John Lyon Gardiner Mill Cottage

The John Lyon Gardiner Mill Cottage is a museum building with a replica saltbox design and traditional timber frame construction typical of the colonial period in East Hampton. The structure shows characteristic features of early American homes with its sloped roof and heavy timber construction methods visible throughout.

The property sits on the earliest homestead established by John Lion Gardiner, an early settler in the area. The community acquired the site through a preservation fund in 2014 to protect this chapter of local heritage.

The cottage displays paintings by artists who captured the landscape and character of Long Island, showing how creative people saw and portrayed their surroundings. These works reflect how visitors can understand the region through the eyes of those who lived there.

The site is located in East Hampton Village and opens on weekends for public visits during the main season. Visiting on a Friday or Saturday afternoon gives the best chance to see the building and its displays in daylight.

The adjacent historic mill building retains original machinery based on an ingenious engineering design that could operate two millstones at once. This system reveals the skilled craftsmanship and mechanical knowledge of those who built and maintained it.

GPS coordinates: 40.95535,-72.19192

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:03