Col. Oliver Hazard Payne Estate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Col. Oliver Hazard Payne Estate
|
|
 |
|
 Location in New York
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | US 9W, Esopus, New York |
|---|---|
| Area | 60 acres (24 ha) |
| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Carrère and Hastings |
| Architectural style | Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 02001324 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 2002 |
The Col. Oliver Hazard Payne Estate is a large, historic property in Esopus, New York. It covers about 60 acres and sits right on the Hudson River. This estate is also known by the names Omega and Wiltwick.
The most important building here is a huge, 42,000-square-foot mansion. It's built in the Beaux Arts style, which looks a lot like a fancy Mediterranean palace. The mansion even has an open courtyard inside! It was designed in 1905 for Col. Oliver Hazard Payne by a famous architect named Thomas Hastings. His firm, Carrère and Hastings, also designed the well-known New York Public Library. Today, Marist College owns the estate. They use it as the Raymond A. Rich Institute for Leadership Development.
Contents
History of a Grand Estate
Who Was Colonel Oliver Hazard Payne?
Col. Oliver Hazard Payne (1839–1917) was a very important and wealthy man. He started building this mansion in 1909, and it was finished in 1911. The mansion was built where another large house, owned by John Jacob Astor III, once stood.
Payne was a colonel in the American Civil War. He was hurt badly during the war. After the war, he became involved in the oil business. His company was later bought by John D. Rockefeller. This made Payne the treasurer of Standard Oil, and he became one of the richest people in America.
Changing Hands Over the Years
Colonel Payne never got married or had children. So, when he passed away in 1917, his nephew, Harry Payne Bingham, inherited the estate.
In 1933, Bingham gave the large 484-acre property to the Episcopal Diocese of New York. They opened the Wiltwyck School for Boys there. This school helped young people from 1937 to 1966. Famous people like Eleanor Roosevelt were involved with the school. Even boxing champion Floyd Patterson was a student there!
In 1942, the Marist Brothers, who started Marist College, bought 60 acres of the estate, including the mansion. They used it as a quiet place for retreats for several years.
Later, in 1986, a wealthy businessman named Raymond A. Rich bought the estate from the Marist Brothers. He was the CEO of U.S. Filters Corp. He worked hard to make the mansion look beautiful again and lived there until he passed away in 2009.
A New Chapter with Marist College
After Raymond Rich's death in 2009, it was discovered that he had given the entire estate to Marist College. The college is located across the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York. The estate was worth about $65 million at that time. Mr. Rich also gave the college $10 million to start a special leadership program.
This gift brought the estate back to its connection with the Marist community. Today, the estate is part of the Raymond A. Rich Leadership Institute at Marist College. The mansion is used for important speakers, conferences, and workshops for students.
The Grand Mansion and Boathouse
Inside the Mansion
The mansion was built in 1909 and finished in 1911. It's made of strong concrete and covered with beautiful Italian limestone. The roofs are red tile. On the east side, there's a grand porch with six tall columns. This porch has a balcony that looks out over the river.
In the very center of the mansion is a special enclosed courtyard. It has a lovely fountain and decorated areas with paintings on the walls.
The Unique Boathouse
Close to the mansion, right on the riverbank, is a stone boat house. This boathouse was built shortly after the mansion. It's very special because not many boathouses like it still exist on the Hudson River. Its style is a mix of Italian Renaissance and a more natural, rustic look.
The Col. Oliver Hazard Payne Estate is considered one of the most important and beautiful houses in the Hudson Valley. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, which means it's recognized as a historically significant place.
