Hook Windmill
The Hook Windmill, also known as the “Old Hook Mill,” stands proudly on the green at the intersection of North Main Street and Pantigo Road in the Village of East Hampton, Suffolk County, New York. Constructed in 1806 and operated until 1908, this historic smock-style windmill is one of the best‐preserved grain‐grinding mills on Long Island and remains a cherished landmark of the region’s agricultural and architectural past.
Historical Background
In 1806, local craftsman Nathaniel Dominy V and his apprentices rebuilt the Hook Windmill on the site of an earlier post-style mill dating to about 1736. The new structure incorporated the large central post of the earlier mill, making it a hybrid of old and new milling technologies.
From its completion, the windmill served the local agrarian community-grinding wheat, corn and oats into flour and feed. By the mid-19th century, it was documented to have processed some 5,000 bushels of grain annually.
In 1908 the mill ceased regular operation. In 1922 the Village of East Hampton purchased the building and grounds. A major restoration in 1939 revived the mill to working order; it remained operational seasonally into the 1950s. On December 27, 1978, the Hook Windmill was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the North Main Street Historic District.
Architecture & Machinery
The structure is a “smock”‐style windmill: an eight-sided tapered tower clad in wooden shingles, topped by a rotating cap allowing the sails to face the wind. The interior features a complex system of wooden gears, belts, shafts and millstones-remarkably intact compared to other surviving Long Island windmills. Visitors inside the mill will see the original burr stones, the corn-cob crusher, the elevator system that lifted grain through the floors, and the large horizontal gears that powered it all.
Visitor Information & Significance
Today, the Hook Windmill remains a “must see” historic landmark in East Hampton. During the summer months the interior may be open for guided tours, and it stands on a scenic green at a prominent village intersection-making it both a cultural attraction and a photogenic stop.
Beyond its picturesque appearance, the windmill is historically significant as one of only eleven surviving 18th and early 19th-century wind-powered gristmills in the state of New York and arguably the best preserved example on Long Island.
Key Facts & Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Built | 1806 |
| Operated until | 1908 |
| Style | Smock windmill |
| Location | North Main St & Pantigo Rd, East Hampton, NY |
| Restored | Major restoration in 1939; later repairs 1984-85, 2011-12 |
| NRHP listing | December 27, 1978 (Refnum 78001914) |
| Significance | Among the most intact windmill machinery complexes in Long Island; part of the region’s agrarian and milling heritage |
19th-Century
The Hook Windmill stands as a tangible link to Long Island’s early 19th-century rural landscape-a time when wind power drove the production of flour and feed for local farms. Its survival and preservation allow modern visitors to gain insight into a craft and economy long gone: the grinding of grain by wind, the rise of local millers, and the community structure centered around agriculture before industrialization and urban sprawl. The mill’s elegant silhouette, weathered wooden shingles and sails evoke a bygone era while offering a peaceful historic landmark amid the bustling modern village. Tourists, history enthusiasts and local residents alike value the windmill as both artifact and icon.
Visiting Tips
- The windmill is located on the village green of East Hampton, easily accessible on foot or by car.
- Check local listings for summer visiting hours—many years the interior is open seasonally for guided tours.
- Pair your visit with nearby sites: the Home Sweet Home Museum, Mulford Farm, and other historic windmills in the village for a full “windmill day” experience.
- Photography is excellent at dawn or dusk when the mill’s sails and wooden textures reflect the low light.
A standout among East End landmarks, the Hook Windmill encapsulates both the technological ingenuity and pastoral heritage of early Long Island. Whether you’re drawn by its architectural craft, historical machinery or scenic charm, the mill offers a rare opportunity to step back into a world of wind-driven industry and community heritage-right in the heart of one of America’s premier resort villages.
