36 Main St, Roslyn, NY, 11576

William Valentine House

1 Paper Mill Road, Roslyn

Date Built1795-1810
Original UseResidence
Restoration StatusCompleted Restoration Date1963
Roslyn Landmark Society Covenant No
View House Tour Details N/A

Project Files

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Adapted from the Bryant Library

1800: Built between 1795-1810. Possibly built by William Valentine, who owned the paper mill and was the father of William M. Valentine (born 1809) a prominent local merchant. Members of the Valentine family operated the paper mill until 1891. William M. Valentine lived in the house and built the first brick store in Roslyn on the corner of Main Street and Tower Place, facing the Clocktower. William M. Valentine died in 1884.

1915: Valentine House and 2 1/2 acres acquired by the Roslyn Neighborhood Association. The Association was organized to "promote the recreational, industrial, intellectual, moral welfare of Roslyn, Nassau County, New York, and vicinity," The Neighborhood Association became the prime civic organization serving the Roslyn community. The Valentine House served as the headquarters of the association and was known as the "Neighborhood House." It was used by the Roslyn Visiting Nurse Association, The Red Cross, the Roslyn Boys Club and other community groups. The Neighborhood Association offered a wide variety of programs, including English classes for new immigrants, a hot lunch program and the first garbage pickup and disposal program in Roslyn. A library was established and during WWI a canning kitchen was in operation.

1916: Neighborhood House used as hospital during the infantile paralysis epidemic.

June 1919: Neighborhood Association begins campaign to erect a War Memorial Building adjacent to the Valentine House. October 24, 1920: Cornerstone laid for War Memorial Building.

December 1924: Trustees of the Roslyn Neighborhood Association vote to merge the Neighborhood Association library with the Bryant Circulating Library Association.

1935- early 1940s: Valentine House used in connection with theater activities at the War Memorial Building.

1951: Valentine House and War Memorial Building transferred to the Bryant library.

1962: Valentine House to become Roslyn Village Hall.

October 6, 1963: Dedication of new Village Hall.

1963: As described in above project files, in 1962 the ground floor rooms were restored to their original appearances and furnished in the style of around 1800. The "Museum Rooms" were restored under the supervision of architect Gerald R.W. Watland.

November 1968: Valentine House moved across Paper Mill Road to make room for Bryant Library (Memorial Building) expansion.

1995: Village Hall relocates to new home on Old Northern Blvd.

1998: Valentine House becomes Bryant Library Annex, housing library offices, Friends of the Library used bookshop and a computer training/meeting room.

1996 164 2 200 glass bw SL4

1996 164 2 200 glass bw SL4 copy

1996 164 2 200 glass bw SL4 1

Paper Mill Road with the William Valentine House in the background (circa 1872-1887) .

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Museum. George Bradford Brainerd (American, 1845-1887). Phelps Paper Mill, Roslyn, Long Island, ca. 1872-1887. Collodion silver glass wet plate negative Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum/Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Collection, 1996.164.2-200 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1996.164.2-200_glass_bw_SL4.jpg)

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Paper Mill Road (circa 1900)

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William Valentine House in the background and the Roslyn Paper Mill (circa 1875)

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1 Comments
Mindy

I love history and enjoyed exploring the area around the Valentines house. I feel its important to preserve the history of an area and not tear everything down. Thank you