History of Roslyn
The history of Roslyn mirrors the history of our country. In 1643, Dutch-English colonists from Connecticut founded a settlement called Head of the Harbor in Roslyn proper. They pushed south to Hempstead on an old Indian trail, now called Roslyn Road. They also found an east-west path leading to Flushing which was later to become North Hempstead Turnpike or Northern Boulevard. In 1701, these early settlers built a gristmill on its present site so inland farmers could bring their grain to be ground into flour before shipping to New England markets.
In 1752, Hendrick Onderdonk came to Roslyn to operate the gristmill and two paper mills on the waterfront. He soon developed the community into a thriving commercial center for rural Long Island. In 1773 Onderdonk built what was possibly the nation's first paper mill on a dam over Roslyn Creek. Onderdonk also ran a store and a bakery, and in 1769 was elected supervisor of the Town of Hempstead. He was so respected that President George Washington visited Onderdonk in 1790. After the Revolution, Onderdonk built a house which is now the Washington Manor restaurant.
Other prominent families soon came to Roslyn to live and history moved forward. The Valentine family acquired Onderdonk's two paper mills in 1801 and ran them for almost a century. William M. Valentine was Roslyn's leading merchant in the late 1800's. The Valentine home became the Roslyn Village Hall in 1962. The gristmill became a tea room in 1916, with a guest list that included Gloria Swanson.
Roslyn got its name in 1844 reportedly because it reminded some of the Roslin Castle area in Scotland. During this time, Roslyn became a colony of artists and writers. In 1843, William Cullen Bryant, a leading American poet, settled here because of the scenic harbor. Bryant donated a library-meeting house to the people of Roslyn for the nation's 1876 centennial. The Bryant Library moved to the Roslyn War Memorial building on Paper Mill Road in 1952. In 1895, Roslyn acquired the Clock Tower as a gift from the children of philanthropist Ellen Ward. This Tower has served as a focal point for Roslyn since that time.
The effects of the 1900's were profound for Roslyn. The Northern Boulevard viaduct left Roslyn on its own. Historic houses were in a deteriorating condition. Plans to widen Main Street into a major north-south thoroughfare by Nassau County threatened to further create havoc. In 1931, Roslyn residents, seeking to control their own destiny, incorporated as a village. It was at this time that Roger Gerry, an oral surgeon, organized The Roslyn Preservation Society. Gerry’s group bought threatened historic structures and resold them to buyers who would restore them. He further established the Roslyn Landmark Society as a vehicle to protect the unique historical character of Roslyn. Gerry died in 1995, but his legacy lives on.
Roslyn village is easily accessible from Route 495 (LIE) off exit 37 or 38. Proceed north on Roslyn Road until arriving in the center of the historic village. Roslyn Landing will be located off a pedestrian access from Old Northern Blvd. (Main Street) while having vehicular access off Bryant Avenue and Skillman Street.