GRATEFUL DELI “historically-recognized”-Truly Home-Made -

BY DANNY McCARTHY

It just happened just by dropping-in Grateful Deli right-off after Hobart Road in Southold at 55700 Main Road that I was requested “to-go-write-on-ahead” and compose about the establishment via owner 'JOHN.' So here goes …

???I remembered that there was The Quiet Man {bar} and then Ropin’ Roy’s – but folks {!} – Grateful Deli ACTUALLY is an historic building.

???Searching online for Southold Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities (SPLIA) - I located document SD-73 carrying two separate versions that included that above photo I inserted a-top.

????That SD-73 page entered individually within/online the Southold Town Records included these facts:

“Window in gable peak removed”

“Photographic Record of Historic Building(s) or Place(s) – 2013”

“Front Facade, West Elevation, South View.”

????There was a six-page combination of documents for the other SD-73 listing.

????“Rbt. Gilbert” was listed as the owner and that the then “Present” occupant was that it was a “Tavern” { - This is noted within SD-73 as having been taken from a 1986 interview with Robert Gilbert - )

THAT SD-73 version also says that “This was the home of the Eagle Hook and Ladder until the fire house was built in 1936. … When first used in the early 1900’s, the fire trucks were {horse-drawn}. The stables were in the basement.”

“Belfry removed.

The one-story addition on the

front blocks the original entrance.”

“DATE OF INITIAL CONSTRUCTION CIRCA 1909”

There was also an “Eagle Hook and Ladder Company 100 Years of Growth”

The final page of SD-73 is a copy of an attachment of a copy of a 100 Years Ago column from a The Long Island Traveler-Watchman with 1886 handwritten among the column area that reads:

????“The Eagle Hook and Ladder Company will soon have a nice house for their truck and meetings. Jerry Singles, Jr. assisted by Boss J. E. Corey, has finished off a meeting room, 18 by 18.”

JUST FOR THE SAKE OF IT …

I went online

And I’ve placed some of the statements that truly are so relevant to Eagle Hook and Ladder Company. The original font-size found typeset for this information entered is so small – so I increased the font size:

“This original hand pumper, an 1886 Rumsey, which can still throw a stream of water almost one hundred feet can be seen today at the Southold firehouse.?

?????Not wishing to leave their new pumper in residential quarters indefinitely, the men of Protection Engine appointed C. M. Ledyard and H. H. Lewis ”to seek about hiring a place or leasing a spot of ground to build our Engine House.”?Their work proved fruitful as a deal was struck to purchase a lot on the southwest corner of Beckwith Avenue and Traveler Street where construction was begun on the first firehouse, a building which still stands to this day.?Work on the new firehouse proceeded quickly under the guidance of local craftsmen with much of the material being supplied from vendors in Long Island City by way of the Long Island Railroad.

????????In early 1886 John Singley Jr. a man of talent and affluence, played a leading role in the formative years of Hook and Ladder.?Already elected Treasurer, Singerly enjoyed a reputation as a skilled wagon maker and blacksmith.?His prowess in his field was noted by his fellow firemen and he was called upon to build Hook and Ladders first Hand Truck, absorbing much of the cost himself.

?????With the Singerly truck completed, the Fourth of July parade gave ample opportunity for both Protection Engine and Hook and Ladder to show off their new apparatus and uniforms.?The parade line of march began at the Albertson general store {across from Mullen Motors} and proceeded to the new Protection Engine house on Beckwith Avenue where the proud members of Southold’s two fire companies basked in the celebration of the day.

?????By September of 1886, Hook and Ladders membership had grown to 34 men.?The services of John Singley would again be needed, as his generous offer to lease a building in his ownership was eagerly accepted.?A committee consisting of John Quarty, J. B. Young and Wm. Gagen promptly procured the furnishings for the meeting room.?This building would suffice until 1909.

?????To solidify their position with regard to land ownership and to assure continuity for the future, the men of Protection Engine Company voted to avail themselves of a recently enacted New York State law regarding volunteer fire companies and on March 30, 1888 Articles of Incorporation were filed in the name of Protection Engine Company No.1, making it the only one of Southold’s fire companies so constituted. …

… Speculation plays a role for Hook and ladder during the years 1913 to 1923 as no available record has been found.?The Huntting scrapbook of Southold Library’s Whitaker Collection records clearly the Truck House and contents being moved across Main Street?and west by Hook and Ladder member Charles T. Gordon.?Prior to this move a committee had reported the need to purchase 18,000 bricks from the Sanford Brickyard in Greenport for the fee of $5.00 per thousand.?This motion was carried and the building eventually moved to its new location.?Today, the building still stands, much as it appeared in 1913, and is now the Grateful Deli. …”

POSITIVE THINKING …

July 2012 - Customer John R. posted online on-board the TripAdvisor online website that Grateful Deli was {formerly} “Milano Gourmet and Deli and Church St. Deli.” Grateful Deli began in Southold in the Summer of 2010. That same John R. proceeded to say that Grateful Deli {has} “a variety of hot foods, {a} great catering menu, and easily the best sandwiches around with highest quality meat used by Boars’ {Head}. There are also on-to-go wraps, and salads. Also, looking forward to their online-order system which I was told would be created soon.”

8/14/2018 Ben M. of Calverton replied on yelp online:

????“Very cute little deli. The counter is very pretty and the food looks delicious. We all ordered lunch food and it was all delicious. Only complaint was that the chocolate chip muffin was a little dense. I saw that for a flower bed they were growing vegetables which I thought was very nice and sustainable. If they use those veggies in the store, it would be even cooler! The best part was the owners. They were extremely attentive and cared a lot about their customers and how they were served. I wish I were a local here, the owner knew every local who walked in the door. Very caring people.”