HURRICANE HALL 
Imagine living in a home which was well along in years when the 
Declaration of Independence was signed and yet is as modern as next 
year’s motorcar! 
The Seventeenth Century and the Twentieth Century meet in archi¬ 
tectural harmony in just such a dwelling. It is one of Cutchogue’s 
oldest houses and yet one of its most modern. Its ceilings are sup¬ 
ported by hand-hewn beams of oak, yet it contains built-in ironing 
boards and china closets. 
This home, combining the quaintness and charm of early colonial 
building with the convenience and modernity of present-day design, is 
located on the shores of Baldwin’s Creek at Peconic. A sign creaking 
on a standard among giant trees in the front yard informs the visitor 
that he is approaching “Hurricane Hall.” 
The name, according to Ralph W. Sterling, owner of the property 
and the sixty-odd surrounding acres lying between Baldwin’s Creek 
and Little Creek, is derived from the circular hallway which is the 
architectural feature of the structure. People came from far and wide, 
a hundred years ago, to see this unique foyer. 
The original house, Mr. Sterling’s inquiries have revealed, was built 
around 1700 by William Wells, second in the long line of Wells, who 
have borne that surname. The family owned immense tracts of land 
in and about Cutchogue, and the stout dwelling remained in their pos¬ 
session until 1812 when Barnabas Horton, who had married Mehitabel 
Wells, took title. He made a number of changes, creating, among 
other things, the “Hurricane Hall,” through the center of the house. 
Descendants of Barnabas lived in the house and farmed its lands 
for many years, the family retaining possession until 1920. Then fol¬ 
lowed a succession of owners and in 1934 Mr. Sterling purchased the 
property for development. 
His first step was to rebuild “Hurricane Hall,” then in a sad state of 
disrepair after standing vacant for several years. He moved the 230- 
year structure to a new site on higher ground overlooking Baldwin’s 
Creek and commanding a view of Peconic Bay. An experienced builder 
was entrusted with the delicate and expensive task of modernizing the 
ancient structure and converting it into a modern, livable and attractive 
home. Retaining the best features of the old and using the stout, oaken 
beams which formed the original framework, he created a spacious and 
pleasant six-room home anybody would be proud to own. 
—Reprinted from The County Reviezu. 
RALPH W. STERLING 
CUTCHOGUE. L. I.. N. Y. 
Telephone 55 
