The Inn
The history of The Maidstone Arms starts with its name which is
derived from the original name given the East End of the South Fork
by the earliest settlers in the 1600’s. Before being divided into various
small incorporated “ Hamptons” villages in the early 1700’s, the area
was named “Maidstone” after the home of the original settlers who
came from Maidstone, England. A historic landmark building on Main
Street of East Hampton, the inn’s foundation dates back to the late
1600’s. The house was destroyed and rebuilt in the early 1800’s in the
Greek Revival style popular at the time. The Osborne family used the
building as a tannery as well as a home. The late 1800’s brought an
influx of summer visitors looking for lodging and the Osborne’s began
taking in “paying guests.” It was not until the 1920’s that the property
became a thriving summer “Bed & Breakfast” and was named “The
Maidstone Arms.” By the 1950’s, the popularity of the “Hamptons” had
become stuff of legend, as more and more millionaires, artists and
entertainers bought and built spectacular homes on the ocean. At that
time, the private clubs were the only places that summer residents
would entertain outside of their homes. However, several great New
York chefs closed their restaurants for the summer and, bringing their
staff with them, started “summer restaurants” in the Hamptons. Among
them was Michael Field, chef and author of cookbooks, who opened
up The Maidstone Arms for several summers, followed by Tom
Cowman in the late 1960’s. Today the restaurant and inn are open
year round
