History Is Everywhere You Turn

The Westhampton Beach of today is a distant cry from the one first settled in 1666 as part of the Quogue Purchase. Then it was a quiet, sleepy community that experienced its first real estate boom in 1675 when buying land for investment purposes became very popular. However, development was slow and the hamlet remained tiny over the next century and a half… until 1870 when the railroad reached Westhampton Beach and development really began. People began spending their Summers here as “bathing stations” flourished, and the character and economic development of the village was altered. As the Village began to evolve into a burgeoning Summer resort, real estate kept pace with the changing times and values increased considerably.