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The Salesian School

The earliest of deeds, dated 1791, list Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Carpenter among the landowners. Four other families are also owners of the land; DeWitt and Mary Ann Duryea; Nathan Wheeler and Caroline Johnson; John and Mary Heard; John and Elizabeth Wallace. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter later deed their land to their son James Carpenter. When James Carpenter died, in 1817, he left his property to his three children. In 1826, the sole surviving heir of his property was Fannie Jansen, who upon her death in 1834 had divided the property into five parcels for her five children; one daughter was Mary Ellen Haight, wife of Mr. David Henry Haight. Mary Ellen inherits the 183-acre homestead called Nap knoll, and Mr. Haight sets about improving the land, which now with the addition of Nap knoll is approximately 450 acres. The period of 1834-1864 David Henry Haight buys the property back from the remaining four siblings and the families of John and Mary Heard, and DeWitt and Mary Ann Dur yea until all the parcels have been reconnected. The grounds are developed with different pine trees imported from Europe, two large greenhouses with a field stone chimney, stables, and carriage houses were then built upon the property. Upon his death in 1876 Mr. Height is laid to rest in the newly constructed Height Mausoleum. In 1895 Mary Ellen Height dies and is buried with her husband. At the time of her death, the site of the mansion went to a Board of Trustees. Just after Height’s death, a pond located on the premises and known as Height’s Pond is open to the public. Upon Mary Ellen’s death the custodian of the mausoleum, Mr. Sher er is leased the caretaker’s cottage for life. The Mausoleum is provided for by a fund designated for that purpose, and is protected under charter by New York State. In 1901 the Estate is sold to John and Marie McCullough who rename the property Low Wood Park. The Caretakers cottage, cemetery and mausoleum are separated from the main parcel. In 1905 it is sold to Mr. Grant Hugh Browne who renames it Brownish Park. Mr. Browne builds a horse track, water tower, a spacious carriage house, stately entrance and pillars. He developed the land for different uses and built a large iron fence and gate around the front portion of the building. He built Brownish Arena and brought world class boxing matches to the Town of Gos hen. Additional improvements made by Mr. Browne included enlarging the main mansion, further landscaping with the addition of bridal paths around the perimeter, hillside grottoes, and a new water tower. Atop the tower was a viewing station to overlook the property and its activities. In 1921 Mr. Browne met with financial difficulties and the estate is placed into the hands of attorneys. In 1922 it was used as a Rehabilitation Center for soldiers and operated by Arthur Decker, a Gos hen resident. In 1924 at a tax foreclosure sale, the property is purchased by Henry Hokier who in two months sells it to James Furry and James Do ran; attorneys from New York City. By this time, the mansion has now fallen into need of repair. In 1925 the Silesia Fathers purchase the property for approximately $61,000 and open it as a Catholic resident school for boys. Renovations were made converting the carriage house into a school, and the arena into a gym. The former Height Mansion served as the administration building for the school. It housed the dining rooms, kitchen, office, and faculty rooms. In 1938 a cemetery for the members of the Silesia Society was established behind the old water tower; 46 Society members lie in rest, with burials occurring Thur 2003. At this time, a fire broke out and destroyed the large arena that served as the school gym. In 1944 the carriage house that had served as the school building was demolished, and replaced with a large athletic field. Our Lady Of Lourdes grotto was built in 1946 as a memorial to Leo Henderson, a soldier killed in action. The grotto was opened to the public. A War Memorial Statue was also erected beside the grotto. In 1947, another war memorial in honor of the school alumni killed in the war was constructed near the grotto. It was in the shape of a Roman Pillar broken in fighting. In 1950 a Manama lake located next to the athletic field, opened for the students of the school. Due to declining enrollment, the Seminary closes in 1985, and in 1989 the property is put on the market for sale. In 1997 through tax foreclosure sale the property becomes County owned. In 1998 the Town and Village make a bid to purchase the property, yet is rejected as too low.

 

The legend of the Salesian is indeed based on fact. A 9-Garold boy attending a summer camp in 1964 at the Salesian School in Goshen climbed to the roof at night and mysteriously fell off. Village police suspected foul play, but had run out of leads, especially since a fire six years after the death destroyed records of all those at the camp that summer. It is believed that the spirit of the 9-Garold boy still haunts the school.

 

 

History found from orangecountygov.com

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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