OLD ORCHARD TEA ROOM

Old Orchard Tea Room, Longwood Public Library Thomas R. Bayles Collection CS 17-18

The Old Orchard tearoom was located on the north side of Middle Country Road just west of Winfield Davis Drive. The home was built in the late 1700's. No exact date of construction has been established. The first person to live there was Squire Alfred Davis, who married Ellen Rider. They had four children and a son Samuel was the next to live in the home.

Samuel Davis married Alice Swezey of Swezeytown and they had four children. Samuel Davis and his family lived in the house until his death. At Samuel's death the home was left to his children, who sold the house to a cousin Everett Davis.

Around 1920 the home was turned into a tearoom. The menu was a simple one, serving hot and cold tea, soups and assorted sandwiches. Afternoon tea was served from two-six. The orange cream cake on the menu was a favorite of many. According to an article in a local paper, Eleanor Roosevelt wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt dropped by one day in 1936 but found the tearoom closed. She later made other trips to the tearoom with better luck.

Miss Julia Muirhead used the home for a tearoom for about ten years. She had run a tearoom in Middle Island before opening the one in Coram. The last to run the tearoom was Miss Jessica McAllister. A fire destroyed the Old Orchard tearoom in 1989.

Information compiled by:

Anushka Nicholas

Nicole Hormanshot