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Windmills in the Hamptons, mapped

Have you seen all these windmills?

By Grace Cassidy
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By Grace Cassidy
1 comment / new
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If the Hamptons had a mascot, it would be a windmill. Long Island is host to more windmills than anywhere else in the United States—and it’s safe to say that most of those are concentrated on the East End of the island, representing a pre-industrial time in our history.

Many of the windmills that still stand on the South Fork are historic buildings that were once operating windmills—and they’ve become such a major part of the Hamptons aesthetic that they often act as a backdrop to the East End’s landscape.

There are even homes built in the likeness of windmills—Robert Downey Jr. purchased the iconic windmill cottage in East Hampton earlier this year, originally built in 1885.

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Southampton Windmill

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This windmill, found on Stony Brook University’s Southampton campus, is often referred to by many different names given its history, but for now we’ll call it the Southampton Windmill. It has also been called the Mill Hill Windmill, the Clafin Windmill, and the College Windmill.

It originally sat on Hill Street in the village and was moved to what is now SBU’s campus in 1890, but at the time was part of the Clafin estate.

It is reportedly haunted by Beatrice Clafin. The building served as her playhouse, and when she was still young, she fell down the steps, broke her neck, and died. There are reports of people seeing the face of a little girl looking out the windows.

239 Montauk Hwy, Southampton, NY 11968
Stony Brook Southampton

Hook Windmill

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Also referred to as Old Hook Mill, this windmill in Southampton was built in 1806 and was in operation for over 100 years, until 1908. It was then sold to East Hampton Town in 1922, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Hook Windmill is open for visitors daily.

N Main St, Southampton, NY 11968

Corwith Windmill

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Located on Montauk Highway in Water Mill, the Corwith Windmill stands on a site that used to be home to another windmill—but the first windmill was actually destroyed in a three-day blizzard in 1811.

Two years later in 1813, the Corwith Windmill replaced the one that was destroyed. It was originally built in 1800, at which time it stood in Hog Neck in North Haven. James Corwith purchased it and had it taken apart and relocated by oxen to its current location.

Montauk Hwy, Water Mill, NY 11976

Beebe Windmill

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The Beebe Windmill—the only windmill to have a decorative design on Long Island—sits on the southeast corner of Ocean Road and Hildreth Avenue in Bridgehampton, though it was originally built in 1820 in Sag Harbor. It was only moved to Bridgehampton after the death of Lester Beebe, for whom the windmill was built.

It was in operation until 1915, and in 1977 was described in a Historic American Engineering Record to be one of the very first windmills in the area to have cast iron gears. A year later, in 1978, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ocean Rd, Bridgehampton, NY

I've arrived! So Hamptons style! #hamptonssummer #bridgehampton #beebewindmill #hamptonsnyl

A post shared by Pooja (@ohhhmyghosh) on

Wainscott Windmill

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Located in the Georgica Association in the Wainscott neighborhood of East Hampton, this windmill was originally built in 1813 and was placed on the National Historic Register in 1978.

Georgica Association Rd, Wainscott, NY 11975
Amagansett / Wainscott, Long Island: windmill near a house on Windmill Lane, New York, New York, late 19th or early 20th century. (Photo by Eugene L. Armbruster/The New York Historical Socity/Getty Images) The New York Historical Society / Getty Images

Hayground Windmill

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The Hayground Windmill actually isn’t located in Hayground anymore, as it was moved to East Hampton in the 1950s. The historic building was first built in 1801 and was put on the National Historic Register in 1978.

Inside, machinery can still be found from when it was an operating windmill.

Windmill Ln, East Hampton, NY 11937
Library of Congress

Gardiners Island Windmill

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By far one of the oldest windmills still standing, the Gardiners Island Windmill was originally built in 1795 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

It is now located in the same place where the original Gardiners Island Lighthouse once stood.

Gardiners Island, East Hampton, NY 11937

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Southampton Windmill

239 Montauk Hwy, Southampton, NY 11968

This windmill, found on Stony Brook University’s Southampton campus, is often referred to by many different names given its history, but for now we’ll call it the Southampton Windmill. It has also been called the Mill Hill Windmill, the Clafin Windmill, and the College Windmill.

It originally sat on Hill Street in the village and was moved to what is now SBU’s campus in 1890, but at the time was part of the Clafin estate.

It is reportedly haunted by Beatrice Clafin. The building served as her playhouse, and when she was still young, she fell down the steps, broke her neck, and died. There are reports of people seeing the face of a little girl looking out the windows.

239 Montauk Hwy, Southampton, NY 11968
Stony Brook Southampton

Hook Windmill

N Main St, Southampton, NY 11968

Also referred to as Old Hook Mill, this windmill in Southampton was built in 1806 and was in operation for over 100 years, until 1908. It was then sold to East Hampton Town in 1922, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Hook Windmill is open for visitors daily.

N Main St, Southampton, NY 11968

Corwith Windmill

Montauk Hwy, Water Mill, NY 11976

Located on Montauk Highway in Water Mill, the Corwith Windmill stands on a site that used to be home to another windmill—but the first windmill was actually destroyed in a three-day blizzard in 1811.

Two years later in 1813, the Corwith Windmill replaced the one that was destroyed. It was originally built in 1800, at which time it stood in Hog Neck in North Haven. James Corwith purchased it and had it taken apart and relocated by oxen to its current location.

Montauk Hwy, Water Mill, NY 11976

Beebe Windmill

Ocean Rd, Bridgehampton, NY

The Beebe Windmill—the only windmill to have a decorative design on Long Island—sits on the southeast corner of Ocean Road and Hildreth Avenue in Bridgehampton, though it was originally built in 1820 in Sag Harbor. It was only moved to Bridgehampton after the death of Lester Beebe, for whom the windmill was built.

It was in operation until 1915, and in 1977 was described in a Historic American Engineering Record to be one of the very first windmills in the area to have cast iron gears. A year later, in 1978, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ocean Rd, Bridgehampton, NY

I've arrived! So Hamptons style! #hamptonssummer #bridgehampton #beebewindmill #hamptonsnyl

A post shared by Pooja (@ohhhmyghosh) on

Wainscott Windmill

Georgica Association Rd, Wainscott, NY 11975

Located in the Georgica Association in the Wainscott neighborhood of East Hampton, this windmill was originally built in 1813 and was placed on the National Historic Register in 1978.

Georgica Association Rd, Wainscott, NY 11975
Amagansett / Wainscott, Long Island: windmill near a house on Windmill Lane, New York, New York, late 19th or early 20th century. (Photo by Eugene L. Armbruster/The New York Historical Socity/Getty Images) The New York Historical Society / Getty Images

Hayground Windmill

Windmill Ln, East Hampton, NY 11937

The Hayground Windmill actually isn’t located in Hayground anymore, as it was moved to East Hampton in the 1950s. The historic building was first built in 1801 and was put on the National Historic Register in 1978.

Inside, machinery can still be found from when it was an operating windmill.

Windmill Ln, East Hampton, NY 11937
Library of Congress

Gardiners Island Windmill

Gardiners Island, East Hampton, NY 11937

By far one of the oldest windmills still standing, the Gardiners Island Windmill was originally built in 1795 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

It is now located in the same place where the original Gardiners Island Lighthouse once stood.

Gardiners Island, East Hampton, NY 11937