2539: Unlock the Past & Step into the Future

2539 is an exhibition that explores the recently renovated Nathaniel Rogers House and its history as it has evolved and changed through the last two centuries.

The Nathaniel Rogers House is located at 2539 Montauk Highway, the main transit route of the South Fork. The house itself is a glorious example of Greek Revival architecture and is one of the last full-portico (temple front) Greek Revival houses to survive on Long Island. The building has become an integral and irreplaceable component of Bridgehampton’s streetscape.

According to the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, The Nathaniel Rogers House is one of the most important architectural gems of its style on Long Island. It has been deemed important enough to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1885, after many years as a private home, The Nathaniel Rogers House was converted from a private residence into a hotel and was renamed the Hampton House. The Hampton House had multiple owners who each added their own personal touches to the design and style of the building.

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In 1894, John N. Hedges, captain of the Mecox Life-Saving Station, and his son-in-law Frank E. Hopping bought the house for $5,730. They undertook their own renovations, adding a Summer dining room and butler’s pantry onto the original structure. They also expanded the house on the southern wing, and closed in  the porch. They reopened the Hampton House, as a  sort of luxury hotel for the early tourists of the day.

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The Hampton House reverted to a private residence in 1949 by the Hopping Family who continued to live in the house until it was purchased by Southampton Town in 2003.

From its outset in 2004, the renovation of the Nathaniel Rogers House was a labor of Love. The entire building had fallen into disrepair and required a full renovation and  restoration  from the ground up. ​The following images provide a small glimpse into the long arduous process of restoring the building  to its former glory.