There was a time when renovating a house cost just “three gallons of rum.” That was the price in 1797 for additions to Second House, which is now the oldest structure in Montauk on Long Island.
Times have changed, and now East Hampton Town has accepted a $453,000 bid to restore Second House, which had been home to sheep and cattle keepers, a school and a popular destination for 19th century travelers.
Second House became a museum in the late 1960s but closed its doors to the public after the structure could no longer accommodate visitors. In addition to restoring the home, the Montauk Historical Society also plans to re-open the museum.