Chamber 100th Anniversary Walking Tour
Carnegie Library
Photograph Source: Celia M. Hastings Local History Room, Patchogue-Medford Library
A key piece to the growth of Patchogue as the Queen City of the South Shore was the foundation of the Carnegie Library. With funds donated by Andrew Carnegie and land donated by staunch library advocate Edwin Bailey, this building became a cornerstone of the community, and its importance persists today.
Just west of this location was Leo's Inn, a popular inn and restaurant, which was the first major building greeting visitors to Patchogue who arrived in town by way of Waverly Avenue. The Lace Mill, the key to industrialization in Patchogue, was located at the NW corner of West & Main.
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Eloise Staudinger Walkway
Photograph Source: Celia M. Hastings Local History Room, Patchogue-Medford Library
John Roe Smith Block
Constructed in the 1870s, the John Roe Smith Block contained retail space on the ground floor with office buildings above. A tower adorned the top of the building, visible from the four corners. The Patchogue Bank was the successor to the failed bank run by Edward S. Peck. In 1933, due to nationwide bank failures, it would merge with the Citizens Trust Bank that opened just across the street in 1925. The Central Hotel was a year-round, 100-room hotel that catered to hunting parties, traveling salesmen and business conventions in Patchogue's off season.
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Four Corners SW Corner
Photograph Source: Celia M. Hastings Local History Room, Patchogue-Medford Library
Suffolk's Famous 4 Corners is the intersection of Montauk Highway and Ocean Avenue. In 1924, this was the major four-way intersection in the village of Patchogue and was a major hub of commerce. On the southwest corner, the popular H&S Luncheonette and Star Palace Theater were major spots of attraction.
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Industrial Coverage
Photograph Source: Celia M. Hastings Local History Room, Patchogue-Medford Library
Union Savings Bank
Constructed in 1911 by a group of Patchogue's citizens, this marvelous building features a beautiful neoclassical style, adorned with Greek columns and a pedimented doorway, all encased in luxurious white marble. The National Register of Historic Places recognizes the building as an architecturally and historically important American building.
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Community Garden
Photograph Source: Celia M. Hastings Local History Room, Patchogue-Medford Library
Located south of here was the new High School (today's South Ocean Middle School), Madame Guiri's House of Fashion, The Unique Theater, and the trolleys down to the magnificent seasonal hotels on the bay such as Mascot Hotel, The Clifton House, and Ocean Avenue Hotel.
The Patchogue Post Office was located at the Terry Street corner in 1924, and at the time, Postmaster Harry Weeks was working on plans to seek "First Class" status and asking residents to please use full names and addresses on mail! "Patchogue has come a long way, and it is no longer a small community where everyone knows each other."
The Chamber of Commerce successfully promoted the idea of constructing the Brookhaven Town Hall in this area, as they saw it as an important addition.
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Underworld
Photograph Source: Celia M. Hastings Local History Room, Patchogue-Medford Library
The buildings on the east side of South Ocean Ave. have gone through several changes. There used to be a few storefronts, a skating-rink-turned-lyceum, and an "arcade". By 1924, these buildings were purchased and turned 90 degrees, so they properly face Ocean Avenue and transformed into a 3-story building containing retail spaces and offices. This row of buildings became known as the G.G. Roe Block, named after their owner, Gillette "Gilly" Gelston Roe.
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Village Idiot
Photograph Source: Hans Henke, Patchogue Village Historian
This strip of retail locations on Main Street was home to businesses such as Williams Apparel, Patchogue Men's Shop, United Cigar, as well as Aldrich Radio & Electric. Bill Aldrich was enormously proud of his electric company's new line of radios that picked up 91 stations!
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Patchogue-Medford Library
Photograph Source: Hans Henke, Patchogue Village Historian
Nichols Hotel - Brown's Boarding House
The Nichols Hotel stood next to Brown's Boarding House, on property now occupied by Patchogue-Medford Library. The former home of Mrs. Justus Roe was operated by Franklin Nichols until it was demolished for the construction of modern buildings.
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Ackerly Building
Photograph Source: Hans Henke, Patchogue Village Historian
The newest addition to Patchogue's retail spaces at the time was the Ackerly Building. Completed in 1924, this "central block with wings" housed Rainbow, a piece goods store, with 3 other retail spaces available, with apartments on the top floor.
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Patchogue Theater
Photograph Source: Hans Henke, Patchogue Village Historian
Ward & Glynne's
In 1924, the theater, originally called Ward & Glynne's theater, was celebrating one year of operation. At this time, it was still mainly operating as a vaudeville theater.
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Blum's
Photograph Source: Celia M. Hastings Local History Room, Patchogue-Medford Library
Roe's Hotel
The 200 room Roe's Hotel had a telegraph office, stores, and the hotel lobby on street level. The bar, dining room and kitchen were behind the stores, and guest rooms were upstairs. It was enlarged by storefront additions reaching to the street, one occupied by the Bee Hive Department Store.
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Patchogue Chamber Of Commerce
Photograph Source: Courtesy of the Long Island Advance
Patchogue Advance
The Chamber moved in after the Patchogue Advance left in the late 1950s. The Advance printed out of the office for many years; a hole remains in the floor of the basement where the printing press used to run. In 1924, a Patchogue Chamber of Commerce slogan contest was held and "OPPORTUNTIES AWAIT YOU" submitted by Harry Smith was chosen as the winner and their very first slogan.
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Arooga's
Photograph Source: Celia M. Hastings Local History Room, Patchogue-Medford Library, and Hans Henke, Patchogue Village Historian
Swezey & Newins
Formerly called Tower Hall, this relatively new-fangled kind of shop on the N.W. corner of Patchogue's Four Corners quickly became a Patchogue institution, a popular place to shop, a meeting place and landmark! In 1924, Swezey & Newins announced it was retiring its last horse and henceforth all deliveries will be made by motor truck.
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Shand's
Photograph Source: Greater Patchogue Historical Society
Shand's General Store
Having purchased the building from John S. Havens, in 1914 James G. Shand opened his successful general store here. Like Arthur Swezey, his career had started at the Hammond-Mills store.
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