The walking tour of Westbury, Westbury History in Stride, was begun by Historical Society members in the late 1970s and completed around 2010. The Historical Society’s program for May presented highlights from the walking tour. Take a walk around the village and discover some of the places that have formed its past, and still influence its future.
(Photos courtesy of the Westbury Memorial Public Library).
Westbury was settled by Quakers who had been persecuted for their beliefs in their home countries and came to Long Island for religious freedom. The Friends meeting house still exists at the corner of Jericho Turnpike and Post Avenue. It is the third building and there is now a cemetery next to it. During the early 19th century there was a split between the liberals and conservatives, resulting in the withdrawal of one group who built the Orthodox Meeting House nearer Post Avenue. The groups are reunited, but that building still stands as the oldest building for religious purposes in Westbury. There was a well and pump on Jericho Turnpike for the refreshment of travelers. It is gone but now serves as a symbol of the Historical Society.
The corner of Post and Maple avenues was busy then as now. In the early 20th century a trolley ran along Maple Avenue between Mineola and Hicksville. The United States Hotel was on the southwest corner. It later became the Greentree Inn, then Eugene’s where operas were performed every weekend before it was Benny’s. On the northwest corner the Chase Bank stands. This was previously the Bank of New York and originally the Bank of Westbury. This bank, founded in 1910, was located in the brick-faced building next door. It moved to the corner in 1924.
Luessen’s Hotel stood on the corner of Post and Union avenues, where the Horizon Apartments are now. Built in 1900, it replaced an earlier restaurant that had burned. It became Nino’s Restaurant, then the Piping Rock. The Piping Rock was damaged extensively by fire on December 8, 1999 and never reopened. People from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens would come to Westbury to spend a week or two in the summer at the United States Hotel, Luessen’s or Hesse’s Hotel (also known as the Emblem and American Hotel) on Grand Boulevard.
The post office has been located in various places around Westbury. The Westbury Station Post Office was established in 1882 in Queens County in Kelsey’s store just north of the railroad tracks. Edward Kelsey was the postmaster. In 1908, when Alexander Taylor was postmaster, the post office moved to a building on the west side of Post Avenue, just north of Maple Avenue. Station was dropped from the name. This section of Queens County had become Nassau County in 1899. John Scally became postmaster in 1913 and the post office moved to the McKenna building on the west side of Post Avenue south of Maple Avenue. Then it was on the corner of Post Avenue and Scally Place. That building also housed village offices, and even classrooms. From there it moved to the northwest corner of Post Avenue and Newton Street. In 1950 a new post office building was built on the south side of Maple Avenue near Linden Avenue. Carl Lidstrom, commander of American Legion Post 101, had been advocating for a new and larger post office building. This building was expanded and modernized because of the growth of the community and was dedicated in 1969.
The Children’s Library, Robert Bacon Memorial, on School Street is still standing and well used. It was started by Mrs. Bacon in 1924 as a memorial to her husband, who had been ambassador to France, and celebrated its 90th year last June. It is unique in that it is one of the few libraries built especially for children. The library was privately built and funded for many years, while open to all children. Now the Children’s Library is part of the Westbury Memorial Public Library.
