Denton House/McDonald's

 

Long Island’s Denton House, an 18th-century farmhouse that was converted into a Georgian-style mansion in the 1860s, houses perhaps the grandest McDonald’s restaurant on the planet. Built in 1795 as a family dwelling, it once served as the farmhouse of Joseph Denton, a descendent of Rev. Richard Denton, one of the founders of the town of Hempstead, New York. The house served a variety of functions over the years, including a funeral home and a string of restaurants. The building, however, fell into disrepair in the latter half of the 20th century. In 1985, McDonald’s purchased the property and planned to raze the structure, but residents of the town and the surrounding area intervened, hoping to save the building from the wrecking ball.

By 1988, local preservations campaign succeeded in getting the Denton House designated as a historic site. Unable to demolish the building, McDonald’s came up with a brilliant compromise that made everyone happy: the company would invest several million dollars into restoring the house, in exchange for permission to build a drive-thru. The locals agreed, the permits were granted, and the transformation began.

Long Island’s most beautiful McDonald’s opened its doors to the public in 1991, with a fully refurbished interior that honored its history while still being a functional fast food restaurant. One of the highlights of the restaurant is the home’s veranda, which serves as a dining area and is sealed in with glass paneling. Even the drive-thru is unobtrusive and in keeping with the home’s overall appearance. 

 

Sources:

“Bite into History at the McMansion, Long Island’s Fanciest McDonald’s.” ABC7 New York, 2 July 2021, abc7ny.com/mcmansion-mcdonalds-the-denton-house-landmark/10851005

 “Denton House McDonald’s.” Atlas Obscura, 8 July 2013, www.atlasobscura.com/places/denton-house-mcdonalds

Robicelli, Allison. “Everyone Deserves to Know about the Long Island Mansion McDonald’s.” The Takeout, 21 Apr. 2021, thetakeout.com/long-island-new-york-hyde-park-mcdonalds-elegant-beauti-1846731301

Maine Maid Inn

 

The Maine Maid Inn was originally the home of Valentine Hicks.  He was the youngest son of Samuel & Phebe Hicks. He was born n New York City and worked to organize the Society for Establishing a Free School, a group that started the New York City Schools. In 1815, he and his wife Abigail moved to Jericho and a house built by Timothy Treadwell.

Originally, the house had a side hall entrance, but it was moved to the front and a grand staircase was added.  Front rooms were also added. The house stood on an acre of land and Valentine then acquired eighteen more.  When Abigail inherited property from her father, they own more than thirty-five acres. It was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Valentine was documented to assist fugitive slaves.  One fugitive slave was hidden in the attic and then brought to the bay by wagon to freedom. Later, the fugitive slaves were taken to a secret linen closet from the grand staircase.  There were removable shelves and behind those, the closet let to another staircase that led to the attic.

The house was turned into the Maine Maid Inn in the 1950s.  It closed in 2009. In 2012, it was designated landmark status by the Town of Oyster Bay. The town's designation preserves the exterior of the structure, but doesn't limit the ability of an owner to refurbish the interior and grounds and build a business there. In 2013, it was purchased by the Scotto Brothers. In 2017, they opened the restaurant One North at the location after spending millions in modernizing the structure. It was eventually turned into Opus Steakhouse, which is still open today.

 

 

Sources:

Bolger, Timothy. “Maine Maid Inn Reborn as One North.” LI Press, 21 Dec. 2017, www.longislandpress.com/2017/12/21/maine-maid-inn-reborn-as-one-north

Dowd, Joe. “Historic Maine Maid Inn Designated as Landmark.” Plainview, NY Patch, 16 May 2012, patch.com/new-york/plainview/historic-maine-maid-inn-designated-as-landmark

Velsor, Kathleen G. The Underground Railroad on Long Island: Friends in Freedom. The @History Press, 2013