Hicksville Hotels were the end of the line for the Railroad and a Boom for the Hicksville Community.
Hicksville was a place where the middle class made their home and it was the population boom of the 1950s that doubled, then tripled its population. Schools were built faster than anywhere on Long Island.
The hamlet we called home was a community that helped win World War II. Although Grumman was in Bethpage, it got its early start on South Oyster Bay Road when it purchased the Neder family farm. The planes that Grumman built were supported by many defense subcontractors, dotting many areas of our community along Duffy Avenue, West John Street, Cantiague Rock Road, and New South Road.
For many of the families that have been here for many years, they knew that Hicksville was the place to be. Some may recall the Hicksville Aviation Club, where Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and the rich and famous landed their aircraft. However, even before then, around the time of the Civil War, 30 years after Hicksville was established, the Long Island Railroad brought many people east from New York City.
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Railroad Depot by Herzog's BuildingOver the span of twenty years, Hicksville had over twelve hotels, mainly around the railroad station at Herzog Place and along Broadway. Travelers, brought east by the railroad, would need to rest at the end of the rail line, Hicksville before proceeding further east on the island by horseback or carriage. Perhaps the most famous hotel of the early 1900’s era was the Grand Central Hotel. This was the hub of social life for many residents and local organizations. Stories have been passed down that this was the place for those who had money.
