In the mid-nineteenth century, James Wickham was a wealthy farmer with a large estate in Cutchogue, Long Island. His extensive property included a mansion and eighty acres of farmland that were maintained by a staff of servants. In 1854, Wickham got into an argument with one of his workers, Nicholas Behan, after Behan harassed another employee who refused to marry him. Several days after Behan's dismissal, he crept back into the house in the dead of night. With an axe, he butchered Wickham and his wife, Frances, and fled to a nearby swamp. Behan was captured, tried, convicted and, on December 15, became one of the last people to be hanged in Suffolk County. Local historians Geoffrey Fleming and Amy Folk uncover this gruesome story of revenge and murder.

When the primary value of bay-front property was the privilege of harvesting seaweed, state legislator and Southold newspaperman Joseph Nelson Hallock was stealing watermelon from Peter Gils Well's patch and fighting for the privilege to pass the water at Southold Academy. In the spirit of Mary Ellen Chase's turn-of-the-century account of life in rural New England, Hallock offers his firsthand impressions of the difficulties and pleasures of North Fork life one hundred years ago. With a recipe for samp porridge and tales of power brokering in Albany, "Southold Reminiscences" is sure to inspire.

In the heart of the Hamptons, located on the South Fork of eastern Long Island, is the community of Hampton Bays, which was founded long ago as Good Ground. As the name implies, the area was settled because of the fertile land and the plentiful fish and shellfish found in the surrounding bays and inlets. Today, the hamlet is a popular vacation spot with some of the most renowned beaches on the south shore. Hampton Bays features images that document the changing nature of the community and its eventual conversion from a farming village to a popular summer resort.

St. James sits among a variety of old and intensely interesting communities that dot the north shore of Long Island, many of which date to the mid-1600s. After being named in the mid-1800s, it quickly became one of the hot spots that stars of the American vaudeville stage made their own. Built beside the homes of farmers and millers were hotels, a casino, and the mansions of the rich and famous, giving the community a fascination all its own -- a fascination that is clearly captured in the pages of St. James.

Out on the North Fork of Long Island, Southold claims to be the oldest English settlement in New York State, with Europeans arriving here prior to 1640. This first photographic history of Southold contains striking images dating from the mid-nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. Southold portrays the people, events, buildings, and places that shaped this thriving community, which today is a popular tourist destination noted for its rich farmland and beautiful beaches and, most recently, for the exceptional wines produced in the region.

Bridgehampton is a fascinating look at one of the prime resort areas on the South Fork of Long Island. The history of Bridgehampton was captured magnificently by studio and itinerant photographers whose work from the mid-1800s to the late 1900s is reflected here. These stunning images show people as they raised children, worked on the farm, worshiped, studied, socialized, and played. The faces show expressions of pride, joy, and, occasionally even boredom, providing a realistic portrayal of the past.

By the early twentieth century, the coastal bays of the North Fork were filled with new and enterprising hostelries. From the Miamogue and the Great Peconic Bay House in Jamesport to the Clark House and Wyandank in Greenport, the area offered some of the finest accommodations outside New York City. In this comprehensive collection of images, historians Geoffrey Fleming and Amy Folk highlight the industry that has supported life on the North Fork for over 350 years. From the John Budd House- an enduring example of seventeenth-century English architecture in America- to the contemporary bed-and-breakfasts that offer visitors a charming respite, this book captures the essence of a region beloved by generations of vacationers and residents alike.