18 Comments Posted by Felicity
Felicity wrote:
Iceberg, wanderer, and flushed, it's my pleasure. I'm making sure to keep everyone updated in these final weeks, including some Bennett alums. I went down again today, and managed to get what I needed despite the weather. They've stopped at Halcyon's west wing, and moved on to Gage Hall for some reason. It's apparently constructed entirely different from how Halcyon is, with bricks and I-beams, from what I've seen. I think it must be giving them more trouble than they bargained for, because while they've made significant progress in the last week, they've only managed to demo half of what they did on Halcyon in the same time frame.
https://imgur.com/a/L2kWh9m
https://youtu.be/PgxxWwgRYXk
https://imgur.com/a/L2kWh9m
https://youtu.be/PgxxWwgRYXk
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
I've got news. Not much of it is good though. The only good thing that came from today was that I captured a lot of content for you all. I tucked up under one of the big old pine trees in front of the driveway, so I got a front row seat to what they were doing, and stayed there until they were done for the day. Either I managed to turn invisible, or the workers just didn't care, because no one paid me any attention. After they all left, I got pictures from every angle I could think of.
Nigh unrecognizable. That's all I can say about how Halcyon looks from the courtyard looking southwest now. The entire east wing is basically rubble piles, as well as half of the middle section. I also arrived to a nasty surprise. Hale House is gone. I guess they threw out whatever plans they had to make it a visitor's center. That means that every part of Bennett that wasn't repurposed back in the eighties has been, or is being, erased. To say I'm displeased is an understatement.
Watching Halcyon be torn down was a very upsetting experience, and I owe it to my composure that I didn't start crying while filming. Though every sound of falling stone and rending board broke my heart more and more. Still, she refused to go down without a fight. Despite the machinery tearing into the structure, nothing collapsed of its own volition. Even without anything surrounding them, the chimneys still stood tall. Another thing that I won't forget is the smell. The wind was blowing towards me, and it didn't smell like when the dorms were taken down, or the mold and poison that people who've gone inside have told about. Instead, it smelled of freshly sawn wood and antiques. That was the worst part. It was almost as if she still had life left to give, despite everything, but it didn't matter anymore at that point.
Anyways, sorry about that rant. Back to business. Wanderer, you're very likely right that the place will be bare by October, but you'll have a park you can visit instead. It'll be a very lovely place for a park. I'm posting the links to today's pictures and videos at the bottom. I apologize in advance for the quality of the video. That camera can take good shots, but I guess asking for good video out of something that cheap and old is a little much. I won't be able to make it back until Monday, so I'll hope there's still something standing then. Hopefully I'll be able to finish repairing my drone by then as well.
https://imgur.com/a/gMtjWva
https://youtu.be/oPdFppeL8W4
Nigh unrecognizable. That's all I can say about how Halcyon looks from the courtyard looking southwest now. The entire east wing is basically rubble piles, as well as half of the middle section. I also arrived to a nasty surprise. Hale House is gone. I guess they threw out whatever plans they had to make it a visitor's center. That means that every part of Bennett that wasn't repurposed back in the eighties has been, or is being, erased. To say I'm displeased is an understatement.
Watching Halcyon be torn down was a very upsetting experience, and I owe it to my composure that I didn't start crying while filming. Though every sound of falling stone and rending board broke my heart more and more. Still, she refused to go down without a fight. Despite the machinery tearing into the structure, nothing collapsed of its own volition. Even without anything surrounding them, the chimneys still stood tall. Another thing that I won't forget is the smell. The wind was blowing towards me, and it didn't smell like when the dorms were taken down, or the mold and poison that people who've gone inside have told about. Instead, it smelled of freshly sawn wood and antiques. That was the worst part. It was almost as if she still had life left to give, despite everything, but it didn't matter anymore at that point.
Anyways, sorry about that rant. Back to business. Wanderer, you're very likely right that the place will be bare by October, but you'll have a park you can visit instead. It'll be a very lovely place for a park. I'm posting the links to today's pictures and videos at the bottom. I apologize in advance for the quality of the video. That camera can take good shots, but I guess asking for good video out of something that cheap and old is a little much. I won't be able to make it back until Monday, so I'll hope there's still something standing then. Hopefully I'll be able to finish repairing my drone by then as well.
https://imgur.com/a/gMtjWva
https://youtu.be/oPdFppeL8W4
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
Thanks for the update Pat. The pictures are up on almost every Facebook page related to Millbrook, but I just can't bear to look. I suppose I'll head down either tomorrow or the day after. I'll get some shots and videos for you all.
R.I.P. Halcyon Hall. This fate was not deserved, but necessary nonetheless.
R.I.P. Halcyon Hall. This fate was not deserved, but necessary nonetheless.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
Just a quick update. As of Monday, the boiler house, Aldrich Library, and May Friend Bennett Chapel are no more. All that remains are giant piles of rubble.
https://imgur.com/a/2Ayi8Qr
Also, in the mayor's last newsletter, I discovered that they finally created a website for the park project. It has some useful information, including a semi-updated timeline.
https://www.millbrookbennettpark.org/
If that timeline remains accurate, which looks to be the case, Halcyon's demolition will start some time in the next week or so.
https://imgur.com/a/2Ayi8Qr
Also, in the mayor's last newsletter, I discovered that they finally created a website for the park project. It has some useful information, including a semi-updated timeline.
https://www.millbrookbennettpark.org/
If that timeline remains accurate, which looks to be the case, Halcyon's demolition will start some time in the next week or so.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
I went down for another check-in today. I've got nothing new to show for it though, as it seems they're behind schedule again, as always. I believe that the original end date of the demolition was supposed to be in early January, but the most recent one had it finished before March. At the rate they're moving, I doubt they'll make that deadline either. They're still cleaning up the debris from the two dorms, and because they have to be careful to preserve Halcyon's stonework, they won't be quick about demolishing it or cleaning up. They might finish before April, though who really knows at this point?
Iceberg, I was aware of that collapse in the east wing, but I had no idea it was to that extent. God bless balloon framing, I guess. Letting the interior take the full brunt of deterioration while the exterior keeps up appearances is the reason why she still looks as good as she does. Still, I had no idea that things had gotten that bad. I have to admit that even for me, the self-described patron saint of lost causes when it comes to Bennett, that's too much. There was no way that Halcyon could've been anything but demolished after that collapse.
Pat, you're right that it looks better with Alumnae Hall torn down. The wrecking crew rolled Halcyon back to its 1926 configuration, with the exception of the library, by tearing it down. Still though, when Bennett was still running, it didn't look all that bad. The stucco matched Halcyon's paint then, and it didn't look completely terrible. I'd like to also dispute your point that they built it just to hide Halcyon from the street. I remembered seeing that it was planned a good fifteen years before the road was shifted to its current configuration, and found posts from the Growing up in Millbrook, NY Facebook page that matched.
https://imgur.com/a/9LPbrf2
I wasn't in the Bennett administration back then, but if I had to take a guess, they chose to put it there because its location is equidistant from both wings of Halcyon and it was a spot where it would be relatively unobtrusive, at the time. Still, if I were in the Bennett administration, I think I would've tried to make it match Halcyon in more than color alone. As far as preserving the remaining stonework is concerned, yes, I'm also optimistic about the chances of preserving most, if not all of the major parts of it. I believe they'll easily be able to save that huge corner foundation beneath the porch. It looks pretty sturdy to me. The chimneys will have to come down, at least to a reasonable level where they can't be blown over, or kill someone if they fall. The biggest uncertainty for me has to be the stone arches of the porch that connect the foundation to the wooden mass of the west wing. I'm unsure if they can be saved, but I'll give the demo team a gold medal if they can manage it, as I'd really like for them to still be there. If and when any stones are knocked loose, I'd like to see them either made into some type of rock garden, or preserved for future use in the restoration of other Millbrook estates. No souvenirs for me. That whole business is beginning to remind me of the stories of Bennett's bankruptcy sale, and I'd not like to see a repeat of that.
Speaking of, I've found a whole bunch of news articles, magazines, and other odds and ends of paperwork like the two I posted above. If you'd like to see them posted, just let me know.
Iceberg, I was aware of that collapse in the east wing, but I had no idea it was to that extent. God bless balloon framing, I guess. Letting the interior take the full brunt of deterioration while the exterior keeps up appearances is the reason why she still looks as good as she does. Still, I had no idea that things had gotten that bad. I have to admit that even for me, the self-described patron saint of lost causes when it comes to Bennett, that's too much. There was no way that Halcyon could've been anything but demolished after that collapse.
Pat, you're right that it looks better with Alumnae Hall torn down. The wrecking crew rolled Halcyon back to its 1926 configuration, with the exception of the library, by tearing it down. Still though, when Bennett was still running, it didn't look all that bad. The stucco matched Halcyon's paint then, and it didn't look completely terrible. I'd like to also dispute your point that they built it just to hide Halcyon from the street. I remembered seeing that it was planned a good fifteen years before the road was shifted to its current configuration, and found posts from the Growing up in Millbrook, NY Facebook page that matched.
https://imgur.com/a/9LPbrf2
I wasn't in the Bennett administration back then, but if I had to take a guess, they chose to put it there because its location is equidistant from both wings of Halcyon and it was a spot where it would be relatively unobtrusive, at the time. Still, if I were in the Bennett administration, I think I would've tried to make it match Halcyon in more than color alone. As far as preserving the remaining stonework is concerned, yes, I'm also optimistic about the chances of preserving most, if not all of the major parts of it. I believe they'll easily be able to save that huge corner foundation beneath the porch. It looks pretty sturdy to me. The chimneys will have to come down, at least to a reasonable level where they can't be blown over, or kill someone if they fall. The biggest uncertainty for me has to be the stone arches of the porch that connect the foundation to the wooden mass of the west wing. I'm unsure if they can be saved, but I'll give the demo team a gold medal if they can manage it, as I'd really like for them to still be there. If and when any stones are knocked loose, I'd like to see them either made into some type of rock garden, or preserved for future use in the restoration of other Millbrook estates. No souvenirs for me. That whole business is beginning to remind me of the stories of Bennett's bankruptcy sale, and I'd not like to see a repeat of that.
Speaking of, I've found a whole bunch of news articles, magazines, and other odds and ends of paperwork like the two I posted above. If you'd like to see them posted, just let me know.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
Well, ladies and gentlemen, it looks as though our time with Halcyon is truly nearing its end. I made another run down to Millbrook today, and Halcyon is about the only building left standing. The May F. Bennett chapel is still there, Pat, but those two are it. I keep forgetting to take photos of it, because it's set so far back from the rest of the complex. Carroll Hall is completely demolished, as well as Alumnae Hall and its auditorium. The Bennett campus hasn't looked the way it did today since the early fifties, and somehow it was more recognizable like this than with the buildings there. Here are the pictures, for those of us who can't make it there.
https://imgur.com/a/7xfuILs
While I was there, they were cleaning up the rubble from the earlier demos. Based on that, and on the progress they've made since this video from Antiquity Echoes that was taken a week and a half ago, we have about another week left, maybe a little longer.
https://www.facebook.c...73901963&ref=sharing
I was planning, in these final days, to cap off Halcyon's existence with a big project. However, it appears that she doesn't want to be disturbed. I was planning on flying my drone through the interior, to get one final look on camera, but I couldn't fly closer than 50 feet without completely losing control of it. I tried a couple of times, but each time I tried to get any closer, it went wobbly, and when it straightened itself back out, it would be both further from the building, and pointing away from it. After the last attempt, I managed to get it back to me, but when I went to land it, it shot right out into the road as if it were possessed, and got totaled. I know when to take a hint, so if I ever manage to put it back together, it's staying far away from Bennett.
https://imgur.com/a/Q14U6EK
Pat, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one dreaming of Halcyon, though it seems our dreams differ somewhat. I have one every week or two, ever since November 2020, when I first visited. Usually it's still ruined, and usually it isn't the focus of the dream. Sometimes it is though, and occasionally it looks brand new, though those tend to be set in the past. I've even had one that felt so real, that it was as if it was a memory. Who knows, though? My dreams tend to be atypical anyways. No singing, Shakespearean, skateboarding giraffes for me.
https://imgur.com/a/7xfuILs
While I was there, they were cleaning up the rubble from the earlier demos. Based on that, and on the progress they've made since this video from Antiquity Echoes that was taken a week and a half ago, we have about another week left, maybe a little longer.
https://www.facebook.c...73901963&ref=sharing
I was planning, in these final days, to cap off Halcyon's existence with a big project. However, it appears that she doesn't want to be disturbed. I was planning on flying my drone through the interior, to get one final look on camera, but I couldn't fly closer than 50 feet without completely losing control of it. I tried a couple of times, but each time I tried to get any closer, it went wobbly, and when it straightened itself back out, it would be both further from the building, and pointing away from it. After the last attempt, I managed to get it back to me, but when I went to land it, it shot right out into the road as if it were possessed, and got totaled. I know when to take a hint, so if I ever manage to put it back together, it's staying far away from Bennett.
https://imgur.com/a/Q14U6EK
Pat, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one dreaming of Halcyon, though it seems our dreams differ somewhat. I have one every week or two, ever since November 2020, when I first visited. Usually it's still ruined, and usually it isn't the focus of the dream. Sometimes it is though, and occasionally it looks brand new, though those tend to be set in the past. I've even had one that felt so real, that it was as if it was a memory. Who knows, though? My dreams tend to be atypical anyways. No singing, Shakespearean, skateboarding giraffes for me.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
Happy New Year, Pat. I apologize for my extended absence. School took up much more of my time than I would've liked this semester. I can confirm though, that Halcyon still stands. For now, at least. I'm not sure how much longer that'll be the case though. They were about three-fifths of the way through with Carroll Hall when I stopped by today. The asbestos remediation looks to be complete in all buildings, but I'm not sure whether they'll go for Alumni Hall or Halcyon itself next. I grabbed some pictures while I was there.
https://imgur.com/a/dWaIpQt
If anyone is going to check it out, I'd recommend the utmost precautions. Wear N95 masks, and set your car to recirculate. I know they're spraying it to keep the dust and debris down, but the wind shifted the wrong way while I was grabbing those pictures, and it smelled toxic. I don't even want to know what I breathed in.
I think that the proposal for moving the gazebo to the park would be a wonderful idea. Sure they could restore it and leave it at the school, but what would be the point? It would see far more use at the park anyways, I think. And this time, they can't say that it would be used as a hang out spot for drunks and other ne'er do wells like they did the last time a move was proposed. It is crazy that it takes that much red tape just to fix a gazebo, but I see how it got to this point. They neglected it until it was too hazardous to work on, which seems to be a running theme in the village. Now it's a miniaturized version of the Halcyon situation of years past. Times have certainly changed, that's for sure. I have half a mind, some days, of relocating to Millbrook and attempting to shift the wind's direction back to what it used to be. The other half knows better, and that there's no going back. That's the one I tend to listen to.
Also, when you said "those of us whose dreams are occasionally haunted by this ghost ship wonder", did you actually mean that you dream about Halcyon sometimes? I'm just curious to see what other people's experiences are.
https://imgur.com/a/dWaIpQt
If anyone is going to check it out, I'd recommend the utmost precautions. Wear N95 masks, and set your car to recirculate. I know they're spraying it to keep the dust and debris down, but the wind shifted the wrong way while I was grabbing those pictures, and it smelled toxic. I don't even want to know what I breathed in.
I think that the proposal for moving the gazebo to the park would be a wonderful idea. Sure they could restore it and leave it at the school, but what would be the point? It would see far more use at the park anyways, I think. And this time, they can't say that it would be used as a hang out spot for drunks and other ne'er do wells like they did the last time a move was proposed. It is crazy that it takes that much red tape just to fix a gazebo, but I see how it got to this point. They neglected it until it was too hazardous to work on, which seems to be a running theme in the village. Now it's a miniaturized version of the Halcyon situation of years past. Times have certainly changed, that's for sure. I have half a mind, some days, of relocating to Millbrook and attempting to shift the wind's direction back to what it used to be. The other half knows better, and that there's no going back. That's the one I tend to listen to.
Also, when you said "those of us whose dreams are occasionally haunted by this ghost ship wonder", did you actually mean that you dream about Halcyon sometimes? I'm just curious to see what other people's experiences are.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
There's been a change of plans at the MCP, it seems. Never before have I been so happy to be wrong.
https://www.theharlemvalleynews.net/?p=59142
They're not going to touch Halcyon until some time in December, and now Hale House will be spared the wrecking ball. They're thinking about using it as a visitor's center. I'm quite happy with that outcome, as the more of Bennett that gets saved, the better. I'm not sure why they're delaying the demo by two months instead of going full speed ahead, but you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, so I'm not going to question it.
https://www.theharlemvalleynews.net/?p=59142
They're not going to touch Halcyon until some time in December, and now Hale House will be spared the wrecking ball. They're thinking about using it as a visitor's center. I'm quite happy with that outcome, as the more of Bennett that gets saved, the better. I'm not sure why they're delaying the demo by two months instead of going full speed ahead, but you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, so I'm not going to question it.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
It seems that they're moving faster than I had thought, or hoped, they would if demolition is already underway. I've been checking in weekly for about three weeks now, and while I had noticed more progress than I thought I would, I didn't think they had torn anything down yet. I didn't see anything from the road today, so it must be the buildings behind the hill. That said, from what I did see today, I don't think it'll be too long before we have to bid farewell to Halcyon. I don't think it'll happen this week though, probably next week, if I'm right. If they want to remediate Alumnae Hall first, we'll have maybe two or three weeks. Here's the pics I took while I was there, for those who can't make it in person:
https://imgur.com/a/s4qSrPO
Sorry if the quality isn't the best. I don't think the workers wanted me poking around, and I wasn't going to stick around to find out.
Pat, I was also just making a guess on when it would be finished, and I apologize if it seemed like something else. You're right that all of this has taken so much longer than anyone would've thought. But I think that whatever forces were at work causing all of the slowdowns, financial failures, and abandonment there don't have the influence they used to. If anything, this seems to be going faster than it should, and unless something comes from left field, this should all run like clockwork.
https://imgur.com/a/s4qSrPO
Sorry if the quality isn't the best. I don't think the workers wanted me poking around, and I wasn't going to stick around to find out.
Pat, I was also just making a guess on when it would be finished, and I apologize if it seemed like something else. You're right that all of this has taken so much longer than anyone would've thought. But I think that whatever forces were at work causing all of the slowdowns, financial failures, and abandonment there don't have the influence they used to. If anything, this seems to be going faster than it should, and unless something comes from left field, this should all run like clockwork.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
What do you mean a house disappeared entirely? Houses can't just vanish, right? Did someone demolish it under the cover of night or something? I'm sure that the entire area of Bennett is a utilities nightmare, like you said. From what I remember, that intersection at the monument was once the main entrance to the village, before they rerouted it to the Bennett light. That would mean that there's connections for the old campus buildings, the single family houses, and the condo complex there, as well as utilities for the village itself, if they put them there and haven't rerouted. It also appears that we're thinking along the same lines a little, because I also thought that Exmoore would make a nice bed & breakfast. It'll be nice and secluded, a park on one side, a country club on the other. Based on the presentation that I just saw, it'll also have walking access to the village, and the possibility of performances in the park in the future. Unfortunately, I don't even have 1.5 million pennies to put towards it, never mind dollars.
Speaking of the presentation, I've finally managed to view it in its entirety. Based on what I've seen it appears your estimate of 3 years might be a little long, Pat. They want to have it all cleared out by January 8th, and building a park shouldn't take too long after that. I'm going to call an end date by this time next year. Earlier if we have a warm winter and/or spring. Work should already be underway as I write this, but they're not planning to bring down Halcyon until early October. It may take up to a month for them to fully demolish and truck her out, so there'll be plenty of time for spectating. The demolition process all looked clean, well organized, and above board to me, so it should be relatively safe (I hope).
Ultimately, I can't find any faults with it. They're planning on using as much of the foundation as they can save, and there should be a Bennett tribute or memorial there in the future. Apparently the old amphitheater is still there up by the art buildings, and they're going to save it. They also appear to have listened to your ideas, Pat, as there's plans for a rail trail and bandshell there in the future. And as much as I hate to admit it, Bennett and Halcyon's sacrifice is a noble one. I was quite pleased with the plans for the park and Thorne Building. I just wish it didn't have to be one or the other, but it was always going to end this way, wasn't it?
Here's the link to the presentation, so everyone can see it for themselves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYOwvakxOV8
Just a word of warning, the audio is anywhere from manageable to terrible, but I could understand most of it. Use the captions if necessary, they help a little.
Speaking of the presentation, I've finally managed to view it in its entirety. Based on what I've seen it appears your estimate of 3 years might be a little long, Pat. They want to have it all cleared out by January 8th, and building a park shouldn't take too long after that. I'm going to call an end date by this time next year. Earlier if we have a warm winter and/or spring. Work should already be underway as I write this, but they're not planning to bring down Halcyon until early October. It may take up to a month for them to fully demolish and truck her out, so there'll be plenty of time for spectating. The demolition process all looked clean, well organized, and above board to me, so it should be relatively safe (I hope).
Ultimately, I can't find any faults with it. They're planning on using as much of the foundation as they can save, and there should be a Bennett tribute or memorial there in the future. Apparently the old amphitheater is still there up by the art buildings, and they're going to save it. They also appear to have listened to your ideas, Pat, as there's plans for a rail trail and bandshell there in the future. And as much as I hate to admit it, Bennett and Halcyon's sacrifice is a noble one. I was quite pleased with the plans for the park and Thorne Building. I just wish it didn't have to be one or the other, but it was always going to end this way, wasn't it?
Here's the link to the presentation, so everyone can see it for themselves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYOwvakxOV8
Just a word of warning, the audio is anywhere from manageable to terrible, but I could understand most of it. Use the captions if necessary, they help a little.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
I've made my peace with it. I still wish that it didn't have to end this way, but it does, and it's for the best. It's time for Halcyon to have her "days of halcyon rest". From her sacrifice, the town will get a brand new park, as well as a restored Thorne Building. I think that after I've seen the park completed, I won't be back to Millbrook. It's a shame, because it's such a nice town, but I have a lot to work out. Maybe time will prove me wrong. Speaking of the park, that public meeting that Pat mentioned will be tonight at 6. Hopefully someone will have a video of it, because I have to miss it for work.
You're right, Pat, that you're not supposed to take things from haunted houses, because they might have spirits attached to them. I'm not sure that Halcyon is as haunted as people say though. I think it's more a case of people telling stories to give it a reputation that fits its appearance. If there are any ghosts there, they'd probably be the spirits of upper class teenage girls. I could think of much worse things to have haunting your house than that.
As for Exmoore, thanks for pointing out that it was for sale. After taking a look at the listing, I can't really understand why it changes hands as frequently as you say it does. It's really a beautiful place, especially with the park that's being put in. I could only think of a few reasons why people might not be happy with it. The first is, I could see Halcyon through one of the windows in the photos, but that "problem" will be gone soon. Maybe it's haunted? After her death, Miss Bennett's body and funeral were held there. But again, I could think of worse. The last thing I could think of, is that being on the old Bennett campus gives me some intense feelings. I don't know if that happens to everyone, or if it's just me being a little odd. If it does happen to everyone, maybe they get overwhelmed living there long term? Those are my guesses.
You're right, Pat, that you're not supposed to take things from haunted houses, because they might have spirits attached to them. I'm not sure that Halcyon is as haunted as people say though. I think it's more a case of people telling stories to give it a reputation that fits its appearance. If there are any ghosts there, they'd probably be the spirits of upper class teenage girls. I could think of much worse things to have haunting your house than that.
As for Exmoore, thanks for pointing out that it was for sale. After taking a look at the listing, I can't really understand why it changes hands as frequently as you say it does. It's really a beautiful place, especially with the park that's being put in. I could only think of a few reasons why people might not be happy with it. The first is, I could see Halcyon through one of the windows in the photos, but that "problem" will be gone soon. Maybe it's haunted? After her death, Miss Bennett's body and funeral were held there. But again, I could think of worse. The last thing I could think of, is that being on the old Bennett campus gives me some intense feelings. I don't know if that happens to everyone, or if it's just me being a little odd. If it does happen to everyone, maybe they get overwhelmed living there long term? Those are my guesses.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
Yeah, I know that any "restoration" would basically involve demolishing most, if not all of Halcyon, and then rebuilding it. But parts of it, and even the other campus buildings, might be able to be salvaged or restored without demolition. Though in the end most of it would be brand new, that would be good enough for me. It's the most I could ask for without leaving reality behind. We're far too late in the game for any real restoration of Halcyon. That would've had to happen 20 to 30 years ago.
As far as demolition goes, I've seen small houses get flattened in an hour or two, so it might take a day each for most of the buildings. Maybe a couple of days for Alumnae Hall. Halcyon will be completely different. The sheer size of it, the structural integrity, and the amount of contaminants will probably add up to a lengthy process. I don't want to be there for it, but something is telling me that I should. It should be safe enough, especially with a good mask. I mean, the workers have to be there, and with everyone who lives in the condos, they must have to be very careful. If I were to be there, I'd probably be sitting up on the hill near Exmoore, staying off of their property of course. If worse comes to worse, I also have access to a drone with a 1/4 mile range.
I'm not sure whether or not I'd actually want a souvenir. As much as I'd want to save a piece of Halcyon from going to the trash heap, it wouldn't be right or respectful. It just feels like looting or grave robbing to me, though I don't think less of anyone who wants to, especially now. Maybe my mind will change once it's all said and done.
As far as demolition goes, I've seen small houses get flattened in an hour or two, so it might take a day each for most of the buildings. Maybe a couple of days for Alumnae Hall. Halcyon will be completely different. The sheer size of it, the structural integrity, and the amount of contaminants will probably add up to a lengthy process. I don't want to be there for it, but something is telling me that I should. It should be safe enough, especially with a good mask. I mean, the workers have to be there, and with everyone who lives in the condos, they must have to be very careful. If I were to be there, I'd probably be sitting up on the hill near Exmoore, staying off of their property of course. If worse comes to worse, I also have access to a drone with a 1/4 mile range.
I'm not sure whether or not I'd actually want a souvenir. As much as I'd want to save a piece of Halcyon from going to the trash heap, it wouldn't be right or respectful. It just feels like looting or grave robbing to me, though I don't think less of anyone who wants to, especially now. Maybe my mind will change once it's all said and done.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
Hi, Pat. It seems news travels fast around Millbrook. I was too broken up about it to come share it yesterday, but it looks like you beat me to it. I thought we'd have more time. After years of nothing being done, I hoped that there would be at least a few more to come. Enough time for me to finish my schooling, and raise the money needed to make Halcyon and the Bennett campus whole again. I guess after reading about so many failed attempts, I was beginning to think that only Mother Nature herself could bring down Halcyon.
I think you're right that they're serious this time around. It seems like everyone involved has their seal of approval on it, and with such an aggressive timeline, they're not messing around. They've also upped security in the area. I noticed a great big security camera on the front gate in the pictures from the Journal, that wasn't there in mid-May. I was kind of anticipating something like this being announced since I saw the paving notice for Bennett Common Way and Exmoor Lane about a week ago. Where I live, we have main roads in worse shape that still aren't getting attention. I figured something was up, but I wasn't expecting it so soon. However, this is the third or fourth time that it's been scheduled for demolition since this website went up, so you never know.
I'm still holding out hope. Call me naive, call me a fool, but there's still a chance, however slim, for Halcyon to be saved. As long as there's someone who hasn't given up, it'll still exist. Perhaps they'll change their minds in a month, and decide to renovate instead of raze. I'd still like to see this plan go through if they don't though. It's the best of what's available, and much better than those that came before. I stumbled across some renderings of the previous condo plans, and they were terrible, to say the least. I sort of know how you feel, Pat. I think the park plan is a good one, but I'm not ready to say goodbye yet, and I've only been here since November. You've been around Halcyon for your entire life.
On a happier note, for those of us not ready to leave the past behind, I've finished updating the Bennett in Color album. It now includes over 100 images, including some really good ones from the '62 and '64 yearbooks.
https://imgur.com/a/zd0N27g
I think you're right that they're serious this time around. It seems like everyone involved has their seal of approval on it, and with such an aggressive timeline, they're not messing around. They've also upped security in the area. I noticed a great big security camera on the front gate in the pictures from the Journal, that wasn't there in mid-May. I was kind of anticipating something like this being announced since I saw the paving notice for Bennett Common Way and Exmoor Lane about a week ago. Where I live, we have main roads in worse shape that still aren't getting attention. I figured something was up, but I wasn't expecting it so soon. However, this is the third or fourth time that it's been scheduled for demolition since this website went up, so you never know.
I'm still holding out hope. Call me naive, call me a fool, but there's still a chance, however slim, for Halcyon to be saved. As long as there's someone who hasn't given up, it'll still exist. Perhaps they'll change their minds in a month, and decide to renovate instead of raze. I'd still like to see this plan go through if they don't though. It's the best of what's available, and much better than those that came before. I stumbled across some renderings of the previous condo plans, and they were terrible, to say the least. I sort of know how you feel, Pat. I think the park plan is a good one, but I'm not ready to say goodbye yet, and I've only been here since November. You've been around Halcyon for your entire life.
On a happier note, for those of us not ready to leave the past behind, I've finished updating the Bennett in Color album. It now includes over 100 images, including some really good ones from the '62 and '64 yearbooks.
https://imgur.com/a/zd0N27g
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
That's a very nice video, Iceberg. If I'm not mistaken, it was made by the same team that's working on The Halcyon Project documentary. I can't wait for that to finally come out. There's also an opera about Bennett in the works. That was supposed to premiere about a year ago, but COVID threw a wrench in everyone's live entertainment plans. I'm not sure when the new premiere date is.
Pat, that 3D model of Halcyon sounds like a great idea, and I'd love to see it when you finish. I'm glad you liked the colorized photos. I should have an update coming to that album before too long, as I've found a lot more pictures, among other things. More recently, however, I've been helping the Bennett Swans find and digitize their old albums. So far, we've managed to get three out of the six of them.
https://soundcloud.com.../bennett-black-swans
https://soundcloud.com...sets/show-us-the-way
https://soundcloud.com...3/sets/all-that-jazz
Pat, that 3D model of Halcyon sounds like a great idea, and I'd love to see it when you finish. I'm glad you liked the colorized photos. I should have an update coming to that album before too long, as I've found a lot more pictures, among other things. More recently, however, I've been helping the Bennett Swans find and digitize their old albums. So far, we've managed to get three out of the six of them.
https://soundcloud.com.../bennett-black-swans
https://soundcloud.com...sets/show-us-the-way
https://soundcloud.com...3/sets/all-that-jazz
- Location: Bennett School for Girls (view comments)
- Gallery: Close Calls
https://tinyurl.com/mrxrnhn9
That was Saturday. I went down on Friday, expecting to see that, but I guess I was a day early. I took pictures anyways, and met a Bennett alum who stopped by as I was leaving. I planned on taking a drone video, with a different one, since my first is still in pieces. However, the exact same thing started happening, in the exact same place. When I got it back, it appeared to be perfectly functional, aside from not responding to any outside input. All I can do is shrug, and tell you that I'm sorry there's no video this time, but some force has decided that for me, Bennett is a no-fly zone. Anyways, here are Halcyon's final pictures.
https://imgur.com/a/pdnCB0e