Nassau County Photo Archives Center

James Lawrence Breese was a well-known Southampton resident at the turn of the century.  A partner of the stock brokerage firm, Breese & Smith, Breese himself lived a life of extravagance.  His hobbies included building and operating race cars at the famed Vanderbilt Cup Races on Long Isalnd's Motor Parkway.  He was also an amateur photographer, and self-published photographs from his New York City Apartment.

 

Breese was good friends with Stamford White, of the architectural firm McKim, Mead, & White, designers of such structures as Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Breese brought his friend out to his Hamptons property to construct a sprawling Colonial-America inspired country house.  Construction lasted during the years 1898-1907.  White and company incorporated an existing 18th century farmhouse into the design of the structure.  In 1916 Country Life Magazine named The Orchard, 'One of the Best 12 Country Houses in America'. 

 

Breese inhabited this home until his death in 1934 at the age of 80.  Located at 155 Hill Street, formerly Breese Lane, The Orchard still stands today.  However, as a result of changes in ownership the property is now known as Whitefields and has been reconfigured into condominiums.  The Orchard was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1980.

 

 

 

 

For more information, please view the Related Resources tab and visit:

 

• The Orchard Featured in Article, “Downtown Abbey Style in Southampton 1900 to 1920” 

• Wikimedia records of The Orchard as stands today