St. John's Episcopal Church

Thomas Topping purchased this land from the Shinnecock Indians in 1650. In 1911, the owner at that time, Albert Foster, sold it to the Mission of St. John’s Church which was temporarily holding services in the Parrish Art Museum (now the Southampton Arts Center) under the direction of Vicar Samuel C. Fish who established the Mission in 1908. A groundbreaking ceremony for a new church took place on August 18, 1912, and construction began that October. Major funding came from St. Andrew’s Dune Church which was founded in 1879. In 1943, Bishop James deWolfe of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island put forward a cooperative plan that preserved the autonomy of the governing bodies of both churches. The Rector of St. John’s would preach at the Dune Church at least once a summer and regularly assist in the Sunday services there and a close association with the Dune Church began. Now, during the summer months, St. John’s Rector conducts an 11:00 am service at St. Andrew’s during which visiting clergy preach at the invitation of St. Andrew’s trustees, and a seasonal congregation joins St. John’s parishioners in worship at the Dune Church.