Historical Foster-Meeker House in Westhampton Beach will get a restored fireplace

The historical Foster-Meeker House on Mill Road in Westhampton Beach will be getting a restored fireplace, reports 27east.

The site is considered the oldest standing building in Westhampton Beach, and almost was demolished in 2008. It was saved upon being donated to the Westhampton Beach Historical Society by Water Goldstein, who owned the property. The structure was moved from its original location on Main Street to where it stands now on Mill Road, right next the historical society’s headquarters.

The restoration of the fireplace is among the plans to completely restore the structure to its original state. This will allow people to see the way that homes were built and how they functioned in the early 1700s—the Foster-Meeker House itself was built around 1735. The date is not known exactly, but that’s what historical experts believe, based on its features.

The fireplace served as an attachment to a beehive oven. People used to slide the foods that would take the longest to cook into the fireplace first. These ovens and fireplaces would often get up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit, slowly reducing in heat as the fire simmered down.

In the 1700s, cooking was a big event, as it also served the purpose of heating the house. Homeowners were also taxed per fireplace, so often the fireplace was located in the center of the house so that it could easily heat the entire house efficiently.

Restorations are being done by father and son, Peter and Kristian Moore. Peter Moore is the owner of Peter Moore Masonry in Vermont and has been doing restorations for 42 years.

• Center Fireplace To Be Restored In Westhampton Beach Foster-Meeker House [27east]
• History of the Foster-Meeker House [Westhampton Beach Historical Society]