Gallo Restaurant (3 East Main Street) was an early contributor to Patchogue’s revitalization, opening in 2003. This is the site of Roe’s Tavern, built in 1820 by Austin Roe (1749-1830) and/or his son, Justus Roe. Austin Roe is famous today as a Setauket Spy Ring courier for George Washington’s secret service during the American Revolution. Taverns served as post offices and “gossip and news central” for villages, two hundred years before cell phones, television and the Internet. Roe’s Tavern was a stagecoach stop between Brooklyn and Sag Harbor. In 1851, Justus’ son Austin built the Eagle Hotel 100-200 feet down East Main Street. By 1857 the original Roe’s Tavern is called Roe’s Hotel on a map. The original Roe’s Tavern/Hotel was used by many other businesses until it was destroyed by fire on February 8, 1933.

Continue walking down East Main Street