A little history from 62 years ago, 12/31/62.

The St James Hotel, also known as Moore’s Hotel, was situated on Lake Avenue, on the corner of Lake Ave and Railroad Ave, across from the old Blue Jay Market. At the time of the fire, the building was 58 years old, having been constructed in 1904.

A photograph by “Frye” appeared in the Smithtown News on January 3, 1963. This three-story wooden structure featured a peaked roof and was originally built by Michael Edward Moore.

While it was established as a hotel, portions of the building were currently utilized as a meat market and an electrical shop. Just before the fire, the new owners had completed renovations on the property. The incident was reported in the Smithtown News on January 3, 1963, highlighting the challenges firefighters faced due to heavy winds and sub-freezing temperatures.