Egypt Lane Historic District
Why it's listed
Egypt Lane in the village of East Hampton holds a row of four frame houses on its west side, between David's Lane and Pondview Lane. Three of them, including the saltbox known as Rowdy Hall, the Gansett House and the Dickerson House, were built in the 18th or early 19th century and moved to the street in the early 20th century. Each has a matching garage from the time of its move. A fourth house, built about 1900 and heavily altered, does not contribute to the district. The houses are significant as examples of local house types: a saltbox, a two-story center-chimney house and a one-story center-hall Federal house. They also record a period when affluent summer residents bought old houses, moved them to suburban-style lots and renovated them, often with architects, in a Colonial Revival spirit. Two of the moves and renovations were directed by Mrs. Harry Hamlin, a summer resident active in village preservation efforts.
Significance in brief: The district is architecturally significant as a group of distinctive 18th and early 19th century vernacular houses that were relocated and renovated in the early 20th century. They show local building practices and stylistic development. They also show the antiquarian tastes and restoration attitudes of affluent summer residents during a revival of interest in the colonial past.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88001031, listed July 21, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 111, 117, and 129 Egypt La., East Hampton |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | July 21, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001031 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | J.G. Thorp, architect (Rowdy Hall renovation, 1925-1926); John F. Hamlin, architect (Gansett House); F.M. Gay, contractor |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Federal; Colonial Revival alterations |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 40.95846, -72.17705 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88001031.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5348325
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.