Wainscott is the hamlet just before East Hampton. In 1688 John Osborn arrived, and he was soon joined by other farmers. They were attracted there because of its unprecedented rich soil. The Osborns remained and their ancestors have been farming in Wainscott for over ten generations.
Wainscott was named after a village north of Maidstone, England, made famous by Charles Dickens in his novel Great Expectations. South of the Highway, Wainscott features historic shingled homes, a church, and a classic one-room schoolhouse on the Main Street that was the last one operating in New York State. From there you can drive down to the gorgeous ocean beaches. On the North Side there are new housing developments in the wooded acres, the famous Seafood Shop, and Breadzilla; two great shopping places. It has a year-round population of 628, covering an area of 7.3 miles, 6.85% of which is water.
