East Side of Pond, South Hampton, Long Island, c. 1872–1887, George Bradford BrainerdSouthampton in 1930
The town was founded in 1640,[3] when settlers from Lynn, Massachusetts, established residence on lands obtained from local Shinnecock Indian Nation.[4] The first settlers included eight men, one woman, and a boy who came ashore at Conscience Point. These men were Thomas Halsey, Edward Howell, Edmond Farrington, Allen Bread, Edmund Needham, Abraham Pierson the Elder, Thomas Sayre, Josiah Stanborough, George Welbe, Henry Walton and Job Sayre.[4] By July 7, 1640, they had determined the town boundaries. During the next few years (1640–43), Southampton gained another 43 families; there are now thousands of people in Southampton.
The first meeting house was on a hill that is the site of the current Southampton Hospital. The town's oldest existent house is the Halsey House at 249 Main Street, which was built by Thomas Halsey, one of the first Englishmen to trade with the Shinnecocks.[6]
Southampton has 47 public and private cemeteries,[7] not including Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, which is claimed as an Indian burial ground that is no longer in active use.[8] Southampton is named after the port city of Southampton in Hampshire, England.
Southampton operates an official historical web site.[9] The site shows the locations of over 100 points of interest, historic markers, and historic districts as well as over 1500 photos.
Native American land claim
In 2005, the Shinnecock Indian Nation filed a lawsuit against the state seeking the return of 3,500 acres (14 km2) in Southampton near the tribe's reservation, and billions of dollars in reparations for damages suffered by colonial land grabs. The disputed property includes the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, which Shinnecock say is the location of tribe burial grounds. The tribe challenged the state legislatures' approval of an 1859 sale of the 3,500 acres of tribal land. The tribe alleged this broke the terms of a 1,000-year-lease signed by Southampton colonial officials and the tribe in 1703. The suit charged that in 1859, a group of powerful New York investors conspired to break the lease by sending the state Legislature a fraudulent petition from a number of Shinnecock tribal members. Although other tribal members immediately protested that the petition was a forgery, the legislature approved the sale of 3,500 acres (14 km2) of tribal land.[10] In 2006, the court ruled against the tribe finding the lawsuit was barred by laches.[11]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of 293.5 square miles (760 km2), of which 139.1 square miles (360 km2) is land and 154.3 square miles (400 km2) (52.59%) is water.[1]
The Town of Southampton has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) bordering a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). It has one to two months averaging below freezing, six months above 50 °F (10 °C), and one to two months above 22 °C (72 °F).
Climate data for Bridgehampton, New York (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1930–present)
As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 54,712 people, 21,504 households and 13,805 families residing in the town. The population density was 394.0 inhabitants per square mile (152.1/km2). There were 35,836 housing units at an average density of 258.0 per square mile (99.6/km2). The town's racial makeup was 87.98% White, 6.62% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 2.28% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races.
There were 21,504 households, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males. The town's median household income was $53,887, and the median family income was $65,144. Males had a median income of $47,167 versus $32,054 for females. The town's per capita income was $31,320. About 5.3% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
In 2016, according to Business Insider, the 11962 zip code encompassing Sagaponack, within Southampton, was listed as the most expensive in the U.S., with a median home sale price of $8.5 million.[19]
The town supervisor is Maria Z. Moore, a registered member of the Democratic Party, who was elected in November 2023 with 56.99% of the vote against Republican Cynthia Mc Namara.
^Clavin, Tom (August 15, 2004). "Southampton Takes A Cemetery Census". New York Times. Retrieved October 16, 2008. The Town of Southampton has completed the first phase of an ambitious census of its 47 public and private cemeteries in an effort to record local history and to deter vandalism.
^"Hamlets". Town of Southampton. Archived from the original on November 13, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
^"Suffolk County Tax Map Range". Town of Southampton. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2013. Village of North Haven, Village of Quogue, Village of Southampton, Village of W. Hampton Beach, Village of Sag Harbor, Village of W. Hampton Dunes, Village of Sagaponack, Southampton Town
^"Station: Bridgehampton, NY". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
^"Station: Westhampton Gabreski AP, NY". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
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