Northport Traction Company
Encyclopedia
Northport Traction Company was a trolley service in the Town of Huntington in New York. It ran from 1902 to 1924 and served East Northport
and Northport, New York
. The company only had one line throughout its history which ran from Northport (LIRR station)
to Northport Harbor. Unlike Huntington Railroad
to the west, Northport Traction Company never expanded beyond either Northport or East Northport, and no record exists of any proposal to do so.
extended their line to Northport, Unlike the stations in Cold Spring Harbor
, and Huntington
which were bypassed after both towns had arguments with Oliver Charlick over the locations of those stations, Northport station was located directly in town at Laurel Street between what is today New York State Route 25A
and Scudder Avenue. However in 1873 the Smithtown and Port Jefferson Railroad opened from a mile south of Northport to Port Jefferson, which included another station called New Northport Station
that was actually in East Northport. turning the old line into Northport into the Northport Branch
, the result of another argument between Charlick and Northport.
Old Northport Station was abandoned on October 17, 1899, and the Northport Branch was used as a freight line throughout much of the 20th Century. After losing rail passenger service in downtown Northport, and seeking the same benefits of trolleys further west in Huntington
, the Northport Traction Company was established by the LIRR on April 17, 1902. The line began at "Northport East Station" and ran along Larkfield Avenue to the fork in the road between Laurel Avenue and Vernon Valley Road, where it turned northwest down Laurel Avenue. Crossing Fort Salonga Road (now NY 25A), and the site of the Old Northport Station, it took a left turn down Main Street, where it continues west to the terminus of the street at Cherry (now Woodbine) Avenue. From there the line took one last south turn along Cherry Avenue before making a right turn into a car barn at Northport Harbor, near what is today Northport Memorial Park.
As with many trolley lines throughout the country, the use of the service began to decline at the end of World War I
, due to the cost of the war and the rise in the use of automobiles. Therefore, the LIRR prepared to remove involvement with trolleys, and in 1924 the line was abandoned. Part of the HART
H4 bus route uses the route of the former trolley line. The remnants of the line can still be found along some streets, especially Main Street, which is lined with buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
East Northport, New York
East Northport is a hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 20,845 at the 2000 census.-Founding:...
and Northport, New York
Northport, New York
Northport is a village in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village population was 7,606. Students attend the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District....
. The company only had one line throughout its history which ran from Northport (LIRR station)
Northport (LIRR station)
Northport is a station on the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It is located at the corner of Larkfield Road and Bellerose Avenue, north of Suffolk CR 11 in East Northport, New York.-History:...
to Northport Harbor. Unlike Huntington Railroad
Huntington Railroad
The Huntington Railroad was established on July 19, 1890 with a trolley line between Huntington Village and Halesite. It was eventually extended to Huntington Railroad Station, then along what is today mostly NY 110 through Melville, Farmingdale, and as far south as the docks of Amityville...
to the west, Northport Traction Company never expanded beyond either Northport or East Northport, and no record exists of any proposal to do so.
History
In 1868, the Hicksville and Syosset Railroad, a subsidiary of the Long Island Rail RoadLong Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
extended their line to Northport, Unlike the stations in Cold Spring Harbor
Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Cold Spring Harbor is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,975.Cold Spring Harbor is in the Town of Huntington.-History:...
, and Huntington
Huntington (CDP), New York
Huntington is a hamlet located in the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The Census Bureau has also defined a census-designated place with the same name that corresponds to the most densely populated area, however local understanding of the hamlet may differ somewhat...
which were bypassed after both towns had arguments with Oliver Charlick over the locations of those stations, Northport station was located directly in town at Laurel Street between what is today New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A is a state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore of Long Island, running from the Queens Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Queens at its western terminus to...
and Scudder Avenue. However in 1873 the Smithtown and Port Jefferson Railroad opened from a mile south of Northport to Port Jefferson, which included another station called New Northport Station
Northport (LIRR station)
Northport is a station on the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. It is located at the corner of Larkfield Road and Bellerose Avenue, north of Suffolk CR 11 in East Northport, New York.-History:...
that was actually in East Northport. turning the old line into Northport into the Northport Branch
Northport Branch
The Northport Branch was a spur off the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road, running from between Greenlawn and Northport stations to directly within Northport Village....
, the result of another argument between Charlick and Northport.
Old Northport Station was abandoned on October 17, 1899, and the Northport Branch was used as a freight line throughout much of the 20th Century. After losing rail passenger service in downtown Northport, and seeking the same benefits of trolleys further west in Huntington
Huntington (CDP), New York
Huntington is a hamlet located in the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The Census Bureau has also defined a census-designated place with the same name that corresponds to the most densely populated area, however local understanding of the hamlet may differ somewhat...
, the Northport Traction Company was established by the LIRR on April 17, 1902. The line began at "Northport East Station" and ran along Larkfield Avenue to the fork in the road between Laurel Avenue and Vernon Valley Road, where it turned northwest down Laurel Avenue. Crossing Fort Salonga Road (now NY 25A), and the site of the Old Northport Station, it took a left turn down Main Street, where it continues west to the terminus of the street at Cherry (now Woodbine) Avenue. From there the line took one last south turn along Cherry Avenue before making a right turn into a car barn at Northport Harbor, near what is today Northport Memorial Park.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, due to the cost of the war and the rise in the use of automobiles. Therefore, the LIRR prepared to remove involvement with trolleys, and in 1924 the line was abandoned. Part of the HART
Huntington Area Rapid Transit
Huntington Area Rapid Transit is a bus system exclusively within the Town of Huntington in the state of New York. The system is completely separate from Suffolk County Transit....
H4 bus route uses the route of the former trolley line. The remnants of the line can still be found along some streets, especially Main Street, which is lined with buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.