Valentine To Amagansett: Precious Photos Offer Glimpse Into Past

AMAGANSETT, NY — East Hampton's Dell Cullum has a valentine for Amagansett: A collection of precious photos that offer a peek into the area's rich past.

Cullum, who runs Hampton Wildlife, a wildlife removal service, announced on social media Thursday plans for a project that needs "just a little help to make it happen."

Three years ago, he said, he was given a collection of old mixed photographs. "Among the many photos was a small album that was worn down to its last fibers," he said. "Inside were several dozen photographs of Amagansett."

Many of the photographs were marked either 1913 or 1916, with a few marked 1914, he said.

Cullum was able to recognize some of the individuals in the photos, to determine who the album had belonged to, but the people depicted and the owner had passed away, he said.

"Apparently the album of photos was stored in the attic of their home. When the house was demolished a few years back, this album was found and subsequently ended up in a mix of other old photographs, which were given to me," he said.

The beautiful black and white photos were taken by Sylvester and Cora Kelsey of Amagansett. "The years 1913 and 1916 were very significant to their family," he said. "1913 was the year Sylvester's brother William Duncan Kelsey and his wife Emma Bridgens gave birth to their son Carleton Kelsey."

Kelsey, he said, lived from 1913 to 2005.

"Also, the first flag was raised up the newly erected pole in Amagansett," he said. And in 1916, the said, a big Memorial Day parade took place in Amagansett, the last one that Civil War veteran, and Sylvester's father William Kelsey, would be part of, he added.

"From their farm on Abrahams Landing Rd., to their summer cabin on the dunes at Atlantic Avenue beach, these never before seen photographs will amaze you and bring you back to a simpler time, through the eyes and lens of Sylvester and Cora Kelsey," Cullum said.

There are close to 100 photos in the collection, with many still to be identified, but Cullum said he's chosen 60 that, after careful research, tell a short story about the Kelsey family in Amagansett during that time period.

"These photos were not stored properly and are over 100 years old. Some were badly damaged while others were cracked, faded or marred. Over the past three years I've researched and identified 55 photos while making a repaired and restored copy of each for display. I've also written paragraphs for each photo, to tell the story as the photos are viewed. It's just a wonderful collection," he said.

The Amagansett Historical Association has offered its Carriage Barn Gallery to display the exhibit — and Cullum said he hopes to donate the photographs to the Amagansett Historical Association for future generations to enjoy.

His plan is to display the 60 restored copies on enlarged on foam board around the gallery, each with a caption paragraph; he'd also like to display a dozen of the actual photographs, which are approximately 2"x3", and another dozen photos he took to compare the yesterday photos to today's Amagansett.

The goal is to exhibit the photographs in May, with an opening date of Friday, May 3.

Cullum said $800 is needed to have the photos printed on foam board. "I just need those interested in this exhibit, history, and Amagansett, to help pay for the display photos," he said.

Donations can be sent to Amagansett Historical Association, P.O. Box 7077, Amagansett, NY, 11930; Memo: 4 Cullum Exhibit.

Patch photo courtesy Dell Cullum.