End of Lease Was End of Era

When Suffolk County forced the Lindley family out of their summer house in Montauk, called the blockhouse, in 2010, they were devastated. Built by the Army in 1944, the house had been a lookout station. When it was no longer needed, it was sold in 1950 to Hilda Lindley and her husband, Frances Vinton Lindley.

In the 1970s, the county bought the surrounding 1,000 acres from the federal government with plans to have a developer subdivide it and build up to 1,800 houses there. The county threatened to take the house by eminent domain if the Lindleys did not leave.

But Mrs. Lindley, an early environmentalist, rallied the community and at the same time helped found Concerned Citizens of Montauk. Eventually, the family was granted a conditional reprieve in the form of a 35-year lease, which expired in 2010.

The house was built to look like a summer cottage, which is what the Lindley children, Daniel, John, and Diana, used it for after Mrs. Lindley’s death in 1980 from breast cancer. Daniel Lindley became the steward of the remote house. When electricity was needed a generator was used, but mostly nights were lit with gas lanterns and candles. A massive brick fireplace housed a wood-burning stove. Shelves on both sides of the brick mantle held books on all subjects. In the living room area, white overstuffed couches filled a room that looked out over the Block Island Sound through a bay window the Lindleys had installed. Bedrooms had high, narrow lookout windows that served the Army’s purpose.

Daniel Lindley spent most of his time in the hamlet writing, editing, and teaching online computer classes with a wireless broadband. He also served as a fish counter of large pelagic fish. When the family was told it had to vacate the property, he offered to stay on and protect the house from vandalism until the county came up with a plan for it. But his request was denied, and Mr. Lindley said he was heckled by a county employee for going to the press with his story.

Mr. Lindley is still interested in moving back in and caring for the house at his own expense until the county comes up with a plan. His presence was useful when people got lost in the heavily wooded area, and his wife, a nurse, was able to offer medical care to anyone who needed it while hiking or riding the nearby trails.

Several Montauk residents have recently taken an interest in the house, which remains empty. Barbara Grimes, who rides her horse past it, said it looked as if raccoons had gained entry and shredded all the mattresses in the house. Mouse droppings covered the floors and a window was broken. There is talk of starting a committee called the Friends of Lindley House to help preserve it.

Patrick Keogh, who runs the county-owned Deep Hollow Ranch, said he often rides to the house to check on it and repair any damage that he finds. “It’s a great piece of property,” he said, adding that the ranch, Third House, and the Lindley property are the crown jewels of Suffolk County Parks.

It needs a lot of work, he said, and he’s not sure if the county is up for it. “But definitely something needs to happen so it doesn’t continue to deteriorate.”

Ed Johann of the Third House Nature Center said the county was foolish not to allow the Lindleys to stay on until a plan was in place for the property. The county “should have jumped on that,” he said

Back in June, the Suffolk County Legislature approved a bill introduced by Legislator Jay Schneiderman of Montauk, that called for developing a plan for the site and identifying within 90 days what sort of restoration and other capital improvements were required there. The 90 days are up and the county is behind schedule, Mr. Schneiderman said Tuesday evening.

A meeting was held at the site last week with county and public works officials, one of whom was Greg Dawson, the commissioner of Suffolk County Parks. The commissioner said that several user groups have shown an interest in the site as an environmental center. But even the Boy Scouts, he said, have claimed it was a bit too remote.

As of now, the path to the site is blocked with a large, locked gate. Mr. Dawson said that before anyone can use it, the house has to be brought up to code and tested for airborne asbestos and lead. The county would like to develop a plan for the use and maintenance of the site, but he could not say when that would happen.