Henry Landgrebe was associated with the Landgrebe Hotel from at least the early 1890’s until his death sometime prior to 1910.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps dated October, 1910 locate the hotel on the northeast corner of Rockaway Avenue and Scranton Avenue in Valley Stream.
He apparently operated it with a family member (brother?) named Adam Landgrebe. They both emmigrated from Germany in the late 1860’s and were both listed with hotel as their occupation in the 1900 census. Both Henry and Adam were listed as New York State Liquor Tax Certificate holders in 1898 with the category “hotel”.
According to Valley Stream history, in September 1894 School District 24 was organized and while the first schoolhouse was being built, Henry Landgrebe rented rooms in his hotel as classrooms.
Henry’s wife Elizabeth was listed as “head of household” in the 1910 census and Henry no longer appears. Adam remains listed with the occupation of hotel in 1910 and is listed as a New York State Liquor Tax Certificate holder through 1918, but by 1920 census no Langrebe’s are associated with the hotel business.
The Valley Stream Historical Society has two photographs of the hotel on their web site. The first taken around the turn of the century included a sign for “Ales, Wine, Liquor and Cigars”. In a subsequent 1920’s photograph, after the start of National Prohibition, that sign is replaced with one that simply says “café”. I’m guessing the Landgrebe’s probably got out of the business in and around the start of Prohibition.
The former hotel site is now a Chase Bank.
The bottle I found is a champagne style with an applied blob finish. It falls within the 1890 to 1910 range that Henry was involved with the business and probably dates to the earlier end of the period.