Southampton C ombining village quaintness with Manhattan chic, the tree-lined streets of Southampton feature museums, historical sites and the famous village shopping district. Add to this white sand beaches, impressive estates and a variety of recreational activities and the town of Southampton is truly an ideal place to visit. The Village of Southampton and several local buildings are included in the National Historic Registry.
Visitors can take a self-guided historical walking tour.
Maps are available at the Chamber of Commerce. Highlights of the tour include the Historical Museum, the Old Halsey Homestead, which is the oldest frame house in the state and the house which served as English General Erskine's Headquarters while his troops were stationed in this area during the American Revolution. An art community evolved around the turn of the century when William Merritt Chase founded The Art School in Shinnecock Hills, now called The Art Village. Due in part to the natural scenery and soft, diffused light and wispy clouds encompassing the South Fork, artists such as Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, Willem de Kooning, Fairfield Porter, Roy Lichtenstein, Larry Rivers and Eric Fischl have all maintained studios in the area. Quaint shops on historic, tree-lined streets such as Job's Lane dot Southampton Village.