2,174 Comments for Bennett School for Girls

WHAT A SHOT! very marilyn manson...

this is the playground of the nursery school that was dragged to the halcyon lawn from atop the nearby hill. i attended
nursery school here in the 70-71, what a magical place it was! it was the training school for Bennet College's acclaimed elementary teaching program. the school
was est c.1930's. it was removed to here
in the late 80's, and the school has just
closed it's doors. funny, great school in
one of the most well to do towns in the northeast, closing, sitting on the property
of another great old school, long closed..

another true historical tidbit kids- stephen king based the hotel in the
shining [the overlook] on the mohonk
house in newpaltz, sister resort to halcyon hall. the one in the movie is
i believe in colorado, didn't they recently remake the shinig for tv? what would be the point, man! all yr hallway shots are kool, it's like the most out of the least, i could see a grouping of just hallways together as a show or book or whatever

the smell now is unbelievaby foul and
poisonous, to walk through here without at least a construction respirator would be sheer madness, let alone the massive asbestos and lead contamination, stay too long and you WILL get Very Very sick, ,believe me.
no one loves this place more than me but it is very hazardous.

this was one of the first elevators of it's type anywhere in the world, put
in by the Otis Co; then based in Poughkeepsie

this is the hall connecting the two attic wings. this was a common feature in alot of the architects buildings

GREAT SHOT! these really were wonderful when they were intact, like the
rest of this place. in the 1970's it was
grand. in the 1890's it was said to be like a palace

this was a makeshift corridor connecting
the former childrens wing to the off level
upper stories. this is in the eastern wing generally the better preserved part of halcyon, unfortunately the most boring architecturally, besides the tower and the grand ballroom

it's like you know the ghosts are ther even if you can't see'em! i've spent
countless hours in here as a kid, it is DEFINITELY haunted by some spirits, the vibe was just ridiculous, must be worse now from the looks of things....

oddly enough this portion of the Hall
was the nursery /childrens wing of the original hotel!

what a fantastic idea! a form of preservation even if the building disappears. i have thought of this.
i have original architect blueprints and
a wealth of other archival material!!!

you are correct sharry, this was the library
built in the early 6o's, i believe paid for by the mother of the hitchcock twins,later the landlords of the infamous timothy leary, but that is another story...

Friends of Halcyon Hall attempted just that in the early 90's and were thwarted at every turn by various owners, the village, and a cabal of real estate interests who want the site clear someday for more obscene condos,
despite having won landmark legal victories to ensure its preservation. these people are a preservationists worse nightmare come true. incidentally this shot is from the projection room.

the auditorium is in the newer, dorm
section of the complex, circa early60's
and is not in such bad shape as the
vintage era structure. this part might
survive, knowing millbrook...

Halcyon Hall, was built as a luxury resort in 1892. designed by NYC architect James E Ware, best known locally for Mohonk in new paltz. the building IS
alarmed, and is very hazardous inside as well. i am working on a history of its' designer. unfortunately it probably will
be demolished, to the shame of my hometown.