After the Long Island Rail Road was extended from Great Neck to Port Washington in 1898, newcomers began settling around lower Main Street, quickly making this area the new hub of the community. Their arrival added a new class of people to the town; the original residents were known humorously as “clam diggers” and the new arrivals were called “commuters”. Lower Main Street, as we know it today, was quite different around the turn of the 20th century. The dirt road known as Flower Hill Avenue ran straight to the town dock, the curve being added in 1850. In 1912 the entire street was renamed Main Street.
Main Street also comprised a segment of the trolley line, made famous by Fontaine Fox in his comic strip, “The Toonerville Trolley”. The line opened in 1908 and ran from Port Washington to Mineola. Although the local terminal was near the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, it often made a stop at the Cove Inn, on the corner of Main Street and Shore Road. The trolley stopped running after a blizzard in February, 1920.
Today many of the turn-of-the-century and older buildings still exist on the northern, or “Village side” of lower Main Street, and many owners have maintained the charm and character of these structures by preserving their original facades as much as possible. The history of Baxter Estates is linked to many of these historic structures and locations. In 2003, the Board of Trustees enacted a Landmark Preservation Law to enable the Village to ensure that worthy structures are preserved.
The Village of Baxter Estates was incorporated in 1931. In 1930, the nearby Village of Manorhaven was formed after it became dissatisfied with the Zoning Code of the Town. The residents of Baxter Estates feared being annexed by Manorhaven, and so incorporated to avoid substantial taxes that would have been incurred if annexation had been allowed.
The growth of the Village over the many years since its incorporation has been carefully monitored through strict zoning and other ordinances. Preserving our distinctive residential area and the historical charm of the small business district are primary concerns of the Boards of Trustees and Zoning Appeals, as well as the majority of the residents living here.