Jake Rose Illustrations by Various Artists
24 Places to Visit and Color
1. Marina of Sag Harbor (History of Sag Harbor) Founded in 1707, the seaside Long Island town of Sag Harbor, New York is filled with an abundance of history. The town was center stage for an important Revolutionary War battle, where Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs set off a surprise attack on a British garrison and in the process captured 90 soldiers. In 1789, the village had more commercial square-rigged vessels than New York City. Sag Harbor has the distinction of having the United States’ first customhouse, New York State’s first volunteer fire company, and Long Island’s first newspaper. The business district has been destroyed by fire three times, but each time, it rose from the ashes, evolving to accommodate whaling, industrial factories, and tourism. The town has had a vibrant African American community since the end of World War II. Today, Sag Harbor is best known for being the Hamptons’ most unique village. While it lacks the mansions of Bridgehampton, East Hampton, and Southampton, Sag Harbor makes up for it with its old whaling captain’s homes, Egyptian and Greek-styled wooden churches, offbeat bookstores and galleries, and its beautiful waterfront.
2. Windmill (Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce) Although many believe the windmill in Sag Harbor at the foot of Main Street is one of the historic windmills, it has actually only been there since 1966, when it was specifically built to house an information booth as part of that year’s Old Whaler’s Festival. The windmill, which houses the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce, was named in memory of its designer and builder, former Mayor John A. Ward in 2013.
4. American Hotel In 1824, Nathan Tinker began construction of a brick edifice to be used primarily as his residence. He added onto his original brick structure for the purpose of providing mercantile space and housing to the whale trade. Captain William Freeman and Addison M. Youngs bought the building from Tinker’s heirs in 1876, built a porch, installed a bar and dining room, and named it The American Hotel or “The American House.” In 1972, present owner Ted Conklin acquired the neglected building, which hadn’t taken guests since the early 1930s, hadn’t legally sold liquor since before World War I, and hadn’t served a meal in decades. Conklin proceeded to return the hotel to its former dignity by enlarging and modernizing the kitchen facilities, renovating the dining rooms, and restoring the guestrooms. The restaurant reopened July 4th, 1972, and The American Hotel has since been a mainstay of Sag Harbor’s Main Street. By 1981, the Hotel had been awarded the Wine Spectator Grand Award Wine list for the best in the world.
7. The Wharf Shop The Wharf Shop is a family owned business that has been serving historic Sag Harbor since 1968. It has been operated by Nada, her daughter Gwen, and Dede, with dedication to personal service for over five decades. The Shop sells items such as traditional wooden toys, trains, dollhouses, local and regular puzzles, games, jewelry, greeting cards, locally themed gifts, mugs, coloring books, baby clothes, and so much more.
8. Baron’s Cove With sixty-seven charming guestrooms, gorgeously lofted suites boasting sweeping harbor views, and intimate private gardens, Baron’s Cove is the Hamptons’ preeminent resort destination. Originally built in the late 1950s as Sag Harbor’s first resort, Baron’s Cove was quickly woven into the town’s colorful community as a quiet haven preferred by locals and prominent artists alike. In its first few decades, the restaurant and hotel boasted famous visitors including John Steinbeck, Paul Newman, Art Garfunkel, Jackson Pollock, Truman Capote, and Kurt Vonnegut. But as the twentieth century drew to a close, the Cove’s golden days faded with it and its future was uncertain. However, after buying the property and completing two years of work on a major renovation, Cape Resorts reopened Baron’s Cove to guests in 2015. The new resort maintains the original structure’s footprint, while also expanding to include a new pool, chic guest rooms, custom interiors, beautiful landscaping, and a superb restaurant and bar. By using the past to inform the present, they’re proud to reopen the hotel and once again be part of Sag Harbor’s vibrant community.
9. Sag Harbor Variety Store The Sag Harbor Variety Store is truly a classic 5 & 10! They carry everything from toys and games, to housewares and stationery, health and beauty, party supplies, seasonal merchandise, fabric, ribbons, and the largest selection of crafts on the East End. Established in 1922, the Variety Store is a Main Street icon.
10. Sag Harbor Cinema Owned by Gerald Mallow since the 1970s, the Sag Harbor Cinema opened in 1910 as a venue for vaudeville and other types of entertainment. Acquired by the Glynne’s chain in 1927 and remodeled in 1936, the cinema served as a brilliant mainstay for Sag Harbor for nearly a century. Unfortunately in 2016, the cinema suffered from a major fire and thus had to be torn down. However, the Sag Harbor Partnership, an organization comprised of major Hollywood celebrities like Billy Joel along with local artists such as April Gornic and Eric Fischl, have donated funds to repair the cinema towards its former glory days.
13. Breakwater Yacht Club Founded in 1988, Breakwater Yacht Club helps to make sailing accessible to the wider Sag Harbor community regardless of age, income, or experience. While Sag Harbor has long been one of the East Coast’s premiere coastal communities, generations of children were growing up without ever learning about or experiencing the waterways where they lived. Breakwater’s founders felt that teaching children to sail would not only foster a love of the sport, but also develop minds and bodies while providing skills and confidence to last a lifetime. Every summer since 1989, around 500 children have learned to sail through Breakwater’s youth sailing programs. Many of the children in these programs have gone on to become instructors in the programs themselves and have stayed involved in sailing as adults. Operating from its Community Sailing Center on Bay Street, Breakwater is still dedicated to its founding mission – providing people of all ages the opportunity to develop a love of sailing by getting them out on the water where they will not only learn how to handle a sailboat – they just might make a few good friends along the way.
16 Schiavoni’s Market Located on Sag Harbor’s Main Street, Schiavoni’s Market is a fourth generation family owned and operated market that has been serving the community since 1932. They’re committed to providing both conventional and specialty products in a welcome atmosphere. They support many local producers by carrying their products. Schiavoni’s is known for their fresh offerings such as chef prepared meals, fresh local seafood and butchery, seasonal produce, gourmet cheese, fresh baked goods, and specialty products. When you visit Schiavoni’s, you’re part of the family!
18. Sag harbor Whaling & Historical museum The Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum was built in 1845 for $7,000, as the home of Benjamin Huntting II and his family. Huntting enlisted Minard LaFever to incorporate exquisitely detailed plaster ceilings and carved wooden door frames inside, with the temple-fronted portico and ornate Corinthian columns on the outside, to make this building a piece of artwork. Margaret Sage purchased Huntting’s home in 1907 and occupied it as a summer cottage until her death in 1918. In 1920, the Masonic Lodge purchased the building. The local historical society began exhibiting their artifacts on the ground floor shortly thereafter, and in 1945 the building was deeded to the museum. The Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum now owns the building, while the Masonic Lodge still uses the second floor as a Masonic Temple.
Color Sag Harbor, 2nd Edition is filled to the brim with the town’s most iconic settings, like the Sag Harbor Cinema, the Windmill, and the American Hotel, among many others.
Through its 24 beautiful black-and-white line drawings and detailed descriptions, “Color Sag Harbor, 2nd Edition” masterfully highlights what makes this harbor village so special to its residents and visitors. ISBN 9781948286299
www.colorourtown.com