History: Roe’s Hotel in Patchogue in 1924

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A Grand Hotel Once Occupied This Stretch of Downtown Patchogue

A photograph taken by Eugene L. Armbruster in May 1924 shows Roe’s Hotel on the north side of East Main Street in Patchogue. Automobiles line the curb beneath patriotic bunting, while pedestrians and street-level businesses, including a James Butler, Inc. storefront, occupy the block below the hotel.

The Patchogue-Medford Library identifies the Eagle/Roe’s Hotel complex as occupying 25-49 East Main Street.

The hotel seen in the photograph developed from the Eagle Hotel, built on East Main Street in 1851 by Austin Roe. Known locally as “Uncle Austin,” Roe operated the hotel for many years with his wife, Martha Ketcham Roe.

The couple retired in 1892. Their son, Gelston G. “Gilly” Roe, later leased the property to outside managers while the hotel continued operating under the Roe name.

The hotel expanded with Patchogue

A considerably larger addition was built beside the Eagle Hotel in 1893.

The original 1851 hotel was comparatively plain, reflecting the less decorative commercial architecture of the mid-19th century. The new section was built in the High Victorian style and included:

  • Dentil molding beneath the roofline
  • Overhanging eaves supported by brackets
  • A prominent roof balustrade
  • A small rooftop gable displaying the Roe’s Hotel name

In a 1910 postcard, the older Eagle Hotel appears as the smaller wing on the right side of the complex. The ornate 1893 addition occupies the larger portion of the building.

Roe’s Hotel remained open throughout the year. During periods when Patchogue received fewer seasonal visitors, the hotel accommodated hunting parties, business conventions and traveling salesmen.

Electric lights, fireplaces and telephone number 4

A 1904 Patchogue business directory described Roe’s Hotel, then operated under proprietor G.G. Roe, as one of the best-equipped hotels on Long Island.

The hotel advertised:

  • Guest rooms with electric lighting
  • Steam heat and open fireplaces during winter
  • Meals prepared under the supervision of an experienced chef
  • Special rates for families remaining for extended stays
  • Accommodations for automobile clubs
  • A remodeled and restocked café

Its telephone number was Patchogue 4. The local telephone directory was not yet burdened by an excessive number of digits.

By 1910, the street level contained stores, a telegraph office and the hotel lobby. The bar, dining room and kitchen were located behind the stores, while guest rooms occupied the upper floors.

Additional storefronts were eventually extended toward East Main Street, increasing the amount of valuable commercial frontage along the block.

A stopping point for New York City cyclists

Roe’s Hotel also became an overnight destination for bicycle clubs traveling from New York City.

Cyclists rode approximately 50 miles to Patchogue on Saturday, stayed at the hotel and attempted the return trip on Sunday. Completing both portions produced a 100-mile ride known as a “century run.”

Special railroad cars equipped to carry bicycles were available for riders who decided that the first 50 miles had adequately settled the matter.

The 1934 Roe’s Hotel fire

Blum’s began operating in the Mills Building in 1927 and had moved into this section of East Main Street by the time of the Roe’s Hotel fire.

On March 7, 1934, Roe’s Hotel and eight adjoining stores were destroyed by fire.

The Argus reported that approximately 40 hotel guests and the entire staff escaped, although many left their personal belongings behind.

The newspaper reported that two firefighters fell while battling the blaze. One suffered broken ribs and a possible leg injury. Another sustained a broken arm. Numerous firefighters were also overcome by smoke.

The New York Times reported that five guests trapped on the hotel’s upper floors were rescued and that seven firefighters were overcome by smoke.

Among those trapped was 78-year-old Lila Overton. She used a rope thrown to her window to reach the roof of a one-story structure below. She later slipped while reaching the ground and was treated at Community Hospital.

The other guests assisted from the upper floors were:

  • James R. Skinner
  • His daughter, Millie Skinner
  • Blanche Hough
  • Benjamin Nelson

Damage was estimated at more than $100,000. Investigators did not determine the cause of the fire.

What replaced Roe’s Hotel

The East Main Street block was later rebuilt with street-level stores. According to the Patchogue-Medford Library, only a small portion of the former hotel complex remained after the fire.

The Roe’s Hotel property occupied 25-49 East Main Street, a substantial portion of the downtown commercial block that Patchogue residents continue to pass today.

Photo credit

Eugene L. Armbruster, “Roe’s Hotel. North side East Main Street. Patchogue, Brookhaven,” May 1924. Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library Digital Collections, Image ID 58915994.

Primary visual and directory sources

Contemporary newspaper accounts

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