La Grange Inn - West Islip

 The exact date of the building of La Grange Inn is unknown, but it was established around 1750.  It was named in honor of General Lafayette's home in France. The property on which the Inn is located was owned by the Higbie family from the time the original inn was built until about 1918.  Clinton Higbie was the first proprietor of the Inn.  The next proprietor of La Grange was Richard Terry Higbie, who conducted it until his retirement in 1871. It was then leased for many years by the family until sold. During early prohibition days it was sold to the late Eugene Freund who operated it until his death.  

Samuel Higbie operated a stagecoach line between Brooklyn and Patchogue and made La Grange a stopover point.  When Richard Terry Higbie was conducting the inn and the railroad had been built on the main line as far as Deer Park, he ran a stagecoach to the Deer Park station. 

The structure was threatened by steady deterioration in the early 2010s, after CVS leased the property for a new retail store. It stood vacant and neglected. In 2012, the drugstore chain CVS created a plan accepted by the town to rehabilitate the inn while moving it away from Montauk Highway and turning it toward Higbie Lane.

The West Islip Historical Society opened the West Islip History Center in the restored LaGrange building on September 8, 2018. 

Sources:

Catalano, Chris. “La Grange Inn.” West Islip Historical Society, westisliphistoricalsociety.org/index.php/la-grange-inn. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024

Esposito, Nick. “West Islip Historical Society Celebrates Its New Home in the La Grange Inn.” Greater Long Island, 10 Sept. 2019, greaterlongisland.com/west-islip-historical-society-celebrates-its-new-home-in-the-legrange-inn

“La Grange Inn, Town of Islip, Suffolk County Saved!” Preservation Long Island, 22 Mar. 2018, preservationlongisland.org/la-grange-inn-town-of-islip-suffolk-county

Beacon Towers

 Beacon Towers was completed in 1918, for Alva Erskine Smith, the widow of Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont and ex-wife of William Kissam Vanderbilt. It was located on the Gold Coast it was one of the most fantastical of all the Gilded Age castles. In the 1920s, it gained a reputation for progressive thinking concerning feminism and women's rights in America. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Beacon Towers was the inspiration for "East Egg" in Baz Luhrman's film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby”. It is also said to have influenced the fairytale castle in “The Wizard of Oz.”

Alva almost singlehandedly led the women's suffrage movement in the United States. She established the Political Equality League, organized the first picketing event in front of the White House, and was elected President of the National Woman's Party, a position she held until her death.

Alva paid $84,000 for 7-acres of prime beachfront real estate at the northern tip of Sands Point. In 1917, she called architectural firm Hunt & Hunt to build her a Gothic castle, loosely modelled on a Norman château associated with Joan of Arc. Rumors abound as to how many rooms it contained, but a conservative estimate would be in the region of 100. 

In 1924, to obtain more privacy Alva spent a further $100,000 acquiring an additional 5.5 acres of land that included the old lighthouse and Keeper's House. After only seven years in residence, Alva conceded that the castle was too expensive to maintain - the household staff alone cost her $25,000 a year. In 1925, she closed up the castle and moved to France. In 1927, Beacon Towers was purchased for $400,000 by William Randolph Hearst. He and his wife immediately set about making structural improvements to the castle: The roof was raised, dormer windows were added to break the roofline, and all the windows throughout were enlarged; and, as huge fans of Hollywood, they added a movie theater.

In 1942, Hearst was forced to handover over the estate to the bank for tax purposes. In 1945, the castle was unceremoniously demolished and 8 houses were built in its place. Found among the woods today are various structural remnants, including old towers, the gatehouse, garage and the ruins of the garden walls.

Source:

“Beacon Towers.” American Aristocracy, americanaristocracy.com/houses/beacon-towers. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024

John & Alice Coltrane Home

 John Coltrane was born in 1926. During the summer of 1943 he moved to Philadelphia and by early 1945 was working locally as a clarinet and alto saxophone player. Coltrane enlisted in the Navy that same summer. Returning home after a short service, he took advantage of the G.I. Bill’s education opportunities to pursue training at Ornstein School of Music. Philly’s jazz clubs were John’s oyster as he played almost every room in town.

By the end of the 50s, having put in years with Monk and Davis, Coltrane was more than ready to breakout as a bandleader and composer. 1959’s “Giant Steps”, his first album of all original compositions, was an astounding breakout work.

In 1961, he moved to Dix hills with his second wife Alice. It was in the attic of this home that John composed the American masterpiece “A Love Supreme.” Beyond the traditional family rooms, where their four children were raised, there were spaces for meditation, practicing, and a fully equipped recording studio where Alice made her landmark Impulse! Records albums. The Coltrane family lived at this home until 1973.

The mid-century ranch style house was constructed in 1952 on a 3.4-acre lot. In 2004, facing demolition, the structure was saved by a group of volunteers that became the Friends of the John and Alice Coltrane Home of Dix Hills, Inc. By 2005, The Town of Huntington purchased the property and transferred the deed to the Friends. The Home was listed on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places in 2007. In 2011, it was listed as one of eleven “Most Endangered” places and in 2018 was deemed a “National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.”

The future plans for the John and Alice Coltrane Home are to make it a multifaceted space for immersion in history, education, creativity, and entertainment.

 

Source:

The John and Alice Coltrane Home, thecoltranehome.org/. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024

 

Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway

 In 1954, the New York State Department of Public Works proposed a six-lane, north-south expressway between the Wantagh State Parkway in Wantagh and NY 106 in Oyster Bay. 

The route of the expressway was defined by the department, and later amended by the New York State Department of Transportation as follows: Beginning at a point on the Wantagh State Parkway in the vicinity of the hamlet of Wantagh, thence running generally through or near the hamlets of Seaford, Bethpage and Plainview to a point on state highway nine thousand twenty-one (NY 106) south of the village of Oyster Bay.

The expressway was so divisive that it was met with protest in each of the communities it was to pass. Right-of-way acquisition began in 1958, and construction began one year later. The section between exit 14 (NY 25 / Jericho Turnpike) and exit 10 (Old Country Road) was completed in 1962. The next section, between exit 10 and exit 4 (Southern State Parkway) was completed in 1963. With the opening of the section between exit 4 and exit 1 (Merrick Road) in the fall of 1969, the entire 10.8-mile route of the expressway was completed at a cost of $49 million.

The southbound lanes are higher than the northbound lanes between exits 8 and 9. This was to be where the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway and the unbuilt portion of the Bethpage State Parkway were to connect. The southbound lanes of the Bethpage State Parkway were to have been in the median of NY 135 for about one-half mile before heading back southeast, while the northbound lanes of the parkway followed the northbound lanes of NY 135 along the right shoulder. This assumed that the Bethpage State Parkway would be upgraded to a four-lane divided parkway, which never happened.

There haven’t been many changes to the expressway since it was originally built. One big change was made to one of its major interchanges. The interchange between the Seaford-Oyster Bay and Long Island expressways, which was originally built between 1959 and 1961, was reconstructed with new flyover ramps and overpasses in 1997. 

When it was first built, NY 135 was known as the "Wantagh-Oyster Bay Expressway." In 1967, its name was changed to the "Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway" to avoid confusion with the parallel Wantagh State Parkway. On March 21, 2002, the highway was ceremonially named the "Ralph Marino Expressway" in honor of the longtime state senator.

Source:

“Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway.” Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway (NY 135), www.nycroads.com/roads/NY-135/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024. 

Floyd Jones Library - Massapequa

 In 1896, Colonel Delancey Floyd-Jones, a career army officer, talked with Coleman Williams, husband of his cousin Sarah Floyd-Jones, about donating a small parcel of land east of Grace Church so a public library could be built. He paid Williams $60 for the plot and contracted with a carpenter to build a wooden building facing Merrick Road for $530.10. Relatives provided tables, bookshelves, fireplace implements, and $230.90 to purchase books.

In 1907, electricity was installed in the building, replacing candles that were used originally. A janitor was employed to maintain the building, which had no water, for $4 per month. A resident could purchase a key for $10 annually that allowed access to the library at any time. In 1932, Edward Floyd-Jones left the library $2,500 in his will. The library was a separate corporation and money provided by several other relatives over the years was invested.

In, 1952 trustees of the rapidly expanding public school system created a Floyd-Jones Library Committee to investigate how the building could best serve the community. Among the proposals were:

Expand the building as the centerpiece of a public library system;

Keep the building as is and build other library buildings in the area;

Demolish the building and replace it with newer, larger buildings.

Central to these discussions were two important considerations. The first was the legal issue of whether there could be two separate libraries. The New York Secretary of State ruled there could not be, because the state could not pay annual subsidies for two libraries in one school district. The other issue was the library’s endowment. After many meetings and much discussion, the Floyd-Jones Library Trustees decided to keep the library open and retain control of its endowment.

1969 – Students continued to come to the library, as evidenced by a file of cards signed by their parents, pledging to return books that were loaned or face fines. Fewer residents were using the building, however, so a Friends of the Library group was formed, in an attempt to attract more community participation. Members paid one dollar annually and could attend quarterly meetings. The Friends held bake sales, raffles and other fund-raisers. The group lasted about fifteen years, and had as many as 300 members, but petered out by the mid-1980s.

In 1984, the Historical Society of the Massapequas was interested in moving an 1870 servants’ cottage, located behind the Bar Harbour Library, close to Old Grace Church. It was vacant and deteriorating rapidly. After several discussions, the Library Trustees agreed to lease a portion of their property north of the building and the Society moved the cottage across Merrick Road in July 1986.

Two years later, Mrs. Paul Floyd-Jones Bonner, the last Floyd-Jones family member involved directly with the library, had resigned as Chairperson.  Eugene Bryson, a Trustee as well as a Vestryman in Grace Church, agreed to become the Chairperson and set out repurposing the library. He first had the rear storage room demolished and rebuilt to look like the rest of the library. He also applied for historic designation, eventually earning Town of Oyster Bay recognition. He retained the services of a professional librarian, to review the holdings and dispose of any duplicates or books no longer considered useful. Finally, he led the trustees to designate the library as a historic building.

The Floyd-Jones Library remains today as an historic structure. It is staffed by volunteers and is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 until 1pm.

 

Source:

“125 Years of Service: The Floyd-Jones Free Library.” Historical Society of the Massapequas, www.massapequahistoricalsociety.org/blog/125-years-of-service-the-floyd-jones-free-library. Accessed 27 Oct. 2024

Deep Hollow Ranch - Montauk

Deep Hollow Ranch is a historic ranch located in Montauk with an estimated 26 acre property. The ranch is recognized as the oldest ranch in the United States by the National Geographic Society. 

The compound includes several working barns, a 5,000-square-foot antique timber framed farmhouse, and a 2-acre buildable lot. The ranch traces its history back to the cattle punching of Long Island’s earliest settlers. These settlers took advantage of the region’s lush pastures and the fact that the ocean and sound provided natural boundaries that made the need for fences moot. it was owned privately and leased out to livestock owners. They would drive the herds of cattle and sheep out for the summer months to grow fat on the Maritime grasses.

At the peak of the South Fork ranching era, as many as 6,000 head of cattle and sheep roamed the land between the beginning of May and the start of November.  In the 1920s, the ranch became a guest ranch for people to come and stay. They built those nine beautiful cabins on the hill above the stables, as well as adding onto third house with other guestrooms and a wonderful restaurant. That ran until 1971 when the county bought third house and Deep Hollow as well as all the land down to the beach. They kept Deep Hollow as a concession to be open for the public to be able to ride and enjoy all the land. Third house became a museum which is no longer open.

The property has hosted several "Back at the Ranch" charity concerts during the 1990's, which featured acts like Paul Simon and Billy Joel. Today, Deep Hollow Ranch welcomes visitors all throughout the year. Also known as a horseback riding attraction, actual cowboys and cowgirls are tour guides. The ranch provides well-trained horses and experienced wranglers to ensure a safe and enjoyable riding experience. 

Source:

Deep Hollow Ranch . Historic Towns Of America. (n.d.). https://historictownsofamerica.com/oldest-ranch 

Giustino, S. (2021, November 1). Behind the Scenes at Deep Hollow Ranch. Montauk Sun. https://www.montauksun.com/about-our-cover-behind-the-scenes-at-deep-hollow-ranch/ 

Ketcham Inn - Center Moriches

Ketcham Inn, built in 1693, was a historic inn and tavern. Originally built as a single-story frame cottage, it was expanded to a two-story structure with a rear wing and gable roof about 1710 and 1790. The location was originally called the Moriches Inn and has served as a tavern, inn, stagecoach stop, and public house.

It once hosted two future presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. The inn at the time was owned by William Terry. William Terry’s descendants sold the property to Andrew Ketcham in 1852. It was used as a local courthouse and other purposes and stayed in the Ketcham family until the early 1900s. It remained in use until 1989, when a fire broke out to portions of the building.

The inn represents life in 18th Century Long Island. In 1989, a small group of local citizens was formed to clean the inn. The group incorporated to form the Ketcham Inn Foundation. 

In 1993, the group purchased the land. The kitchen has been remodeled and is currently the office and keeper’s quarters. The foundation continues to raise funds for restoring the structure to its original condition. The inn observed the first phase of restoration on July 4, 2015 with a public reception. The inn provides educational programs and events are held during the year. 

The Book Barn, adjacent to the inn is open. Ketcham Inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sources:

Corry, Carl. “The Center Moriches Inn Where Future Presidents Stayed.” Greater Long Island, 18 Feb. 2019, greaterlongisland.com/the-center-moriches-inn-where-future-presidents-stayed/. 

“Historic Site.” Ketcham Inn, Havens Homestead, www.visithistoriclongisland.com/Suffolk_Ketcham_Havens_Homestead.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.