Historic Gem, A Southampton Village Icon Dazzles the Eye

—by Andrea Bennett The stately, white Federal-style home at 172 South Main Street in Southampton Village has drawn admirers for years, though few can say they are well-acquainted with its interior. An icon of the era when Southampton transformed from a rustic village to an affluent summer resort, the home has long stayed out of the Hamptons’ social circuit. In recent years, the historic gem has quietly flourished under its owners’ commitment to the art of restoration. The home’s mystique in the area is unmistakable, says Douglas Elliman broker Michaela Keszler. “This is the house that everyone would like to see someday.” The original “cottage” of a whaling captain, 172 South Main Street became a boarding house, an extravagant summer rental, and finally the grand dame it is today. Among the very few Federal-style homes in Southampton, it is one of even fewer that contain a full third floor. Capped with a Second Empire–style mansard roof, the home rises over its gate, hedges, and a gracious expanse of landscape, and can be seen from two sides. It owes its distinct style to the mid-19th-century reconstruction of Paris under the direction of Napoleon appointee Georges-Eugène Haussmann. Haussmann’s wide avenues and monumental buildings topped with the same roof style inspired an entire generation of architects on this side of the Atlantic. “This home has never had to undo the work of a former owner.” When the home was built in 1872, it was a statement of modernity. Over the years, the addition of an oval tower and porte cochère in the late 19th and early 20th centuries grew out of the American ideal that allowed architects to freely adapt and appropriate styles from the past to create a new, uniquely American aesthetic. Equally notable is the home’s composition. “So often, we find houses that were renovated in the 1970s, and undoing those renovations is very hard,” says Keszler. “This home has never had to undo the work of a former owner.” As faithful as its current owners have been to refurbishing its original wainscoting, millwork, coffered ceilings, pocket doors, mantels, and moldings, they have also gently nudged the home into 21st-century life with a contemporary chef ’s kitchen that beautifully coexists with original marble tiled floors and beamed ceilings. Its spectacular, long pool and many covered porches and verandas overlooking a sculpted garden are more recent additions. However, they are still perfectly in keeping with this home’s history. In many ways, 172 South Main Street—so recognizable as a symbol of the decadent Summer Colony period in Hamptons history—tells the story of the evolution of this area. “Each era has been devoted to bringing this home to the next level. What they have achieved is remarkable,” says Keszler. “There is a beautiful blend of new and old, where you stand on original brick floors in a sun-soaked room under soaring ceilings and take in an incredible—and incredibly private—view.” Find out more about 172 South Main St. today.