By Erin Colligan
We all know Second House, an iconic sight along the Montauk Highway, representing years of Montauk’s rich history – but how much do you know about the Second House Barn? Nestled between Second House and Fort Pond, the Barn stands as a monument to the history of Montauk during the time of the livestock keepers, when our hamlet served as important grazing and agricultural land.
The Barn came into existence January 9, 1809 through an agreement from the Town Trustees to build a Barn at Fort Pond. They appointed three men as builders and another to source timber from Hither Woods. The Barn exemplifies the three-bay English Barn style found throughout East Hampton farms during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It has a wagon bay in the center with extra storage space to either side.
Like Second House itself, the Barn has served many purposes throughout its life here in Montauk. When the Kennedy family bought the property in 1905, the barn was converted into a garage for cars (rather than a nineteenth century wagon)! Now that Second House has been restored and is being operated by those of us at the Montauk Historical Society, the new life of the Barn is as important as ever! It is a vital part of our mission to preserve and share Montauk’s history, and we look forward to the Barn’s future – which we hope will include a complete restoration.
Please feel free to wander around the grounds of Second House and admire the beautiful Barn. If you have any interest in getting involved, donating, or learning more, please go to montaukhistoricalsociety.org/second-house-museum.