2,174 Comments for Bennett School for Girls

I was drawn to this website while searching for more images of the Bennett School for Girls. Images of this structure has been the wallpaper on my computer for almost 3 years now. Every day at work, if no other windows are open, I still visually explore the structure with reverence, even in it's dilapidated state. I could stare at it's broken shutters and shattered windows for hours.

I feel myself overwhelmed with emotion while pondering the history of the facility, and of all the countless lives affected by this magnificent structure. I cannot imagine why any anyone would want it demolished.

Pat u are soo funny

the proposal to develop the bennett college campus bludgeons
forward, minus Blumenthal. It is uncertain who are the new partners, if any. The previously involved Blumenthal has complained that over
one million dollars have been spent thus far on the approval process,
also citing having to defend against "propagandists" on record as being actively against this development....ho ho ho....the old
"it's the medium, not the message" reverse- McLuhan-esque
strategy......

yeah, well if it was only bloggers lamenting lost americana that stalled this wildly troubled development scenario, i would willingly
cry uncle, or Demo, or tapout, or whatever...

but it's heavier hitters than that, The Village of Millbrook, the developers of this proposal, and the owners of Bennett College are the focus of a lawsuit by Oakleigh
Thorne, namesake of neighboring Thornedale. His suit thoroughly
refutes the decisions, findings, and approval by the village board
in greenlighting this project in it's presented, and frankly, incomplete state. They ignored streams, neighboring historic properties,
easments for access to existing condominiums, not to mention
ignorance and non-registration with the DEC as an involved agency,let alone actual Compliance with those Laws.

The Tice lawsuit against the same, continues, with calls now for
the demolition of not just Halcyon, but the Theatre complex north
of the Exmoore mansion. Claims of lowered property value are being claimed for this small elegant mansion, amid multiple derelict ruins.
It is hard to argue against.

The theatre complex was part of the original Hotel's stable / farm complex. It's siting on the crest of a hill made it's [late 50's? early 60's?] conversion to a small theater a natural fit. It's layout was remarkably like the public recreation pavillions of Newport, and
NJ, that were called casinos, before the gambling function overtook that term. In the late 19th century it referred to all manner of large,
pavillion like buildings, but particularly structures that acommodated
a fair number of people, encouraged a promenade type flow of movement and interaction, and, unlike today, encouraged the
enjoyment of the outdoors, featuring porches, verandas, balconies
etc.

I could go on, but why? what a mess, it's depressing, right?

The Theater complex is claimed to be possibly hazardous / contaminated, etc nb lah blah blah blah

The gvt agencies won't pay to inspect and confirm the property
is unsalvageable as a [heh heh ] Historic Property {!}
[they play that History card real funny when they want,, huh? Usually, only
when it means they don't have to Do Something!!! lol.....
when someone says tear it down, it will be by gvt decree

I predict a call for the teardown of the Science Building in 2011
for the exact same reasons, and if only for the domino theory
for this property.

But as we have seen over and over,anyone can decree any law to order someone to spend a zillion dollars to kill a headache, it simply
does NOT mean that that will be DONE. By ANYBODY.

I can tell you I killed JFK. It doesn't mean it;s True, any more than
claiming Santa Clause is real,the moon is made of sharp Swiss cheese,and the image of Jesus regularly appears mysteriously burned into the taco shells of a small mexican restaurant in Val Verde,
California.

Or, as Judge Judy says - " What your saying doesn't make sense;
If it doesn't make sense, it isn't TRUE!"....

this whole Thing has completely "Jumped The Shark", as they say,
in the Boardrooms of Hollywood Studios that make movies that no one wants to see

so Halcyon survives, yet. A dozen decades.

ok! happy new year all,
& Motts, you Rock!!!

halcyon hall always looks cool in the snow....

as it enters its' 119th year, halcyon hall continues to defy the odds

it continues to fascinate and amaze more people everyday, locally,
and "online" as it were

i have seen it recently described as "the most beutiful abandoned
building in America" {!} maybe? i would not Disagree...

This is not a place for amateurs. These old buildings can kill you DRT (dead right there).

Drawn - you will Not be sorry if U go there- i'm there every Oct and just admire the old girl and will feel sad when she goes as it's beena 25 yr trrek for me

I first saw a picture of Halcyon when doing a google search for "old historic houses" and I believe it is just that. Historic. Beautiful. Magical. I could go on all day...

From the first moment I laid eyes on this structure, it has captivated me in every possible way. I've been able to think of little else than this magnificent building and what it must have been like in it's glory days. (I will begin studying architecture in the spring semester of 2011, so naturally these things intrigue me.)

It's a real shame to see Halcyon in this state. It [is] truly a flagship example of the architecture of its time. I would give anything to see it restored (as impossible as that is) to its former glory. I hope it's still standing...I am pretty sure to be visiting the East Coast in the spring or early summer and will definitely drive to NY (Even just to glimpse it from the road).

I'm glad I stumbled across this site. I've found so much about Bennett and Halcyon over the past 3 days-so much more than I could ever have hoped for. It sounds like the kind of place fairy tales are made of. Thanks everyone for the pictures and stories! History oozes from this wondrous place...it's legacy will live on whether Halcyon stands physically or not.

(Thanks especially to Pat Ratchet for keeping tabs on the situation! I just hope Halcyon will still be standing when I visit next year.)

This place is the real House of Usher... now where's MTV Cribs when you need 'em?

Looks frigging identical to the one at the local Elementary school here, except the one in the picture is in much better shape.

i have been in place's with floors that are about to fall down and its scary for the most, thank you so much for going in. the pictures are amazeing

Just bought one from the U.S. military, Elgin Air Force base, FL. $175.00. It was store outside for who knows how long but a little cleaning up and its works. I have to replace a few missing parts, though. It was used to make dog tags. rcassin@aol.com

ratchet u R right -cutting the old girl then one can see the staircasess etc- there is a building in Md.which was gutted by nature and I'd go there all the time to see the old outline of the stairs and how deep the basement went lots of imagination of how the daily life went of the girls who were in the Womens institute - a girls finishing home - the description was accuraate of the physical building of Halcyon hall how ugly and glad it was hidden by the trees !!!!!!!

I randomly came across this site while looking for haunted places in NY, haunted or not, the photos caught my interest. Even more so, the stories and comments left me wanting to know more about this Historical tragedy. I am presuming from the recent comments that is has not been torn down yet? I believe i read that restoration costs in 1991 would have exceeded $15 million? Does anyone have information on who owns the property and whats preventing a personal investor from the restoration? I am one of the fortunate Western New Yorkers that has natural gas under my land, and this would be a great investment property and a pleasure to restore. Shiznit1571@aol.com Please feel free to contact in regards.

wanderer, my friend, I believe what your referring to is the
physical plant of the college? it is square and concrete, it's roof was a small parking deck. It contained the upgraded [from the 1920's]
utilities for the school. There used to be a giant smokestack that was torn down in the late 1980's.It was probably the ugliest addition to the campus ever, that landscaping never quite mitigated.
nice that you were able to see it again while it all still stands. That is a pleasant time to visit Millbrook.

Not so sure I'd be around when they begin to demo, or that I'd want to be really. I'd bet that Johnny Kading will be there to photo or film that
process, something he has always done when Millbrook tears
down its' history.

The only interesting thing about that would be the ability to see
Halcyon cut in section, however briefly, as they demo. That is, to see
the interiors as they have not been seen, since they were being built
almost 130 years ago. Winding backwards, as it were, from profane
physical fact , back finally, to an ideal on a piece of drafting paper.
Architecture still exists even after it physically disappears.
From a dream in someone's imagination, now back to a dream in
our collective memories. These are the things that draw me, and most of us
i think, to these buildings in the first place. Mott's photos seem to capture that sense of connection particularly well, I think.

knock knock- if halcyon goes down get pics for us trapped in the netherland of the midwest