needs of an increased population and the larger number of place, restful and quiet, free from many of the temptations incident to
w a larger population.
summer visitors, the steamer"Restless," named after the "Onrust" Until seven years ago the people of the island had been dependent
in which Block discovered the island, was built in 1904. What used on wells for their water supply. The agent of the windmill considered
to be an afternoon's sail to New London on the "Faye Fox," has been
m this a fertile field to ply his trade, and nature always supplied a breeze
reduced to one of thirty minutes on the "Restless." to pump the necessary water. In 1904 a company was organized for
Grazing has always been one of the island's chief industries, and the purpose of supplying water from' the chain of fresh lakes near the
m on the level tracts at West End, Middle Farm and Fast End, dairy central part of the island, by,pumping to a large reservoir on Bell
farms have been carried on for many years. New farm houses and Hill, and giving all the west end of the island a gravity supply. The
buildings for housing cattle were constructed to provide for the water is of excellent quality, and an analysis shows it to be soft and
M increased stock. A creamery was also erected at Middle Farm where very desirable drinking water.
now is made the well-known Fishers Island butter. Within the last In,the spring of 1899 the Fishers Island Electric Light, Heat &
few years sheep raising has again been revived as a profitable industry, Power Co., was organized, and lines were run to reach all the houses
An interesting place to visit is the Poultry Farm, where between ^
on the west end of the island. The increasing summer population at
three and four thousand chickens are raised annually, besides a the hotels and cottages created a demand for electric light which was
o smaller number of ducks and turkeys. Many prizes have been taken almost a necessity.
at the principal shows, though for several years attention has been From the Poultry Farm a macadam road has been built to the east
devoted almost entirely to market poultry. end of the island. This road generally follows along the center of the
Aside from the agricultural interests of the islind, claly in abun- island, and gives a most excellent view of both shores. To obtain a
� dance is found suitable for the making of brick, and these were better view of the south shore a road has been constructed east of
oa
I manufactured during the early days of the island. There were many Wilderness Point, running along the shore by Isabella Beach to Middle
evidences of brick having been made here before 1800, judging from Farm Beach. From the vantage points along these roads may be
the excavation in the clay banks and the brick chips found near-by. seen Watch Hill, Stonington, Noank, Block Island, Montauk Point,
and more than twenty lighthouses and lightships,
I
00
• • • • ;
Fishers Island
Circa
1974 photo