- The former Mitchell's Restaurant located in Greenport, New York

BY DANNY McCARTHY

"Our Lady of Ostrabama Rosary and Sacred Heart Societies {held} their annual Communion Breakfast, April 23rd after the 8:00 o'clock {stet} ~ {BOTH entries regarding the time were found-typed-&-then-printed-too within that CUTCHOGUE column.} Mass at Mitchell's Restaurant, Greenport. Guest speaker, {stet} - {The comma wasn't necessary.} Christopher Hunter will speak on the Phrophecies { stet } of the Blessed Virgin Mary/ Tickets {were} available from Jane Domaleski ... or Connie Beebe." ~ ~ {From the CUTCHOGUE {stet} column by M. F. { stet (Margaret Friis) } dated April 13, 1972. }
"There {happened to} be a {one-session- championship-tour-namely} for the Clark Bowl at Mitchell's Restaurant, Greenport on Saturday, October 28. {The Long Island Traveler-Mattituck Watchman dated September 14, 1972. }

That October 1978 article included: "That jewel {was} tarnished considerably ... following a disastrous fire that destroyed the landmark establishment in the early hours of Oct. {stet} 28, 1978. Although a new restaurant was built in 1981, at the site of what had been the complex's guest, Mithcrll's {had} never come close to regaining its status it enjoyed during its heyday. ...
It all began with Harry Mitchell, who moved with his family from Brooklyn to Greenport. Mr. Mitchell had been a b utcher with the Bohack supermarket in Greenport, and he was always very particular about the quality of meat served in his restaurant.
It took seven separate purchases, but the Mitchell property finally comprised alost a third of Greenport's downtown waterfront. At its peak, the complex offered marina space for 180 boats, a 16-unit motel and the restaurant. The dining rooms {accomodated} 425 people, making it the largest restaurant on the North Fork.
Mitchell's enjoyed its greatest success during World War II, {stet - the comma was not necessary} when the village economy was buoyed by wartime boat building. It was the setting for many large functions, including the minesweeper launching parties. ...
The restaurant may have served as the site for most of the large, formal gatherings on the North Fork, but most of the more relaxed meetings took place in the bar.
The famous rectangular mahogany bar, with its Tiffany-topped canopy in the center, was the best-loved part of the North Fork's best-known restaurant.
One half of the bar - including the Tiffany glass section - was carted across Front Street to Mitchell's in the mid-1930s. There {was} some confusion over who was the previous owner, but it {was} agreed that the bar came out of what was either Cassidy's or John ny Burns' salon. The original half-dated back to the 1800s; the other half was built later in Patchogue. ...
... After the restaurant was destroyed in 1978, Robert Mitchell said, "The building can be replaced, but the bar can't. That's the saddest thing about the fire." One Greenport fireman told of being on the scene that Otgober night: 'When I saw the roof 'cave-in' on that beautiful bar, I wanted to cry.' ...
... 'At 4:27 on the morning of Oct. {stet} 28, 978, Greenport Patrolman Donald 'Ducky' Miller reported a fire in the restaurant. Only an hour earlier, he had inspected the outside of the premises and all seemed secure.
At 4:45 .m., the Greenport Fire Department's Phenix Hook and Ladder Co. {stet} was setting up its equipment behind the restaurant. Few flames were visible, but the smoke inside was intense.
At 5 a.m., flame was breaking out in every area of the restaurant. At 5:15, the white brick and frame building was beyond salvation, Fire Chief Halsey Staples said. Minuts later, the front wall collapsed lowered with a thunderous crah.
Since 275 firemen were involved in fighting the blaze, which was finally extinguished after 8 a.m.{,} Suffolk County 7th Squad detectives said there was no evidenc that the fire was set deliberately; the cause could have been a malfunction in a compressor motor for a walk-in cooler.'
"Robert {Mitchell} was informed of the fire at 6:30 Friday morning at his home in Pepper Pike, Ohio{,} by a call from his siater Dolly. Eight hours later he was in Greenport." {Robert Mitchell stated:} "The building can be replaced but the bar (value estimated at $40,000) cannot {be}. That's the saddest part about the fire." It was stated in this article "The cash in the restaurant's case made it through the fire, wet {-} bu otherwise undamaged."
'Traffic was closed on Front Street until 4 p.m. and fire watches were posted at thr scene until 8 p.m. There were two rekindlings of the blaze which brought firemen back to the rubble. At 4:30 p.m. Saturday a truck was called out to douse a flare-up in what was the northwest section of the dining room, and awhile later{,} more smoldering was reported."
MITCHELL PARK is on the former Mitchell's Restaurant property.
Below features "my-take" on Mitchell Park:
https://patch.com/new-york/nor...