It's hard not to notice the old house that lies on the southeast corner of Montauk Highway and Ocean Road, just past the Bridgehampton Monument. It stands alone, melting into the landscape with its two-storied columns held more or less in place with two by four boards. Few, perhaps, know the history of this extraordinary building, or the case for restoration of this once magnificent structure. The Nathaniel Rogers House is important for its architectural significance, its critical location, its rich history, and its potential as a repository for the history of Greater Bridgehampton.
To some it is known as the Hopping House, and to others as the Hampton House, but it is rightfully named after the visionary who created its architecture. The monumental Greek Revival temple front, the grand setting and the refined interior, products of Nathaniel Rogers extensive remodeling in 1840, make this prominent architectural landmark, listed on the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places, one of the finest example of a residence in this style in New York State.
As it stands today, the Nathaniel Rogers House represents three historic construction periods: the original house built by Abraham T. Rose about 1824; the remodeling by Nathaniel Rogers about 1840; and the extensive interior renovations and modest exterior additions by the Hedges and Hopping families for the Hampton House hotel following their purchase of the house in 1894.
