2,174 Comments for Bennett School for Girls

Flora, yes that was the NY press coverage of Halcyon's grand opening
ball. It was reprinted in The Millbrook Round Table in 1948, in the
local history column by my friend, the late Louise Tompkins.
Such a wonderful description, and so much emphasis on the women's fashion. From what i was told, many of these dresses became cherised estate heirlooms.
Sounds like they knew how to party in 1892. Dinner at midnight.
Kinda like Miami...

And you are absolutely correct about Halcyon's allure to NY society.
It was in fact devised as the mechanism by which a small group of
wealthy men could guide, and in fact auger the development of Millbrook along desirable social lines, specifically, an idealized reflection of
their own standing in the middle echelon of NY business and society.
I think architecture's singularly ability to accomplish this has always been one of it's most fearsomely powerful attributes.

As for the low level basement, perhaps they were considering some type of geothermal system?

Flora I think you are correct, I remember reading something that seems similar to what Pat posted.

Another note: Wasn't the above on the Opening Night at Halcyon Hall posted by Pat, an article in the New York Times of that time? If you Google Halcyon Hall, I believe it might come up.

Wonderful description, Pat, of what must have been an amazing event. Very elegant description of the women's gowns. Will this be in the book on Ware? I'd love to read it. There is a blog called BIg Old Houses. It gives some descriptions and photos of Halcyon in 2011. PR are you familiar with this? Since Halcyon Hall was at that time a hotel, it must have attracted much of NY society of that time. Keep us posted on everything.

PR your identity was given away a few posts ago but mum is the word ALMOST old Millbrook gentry

OPENING NIGHT AT HALCYON HALL
Friday, September 15th, 1893

The opening night at Halcyon Hall was attended by a brilliant throng
of 150 guests.The Russian Court Orchestra under the direction of Vladimir Periselroff played appropriate music. The members of the
orchestra wore strangely-fashioned uniforms of blue and red, trimmed with gold lace. Knee-length boots complete their peculiar costume.
Mr and Mrs HJ Davison led the opening waltz at 10:30 pm. Mrs Davison was lovely in a green brocaded satin gown trimmed with chiffon. She carried a bouquet of roses and an exquisite fan made of three white plumes.
A supper by Louis Sherry of NY City was served at midnight with the assistance of 25 waiters to 65 couples.
MR GH Daniels, general passenger agent, Mr John Cartensen, comptroller, Mr Van Etten general superintendent, and Mr FJ Wolfe, general agent at Albany of the NY Central Railroad were among the
distinguished guests.
Other guests were: Mr JH Rhodes, president of the Greenwich Bank;
Mr CD Flagg, second vice-president of the Wagner Car Co; Mr Julian Hawthorne,well known author and son of Nathaniel Hawthorne; Mr &
Mrs Samuel Thorne;Mr & Mrs Charles F Dieterich; Mr & Mrs CC Marshall, Captain and Mrs RF Hayes, The Misses Davison, Mr & Mrs JJ Donaldson, Mr & Mrs Oakleigh Thorne, Mr & Mrs Theodore Vail, Mr Thurlow Weed Barnes, Mr John Bigelow, Mr BR Bayne, Mr ED Beckwith,Mr & Mrs CN Davison, Mr & Mrs James E Ware, Mr Eugene Godey, Mrs BJ Trask, Mr & Mrs Frederick W Seward [noted political speaker and son of Lincoln's Secretary of State;] Mr George W Davids, city editor of the Poughkeepsie Eagle; Cannon Hallam of the Canterbury Cathedral, England; the Reverend Dr J Wesley Brown,
Dr Elizabeth Johnson, The Reverend and Mrs JE Lyall, Dr and Mrs John O Pingry, and Miss Pingry.
Mrs Donaldson wore an evening gown of pale grey silk trimmed with lavender ribbon and silk. She wore a diamond necklace. Mrs Vail wore a black point lace gown. Mrs Dieterich wore a pink satin dress trimmed with real lace. Dr Elizabeth Johnson was a striking figure in a crimson satin gown trimmed with white lace.

PS- Halcyon Hall opened on this day 120 years ago.

wow, i am quite taken aback. Thank you everyone for your very kind words, it is quite encouraging.
i agree with Wanderer, this place is like a movie star; or even a
RockStar! At the end of the day, I am just a fan, like everyone else.
Celeste, i totally get the obsession! I'm sure we can work something out, offline. Give me a few days.
Christina-aha, you have discerned pat ratchet's true identity! Well,
I guess the cat is outta the bag, lol!...thanks for not stripping my alias
bare here. In all seriousness though, good luck to you on your
project as well.
Flora, great hearing from you as well. That is a great site, HV
Demolition, Rob Stacinac is pretty thorough on the local tip. But
demo is still a gossamer fairytale until someone presents Actual
plan$ to do so. I'm gonna make a wild prediction now and say the
village will NEVER do anything until it gets kicked up to the County
or even State level of responsibility. Some way or how.
Nancy and Iceberg, thank you for your encouragement, it means
alot.
Now Bear, you are the wildcard, man! You are a nut! I have
never been in the Science Building, and know very little [besides it being an excellent example of bad "futuristic" 70's fartitecture], so you gotta
fill us all in more. I am totally intrigued.
I know it was state of the art academically for 1975, and was never used, as it's erection bankrupted the school a year later. Although
I'm certain there was ALOT more to it all, than just that.
I recall when Bennett was parceled off there was talk of marketing this building for commercial use, like the Nursery School and
the Medical Center on the former campus. But it obviously came to nothing.
But 8 levels of basement? Holy Agua Dulce, Area 51, Batman! Were they
planning some kind of 007-ish,secret underground lair, illuminati
new world order, austin powers style underground base ?

The only thing I love more than conspiracy theories, is ...
INVENTING my own conspiracy theories! THis place sits on the
campus's highest elevation. Are there tunnels? Hmmm..
to where?

I'd like to believe it connects to the underground mag-lev train network that crisscrossses beneath North America, connecting all of the
top secret underground cities of the Illuminati. Why not? Millbrook
has been a society and national intelligence epicenter since the 40's.

heh heh...

I'd love to hear more, Bear.

Great hearing from all. -pw

My guess is vandal or a photographer using it as a backdrop for a spoooooooooky portrait shoot >.<

I think you are letting your imagination get away with you ;p visitors of abandoned buildings, namely vandals, jokers, artists, and video photographers do these kind of things for their own respective and not so respected purposes.

Celeste- the photos of the science building aren't really online for as much as I know. The only part of the campus I saw online prior to going there was halcyon hall. But yes, isn't 8 levels just strange?? And the bloody handprint... Wish I could have checked more of it out, I was way too afraid after I saw the print though haha

I don't think I've ever seen a photo of this science building ;p but 8 levels of stairs for a basement? That sounds odd o.O"

thanx i check the whole board a few times a year and missed the banter -PR said the plans were online but where ? when I go to Millbrook next month will check it out -any suggestions- so the cops didn't see ya - u may have squeaked by this time- the place has been vacant many years so who knows when the handprint was made many people passed thru

I'M PUTTING IN MY 2 CENTS THIS PLACE IS MAGNIFICENT REGARDLESS OF CONDITION