Origins of the Past: The Story of Montauk and Gardiner's Island (The East Hampton Historical Collection)

The story begins in 1637 with the role of early English settler Lion Gardiner and his island in the founding of the Town of East Hampton. Many previous histories of East Hampton argue that the Town was settled by farmers from Connecticut, Massachusetts and England searching for religious freedom. To the contrary, the origins of the Town can be traced to the massacre of the Pequot tribe in Connecticut, the ensuing lucrative wampum trade with the Indians, and the fierce English competition with the mighty Dutch Empire over fur trade. Instead of a life of agrarian and religious tranquility, the first settlers of the Town lived in an atmosphere of anxiety, fear, and even violence. For those interested in East Hampton's earliest years, this 526-page hardcover volume presents twenty-five articles from authoritative sources regarding the history of Gardiner's Island and Montauk - from the earliest settlement by the Indians, their role after the Pequot War, Montauk's purchase by Arthur Benson, and its more recent history of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders and Camp Hero. This exciting history contains hard-to-find research, including fascinating information never previously published.