Unless indicated below, this is a transcript of the original Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities/Town of Brookhaven survey form. Since most of the surveys were conducted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, much of the information reflects that time period.

Corrections to obvious typographical and spelling errors have been made. Corrections to factual errors in the original surveys, and updates or comments on the information are either enclosed in [square brackets], or are clearly indicated as updated material from the context of the comments.

Sites with an Inventory Code suffix of “S” are supplemental sites not included in the original surveys.

BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM

Old Brook Store

 If checked, this is a Supplemental Form, not in the original surveys.

Inventory Code:   Br07 
Prepared Date:   1982-07-26 
Last Modified:   1970-01-01 
Original Submitter
Submitter Name:   Town of Brookhaven/SPLIA
Submitter Address:   Town Hall
205 S. Ocean Ave.
Patchogue, NY 11772  
Organization:   Brookhaven Community Development Agency
Identification
1-Building/Site Name:   Old Brook Store 
2a-County:   Suffolk    2b-Town:   Brookhaven    2c-Village:   Hamlet of Brookhaven
3-Street Location:    
Ownership
 4a-Public    4b-Private
5a-Present Owner:   Valerie Lysloff 5b-Address:   378 S. Country Rd., Brookhaven
Use

6a-Original:   store and post office

6b-Present:   antique shop

Accessibility
 7a-Visible From Road

 7b-Interior Accessible
7b-Interior Comment:   during business hours
Building Materials
 8a-Clapboard

 8b-Stone

 8c-Brick

 8d-Board & Batten

 8e-Cobblestone

 8f-Shingles

 8g-Stucco
8-Other:   
Structural System
 9a-Wood Frame Interlocking Joints    9b-Wood Frame Light Members:   9c-Masonry:
 9d-Metal
9d-Metal Comment:   
 9e-Other
 9e-Other Comment:   
Condition
   10a-Excellent   10b-Good   10c-Fair    10d-Deteriorated
Integrity
  11a-Original Site  11b-Moved If so, when? early 1900's
11c-Alterations:   Store moved to its present site beside Beaver Dam Creek from just east on South Country Road and because of the curve, the opposite bank of the creek.  «»
Photo & Map
12-Photo Photos and images
13-Map
Threats
[Threats were not evaluated in the original South Shore Estuary Survey.  They are an evaluation by J. Deitz]
  14a-None Known:   14b-Zoning   14c-Roads
  14d-Developers   14e-Deterioration
14f-Other:   
14-Comment:   
Related Outbuildings and Property
 15a-Barn  15b-Carriage House  15c-Garage
 15d-Privy  15e-Shed   15f-Greenhouse
 15g-Shop  15h-Gardens   15i-Landscape Features
15i-Landscape Features:   on west bank of creek
15j-Other:   
15-Comment:   
Surroundings of the Building
 16a-Open Land  16b-Woodland  16c-Scattered Bldgs.
 16d-Densely Built-up  16e-Commercial  16f-Industrial
 16g-Residential 16h-Other:   
Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings
17-Interrelationships:  This structure is located on South Country Road, formerly the Montauk Highway, in the hamlet of Brookhaven.  
Other Notable Features of Building and Site
18-Notable Features:    T. Ellison owned the store and hotel in1858. In 1873, H. Bishop owned it, and in 1902 and 1915, the Valentines owned it. It had become the post office by then. It had not yet been moved by 1915. According to local history, it was first opened in 1815 on land bought by R. Ellison in 1805. It has been enlarged and added to. See Br (sic).  «»
Significance
19-Initial Const Date:   c. 1815  
19-Architect:  
19-Builder:  
Historic and Architectural Importance
20-Importance:   2 1/2 story, gable roof store with large shop front windows flanking center doorway. 1 story flat roofed wing on west added later and used for U.S. Post Office. 6/6 windows on second floor and arch-topped window in attic. Porch with roof across front. An example of the typical store now disappearing from the Long Island landscape.  «»
Sources
21-Sources: * Bigelow, Stephanie, "Bellport and Brookhaven, " Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society: 1968, p. 7. "Map of Suffolk County, by J.L. Chace, 1858, repository: Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society «»
Theme
22-Theme:   stores  
Prepared By: 
  Ellen Williams, research assistant  
Supplemental Material:
 

Copy of "Old Brook Store, A Building of Many Years". Long Island Heritage, July 1982. P.42.

Picture from "Long Island Heritage," October, 1981, page 21.

Copy of map showing Beaver Dam Creek in the hamlet of Brookhaven (then called Fireplace) with the Valentine store shown in its original location. As H. Bishop owned the store at least until 1873, this map may be dated between 1873 and 1902. "From leather-bound book of legal cases of Judge J. Lawrence Smith."

[Big Tom Ellison and his mother ran the original store and tavern during the early 1800's. In 1860 the store was purchased by Hallack Bishop and rebuilt. The store and adjacent house were later purchased by Charles Valentine who ran it with Forrest Reeves. At this time the store included a post office. The property became known as "Valentines Corner" and "Valentine's Brook." When Mr. Noble purchased the property in 1916, he moved the house to 3 Fire Place Neck Road (Historic Structure ID Br30B), and the store, by then called the "Brook Store," to its present location at 378 South Country Road. Adapted from "Bellport Village and Brookhaven Hamlet" by Victor Principe.]

[Patchogue Advance, 4 May 1945, p. 10: "Thomas Lyons has opened the former Valentine Store as a general store."]

[Letter, Osborne Shaw, Brookhaven Town Historian, to Thomas Lyons, 5 September 1956, Post Morrow Foundation Heritage Collection, Post Morrow Foundation, Brookhaven, NY 11719.: In August 1947, Thomas Lyons was appointed postmaster for Brookhaven hamlet, which duties were conducted from the Brook Store. Thomas Lyons was still the proprietor of the Brook Store in 1956, when the letter was written.]