Brightwaters Restaurant Guide

In 1925 Arthur (Otto) and Josephine (stage name Ethye) Miller, former "Marvelous Miller" ballroom dancing team who had danced around the world, retired and purchased a lodge on what is now the Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore and named it "Marvelous Miller's Lodge". At that time, the lodge was used as a summer resort and consisted of twelve bedrooms, two with private baths and two others with full baths. Otto and Josephine ran the lodge.

The attic was converted into sleeping quarters set up as a dormitory accommodating twelve beds which were rented to construction men who were working on the Pilgrim State Hospital project being built then.

Josephine and daughter Ruth prepared brown bag lunches of sandwiches, fruit, cake or cookies and coffee to be taken out by the workers. The men were served meals for breakfast and supper. Weekends they went home to their families. This routine lasted about two years.

In 1938 Harry and Elsie Seifert leased the lodge building for a year, changed the name to "Old Heidelberg" and with permission converted the sun porch into a Bavarian bar. The Seiferts eventually bought it and ran it for several years.

Ruth Miller, daughter of the original owners, held her wedding reception at the "Old Heidelberg" with Dorthy (DeMaria) Miller as maid of honor. Her wedding pictures were taken by the local photographer, James Johnathan, Sr.

Mr. And Mrs. Fred Ooms bought the "Old Heidelberg" from the Seiferts in May 1952. They leased it at one time to Mr. Gerisi for twelve years. It was sold again to John Hickey and Thomas Lally, the present owners. They renamed it "The Jon Thomas Inne" and have operated it since 1977.