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A Home in the Country Tomkins Cove, New York

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A Home in the Country Tomkins Cove, New York 3 4 A Home in the Country Tomkins Cove, New York The Fresh Air Association House of St. John the Divine Historic and Archaeological District 1 2 Fresh Air District The scenic qualities of the Hudson River century and for nearly three-quarters of the landscape are regularly enjoyed by residents twentieth century. Recent research provides new and visitors to the Tomkins Cove area. Historic information about the history, the archaeology, preservation efforts resulting from Algonquin and the architecture of the property that so Gas Transmission, LLC’s Algonquin Incremental many benefited from and is now recorded with Market Project have brought to light a portion the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, of the history of this beautiful area. Many of and Historic Preservation as the Fresh Air Tomkins Cove’s residents are already aware of Association House of St. John the Divine Historic the orphanage and Fresh Air summer camp and Archaeological District (Fresh Air District). that once occupied the terrace overlooking the Hudson just north of Mott Farm Road. Until now, 5. Fresh Air Association House of St. John the however, few have known details about the Divine Historic and Archaeological District hundreds of children and their caregivers who called that location home in the late nineteenth 6. Ca. 1880 American Foursquare-style Rectory Cottage (left), ca. 1930 Parish Hall (middle), and Gothic Revival-style Chapel (right). Rev. Gay laid the cornerstone for the Chapel (then known as the Church of the Holy Child Jesus) in 1871. Construction and the first services were completed in 1885. The Chapel was newly consecrated as the Chapel of St. John the Divine in 1904. Cover images 1. Fresh Air Association Main House, ca. 1960. 2. Remnants of the Fresh Air Association Main House, 2014. 3. Stone shrine at the Fresh Air District overlooking the Hudson River, 2016. 4. Leveled terrace and the stone shrine (background right), 2014. The boys of the House of the Good Shepherd did much of the work to level the terrain to prepare for building the orphanage structures. Rev. Gay held many outdoor services here. 2 FRESH AIR DISTRICT, TOMKINS COVE, NEW YORK 3 The Mountain on the Hudson Why an Episcopal Minister Needs 90 Acres of Land Long before the Chapel of St. John Divine (the would be divided, inherited, and sold among Born in 1832 in Bridgewater, By 1866, nearly 30 children small, white Episcopal chapel on Mott Farm the Lent, Lamb, Waldron, Blancher, and Conway Massachusetts, Ebenezer Gay (infants to 14 years old) were Road) was built, before Mott Farm Road was families. In 1871, Benjamin T. Allison and his Jr.’s early education was directed under their care; some stayed paved and many of its houses were constructed, wife would sell 64.5 acres in Tomkins Cove to mostly by his father, who was year-round while others lived and before the railroad, North Liberty Drive, and Reverend Ebenezer Gay Jr. Rev. Gay, an Episcopal also named Ebenezer and served there only during the winter. the utility lines and pipelines were established, minister, purchased an additional 16 acres, east of as a minister. The son learned The Gays provided shelter, food, King George II granted 1,000 acres of land in the original parcel, in 1872 and another 9.5 acres algebra, Latin, Greek, and other and education for children 1719 to two Englishmen: Richard Bradley and to the north until his purchases equaled 90 acres subjects common in an English who were orphaned or whose William Jamison. For about 150 years, this land, of wild, uncultivated land. education. parents were too destitute to originally known as the “Stony Point Tract,” care for them full-time. After he attended college, Ebenezer taught public school After he bought the first in Massachusetts while he 64.5 acres in Tomkins Cove in pursued a career in ministry. He 1871, Ebenezer and Josephine 9. Reverend Ebenezer Gay Jr., ca. 1884 7. Below: Ca. 1719 Stony Point original land was confirmed in the Episcopal moved the children there from grants, including the 1,000-acre Stony Point church in Millville, Massachusetts, Haverstraw. He wrote several Tract and the approximate location of the Fresh Air District. and moved to Haverstraw, New York, to study annual reports from which one can learn much theology with Rev. J. B. Gibson, the rector of about life at the orphanage, the people who Trinity Parish. By 1860, Rev. Gay was actively lived and worked there, and the surrounding working toward ordination while building strong community. By 1878, the HGS was home to 80 relationships with the people of Haverstraw children. Privately owned and operated for through his ties with the church and as principal the duration of its existence, the HGS survived of the Trinity Parish school. on the generosity of individual donors, church collections, and payments made by “friends” Rev. Gay married Josephine Wood in 1863 and of individual children. It was not funded by the together they became the guardians of seven state nor the Episcopal Church with which Rev. 8. Above: 1891 map of Stony Point children after their mothers (both Haverstraw (Tom[p]kins Cove) showing the House Gay was affiliated, and mounting debt was an residents) died. With the help of several caring of the Good Shepherd’s combined ever-increasing source of stress for the Reverend. original properties (the 64.5- and citizens, the Gays were able to raise the funds to 16-acre parcels) purchased by rent a house for their new family in Garnerville Rev. Gay Jr. in 1871 and 1872, (within the Town of Haverstraw) that became the respectively. By 1891, large portions House of the Good Shepherd (HGS) orphanage. of the orphanage properties had been sold to help pay for the 10. At left: 1975 compilation map of children’s care. the Landmarks of Rockland County with Benson’s Corner and the corner of Broad Street and Broadway in Haverstraw Village, the first two locations of the House of the Good Shepherd orphanage approximately 4 miles south of Tomkins Cove. 4 FRESH AIR DISTRICT, TOMKINS COVE, NEW YORK 5 A Day in the Life of the HGS Orphans The Daily Schedule 5:00 (summer) or 6:00 (winter) am: Wake up, dress, and wash. Complete small, assigned chore; meet in The HGS was a year-round, self-sustaining farm. mountainside location by the Hudson River, and Reading Room in the main house to study God’s word; memorize a piece of text to be recited before The children were overseen by Rev. Gay and the children took part in outdoor games, hiking, every meal; have “family” prayer; eat breakfast. his wife, at least one nurse, a local doctor, a fishing, and rowing boats in the river. laundress, a seamstress, a cook, and a school 9:00 am–3:00 pm: School, including a “dinner hour” and recesses for play. The children and staff were not the only people teacher. The school teacher was usually a young who lived at the HGS. During the summers, adult 3:00–4:30 pm: Chores. Girls work on sewing and other housework while the boys are busy with outside man who was studying to be a priest with Rev. convalescents from New York City would come work (gardening, plowing the fields, caring for the horses, cattle, pigs, and poultry, etc.) and learning Gay as his mentor. Older children helped the to the riverside property to “improve or regain to handle different tools. younger ones, and all were responsible for their health and strength” and then “return to chores. At first, all the children went to church 4:30–5:30 pm: Play their toil with new courage.” The mountain air, services in the temporary chapel in the Bee Hive saltwater bathing, boating, tent camping, and 6:00 pm: Supper cottage. Later, everyone attended services at the outdoor sports provided a much sought-after Church of the Holy Child Jesus (now the Chapel of Evenings: Time to read, sew, study, and play music or games. escape from the inner city and a way “to build up St. John the Divine on Mott Farm Road). for the winter’s hardships of tenement 7, 8, or 9:00 pm: Bedtime, depending on the age of the child. The Main House was the center of activities. house life.” As the orphanage grew, a Rectory Cottage, the Cottage Hospital, and additional small cottages were built. The orphanage was in an attractive, 12. Above: Objects of the House of the Good Shepherd as listed in the 1879 annual report. 13. Above: 1879 House of the Good Shepherd annual report. One of many describing events and activities, donations, expenses, assets, and “Special Wants” – usually funds for new buildings. 11. House of the Good Shepherd and the Hudson River as seen from the hill 14. At left: 1878 inventory of buildings, west of the Fresh Air District. Original 1871 Main House with porch (center) with goods produced, and children cared for at 1872 Bee Hive Cottage (left) and 1873 Cottage Hospital (right). the House of the Good Shepherd. 6 FRESH AIR DISTRICT, TOMKINS COVE, NEW YORK 7 Supporting the Good Work “God’s Acre” Rev. Gay kept detailed notes in his accounting Various groups also supported the HGS and Rev. Gay not only managed the money, but he also in different accidents, and five children from ledger about the many donations to the HGS. the children. The Ladies Association in Aid kept a list of all parishioners, and their baptisms, the same family died of diphtheria and were As an example, in November 1874, cash receipts of the HGS made or furnished almost all the confirmations, marriages, deaths and burials, buried on the same day.
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