The History of Patchogue

1759 – The land between Swan River and Patchogue River is purchased from Humphrey Avery by Leoffer

1782 – The Terry Gristmill is built at Patchogue Lake and Main Street

1808 – Patchogue’s first hotel is built by Justus Roe on West Main St. near Patchogue Lake

1814 – The Mill Dam is built on Swan River by Squire Mott

1820 – A church is built on the northeast corner of Waverly Avenue and Main Street, and it is used by

1820 – Justus Roe’s second hotel is built on the northeast corner of Ocean Avenue and Main Street

1832 – The Cotton Mill is built at West Lake by Nathaniel Smith and Daniel Gillette

1851 – The Eagle Hotel is built on East Main Street by Austin Roe

1858 – The Swan River Schoolhouse is built on Roe Avenue

1859 – Elizabeth Oakes Smith, noted author, lecturer and poetess moves to Patchogue

1869 – The South Shore Railroad Line is extended to Patchogue

1869 – Bailey’s Lumberyard begins on Oak Street

1870 – The Academy Street School is built

1871 – The Patchogue Advance prints its first issue

1875 – Patchogue becomes a Port of Entry with the opening of the U.S. Customs House on South Ocean

1876 – The First Baptist Church is built on South Ocean Avenue

1879 – Tower Hall (Fishel’s Gen’l Store) is built on the northwest corner of Ocean Avenue and Main

1878 – The Ocean Avenue Hotel is built

1880 – The Patchogue Fire Department Engine Hose Company #1 is founded

1882 – The first section of the Cliffton Hotel is built

1883 – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is built

1884 – “The Argus” newspaper is first published

1885 – Bailey’s Lumber expands and moves to the Patchogue River site

1887 – The Patchogue Fire Department Union Hook & Ladder Company is organized

1888 – St. Francis DeSales Church is built on the southeast corner of Main Street and Conklin Avenue

1889 – Construction begins on the Methodist Church at Ocean Avenue and Church Street

1890 – The Army Corps of Engineers dredges the Patchogue River

1891 – The Patchogue Fire Department Van Guard Hose Company is organized

1892 – Construction starts on the Congregational Church

1892 – The Second Baptist Church is built on Academy Street

1892 – The Patchogue Fire Department Euclid Hose Company #2 is established

1893 – The First River Avenue school is built

1893 – The Village of Patchogue is incorporated

1894 – Swezey & Newins takes over Fishel’s store

1898 – Weeks Boatyard begins operations

1899 – The Maple Avenue School is built

1904 – The Lake Street Firehouse is built

1906-07 – St. Francis DeSales Church is moved to South Ocean Avenue and Amity Street

1907 – The Carnegie Library is built on Lake Street

1907 – The installation of track begins for the Suffolk Traction Company

1908 – The Wilmott M. Smith Grammar School is built on Bay Avenue

1910 – The Baptist Church is moved from Academy Street to North Ocean Avenue

1911 – The Suffolk Traction Company begins trolley service

1912 – The Union Savings Bank is built on the northwest corner of South Ocean Avenue and Church

1913 – The Carman Estate is auctioned off

1914 – Construction begins at Emanuel Lutheran Church

1916 – The Gilbert Estate is auctioned off

1922 – The U.S. Customs House closes

1923 – Ward & Glynne’s Patchogue Theatre opens

1923 – Patchogue Chamber of Commerce is founded

1924 – Patchogue High School on South Ocean Avenue opens

1925 – The Boyle Estate is auctioned off

1926 – Brookhaven Town Hall is built on South Ocean Avenue

1928 – Granada Theatre built on West Main Street

1930 – North Patchogue Fire Department is established

1932-33 – The current Patchogue Post Office is built

1934 – A large portion of Roe’s Hotel is destroyed by fire

1946 – A major fire occurs at the Swezey & Newins store

1949 – The Maple Avenue School is demolished

1953 – The Olympia Ice Cream Parlor burns down

1956 – There is a total loss of the Mills Building due to fire

1960 – The Patchogue section of Sunrise Highway opens

1963 – The original train station is demolished to allow for new building

1964 – Mayor Robert T. Waldbauer wins re-election

1968 – The Fire Island National Seashore Watch Hill Ferry service begins

1970’s – The removal of oil storage tank farms begins on the Patchogue River

1971 – Major fire destroys the Lace Mill

1972 – The current Patchogue-Medford High School opens

1974 – Seton Hall High School graduates its last class

1978 – The Rialto Theatre on South Ocean Avenue burns down

1979 – St. Joseph’s College begins classes in Patchogue

1980 – Briarcliffe College’s Patchogue Campus is established

1981 – Patchogue-Medford Library moves to former Grant’s site

1983 – The Greater Patchogue Historical Society is founded

1996 – The Patchogue Garden Club is founded

1999 – The Greater Patchogue Chamber of Commerce re-incorporates with new name

2004 – Paul Pontieri is elected to his first term as Mayor

2007 – Copper Beech Village is completed

2010 – The Patchogue Medford Library wins the National Medal for Museum & Library Science

2011 – The Artspace Patchogue lofts are completed

2012 – The historic Carnegie Library building is moved from Lake Street to West Avenue