Whaling in East Hampton
- Date Range
- 1652 – 1847
- Title
- Whaling in East Hampton
- What occurred
- East Hampton was originally an agricultural settlement which soon was replaced with whaling around 1652. Settlers discovered beached whales often appeared on the shore and would harvest the oil and meat. Eventually residents would no longer be content with harvesting from beached whales and begin hunting whales that came too close to the shore. At the height of the whaling industry in 1847, around 60 ships would be docked at Sag Harbor which is referenced in Moby Dick. After 1847, the industry fell off due to the rise of fuel products.
- Location
- 136 Main St, Southampton, NY 11968
- Image Citation
- LONG ISLAND'S OFF-SHORE WHALING, Jeannette Edwards Rattray, New York History Vol. 14, No. 2 (APRIL 1933), pp. 125-134 (12 pages)
- Student name(s)
- Patrick Barry