Saint Basil Academy (Garrison, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Basil Academy |
|
|---|---|
Main building
|
|
| Address | |
|
79 Saint Basil Road
, 10524
United States
|
|
| Coordinates | 41°23′51″N 73°56′13″W / 41.39750°N 73.93694°W |
| Information | |
| Funding type | Private |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Greek Orthodox |
| Founded | 1944 |
| Founder | Archbishop Athenagoras (Spyrou) |
| Closed | 1997 (as a school: it continues to exist as a residential boarding facility) |
| Oversight | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America |
| Campus | Rural |
| Campus size | 150 acres (61 ha) |
| NRHP reference number | 82001239 |
| Listed | 1982 |
| MPS | Hudson Highlands MRA |
| Website | Welcome to Saint Basil Academy |
Saint Basil Academy is a special place in Garrison, United States. It's a residential home for children and families who need support. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America runs it. Before 1997, it also had its own school.
The academy is located on a beautiful property called Eagle's Rest. This used to be the large estate of Jacob Ruppert. He was famous for owning the New York Yankees baseball team in the early 1900s. The estate is nestled between NY 9D and the Hudson River.
Many Yankees players, including the legendary Babe Ruth, often visited the estate when Ruppert lived there. After Ruppert passed away, the property was empty for a few years. Then, in 1944, Archbishop Athenagoras bought it for the church to start the academy. In 1982, the estate was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). This was because of Jacob Ruppert's importance and the well-preserved old buildings.
Contents
History of Saint Basil Academy
The Estate's Early Days
The land where Saint Basil Academy stands was once part of a very large area. This land was given to Philip Philipse by the British King in 1686. Later, in 1829, his grandson's daughter, Mary Gouverneur, inherited it. She divided the land into three parts. She kept the northern part for herself and named it Eagles' Rest.
This part of the land was later sold to Louis Fitzgerald. He was a local businessman and a brave officer in the Union Army during the Civil War.
Jacob Ruppert's Home
Louis Fitzgerald's three daughters sold the estate to Jacob Ruppert. This happened in 1919, 11 years after he had bought the Yankees. Ruppert had become very rich from his family's brewing business. He also served in the U.S. Congress.
Ruppert started big construction projects on the property in the early 1920s. He tore down the old mansion and built the current one. This new building was finished in 1928. It was designed in a style called Tudorbethan.
The Yankees, with their famous "Murderers' Row" team, became champions under Ruppert. Many players, including Babe Ruth, were guests at his estate. It's even said that Babe Ruth signed one of his biggest contracts there!
Ruppert's brewing business also managed to survive during Prohibition by making "near beer." After the Great Depression, land became cheap. Ruppert bought more land around his estate. He even had a small personal zoo there. It had one of the largest collections of monkeys, wild birds, and peacocks in the world at that time. Inside the mansion, he collected beautiful furniture, pottery, jade, and Chinese porcelains. About 40 people worked at the estate.
Building continued even after Ruppert's death in 1939. Smaller buildings were added, bringing the total to 26 buildings. Many of these buildings are considered important parts of the historic listing.
Saint Basil Academy Opens
After being empty for five years, the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society bought the property in 1944. They paid $55,000 for it. Property taxes on large estates were going up. But as a nonprofit group, the church didn't have to pay these taxes.
At first, the academy was for both boys and girls. But soon, they decided to only admit girls. This was because there wasn't much space, with only six buildings ready to use.
Besides its high school program, the academy also started as a women's junior college. It offered a three-year program to train teachers. It was also an orphanage, providing a home for children in need. Graduates often went on to work for the church as teachers or secretaries.
Later, in the 1950s, the school decided to admit boys again. By 1959, an old stable building was changed into a dormitory for boys.
The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) helped a lot. They raised money for the stable conversion and built a new classroom building. This building opened in 1962, just north of the mansion. The Pan-Arcadian Fraternal Association built a new gymnasium the next year. This gym also worked as an auditorium. These new buildings inspired Archbishop Iakovos to ask for money to build even more dorms.
In the 1970s, some programs changed. In 1973, the junior college programs joined with Hellenic College in Brookline, Massachusetts. Three years later, in 1976, the Philoptochos group sold about 250 acres (100 ha) of marshland along the Hudson River. They sold it to the Audubon Society. This land is now the Constitution Island Sanctuary. It helps protect different bird species that live along the river.
New construction started again in the 1980s. A library was built in 1981, and a swimming pool was added in 1986. Architect William Chirgotis designed and paid for a new chapel in 1985. This chapel was built in memory of his parents. A playground was built in 1990 with donated money. In 1999, a medical and dental facility was added. The academy continues to work on maintaining and improving its campus.
Who Lives at Saint Basil Academy?
As of 2004, most of the children living at Saint Basil Academy were from diverse backgrounds. Many came from cities. Often, children are sent to the academy by social service organizations. These children usually come from situations where they need a safe and supportive place to live and grow.
See also
- List of boarding schools in the United States
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Putnam County, New York
