Lagrange Inn West Islip NY closed for good!

**lubby** · 03-02-2011, 03:34 PM

This recently closed and is very historic. I will find more information and post it. For anyone who booked a party or wedding there supposedly is getting refunded.

**lubby** · 03-02-2011, 03:37 PM

The history of the La Grange Inn dates back to sometime in the mid 1700's when it was first opened by the Higbie family at the same location where it stands today.

Even without an exact date on record as to when it was originally opened, it is still believed to be the oldest place of its kind on Long Island, or at least in Suffolk County. It brought the town fame and recognition from the time it opened. And two years ago, the historical building helped unite the town when it was in danger of being closed after more than two centuries of operation.

According to a history on file with the West Islip Historical Society (WIHS), the Inn was built by Nehemiah Higbie and opened by his son, Samuel A. Higbie, some time near 1750. The name of the Inn is also surrounded by some confusion. Some writings say the name was chosen in tribute to General Lafeyette's home in France after he visited the Inn sometime in 1824. However, there is not any conclusive evidence that the General made a visit.

Another story is that a frequent guest named Samuel Eytinge gave the Inn its name. The Inn was also known as "La Grange House" for a while in the 1800s.

After Samuel, Richard Terry Higbie ran the establishment until he gave it to his sons in 1871 after his retirement. In fact, it was said to be owned by a member of the Higbie family until 1918. Yet there is a newspaper clipping on file with the WIHS which shows the Inn "kept by Capt. Benj. Cole, formerly kept by Richard Higbie." It also lists the location of the Inn as Babylon, L.I.

The constant appeal of the Inn was what it offered its guests: close proximity to the local beaches, good accommodations, fine dining and eventually an easy commute by train. By the early 1940s, the Inn stopped offering overnight accommodations and changed to a restaurant only.

In 1957, Uwe Paulssen was hired as a cook. He eventually became the Inn's manager and then a partner with the other owners, Willy Stukenbroker and Herman Junge. After the death of his partners, Paulssen became the sole owner of the Inn from 1968 until 2000 when he sold the business to Don Conte. Eventually economic difficulties became more than Conte could handle and the Inn was closed.

By 2008, a proposal to open a Walgreen's store near the Inn put it endanger of being destroyed. That led concerned community members to form the La Grange Task Force. The Inn was saved and the Task Force became the West Islip Association (WIA) in September 2009.

Earlier this year the Inn was reopened under the new ownership of Scott DiDonna, Dennis Garren and David Rousso. According to WIA's press release from March 2010, the new owners were "enthusiastic, energetic, and prepared to make the La Grange a premier catering hall