Toll Gate House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Toll Gate House
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Northern Boulevard, Greenvale, New York |
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| Built | 1860 |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000952 |
| Added to NRHP | August 16, 1977 |
The Roslyn East Gate Toll House is a special historic building. You can find it in Greenvale, New York, within the Roslyn Cemetery. It sits right on Route 25A, also known as Northern Boulevard.
This house was built in 1864. It is the very last toll house left from the old North Hempstead Turnpike. People sometimes think it was for the "Long Island Motor Parkway", but that road was much further south.
What is a Toll House?
A toll house was a small building. It was placed next to a "turnpike" or toll road. Drivers would stop here and pay a small fee. This money helped pay for building and keeping the road in good shape. The Roslyn East Gate Toll House was part of the North Hempstead Turnpike. This was an important road in its time.
A Bit of History
Over the years, the area around the toll house changed a lot. The North Hempstead Turnpike was moved about 150 feet south. This new path is now called Northern Boulevard. The Roslyn Cemetery, owned by the Roslyn Presbyterian Church, slowly grew to surround the "East Gate Toll House".
There used to be a "West Gate Toll House" too. It was on the western side of the Roslyn viaduct. But it has either been changed so much or removed. So, you can't recognize it anymore.
When the toll road was no longer used, the Roslyn East Gate Toll House lost its purpose. It became just a storage shed for tools used by the cemetery workers.
Saving the Toll House
In the early 1980s, a man named Dr. Roger Gerry wanted to save the Roslyn East Gate Toll House. He was the President of the Roslyn Landmark Society. But the Roslyn Presbyterian Church did not have enough money to restore it.
A smart solution was found! Three groups worked together: the Roslyn Landmark Society, the Roslyn Presbyterian Church, and a person named Richard Hahn. Richard Hahn agreed to fix up the building. He would use his own time and money. He followed special plans from the Roslyn Landmark Society.
A historical architect drew detailed plans for the restoration. They even checked the old paint to find out the original colors. After two years of hard work by Richard Hahn, the project was finished.
The Toll House Today
The Roslyn East Gate Toll House has been part of the yearly "Roslyn Walking Tour". Dr. Roger Gerry wrote a very detailed history of the house. You can find it in one of the "Roslyn Landmark" tour guides.
Today, the Roslyn East Gate Toll House is still a private home. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 16, 1977. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
