William Wainwright
Born1836
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died(1904-08-14)August 14, 1904
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

William Wainwright (1836, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – August 14, 1904, Brooklyn, New York) was a real-estate developer who was largely responsible in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for the transformation of Rockaway Beach, New York City, into a major resort and amusement area.

Biography

Wainwright & Smith resort in Rockaway Beach, 1904

Wainwright was born in Philadelphia in 1836.[1] At the age of 15, he moved to New York in order to find work. He worked in the mailing room of The New York Times for a few years.[1] Afterwards, Wainwright founded the Brooklyn News Agency.[1] After building up the business, he sold the Brooklyn News Agency to the American News Agency and moved to the City of Williamsburg in Brooklyn.[1] He opened a billiard hall on Grand Street.[1] After adding a restaurant to the establishment, it became a well-known oyster house.[1]

Wainwright was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1870.[1] He declined to run for reelection, preferring to focus on his business interests.[1]

Wainwright opened the Odeon Theatre in Williamsburg, which also had a billiard room and restaurant on site.[1]

After selling the Odeon Theatre, Wainwright became the owner of the Lake House in Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey.[1] He subsequently sold the Lake House and bought the Pavilion, which was at the time the largest hotel in Islip, Long Island.[1]

In 1875, Wainwright sold all of his businesses in order to buy half the interest in 150 acres (61 ha) of land in Rockaway Beach for $15,000.[1] With his partner James Remsen, the firm of Remsen & Wainwright began developing Rockaway Beach.[1] The firm built the Seaside House, which was then the largest hotel on the coast.[1] He continued to manage and expand the hotel after Remsen's death in 1887.[1] After Wainwright took another partner, the name Wainwright & Smith became ubiquitous on different amusement pavilions in Rockaway Beach.[1] A fire of unknown cause burned eight blocks of Rockaway Beach, including the Seaside House on September 21, 1892.[2] Wainwright rebuilt the Seaside House even larger than before.[2]

Wainwright retired from actively managing his business in 1901 due to his poor health.[1] His son J. W. Wainwright took over the management for him.[1]

On June 1, 1902, a fire started in the rear of Kasten's Hotel in Rockaway Beach.[3] The fire spread and ended up killing four people, injuring four other people, and destroying many of the properties owned by Wainwright.[3] Wainwright was determined to rebuild.[3]

Wainwright died in his home at 842 Union Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn, on August 14, 1904.[1] The cause of death was an attack of gastritis.[1]

Sources

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "William Wainwright Dead: Much of the Development of Rockaway Beach Due to Him]". The New York Times. August 15, 1904. p. 7.
  2. 1 2 "To Rebuild at Rockaway Beach: The Police Scout the Theory of Incendiarism". The New York Times. September 22, 1892. p. 2.
  3. 1 2 3 "Four Perish in Fire at Rockaway Beach: Two Blocks, Comprising Museum, Casino, and Hotels, Destroyed: Several Persons Injured: Heat So Great Firemen Had to Use Doors as Shields: Policeman Threatened People to Save Them: Loss, $125,000". The New York Times. June 2, 1902. p. 1.
  • Vincent F. Seyfried, The Long Island Rail Road: A Comprehensive History, Part Five, published by the author, Garden City, Long Island, 1966.
  • Vincent F. Seyfried and William Asadorian, Old Rockaway, New York, in Early Photographs, Dover Publications, 2000.
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