The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-27
Sag HarbOr
ThriVed in
Whaling Era
Picturesque Town Today
Attracts Colony of
Summer Residents.
BY HELEN WORDEN
Times special Writer

- a friend Of mine who takes to
Cd things found q letter in q Sag
Harbor attic sent from Rio Janeiro
200 years ago" c. W. Robertson. our
taxi driver. said.
NY mother and 7 were making a
Cooks tour Of the HamptOns We
had left Southampton for East
Hampton and were Engaging
around bv way Of Long Islands first
whaling port. Our ultimate destina-
tion was the Hedges. Mrs. Harry
Hamlius iun but we were seeing
what We could a.ong the way.
Capt. Harold Cunningham, who
used to skipper the Leviathan. was
q sag Harbor boy. and many men,
bers Of the Hedges family. for whom
Mrs. Hamhns inn is named. came
from the old village. A portrait of
Capt. William Hedges. Sag HarbOr'S
hauds0mest whaling master, hangs
in the East Hampton Library. Mrs.
L0renza W00dhOuse presented his
picture 10 the town 4 descendant
Of his line. Miss Eta Hedges. is
Librarian CT the Gardina collection.
Perhaps some Of Capt. Hedges
whaling sch0oners also brought in
foreign mail that had been tucked
away ike the South American letter
in sag Harb0r attics. That letter
was sent before there was any post
Office" said Mr.. Robertson. 1T had
a funny mark above the address"
Old Villages on Route
The road from Southampton to
Sag H3rbor leads through Water
Mil and Bridgehampton. incredibly
ancient and lovely early American
villages. White clapbOard houses.
box bordered. pink tagged walks
and weather-beaten windmillS add
local color.
Among the summer colonists who
have discovered the charm Of these
cid Long Island towns are Mrs.
William Nottingham Battle, Mrs.
George White Baxter. Mary B.
Beers. Alice dec. Belmont. Mr.. and
Mrs. William E Farnel. Mr.. and
Mrs. John Farr. Dr. and Mrs. John
+. Erdmann, Mr.. and Mrs. John L.
Hutton, Mrs. Elizabeth NJ. Horne,
Mr.. and Mrs. Fraser NJ. Horn, MI.
and Crs Childe Hassam, Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert c. Hattersley, Mr.. and
Mrs. Goodhue Livingston. Mr. and
Mrs. William A. Lockwood. MI. and
Mrs. Samuel Seabury. Mr.. and Mrs.
Olnev 3. Mair5. Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles II. Mellon. Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles E. Mitchell and Mr.. and
Mrs. Stephen P. Nash.
The Shinnecock Hills Country
Club IS up that lane" said Robert
son. waving a hand out the right
hand car window.
The Hamptons. like Saratoga.
have their casinos. The people Of
East Hampton go to those near
NTontauk Point. The summer folk
at Southampton patronize those
nearer home.
That's where Belle Livingston
used TO be The taxi man nodded
toward a rustic frame cottage on
our left she didn't stay long.
though"
PatrOnized by Al Smith
Probably the most famous and the
Oldest OF all Long Island night
clubs is Canoe Place Inn, on the
near side Of Southampton. For
many years 1t was the headquarters
for Tammany politicians. Al Smith
usually stops there when he visits
the Hamptons. Clarence Mackay
often drops IL for dinner.
Sag Harbor Is a town of pic
turesquc, CRAVING shingled houses
coated with a lichen film Of age.
Old women sit in rocking chairs on
tiny front porches White bearded
cid men hobble around the empty
docks. and shutters are drawn over
the windows Of the Naln-st hotel.
Whaling as a commercial industry
passed cut 50 or 40 years ago. Fol-
lowing the end of whaling days sag
Harbor enjoyed a brief prosperity
when watchcase factory was
opened. Eleven hundred persons
were employed. But that business
has closed down. anG now Sag Har-
Dor IS marking time.
Changes Needed
II the Chamber OF Commerce
tidied up the streets. tore down the
cheap buildings that sprang up
when the watChcase factory moved
in and restored the old whaling
captains houses summer visitors
would pour into Sag Harbor. for it
has all of the potential charm OF
Nantucket. NarthaS Vineyard or
Edgartown. and much more of a
background
We didn't have the time to browse
in any sag HarbOr attics. but We did
stop at the local antique store, run
by Mrs Lister II the back parlOr OF
her home.
Miss Mary Slaight's covered
wagon desk got me into the antique
business. she said. I was the vii
lage dreSsmaker and Miss Mary
boarded with ne"
Mary Slaight died seven years ago
Ct the age of 81. Born in Sag
Harbor. she had gone West in
covered NasOL OdAS anu laA6Il
Sag Harbor desk II the OK cart
with her. Eventually she came
back 10 Sag HarbOr. She still had
the desk.
Mrs. Burton Hart Jackson and
daughter Joan. who have been visit
ing her parents. Mr.. and Mrs. John
Sloane Klttle. at Lake AIaXinkuckee
viii return 10 her home at Green