Editing Montauk, New York (section)

==History==
===17th century===
Montauk derives its name from the [[Montaukett]] tribe, an [[Algonquian languages|Algonquian]]-speaking tribe who lived in the area. In 1614, [[Netherlands|Dutch]] explorer Adriaen Block encountered the tribe at Montauk Point, which he named ''{{lang|nl|Hoeck van de Visschers}}'', or "Point of the Fishers".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wick|first=Steve|url=http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs216a,0,6109119.story|title=Property of the Netherlands|website=Newsday|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041217053943/http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs216a,0,6109119.story|archive-date=December 17, 2004}}</ref> Two decades later, in 1637, the Montauketts sided for their own protection with the New England settlers in the [[Pequot War]] in Connecticut. In the aftermath the Montauketts were to sell [[Gardiners Island]]. In 1648 what would become the Town of Easthampton<ref>1686 Dongan Patent{{full citation needed|date=February 2021}}</ref> (first Maidstone) was sold to settlers by the colony of [[Connecticut Colony|Connecticut]] and the colony of [[New Haven Colony|New Haven]] while retaining the lands to the east, from the hills rising above where the first fort stood ([[Napeague, New York]]) to Montauk Point. The western boundary of today's [[Hither Hills State Park]] is also known as the 1648 purchase line.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

In 1653, the [[Narragansett-Montaukett War]] started. [[Narragansett people|Narragansetts]] under [[Ninigret]] attacked and burned the Montaukett village, killing 30 and capturing one of Chief Wyandanch's daughters. The daughter was recovered with the aid of [[Lion Gardiner]] (who in turn was given a large portion of [[Smithtown, New York]] in appreciation). The Montauketts, ravaged by [[smallpox]] and fearing extermination by the [[Narragansett people|Narragansetts]], were provided temporary refuge by white settlers in East Hampton. Many short but famous battles ensued.<ref>The Narragansetts "would have exterminated the whole Montauk tribe if they had not received help from the white settlers.” Cited in {{cite web |url=http://longislandgenealogy.com/indians.html |title=Long Island Indians and The Early Settlers |work=Long Island Genealogy |access-date=2013-04-27}}</ref> The skirmishes ended in 1657. Fort Pond Bay derives its name from a Montaukett "fort" on its shore. A deed was issued in 1661 titled "Ye deed of Guift" which granted all of the lands east of Fort Pond to be for the common use of both the indigenous people  and the townsmen.<ref>[http://www.montauk.com/legal/town_biase/MtnLeave2000v2OSC.pdf "Ye Deed of Guift", 1661] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621001505/http://www.montauk.com/legal/town_biase/MtnLeave2000v2OSC.pdf |date=June 21, 2023 }}, pp. 11–19</ref>

Further purchase agreements were entered into in 1661, 1672 and 1686 which, among other things, allowed a group of Easthampton townsmen to graze cattle on the Montaukett lands. While some lands were protected in the agreements as forest land, for the most part, all of Montauk was maintained by the townsmen as a private livestock and fisheries operation. As a result of Montauk being operated as a livestock operation, the site now known as Deep Hollow Ranch is considered to be the oldest [[cattle ranch]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://libn.com/2004/01/23/1658-the-first-home-of-home-on-the-range/ |title=1658: The first home of home on the range |date=January 23, 2004 |work=Long Island Business News |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

In 1660, Wyandanch's widow sold all of Montauk from Napeague to the tip of the island for 100 pounds to be paid in 10 equal installments of "[[Indian corn]] or good [[wampum]] at six to a penny".<ref>{{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Benjamin Franklin |title=History of Long Island; Containing an Account of the Discovery and Settlement; with Other Important and Interesting Matters to the Present Time |url=https://archive.org/details/historylongisla00thomgoog |access-date=2010-04-17 |year=1839 |publisher=E. French |location=New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/historylongisla00thomgoog/page/n191 185]}}</ref>  However, the tribe was to be permitted to stay on the land, to hunt and fish at will on the land, and to harvest the tails and fins of whales that washed up dead on the East Hampton shores. Town officials who bought the land were to file for reimbursement for the [[rum]] with which they had plied the tribe.<ref>[http://www.easthamptonlibrary.org/lic/lectures/gaynellstonelecture.htm The Material History of the Montaukett], lecture by Gaynell Stone, East Hampton Public Library, January 31, 1998 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207062207/http://www.easthamptonlibrary.org/lic/lectures/gaynellstonelecture.htm |date=December 7, 2006 }}</ref> The tribe was to continue residence until the 19th century in the area around Big Reed Pond in what was to be called "Indian Fields".{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

In 1686, [[List of colonial governors of New York|Governor of New York]] [[Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick|Thomas Dongan]] issued a [[land patent|patent]] creating the governing system for East Hampton. The patent did not extend beyond Napeague to Montauk. This lack of authority has formed the basis for various control disputes ever since.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

[[File:Culloden-point.jpg|thumb|right|Site of the 1781 shipwreck of the ''Culloden'']]

===18th century===
During the [[Siege of Boston]] in the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], a British ship visited [[Fort Pond Bay]] in 1775 in search of provisions—notably cattle. John Dayton, who had limited troops at his disposal on a hill above the bay, feigned that he had more by walking them back and forth across a hill turning their coats inside out to make it look like there were more of them (a tactic referred to as "Dayton's Ruse").<ref>{{cite news |title=An Old Dayton House Saved From Bulldozer |first=Julia C. |last=Mead |url=http://www.easthamptonstar.com/DNN/Archive/1998/980115/news1.htm |newspaper=The East Hampton Star |date=January 15, 1998 |access-date=2010-01-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091111191435/http://www.easthamptonstar.com/DNN/Archive/1998/980115/news1.htm |archive-date=November 11, 2009 }}</ref>

In 1781, the British {{HMS|Culloden|1776|6}} ran aground near what today is called [[Culloden Point]] while pursuing a French [[frigate]]. The ship was [[scuttling|scuttled]], but its remains were discovered in the 1970s. It is now on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name=EHS-1998-03-05>{{cite news |url=https://www.easthamptonstar.com/archive/whats-name-culloden-point |title= What's In A Name?: Culloden Point |first=Michelle |last=Napoli |date=March 5, 1998 |work=The East Hampton Star |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

In 1792, Congress authorized construction of the [[Montauk Lighthouse]]. It was completed in 1796.<ref name=NYT-1995-11-19>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/19/nyregion/restoring-lighthouse-in-montauk.html |title=Restoring Lighthouse In Montauk |first=Barbara |last=Delatiner |date=November 19, 1995 |work=The New York Times |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

===19th century===
[[File:友誼號上岸處.jpg|thumb|Plate showing where ''La Amistad'' came ashore]]
[[File:La Amistad (ship) restored.jpg|thumb|right|''USS Washington'' and ''La Amistad'']]
[[File:Montauk Point (NYPL b13512827-424323).jpg|thumb|right|Montauk Point]]

In 1839, slaves who had seized the schooner ''[[La Amistad]]'' came ashore in the hamlet looking for provisions after being told by the white crew they had returned to [[Africa]]. American authorities were alerted, and the slaves were recaptured and ultimately freed in a historically significant trial.<ref name="WDL">{{cite web |url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/3080/ |title = Unidentified Young Man |website = [[World Digital Library]] |date = 1839–1840 |access-date = July 28, 2013 }}</ref>

A judgment was entered in 1851 against the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of Easthampton, and on March 9, 1852, a deed to Montauk was given to plaintiffs [[Henry P. Hedges]] and others, because their predecessors had contributed the money to purchase Montauk from the native Montaukett Indians in the 1600s. This deed caused the lands covered by the Dongan Patent to be split.<ref name=TU-1922-07-09>{{cite news |title=Finding of Lost Papers Recalls Eastern L.I. Indian History |date=July 9, 1922 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/556795722/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref> Less than one month later, on April 2, 1852, a state law was passed that incorporated the proprietors of Montauk, establishing the corporation of the trustees of Montauk and affirming its right to govern.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=An act to incorporate the proprietors of Montauk lands, in the town of Easthampton, in Suffolk County |date=1852 |title=Laws of the State of New York |pages=173–175 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xXM4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA173}}</ref><ref name=QHF>{{cite web |url=https://montauklibrary.org/services/montauk-library-historic-archives-1/montauk-library-historic-archives/montauk-quick-historic-facts/ |title=Montauk Quick Historic Facts |publisher=Montauk Library |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

[[Stephen Talkhouse]] was displayed in 1867 by [[P. T. Barnum]] as "the last king of the Montauks." Talkhouse became famous for his walks around the South Fork.<ref name=Newsday-1998-03-13>{{cite news |title=An Indian Named Pharaoh |date=March 13, 1998 |work=Newsday |first=Steve |last=Wick |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/707440728/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

In 1879, [[Arthur W. Benson]] paid US$151,000 for {{convert|10,000|acre|km2}} for the east end. The deed releasing claim to Montauk was entered on March 9, 1852. Benson also received clear title to the Montaukett property at [[Big Reed Pond]], buying it from tribesmen for $10 each, and in one case one of the tribesmen's houses was burned down. The legitimacy of the transaction is still being contested in court by the tribe. Construction began in 1882 on seven [[shingle style architecture|Shingle-style]] "cottages" designed by [[Stanford White]], which were the centerpiece of Benson's plans. The most prominent of the six Montauk Association houses is [[Tick Hall]], which was owned by entertainer [[Dick Cavett]] from 1967 to October 2021, when he sold it for $23.6&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cottagesgardens.com/dick-cavett-sells-legendary-montauk-home-known-as-tick-hall-for-23-6m/|title=Dick Cavett Sells Legendary Montauk Home Known As Tick Hall for $23.6M|magazine=Cottages & Gardens|author=Holmberg, Anikka|language=en-US|url-status=live|date=October 23, 2011|access-date=October 11, 2022|archivedate=November 19, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119012629/https://www.cottagesgardens.com/dick-cavett-sells-legendary-montauk-home-known-as-tick-hall-for-23-6m/}}</ref>

The first train from the [[Austin Corbin]] extension of the Long Island Rail Road pulled into Montauk in 1895,<ref name=stations-TAF>{{cite web |url=http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirrphotos/LIRR%20STATION%20HISTORY.pdf |title=LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD: Alphabetical Station Listing and History |first1=Dave |last1=Keller |first2=Vincent F. |last2=Seyfried |first3=Robert M. |last3=Emery |first4=Art |last4=Huneke |first5=Jeff |last5=Erlitz |first6=Richard |last6=Makse |first7=Robert L. |last7=Myers |first8=David M |last8=Morrison |first9=Derek |last9=Stadler |display-authors=et al. |website=transarefun.com |date=April 22, 2024 |access-date=May 20, 2024}}</ref> and the [[Cannonball (LIRR train)|''Cannonball'']], its premier train to and from New York, made its first run four years later.<ref name=MTK-Morrison>{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=David D. |date=2021 |title=Long Island Rail Road: Montauk Branch |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9781467106900}}</ref>{{rp|110}} Corbin planned to turn Montauk into a "shortcut", saving a day each way for voyages between New York City and [[London]]: ships would dock at the Fort Pond Bay terminal and passengers would travel by rail to New York City in two hours. Corbin built the dock on Fort Pond Bay, but the plans never materialized when, among other things, Fort Pond Bay was found to be too shallow and rocky to handle oceangoing ships.<ref name=SU-1896-06-18>{{cite news |title=The Fort Pond Bay Project |work=The Brooklyn Standard Union |date=June 18, 1896 |page=2 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-standard-union-the-fort-pond-bay-pro/150165289/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

In 1898, after the Benson/Corbin plan did not work out as planned, the [[United States Army]] bought the Benson property to establish a base called [[Camp Wikoff]] to [[quarantine]] Army personnel returning from the [[Spanish–American War]]. The most prominent of the returning quarantined soldiers were [[Theodore Roosevelt]] and his [[Rough Riders]].<ref name="dailynews-1998-01-04">{{cite news |last=Gearty |first=Robert |title=Park is Teddy Terrain; Renaming in Montauk for Roosevelt |work=Daily News |location=New York |date=January 4, 1998 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/477654119/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref> Several soldiers died during the quarantine, prompting questions about the camp's conditions and a visit from President [[William McKinley]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://montauklibrary.org/throwback-thursday-veterans-at-camp-wikoff/ |title=Throwback Thursday – Veterans at Camp Wikoff |date=November 8, 2023 |publisher=Montauk Library |access-date=June 20, 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Montauk Manor.jpg|thumb|right|Montauk Manor, built by [[Carl G. Fisher]] as part of his project to turn Montauk into the [[Miami Beach]] of the north]]

===20th century===

==== Early 20th century ====

In 1924, [[Robert Moses]] began condemning the Benson land to establish state parks on either end of Montauk − [[Hither Hills State Park]] in the west and [[Montauk Point State Park]] in the east. The two parks were to be connected via the [[Montauk Point State Parkway]].

In 1926, [[Carl G. Fisher]] bought most of the [[East End (Long Island)|East End]] of Long Island ({{convert|10000|acres|km2|abbr=on}}) for only $2.5 million. He planned to turn Montauk into the "[[Miami Beach]] of the North", a "Tudor village by the sea".<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |last=Tuma |first=Debbie |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/11/nyregion/montauk-embraces-its-legacy.html?src=pm |title=Montauk Embraces Its Legacy |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 11, 2002}}</ref> His projects included blasting a hole through the freshwater [[Lake Montauk]] to access [[Block Island Sound]] to replace the shallow Fort Pond Bay as the hamlet's port; establishing the Montauk Yacht Club and the Montauk Downs Golf Course; and building [[Montauk Manor]], a luxury resort hotel; the [[Montauk Tennis Auditorium]], which became a movie theater (and is now the Montauk Playhouse); and the six-story Carl Fisher Office Building (later the Montauk Improvement Building and now The Tower at Montauk, a residential condominium). This last building remains East Hampton's tallest occupied building, as zoning ordinances restricted heights of later buildings. The 30 or so buildings Fisher put up between 1926 and 1932 were designed in the [[Tudor Revival architecture|Tudor Revival style]].<ref name=nyt /> Fisher had successfully developed Miami Beach before beginning his Montauk project, but although he continued to pour his money into the development, to the extent of $12 million in total, he eventually lost his fortune due to the [[Wall Street Crash of 1929]], and most of his enterprises were shut down. Other hotels that opened at the time of Fisher's project include [[Gurney's Inn]], built by W. J. and Maude Gurney, who had managed a Fisher hotel in Miami Beach.

In the [[Great Hurricane of 1938]], water flooded across Napeague, turning Montauk into an island. Floodwaters from the hurricane inundated the main downtown, and it was moved {{convert|3|mi|0}} to the south, immediately next to the [[Atlantic Ocean]].

[[File:Camp hero radar ANFPS-35.jpg|thumb|ANFPS-35 radar at [[Camp Hero]], which became the centerpiece of the [[Montauk Project]] conspiracy theory]]

====Mid 20th century====

During [[World War II]] the [[United States Navy]] bought most of the east end, including Montauk Manor, to turn it into a military base. Fort Pond Bay became a [[seaplane]] base. The U.S. Army established [[Camp Hero]] with {{convert|16|in|mm|adj=on}} guns to protect New York shipping lanes. Several concrete bunker [[observation post]]s were built along the coast, including one immediately to the east of the Montauk Lighthouse. Base buildings were disguised so they would appear from above as a [[New England]] fishing village.

In 1951, sport fisherman [[Frank Mundus]] began to lead charter fishing trips out of Lake Montauk, initially looking for [[bluefish]] but soon found fishing for [[shark]]s was more lucrative. The sport of "monster fishing" became Montauk's signature draw.

On September 1, 1951, the ''[[FV Pelican|Pelican]]'', captained by Eddie Carroll, capsized in the shoals off Montauk Point, resulting in the deaths of 45 passengers and crew. The {{convert|42|ft|m|adj=on}} ''Pelican'' was carrying 64 people, most of whom had taken the Fisherman's Special trains to the [[Montauk station|Montauk LIRR station]] from New York City. The boat left the Fishangrila Dock at Fort Pond Bay at 7:30&nbsp;a.m., severely overloaded. After fishing in the Atlantic Ocean on the south side of Montauk for several hours, it returned home, encountering engine trouble on the way. The weather turned stormy, and a northeast wind developed against an outgoing tide, resulting in standing waves of several feet at Endeavor Shoals, just off the Point. The vessel, wallowing in the heavy seas, became unstable in its overloaded state, capsized and then foundered at 2:10&nbsp;p.m. Nearby vessels were only able to rescue 19 passengers. The wreck was secured by fabled sport fisherman [[Frank Mundus]] and towed into Lake Montauk by the Coast Guard. As a result of the disaster, strict new regulations regarding overloading of fishing vessels were adopted nationwide.<ref>{{cite book |last=Clavin |first=Tom |title=Dark Noon: The Final Voyage of the Fishing Boat Pelican |year=2005 |publisher=International Marine |location=Camden, ME |isbn=0-07-148659-3 }}</ref>

In 1957, the Army closed Camp Hero, and it was taken over by the [[United States Air Force]], which in 1958 built a {{convert|100|ft|m|adj=mid|-wide}} [[AN/FPS-35]] radar. A massive building was erected to house its computers.

[[File:Shops on Main Street south side Montauk.jpg|thumb|right|Shops on Main Street]]

====Late 20th century====
In 1959, following the [[Kitchen Debate]] between United States Vice President [[Richard Nixon]] and Soviet Premier [[Nikita Khrushchev]], the designers of the kitchen, including [[Raymond Loewy]], announced plans to sell affordable [[prefabricated house]]s, called [[Leisurama]], to be used for second homes. One of the houses was exhibited on the 9th floor of [[Macy's]]. Two hundred of the houses, the largest installation, were assembled at [[Culloden Point]] in Montauk.

In 1967, the [[United States Coast Guard]] announced plans to tear down the Montauk Lighthouse and replace it with a taller steel tower. Erosion had reduced its buffer from the edge of a cliff from {{convert|300|ft|m}} when it was built to less than {{convert|100|ft|m}}. After protests, the Coast Guard backed down from the plan. In 1982, the Air Force base formally closed, and the military began selling its surplus property.

Montauk Friends of Olmsted Parks LLC was established in 1994 to protect an extensive system of beaches and waterfront properties and roadways.

In 1995, Montauk became the birthplace of the extreme surfcasting technique known as [[skishing]]. The sport involves donning a wetsuit and flippers and swimming into the ocean with rod and reel to catch fish while drifting offshore.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rhoads |first=Christopher |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703636404575353323048912844 |title=Swimming With The Fishes: Angler's Tangle Over 'Skishing' |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=July 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Burke |first=Monte |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2008/1027/202.html |title=Skishing |magazine=[[Forbes]] |date=October 27, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=DeBenedetto |first=David |url=http://www.stripersontherun.com/excerpt.html |title=Swimming With the Fishes |website=On The Run: An Angler's Journey Down Striper Coast |date=September 16, 2003}}</ref>

===21st century===
[[File:Montauk-map.gif|thumb|[[Census-designated place]] of Montauk]]
In October 2007, a fishing boat dragged up a large 19th-century [[anchor]], which was speculated to have been lost by the [[SS Great Eastern|SS ''Great Eastern'']] in 1862.<ref>{{cite news |title=Great Eastern? Anchor from One of the World's Largest Ships Is Hauled Up off Montauk |first=Dan |last=Rattiner |author-link=Dan Rattiner |url=http://www.danshamptons.com/content/danspapers/issue30_2007/04.html |newspaper=Dan's Papers |date=October 19, 2007 |access-date=2010-02-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108165111/http://www.danshamptons.com/content/danspapers/issue30_2007/04.html |archive-date=January 8, 2009 }}</ref> In 2008, an unidentifiable carcass known as the "[[Montauk Monster]]" was discovered near the hamlet's business district, with much speculation as to its identity. In August 2016 OCEARCH designated the waters off of Montauk and the rest of the [[South Shore (Long Island)|South Shore of Long Island]] as a birthing ground for [[great white shark]]s.