George McKesson Brown Estate -- Coindre Hall
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Coindre Hall
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Location: | Brown's Rd., Huntington, New York, USA |
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Area: | 13 acres (5.3 ha) |
Built: | 1910 |
Architect: | Luce, Clarence; Schafer, J.V. |
Architectural style: | Renaissance, French Chateauesque |
Governing body: | Local |
MPS: | Huntington Town MRA |
NRHP Reference#: | 85002493[1] |
Added to NRHP: | September 26, 1985 |
Coindre Hall is a 40 room, 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) mansion in the style of a medieval French château constructed in 1912 for pharmaceutical magnate George McKesson Brown. It overlooks 34 acres (140,000 m2) of rolling land including a boathouse on the north shore of Long Island adjacent to Long Island Sound. Brown lost ownership of the property after the stock market crash of 1929. At the request of Bishop Monsignor Thomas Molly, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart bought this property to establish a boarding school and summer retreat. It was founded in 1939 by Brother Martinian, S.C., Provincial Superior, and was named in memory of Father André Coindre, the founder of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. The school was intended to generate funds for the formation and education of young Brothers. It operated under the supervision of the Brothers who have been active in Christian Education in the United States since 1847.[2]
The zeal and sacrifice of the teaching staff left a great legacy in the region, as did the work, discipline, camaraderie and spirituality that the center impressed upon its students until its closure in 1971. It later reopened for a few years as an independent private school called "Eagle Hill School."
Since 1973 Coindre Hall Park has been administered by the Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation & Conservation. On September 26, 1985 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places[3] and dedicated to the Suffolk County Historic Trust. It is often used for hosting weddings.
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