Arcadia Publishes Lake Ronkonkoma Book

Arcadia Publishing came out with its latest book "Lake Ronkonkoma" in its Images of America series.

Sachem Patch received a copy of the book last week and picked its top five favorite images from the text. Here they are:

1. Images of Hollywood Pavilion: Firstly, it's amazing to see the lake filled with so many people and secondly that there was a pavilion with the Hollywood name. It shows a vastly different time and structure of the lake compared to today.

2. W.E. Coleman's Store: There is a photo from 1908 that show's W.E. Coleman's store where the Lake Ronkonkoma Post Office used to be. Outside there are horse-drawn carriages.

3. Hoyt Family Mansion: There aren't too many homes, if any, of this size today in the area. The photo from the 1880s shows a beautiful white mansion where the Hoyt Family lived at the end of Pond Road.

4. Dick Newton: The namesake for Newton's Garage, which still stands today, has some interesting photos in the book. One shows him fixing a demolished car in 1926. He opened the garage with his brother Sumner in 1923.

5. Hawkins Nine: The men of the Hawkins family had played baseball for years in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but league directors liked the idea of an all-Hawkins team, so in 1916 they formed the Hawkins Nine and an original photo of the men is in the book.

What's missing? There are no photos of Sachem High School North, Samoset Middle School, Gatelot Elementary School or the original Sachem High School, which is Samoset. There is a modern chapter in the book and a chapter that includes images of other schools from the area, but nothing related to the Sachem Central School District.

About the book: Lake Ronkonkoma, located in the center of Long Island, became a summer destination for wealthy New Yorkers with the arrival of the railroad in 1843. Luxurious hotels were built around the lakeshore during the 1890s to attract visitors. People would utilize the sparkling waters of the lake for boating, fishing, and swimming. At night, hotel guests could dance, gamble in the casino, and enjoy sumptuous meals. By the 1920s, as more people could afford automobiles, beach pavilions began decorating the shoreline of Lake Ronkonkoma. Thousands of people were flocking to this summer paradise. Canoeing, camping, dancing to live music, beauty contests, and fireworks entertained visitors. The area continued to grow in popularity until World War II when gas rationing limited travel. By the 1950s, Lake Ronkonkoma had become a town populated by year-round residents.

About the authors: Keith Oswald, a member of the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical
Society, was born and raised in Lake Ronkonkoma. Dale Spencer is the curator for the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society Museum. Utilizing the extensive archives of the historical society and local residents’ collections, Keith and Dale have handpicked and researched over 180 vintage images to offer a glimpse into a bygone era.

To purchase the book, click here.