History Of Lake Grove, NY
History of Lake Grove, NY
Nestled in the heart of the affluent suburban stretch that is Suffolk County, Lake Grove is a beautiful village that has evolved from a simple settlement with muddy roads to a world-class residential and commercial center. The village’s central location on Long Island is one of its main selling points along with its many beautiful neighborhoods, schools, and public amenities.
As an incorporated community within the town of Brookhaven, Lake Grove has a population of a little over 11,000 residents. As mentioned before, the village is one of the fastest-growing commercial districts in Suffolk County alongside Stony Brook, Nesconset, and South Setauket.
Unlike most modern communities in Suffolk County, the Lake Grove area was not settled by the indigenous people and remained relatively inactive for a very long except for a few Indian tribes who passed through the area via a remote footpath that later became the Old Kings Highway. The English settlers arrived in the area in the 1700s and establish a settlement in Lake Grove, NY.
The population of the village increased greatly especially with the construction of the first community church in 1818. The church remains a historical attraction in the village until today.
Since its inception, Lake Grove has gone by different names including Lakeville, Lakeland, Ronkonkoma, New Village, and West Middle Island. Lake Grove was adopted as the official of the village in the mid-19th century in reference to the many clusters of trees found near the Village’s border with Lake Ronkonkoma.
In the 20 century, Lake Ronkonkoma evolved into a popular recreational town, prompting the construction of summer vacation houses in Lake Grove. This is seen as the first construction boom in the village. The village gave birth to major settlements hamlets namely the Centereach and Stony Brook.
The completion of the Nesconset Highway in the mid-1950s brought even more new residents and development. This included the construction of the Smith Haven Mall in 1968 and ultimately the official incorporation of the village by popular demand later that year.
Today, Lake Grove boasts of having world-class infrastructure, a fully functional government, and numerous family-friendly neighborhoods. The village is served by three public school districts namely Sachem, Three Village, and Middle Country. In terms of recreation, Lake Grove is home to numerous parks, preserves, and trails. With its strategic location, Lake Grove is expected to develop from a predominant residential community into a commercial giant in the years to come.