By Annette Hinkle
In what has become something of a Thanksgiving tradition, this Saturday the East Hampton Historical Society hosts its annual house tour. More than 400 visitors are expected to make the “pilgrimage” to East Hampton for the opportunity to get a peek inside the five unique and beautifully appointed homes — both contemporary and historic — that will be on view throughout the village that day.
“We look for balance. We’ve had houses from the 18th century to the 21st century,” explains Joseph Aversano, chair of this year’s house tour. “We try to appeal to a cross section so people can enjoy the history and come away with an idea or two.”
Though this is strictly an East Hampton event, among the homes on view will be one in the Georgica section that comes complete with a storied Sag Harbor history.
Once you see the house, there’s no mistaking it. Nestled among the expansive shingled cottages of the upscale community is a circa 1850s federal at the corner of Jericho Lane and Apaquogue Road that looks as if it would fit right in on the streets of Sag Harbor.
In fact, it once was a home on the streets of Sag Harbor.
According to owners Ann and Lee Hobson, in 1960, the home was moved to Georgica from Sag Harbor in three pieces.
“To be perched in Georgica is unusual,” admits Aversano. “You think it might have ended up on Huntting Lane, more in the middle of the village. That was where the money was back then. Someone had to fall in love with this house to pick it up and move it.”
Armed with the knowledge of Sag Harbor origins, the historical society’s Marilyn Abel did a little digging and learned that the home — which rises an impressive three stories — was built in 1853 by Captain Wickham S. Havens, a storied and obviously very successful Sag Harbor whaling captain. Havens’ grandson, poet George Sterling, even paid tribute to his grandfather’s whaling ways in his 1925 poem “Ballad of the Swabs.”
Historic maps from the late 1800s show that Capt. Havens’ house sat on Division Street directly across from St. Andrew’s Church. The timing of its move in 1960 would indicate the house was relocated to make way for Stella Maris School, which opened its doors in 1964.
The Havens house was one of several that stood along that stretch of Division Street (George Sterling grew up next to his grandfather on the corner of Division and Union in a house Capt. Havens’ likely built for his daughter, Mary, and her husband). Many people familiar with Sag Harbor’s history have assumed the houses were all torn down to make way for the school — whether anyone knew the house was alive and well in East Hampton remains something of a mystery.
What’s not a mystery is the showcase the house has become, thanks to designer Tom Samet who has worked closely with the Hobsons over the course of the last decade to restore the house to its full glory — and expand on that glory.
Since finding its way to Georgica, the house has doubled in size — besides a kitchen which was added a number of years ago, more recent additions include an enclosed all weather porch and a glorious lodge-style master suite complete with study and French doors leading out to a recently added pool.
“I’ve done a lot of old houses and I love them,” says Samet. “I love the proportions of the rooms in this house, the twin parlors with twin fireplaces and 11 foot ceilings.
“This was a grand house,” he adds. “Old things that are appreciated are special.”
Today, it’s a home for an active family and Samet explains that the Hobsons, whose primary residence is in Texas, cherish spending their down time in East Hampton with their three children, two cats and a 110 pound lab. For that reason, they consider the home a beach house rather than a fussy show piece.
“They fell in love with it because it's a historical home. They wanted traditional with an updated twist that was user friendly for pets and children,” explains Samet. “They try not to use air conditioning, so the windows work with screens and you can hear the ocean.”
For Samet, the amount of light the home receives is a major asset, and as a result, the colors used for fabrics and furnishings throughout the house reflect the environment.
“Because it’s near the water there was a natural gravitation toward blue, which runs throughout the house,” explains Samet. “I also used orange for zip-a-dee-doo-dah, like the sunset, which you can see from here.”
To retain the historic flavor of the house, Samet also restored all the old doors and windows to perfect working order. It was important to Samet that the house carry on the historic look by having no exposed sheetrock. Textured wall coverings or plaster are used throughout the newer portions of the home, while in the entry hall, which was a challenge because of its height, Samet chose treillage wallpaper to unite the upper floors with the first level.
“I wanted to be traditional — but not Victorian — so I used the treillage, it’s like a patterned trellis wallpaper that repeats going up. I wanted something on a large scale because it's so big.”
“The staircase is so steep because the ceilings are tall,” he explains. “It’s a cozy front hall, not like an East Hampton post modern — more like a home in Charleston. I had to maximize the space. I also love the little window over the front door. It has all these quirky things going on.”
Along those lines came a rumor of a whale tooth embedded in the banister of the home (likely put there by Capt. Havens himself), but despite a thorough scouring in search of evidence, Aversano and Samet came up empty handed. But Samet suspects that, given its style, the current banister is not original to the home.
While Samet pays close attention to the intricate and historic details that go into the whole design, he stresses that this is a home truly designed to be lived in and enjoyed.
“I try to make it not so decorated,” he says. “It’s a real house. There are books around, the chess set is half played, the guitar is out. You can tell people really live here. That’s an art in itself, bringing it to a point where people feel comfortable to leave that stuff out. I love vacation houses where people can show their personalities.”
Samet adds that the old Sag Harbor home not only lives on as a living tribute to its historic past, it has also become an important part of the current owners’ lives and they lives of their young children — one they are happy to now share with others through the house tour.
“The Hobsons cherish there time here and have been here for Thanksgiving every year,” says Samet. “But they decided if they can’t be here this year, they would let others enjoy it.”
The East Hampton Historical Society’s 2011 House Tour is Saturday, November 26, 2011 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. A kick-off cocktail party will be held Friday, November 25, 2011 at the historic Charles H. Adams House from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets start at $150 and include entry to the tour the following day. Tickets to the house tour only are $65 in advance and $75 on tour day. Visit the historical society’s offices at 101 Main Street, East Hampton or call 324-6850 to reserve. Tickets will also be sold at the Clinton Academy, 151 Main Street, on Friday and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Top: The Wickham S. Havens home on its "new" site in the Georgica section of East Hampton. (A. Hinkle photo).
