Hotel Row

Written By Dino DiPietro

Here’s a detailed overview of the history of Hotel Row in what is now East Northport (also historically called Larkfield), along Laurel/Larkfield Road by the railroad tracks:

🏨 Overview of Hotel Row

Location & Marker
Hotel Row was an informal name given to the cluster of hotels that sprang up just south and north of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) tracks in early 20th-century East Northport. A historical marker installed by the East Northport Chamber of Commerce in 1999 stands on Vernon Valley Road, just north of the railroad tracks, commemorating these establishments. [hmdb.org]

Key Hotels on the Row

  • Leighton’s Hotel

    • Located north of the railroad tracks, initially owned by an individual named Dixon.

    • In 1908, Roscoe Leighton purchased it and hired architect Frederick Tiivola to add a second floor and modern amenities like indoor plumbing. [northporth...orical.org]

    • Leighton’s became a hub for local and traveler social gatherings—such as a 1917 celebration for returning soldiers from the Mexican expedition. [northporth...orical.org]

    • The building was eventually razed and replaced with commercial buildings along Laurel/Larkfield Road. [northporth...orical.org]

  • Larkfield Inn / Mortensen’s Hotel / Powell’s Hotel

    • A second hotel stood just south of the tracks—beginning as the Larkfield Inn, later renamed Mortensen’s, and in later years Powell’s Hotel. [hmdb.org]

Historical Context

  • Railroad Influence

    • With the LIRR’s arrival in East Northport in 1873, the community evolved from farmland into a busy agricultural and commuter stop.

    • This growth spurred development along Laurel and Larkfield Roads, catering to travelers and merchants through services—including lodging. [northporth...orical.org]

  • Rise and Decline

    • Between the 1890s and 1920s, East Northport flourished—with at least two major hotels providing hospitality to visitors and locals alike. [northporth...orical.org], [hmdb.org]

    • Over time, as transportation preferences shifted (automobiles overtaking trolleys and trains), the hotels gradually closed and were demolished to make way for commercial redevelopment.

🗓 Timeline

Late 1800s Larkfield Inn opens south of the tracks

1873 LIRR opens station in East Northport—boosts local economy [northporth...orical.org], [hmdb.org]

Early 1900s Leighton’s Hotel opens north of tracks

1908 Roscoe Leighton acquires and expands the hotel [northporth...orical.org]

1917 Leighton’s hosts soldiers’ celebration [northporth...orical.org]

By 1920s Row features two hotels serving agriculture/travel [northporth...orical.org], [hmdb.org]

Post-1920s Hotels decline, eventually replaced by businesses along the road [northporth...orical.org], [hmdb.org]

1999 Historical marker erected [hmdb.org]

Legacy

Though none of the original structures remain, the Hotel Row marker on Vernon Valley Road still honors that slice of early 20th-century life—offering a snapshot of East Northport’s transformation from farmland to an active commuter and commercial hub. The neighborhood’s architectural evolution reflects broader transportation and economic shifts during that era. [hmdb.org], [northporth...orical.org]

Dino DiPietro