Honoring Chuck Scarborough

By Katlean de Monchy–

One of my favorite events is the annual Halsey House Gala. If you don’t know what the Halsey House is, you don’t know your East End history.

The Thomas Halsey House and Southampton History Museum

The Thomas Halsey House, built in 1683 from the timbers and stones of the original Halsey house on Old Town Road in Southampton, is still standing. It is one of the oldest timber-frame houses in New York State, and is found at 249 S. Main Street, where it is open on Saturdays this time of year as the Southampton History Museum.

I love walking into a house that old, and feeling history all around me.

The Halsey House Gala, on July 6, 2024, drew 300 people to the museum to honor Chuck Scarborough, who was presented with a certificate of appreciation by Southampton Village Mayor William Manger Jr. It is astounding to say, but he recognized Scarborough’s 50-year career in journalism at NBC and elsewhere, as well as his contributions to the Lake Agawam Conservancy.

Doug Halsey, Bill Manger, Jean Shafiroff, Sarah Kautz, and the honoree, Chuck Scarborough (Photo Sean Zanni/PMC)

Scarborough made an impassioned speech, in which he  talked about walking on the beach that morning with his dog, Phoebe, and how he he had met the 14th generation of Halseys that evening.

Chuck Scarborough, Ellen Ward Scarborough and Phoebe (Photo by Sean Zanni/PMC)

He said, “I  was thinking about how the Halsey family, the first members of the Halsey family, must have looked at that very same scene. They must have gone down to the beach and looked at that.”

The first Halsey arrived in Southampton in 1642, almost 400 years ago. He had been born in Hertfordshire, England, in 1591, when Shakespeare had not yet written “Romeo and Juliet,”  “The Merchant of Venice” or “Henry IV, Part I,” among other plays. (Shakespeare’s most powerful patron at the time was Harry Carey of Hertfordshire, and his plays were written for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men; one might assume that Halsey grew up surrounded by good theater.)

Douglas M. Halsey and his relatives, who represent the 14th generation of Halseys in Southampton. (Sean Zanni/PMC)

Scarborough said, “History isn’t a moment in time. It’s a flowing river, and we’re part of that now. We’re here, and we have a responsibility in this village as well. A responsibility to maintain its character as it evolves …. The responsibility to maintain its character as it evolves over time as things change, but to try to maintain as much of its original character as we can.”

Sarah Kautz, executive director of the Southampton Museum, said, “This year’s event was one of the biggest gatherings ever at Southampton History Museum’s annual Halsey House Gala.”

Sean and Caroline Kenlon, of 1708 House

The gala committee was co-chaired by Jean Shafiroff and Douglas M. Halsey, a former trustee of Southampton History Museum. He gathered several generations of his family for the occasion. Other committee members included former museum trustee Alexandra Halsey-Storch and journalist Nancy Kane.

Other guests included Dede Gotthelf and Terry Moan; Douglas Manger, the Mayor of Southampton Village; Sean and Caroline Kenlon, of 1708 House; Michael Zieger, Ruth Miller; David Hochman; Martin Shafiroff and Phoebe, the Scarborough’s dog.