Backstory: The History of Christie Brinkley's Tower Hill Mansion
The wealthy families of New York City established a summer colony in Newport during the mid-19th century. But in the last half of that century when railroad service extended to eastern Long Island, a new though smaller summer colony got established in Southampton, much of it around Lake Agawam and the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, although a New York summer colony did form in East Hampton, much of the wealth there came from the local community.
Lion Gardiner, an Englishman, had been gifted an island off East Hampton by the King of England in 1639, and the Gardiner ownership has continued to this day, with wealthy new generations of Gardiners living on the island or in residences mostly in East Hampton.
Thus it was no surprise that in 1891, John L. Gardiner, the Lord of Gardiner’s Island, built a great mansion high on the brow of a hill north of the highway in next door Bridgehampton.
He was a wealthy local physician in the community, not connected with the summer colony.
And in 1891, at the age of 68, he retired and constructed a mansion in nearby Bridgehampton he called Dulce Domum — Latin for Sweet Home — on 22 acres, 200 feet above sea level.
But even before he began construction, he ordered 475 tons of local stone in to create an underground platform upon which to place it, and then, above, he built his great Victorian style mansion with a crenolated castle tower another 40 feet higher. A fairy tale and a masterpiece.
Dr. Gardiner lived there with his family in retirement for the next 17 years — with occasional jaunts out to his island.
And afterward, this mansion was passed on and on, through to 1998, when it was purchased for $3.2 million by America’s Sweetheart Christie Brinkley. She lives there today.
Christie, whose image has graced the covers of over 500 magazines over the years, might have settled in Hollywood after all her successes in modeling, acting, fashion, health, the environment and even writing.
She recently authored a memoir called Uptown Girl, named from a song written about her by her second husband Billy Joel — but she didn’t.
She recently made a 10-minute video of a tour of “Dulce Dumum” which she had renamed Tower Hill.
Looking as beautiful as ever at 71, she walked the property with real estate influencer Caleb Simpson, showing off the barns, fields, a swimming pool, a “secret” tennis court, an artist’s studio, a greenhouse and beautiful gardens along the stroll.
At one point, she and the video’s host are joined by three chickens, named Scrambled, Sunnyside Up and Benedict.
They live in a modest farm setting on the property.
The interior of the main house, which she has fully restored, has six bedrooms, five and a half baths and the lookout tower, while the guest house has two bedrooms and three baths, all of which, including a modern kitchen, a dining room, studios, living rooms and playrooms, are beautifully and colorfully turned out with antiques, paintings, flowers and comfortable furniture.
She’s raised her three children here and the property remains active with dinners and events for family and friends.
Have a East End real estate story? Want to share? Text us at 516-527-3566. We’ll call you back, and then write it up for this weekly column. –Dan
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