When Capt. Thomas Bell came to the old Brewster Plantation in the 1820s; he recognized its potential as an important seaport. The place; formerly known as Occumbomuck; lay with nearby Fire Place opposite an inlet on the barrier island to the south. Bells vision never materialized; however; the area soon had admirers who made it one of the earliest summer destinations in Suffolk County. So it remains-periodically rediscovered as a summer haven by a succession of scientists; writers; artists; moguls; and intellectuals; and long-cherished by its permanent residents.With more than two hundred images; most of them never previously published; Bellport Village and Brookhaven Hamlet visits the late 1800s and the first half of the 1900s; capturing the buildings; people; activities; and events that defined this special area. Old houses at the early heart of the settlements are not just charming; some of them were home to fascinating people: Birdsall Otis Edey; poet and suffragist; Oliver Hazard Perry Robinson; inventor of the ball bearing; William Glackens; Ashcan school artist and summer resident; and others. As Brookhaven Hamlet remained quiet and rural; Bellport Village became a year-round resort with fancy hotels; such as the Bay House; the Goldthwaite; the Wyandotte; and the Bellport; and an exclusive beach club known as the Old Inlet Club. Although the area has always attracted the famous and prominent; it was also home to the creative and entrepreneurial who made their mark locally.
#1386585 in eBooks 2002-02-25 2002-02-25File Name: B009CDSKFS
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Cuttyhunk and The Elizabeth IslandsBy Joanne Santana-MontezI have been researching the Elizabeth Islands and wanted more detailed information. specifically about Penikese Island. This island was a leper colony back in the early 1900s. My paternal grandmother was taken from her family and banished to the island in 1905. This left her 3 children (my father. his sister and their younger brother) orphaned and made wards of the State of Massachusetts. The children never saw their mother again. The only knowledge they had was that she had been sent to an island "off the coast of Cape Cod." This book has a photo of the cottage my grandmother shared with another one of the female patients. (There is no longer any trace of the cottages or medical buildings except for the remnants of a few foundations.) I appreciate the historical facts contained in the book. and although the chapter on Penikese Island is brief. the picture of the cottage is an emotional addition to my personal research -- and provides a strong sense of connection to the place where my grandmother spent the last ten years of her life until she passed in March. 1915. Some of my family members and I visited this desolate island back in 1995 to place a headstone on my grandmothers grave. A remembrance to let her know she is not forgotten. I am truly grateful for the addition of this book to my library.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Cuttyhunk and the Elizabeth IslandsBy Eve RifkahA most charming little book packed with illustrations depicting life from the turn of the century on. I learned a few new tidbitson life at the Penikese Leper Hospital usefulto my presentations for my poetry book "Outcasts" which gives voice to patients of the leprosarium. They came from around the world; a U.N. of nationalities and religious beliefs forced to live together on this tinybarren island.Outcasts: The Penikese Island Leper Hospital 1905-19210 of 0 people found the following review helpful. One StarBy JOHN SchenckBoring read ok information
