New York State In-depth

Stewardship agreement signed for the famous Tupper Boathouse in Southampton

SOUTHAMPTON, NY – New adventures are on the horizon for the historic Tupper Boathouse at North Sea Harbor.

On December 1, Southampton Town signed a license agreement with the North Maritime Organization, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the area’s maritime heritage, to become stewards of the boathouse.

The license agreement comes after years of work by dedicated local residents to preserve the boathouse; Under the leadership, the North Sea Maritime Center will begin fundraising for the facility and plan future programming for the community, NSMC said.

The tentative vision for the NSMC at the historic Tupper Boathouse includes a maritime museum, wooden boat building program and aquaculture educational facility to teach maritime history, aquatic navigation, sailing, boat safety and more.

NSMC members said they are excited to reintroduce and develop the iconic local landmark damaged during Superstorm Sandy as a destination and as an opportunity for many to learn more about North Sea Harbor and Conscience Point’s past.

According to Southampton Town, the building was constructed between 1929 and 1931 and served as a workshop for boats for the Tupper Motorcraft Boat Company before being converted into a nightclub in 1959.

The nightclub was also called Conscience Point.

Southampton Town acquired the property in 2003 using Community Preservation Funds. Tupper Boathouse was raised for renovations in June 2020. The city also operates the marina at Conscience Point and the walking trail to the historic marker at the top of Conscience Point, officials said. The “marker” similar to “Plymouth Rock” marks the place where the first settlers are said to have landed.

“With the support of the City of Southampton, we are committed to moving forward with the restoration,” said Mark Matthews, President of NSMC. “Special thanks to Jay Schneiderman, John Bouvier and Julie Lofstad, who were instrumental in getting this stewardship approved, as well as City staffers Christine Fetten, James Burke and Frank Zapone.”

The vision for a year-round program includes the incorporation of historical history, water recreation, and environmental programs in a community space.

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