A Tale of Two Histories

The fate of an abandoned mansion in Shinnecock Hills is mired in two versions of history — from two different cultures, and conflicting versions of preservation.

The home, in the Atterbury Hills section of the hamlet — if one refers to the area by its Colonial moniker — sits on property owned by the Peconic Land Trust and co-managed with the Niamuck Land Trust. The organizations purchased the parcel in 2021 in order to restore it to its natural state and preserve it. It has a rich history to the Shinnecock people and other Indigenous tribes from the Northeast.

For thousands of years, long before the continent was colonized by white settlers, the parcel — and its surrounding area — was part of a sacred burial ground. Tribes from all over the region traveled there to bury their dead. The land, which sits at one of the highest peaks on the East End was considered mystical, allowing spirits to pass on to the next realm.

The burial ground was ripped from the Shinnecock in 1859, when white men building a railroad stole most of the tribe’s ancestral land, relegating members to the current Shinnecock Neck territory.

With the help of the land trusts, the Shinnecock have been able to take back some of their sacred lands.

Plans were underway to demolish the house on the parcel, in order to restore the land to its natural state.

But neighbors of the property, citing the building’s historical significance — it was built in 1889 by noted builder James H. L’Hommedieu and was later owned by Grosvenor Atterbury, a famed architect who designed the original Parrish Art Museum on Jobs Lane — sought to have the home landmarked and moved to a nearby property.

While the building’s fate is being decided by the Southampton Town Landmarks Board and the Southampton Town Board, efforts to restore the sacred land have been stymied. The landmarks board ruled last month that even though the home has been mostly rebuilt, it has historical significance. It was referred to the Town Board, which is expected to make a decision in July as to the landmark status. The board, if it decides to landmark the building, must only do so if it stipulates that it must be moved — and in a manner that is acceptable to the Shinnecock.

Although the two sides in the debate have diverging goals — and diverse viewpoints — they are not necessarily opposed. The Shinnecock seem resigned to let the house be moved to the nearby property as long as the land is not further disturbed by doing so, and as long as the neighbors are willing to restore the property to its native state.

Shinnecock leaders remain cautious, however. It’s difficult to trust, given the sins of the past. At the same time, they say they would be reluctant to see the home destroyed if it can be utilized in some form.

It’s a magnanimous stance for the Shinnecock leadership — who point out that most of the housing on the territory is substandard and tribal elders are homeless — given the opulence of the neighborhood.

The situation can be resolved amicably, hopefully, with both interests satisfied. Both the neighbors and town officials must reassure the Shinnecock of their intentions to respect the tribe’s history and intention to restore the property to its native state, as the Shinnecock acquiesce to the neighbors’ desire to preserve the building.

It’s a time to come together and write a combined history, one of cooperation and respect.