In May of 1931, 39 residents of the development known as Baxter Estates walked into their neighbor’s garage.
It was a make-shift polling station, but one that was conveniently located in the neighborhood.
All 39 voters cast their ballots for incorporating into a Village. There was no opposition, so with that, the Development of Baxter Estates became The Village of Baxter Estates.
The village was incorporated officially on June 10, 1931. The village boundaries are essentially the land that was once owned by the Baxter Family, but also includes the oldest commercial buildings in town, on the north side of Main Street, from our Village Hall to just west of Irma Avenue.
It is a small place of 300 homes and 1000 residents, but far from sleepy.
If you have ever driven on Shore Road, eaten at Shish Kebab, attended a lecture at the library, or shopped at Dolphin Books, then you have visited Baxter Estates.
The history of the Estates begins with the Matinecock Indians who had a settlement here, most likely on the banks of what is now Baxter’s Pond.
Prior to the building of Shore Road, it was a tidal inlet fed by a small creek and several springs.
This native settlement was purchased in about 1673 by some of the peninsula’s earliest settlers.
In 1743, the land was purchased by Oliver Baxter. He, and later his descendants, lived there until the early 20th century.
It is during their tenure that the large sand dunes lining the Bay were mined and carted away.
A great many of New York City’s brownstones are made with these sands.
With the coming of the commuter rail, the Baxter Farm was developed into building lots along curvilinear roads, and what we think of today as the Village began to take shape.
Over 85 years, 14 mayors and 20 clerks have separated us from those early days.
The village has been home to many notable residents including Daisy Bacon who resided at 7 Hillside Avenue. Miss Bacon was the writer-editor of Love Story Magazine, one of the first women’s weeklies and she remained in that post for 22 years.
Her original desk is sitting in our Village Hall today. She also edited other publications for Street & Smith, the magazine’s publisher, including Smart Love Stories, Detective Stories, and Doc Savage, an early science-fiction magazine.
We are also proud to have had other notables including William Landsberg, renowned architect, who resided at 5 Tianderah Road; Ali Pourfarrokh, choreographer and ballet director, who resided at 20 Bayside Ave; Jean Ritchie, singer and songwriter, who resided at 7A Locust Ave; and Burt Young, actor, painter, author, and famous for his role in the Rocky film series as Sylvester Stallone’s character’s brother-in-law and best friend Paulie Pennino. Mr. Young currently resides at 299 Main St. and can often be found in town having lunch with his daughter and grandchildren.
There are more houses now, more people, the trees are taller, and the cars are very different, but it is still the little enclave of neighbors; neighbors who know and look out for one another and, when called upon, will offer their garage as a polling place.
Village Historian
