The Storied Past of Camp LaGuardia Crosses a Bold Bridge Into a New Life
- ejreporter
- May 28
- 5 min read
Bridge Photos courtesy of the Open Space Institute
West Point Cadet Bridge Crossing the Moodna Creek
258-Acres of land on the border of the Towns of Chester and Blooming Grove celebrated its new identity this week as Orange County's first new County Park with a beautiful new bridge constructed across the Moodna Creek. The official bridge ribbon-cutting is thanks to the Cadets of West Point who just completed its construction.
County Executive, Steve Neuhaus, recently announced detailed plans for the new Park with a portfolio of enticing images of what some of the sections will look like, and this included one of his favorite areas of the property which he referred to as "Heritage Hill". Now, for the SECOND TIME, the Open Space Institute referred to the site as HERITAGE HILL COUNTY PARK (although the name has not been officially announced by the County, we like it. Friendly and Historic it rings true.)
The Institute helped this transition happen as an important link with other regional environmental projects, by carving the way for the new Schunnemunk Trail system as part of interconnectivity goals from its expansion of the area they oversee as "The Highlands", which now includes "Highlands West" as part of their part of a greater goal to link other Parklands and the Trails along the East Coast. Blooming Grove Supervisor, Rob Jeroloman participated in the meetings that resulted in this successful achievement of the Town of Blooming Grove becoming part of the new Highlands West group, with the new Schunnemunk Rail Trail now under construction from what is becoming Heritage Hill Park to the Moodna Trestle and beyond.
Thanks to the persistence of County Exec Steve Neuhaus, the Legislature, County Planner Alan Sorensen, Parks Commissioner Travis Ewald and Local Officials, what was a borderline horror for over 100 years, carrying a small piece of a hoped for nearly miraculous dream, is already becoming that dream. When he introduced the plans Neuhaus emphasized the stark contrast between the plans for its new uses and its history saying "This is going to be for the People's enjoyment!". County Planner Alan Sorensen said "I believe its going to be one of the "Premier!" destinations for families and visitors in the Mid-Hudson Valley Region
Neuhaus has vowed that the Park will rival any in the region.
County and OSI officials at the first of many bridges needing repair
along the new Schunnemunk Rail Trail that begins at Heritage Hill Park.
As for this leap into a new life, it will include camping sites and related amenities, Group Venue space, courts and splash pads, rail trail connections to the Heritage and Schunnemunk Rail Trails, a spectacular stone lookout, RV Parking, a dog park, Heritage Green, a playground, Picnic Hill, and more. As far as its past, the acreage located on Greycourt Road first began in 1918 when it was built as a Women's Prison that became known as the "Women's Farm Colony". In 1934 it transitioned to a major Homeless Shelter, leased for use to New York City's growing population of former convicts and men who remained jobless and poor. With the first rounds of homeless individuals showing successful results, it was decided to name the facility after New York City's Fiorello LaGuardia. It is amazing that the current dedicated Guard at the site's entrance told me his family had worked at the entrance and for the County since the Women's Farm Colony opened. When the site transitioned to Camp LaGuardia a criteria was set for the residents brought there that NONE should have felony records, thus to ensure the safety of the surrounding homes and residents in the countryside. The Shelter grew to 1,000 men, and as the number of residents turned over, there were apparent errors by New York City which sent some felons and otherwise addicted residents who became frequently seen along Greycourt Road, sometimes nearly or entirely passed out, with a bottle of liquor in hand, and one day strangling a pet rabbit in front of a resident. They would sometimes stumble along the streets of Chester and hang out in local stores, frightening some of the customers. That was it! Blooming Grove and Chester complained and despite some effort to clean up the selection criteria, the problem continued until eventually a woman had her arm slashed along the Heritage Trail. County Legislature and both Towns decided the homeless shelter had to close, and with some exterior funding the County of Orange bought the entire 258-acre site. In the following years the County sought RFP's several times, and had numerous collective community sessions with prospective buyers discussing the advantages and disadvantage of each. One, indluded a bid to construct a dormitory and college there, and later an offer from Joel Mounty to build over 800 affordable housing units (including some for Seniors, Veterans and a growing sector of young professionals) plus 170,000 square feet of commercial space. Meanwhile, legend hunters made it semi-famous while vandals scribbled graffiti and broke windows. The Joel Mounty Project prospect dragged along for several years, but when they pulled a critical contingency of 170k commercial business as an absolute requirement, (to help defray the eventual cost to the municipalities (for schooling, police and roadwork and health), with 59.6 percent of the acreage being in Bloming Grove, they said "No Way!" Chester agreed Other entities with complex eco-art-camping plans received some welcoming. But their offers came nowhere near the value of the site. The site has remained vacant since 2007 and was purchased by Orange County for $8.5 Million. It is currently used for access by hikers on the Heritage Trail which travels to the West and South.
Over the years there was much discussion about what would happen to the main building. Some felt it was historic and should be saved and renovated. But over nearly 20 years, considering the vast damage by vandals, a fire, and natural deterioration, after demolishing the surrounding derelict buildings it was decided recently that the main building would also be demolished. And so, earlier in this month the Landmark building of Camp LaGuardia disappeared.
Its remains will bring in significant money that can be used to make the new Park become all that it can be. Hopefully one day there will be a small monument at its former site, because in spite of its many failures it also had many success stories. And the many people who contributed toward helping people in need was a labor of love.
In 2020 it was announced that CE Neuhaus and the Legislature wanted to go ahead and make it Parkland..... a wish that had been subsurface for a long while.
That wish expanded by leaps and bounds when the County Planning Department received $28 Million to build the connecting Trail from the future new Park through the ancient rail beds along the Town of Blooming Grove, Village of Washingtonville and Salisbury Mills, and connecting to all of the new trail links at the new Moodna Trestle. It is historically appropriate that the Moodna Creek, which bears a significant role in the area's history is where the West Point Cadets built a beautiful Crossing Bridge, and that the Moodna Creek follows the new Trail all the up through the Center of Washingtonville, and continues to and past the Trestle to a new Moodna Trailhead. In 1609 the Moodna first became known when Henry Hudson dropped anchor where it meets with the Hudson River.... later the Trestle became an important travel and transport mechanism, and still later an iconic hiking and sightseeing favorite.
With the addition of one more parcel in the works in Woodbury there will be a full logical connection FROM the new "Heritage Hill County Park" to what is probably the most famous trail in the US, the Appalachian Trail. Orange County is already becoming a Hiker's Haven.
Comments