Water Mill, New York
and
It's Museum
Nestled within the Town of Southampton is the hamlet of Water Mill. Founded in 1640 as the colony Conscience Point, the settlers built farms and houses and harvested the fertile soil. It was from these humble beginnings that began the Town of Southampton.
In 1644 a mill was built to grind the grain produced by the settlers. By the early 1800s the community became known as Water Mill. In 1833 Huldah and Asher Benedict bought the Mill. They had five sons with the youngest, Frederick Hallock Benedict, born on May 26, 1860. In 1894 the Benedicts renovated their home and built a workshop for their son Fred. Fred worked in the workshop from 1894 to 1952. In 1973 the Benedict family donated Fred’s workshop to the Water Mill Museum.
Today, the mission of the Water Mill Museum is to “preserve the historic water- powered grist mill that has existed on Mill Creek in Water Mill since 1644, and the other buildings at the site, the museum collection, and to inform the public about the history of the mill, the history of the hamlet of Water Mill and it’s cultural, natural and agricultural heritage (pg. 5, pamphlet, The Water Mill Museum).” Throughout the year the Museum sponsors a number of cultural events and the remaining events for 2011 are listed on the the Gallery's main page and on Rockford Kingsley's Long Island Event Calendar.
The featured video depicts the Water Mill Museum and the quaintness of the hamlet of Water Mill. Currently at the Museum is the Celadon Clay Art Gallery featuring the work of Amy Grabelski and Marsha Lipsitz. If you live on Long island or plan to visit the region, be sure to visit the hamlet of Water Mill and the Museum.
References
Eilertsen, J. 1983. The Mill That Named A Town - Water Mill, New York: An Oral History. The Ladies Auxiliary of Water Mill, Water Mill, New York.
The Water Mill Museum Pamphlet. The Wizard of Water Mill.
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