Healthy and Wealthy

    Good news was the order of the day at the 91st annual meeting of the East Hampton Historical Society, held recently at Clinton Academy.

     Arthur Graham, president of the board of trustees, reported that between fund-raising, memberships, and events such as house tours and parties, the society raised $560,000 in 2012 and now has net assets of $2.5 million. The money helps to fund its school programs, collections, exhibitions, and the upkeep of various buildings — in particular last year, the Mulford farmhouse and the Town Marine Museum in Amagansett.

    “We’re a very healthy organization,” said Mr. Graham, thanking the trustees — Chip Rae, John McGuirk, Maureen Bluedorn, Barbara Borsack, Mary Clarke, Frank Newbold, and Bill Fleming — for their commitment.

    Richard Barons, the society’s executive director, agreed. “It’s the best board I have ever worked with in my zillions of years in the nonprofit world,” he said.

    It was a banner year for collections, said Mr. Graham, including “an amazing amount of gifts from the community.” He singled out an early Rhode Island “banner-back” chair circa 1720, found in East Hampton about 40 years ago and still with its original red paint. It will be put on display at the Mulford farmhouse as of today.

    Among other gifts in 2012, reported Ms. Borsack, who heads the collections committee, were a pair of late 18th-century men’s brass and silver shoe buckles donated by the Corwith family, a 1912 South Fork telephone directory, and Maude Sherwood Jewett’s silk evening jacket, circa 1920, donated by Camilla Jewett of Main Street, who will be 102 in August.