William M. Valentine was one of the most important Roslyn merchants in the 1800s. He built this row of frame stores for his "emporium"at 17-21 Main Street. It is considered the oldest commercial block in Nassau County in continuous use.

William M. Valentine was born in 1809 and lived in the nearby William Valentine House on Paper Mill Road, built by his father. He built the first brick store in Roslyn on the adjacent corner of Main Street and Tower Place, facing the Clock Tower. William M. Valentine died in 1884.

Adapted from the 2001 House Tour Guide

William M. Valentine was born in New York in 1809, and married Mary Almy Seaman September 12, 1836. This union produced one son, James E, born November7, 1837. William Valentine was considered to have been "a prosperous and successful merchant in Roslyn" (The Valentines in America by T.W. Valentine, published 1874). Hisgrand residence (circa 1800, enlarged in 1865) still stands opposite the Roslyn Library on Papermill Road.

Based on the limited architectural analysis, both buildings, at 1 Tower Street and 17-21 Main Street, appear to have been built circa 1862. William M. Valentine operated a general store in the brick building and the upstairs probably housed his offices. The immediately adjacent frame building was probably leased to tenants for commercial or retail use.

It appears by the deeds that the land for 1 Tower Street and 17-21 Main Street was purchased in stages from numerous sellers. This was common for the transfer of non-residential properties and actually reveals the early commercialization of this portion of Main Street. Residential properties including farms and house lot sites were often larger and included acreage.

The first transfer to William M. Valentine was from John and Phebe Willis in 1838 for $75.00. The second parcel acquired was from Conklin and Susanna Leek, in 1839 for $50.00. This was for only a quarter of an acre (10,000 square feet) by quit claim deed. A pre -existing barn was apparently part of the premises and was transferred along with the land. Then in 1859, Sarah Kirby sold about one eighth of an acre, and the 20th Century one storey addition to the south was built here. This last deed also includes a stretch of land that ran behind the stores as well as a corridor to the millpond. For the most part these deeds cover only the land upon which this frame building rests.

The adjacent brick building site was transferred in 1841 by James Valentine and was a quarter of an acre. The store was not to be built until the early 1860's. At the turn of the century (1902), the Sanborn Insurance maps show the frame buildings (the William M. Valentine Block) housing a bicycle shop, a dwelling and a confectionery store. The "William M. Valentine Store" was a dry goods or general store.

According to the Sanborn map of 1908, the building was used as an upholstery shop and a "country sporting goods etc." retail shop. To the south is a brick oven no longer in use. The oven was part of a bakery (Kirkpatricks) which was in operation in the late 1890's. The Sanborn map of the late 1890's also show a jewelry store in the northern section of the frame building.

The brick store (the William M. Valentine Store) was a country store and printing office. In 1920, the William M. Valentine Store is a confectionery which probably also functioned as a general store. The adjacent frame buildings were used as an upholstery shop and two dwellings.

Although William Valentine died in the second half of the nineteenth century (apparently without a will) the estate was not completely settled until 1913. There were various claims to the property from potential heirs and apparently there was extensive litigation before the matter was settled. Finally, the property was transferred from all interested parties to a Mary Valentine and William M. Valentine, presumably heirs to the builder and owner of 17-21 Main Street. In 1913 it was transferred to Henry M.W. Eastman who held it for a year and then sold it to Charles and Ella Pearsall. Since that transaction, there have been five owners, the most current in 2001 being Ms. Dorothy Medina.

The building partially burned on July 1, 2000, and currently was restored.

The "Emporium" as seen in the 1970s. Photo by Roslyn photographer Ray Jacobs.