The original sales office built for developer Dean Alvord to sell Roslyn Estates residences.

Later became the Wee Tappee Inn restaurant and now The Cottage by Colbeh restaurant.

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Adapted from the 2005 House Tour Guide

Rolling hills that form the North Shore of Long Island have long been celebrated for their scenic splendor. Ideally situated in the heart of these famous hills is Roslyn Estates.

In 1900, the area that became Roslyn Estates was part of two large farms bordered by highways, essentially the same as at present, with only a dirt road meandering through. An 1897 map shows three buildings within current village boundaries, two homes on Warner Avenue, and the Strathmore Hotel on Old Northern Boulevard. The hotel was a regular stop for a stagecoach which made the four-hour trip to New York City daily. A barn, used as a carriage house and stables, and later a garage, was located behind the hotel.

In 1906, the Dean Alvord Company, one of the earliest large scale home developers in the United States, began selling homes and sites in the area under the name of Roslyn Estates. Alvord, along with the Union Mortgage Company, published a beautifully illustrated brochure noting that "some of the finest private properties in America are adjacent to the Roslyn Estates section" as well as "full a score of golf and country clubs.. .yacht clubs and bathing beaches."

In 1911, the Association of Roslyn Estates was incorporated and remains today the present Civic Association. In 1931, the Village of Roslyn Estates was incorporated to enable local residents to legally exercise zoning and other controls over their own community. The rustic beauty of Roslyn Estates is unique among developed suburban communities. This individuality has been carefully maintained over the years despite a very substantial growth in population. A deep sense of community pride is possessed by all its inhabitants who are always eager to protect and maintain the unique characteristics of the informal "Village" atmosphere.

Roslyn Estates sales brochure from the Dean Alvord Company Circa 1908

Roslyn Estates sales brochure from the Union Mortgage Company (Circa 1910)

1914

Wee Tapee Inn 1963

Matchbook (Circa 1975)