Backstory: Water Mill’s Villa Maria Mansion & Religious Retreat
Dan’s Papers
By Dan Rattiner
In 1883, industrialist Josiah Lombard built a 20,000 square foot mansion on the headwaters of Mecox Bay on the south side of the Montauk Highway in Water Mill. A serene spot at that time, he had a historic windmill brought over from Sag Harbor and placed on his front lawn. The house, named “Grey…














