Perched on the east side of the Hudson River Valley, the town of Hyde Park is a place with plenty of everyday charm where you'll find the remarkable (and deeply moving) FDR Library & Museum, Val-Kill Cottage (Eleanor Roosevelt's home) and theVanderbilt Mansion & Gardens. Burbling through it all is the Crum Elbow Creek, and echoing from its banks are the stories of the Stoutenburghs of the 1700's, and (if you listen quite carefully) the earth songs of the original Wappinger People.

​Seven miles to the south is Poughkeepsie, a vibrant city served by major interstate roadways and the Walkway footbridge to cross the mighty river. The train station there is served by the MTA Hudson Line direct from NYC. Vassar College and The Culinary Institute of America are educational strongholds, and a few miles to the north is Rhinebeck with its notable culture & cuisine.
It is also there in Hyde Park that an intriguing real estate listing can't help but catch our attention. The Hyde Park Dutch Reformed Church happens to be for sale for the first time in its two centuries history, and includes a 2.25 acre parcel of land that is full of opportunity for development as an artists, writers, and peacemakers retreat. 

​Within the freehold sits a beloved 200 year old sanctuary with a restored (and storied) pipe organ, a handsome parsonage, a renovated schoolhouse, a community hall & industrial kitchen, and (lo & behold) a small historic graveyard. There's a large parking lot that blends into a grand lawn, while the back line of the property is a mighty natural rock outcrop that reminds one of the time when the Earth actually pushed this place into existence. 

​The historic buildings are extant. The rest of the campus would be up to the creativity of a new owner, thanks to the implementation of a new zoning overlay for the town's Crossroads Core and main thoroughfare: allowing for a myriad of revenue streams and construction opportunities.

a town abounding in history

a campus ready for peacemaking

Well, it makes one wonder, doesn't it? 

Wouldn't it be grand to create a retreat in a convenient destination - a 90 minute drive from Manhattan, and accessible by nearby train - to gather the Great Minds who think in a civilized and creative way? We definitely think so.

The town has had a slow recovery from the 2020 pandemic, and this real estate deal is a particular kind of sale: for the parcel would require a steward who understands both its sacred history, and is interested in fashioning a unique endeavor. Such an institution would be predominantly active from early spring through late autumn, and quieter during the winter months.

​​* The existing structures offer myriad possibilities for the local community: the church & meeting hall are already set up for ceremonies, discourses, and concerts.

* Its present use can also be realized with simple improvements, while its future use would translate well into a retirement community or educational center.

* The land is neither in a flood plane nor a fire zone,
​and there's a delightful drive-in motel, The Roosevelt Inn, mere blocks away for guests & attendees. ​

​* The parsonage might well serve as a small museum: focused on the history of the nearby Crum Elbow Creek,
first occupied by the indigenous Wappinger people. ​

multiple structures &  uses
Picture
The many possibilities for a Retreat Center.
The 2.25 acres of land is ripe for phased new construction, to include the building of a future multi-use longhouse/barn & workshop, landscaping with a natural walking meditation labyrinth, the installation of beehives & community gardens, and the addition of residence units for the comfort of the guest artists & peace thinkers who would be invited to visit. Among the many delights of the town is the weekend Hyde Park Farmer's Market, just a block away from this proposed campus.

It's time, once again, for a "New Deal"

And so, in the spirit of Eleanor Roosevelt's work with the United Nations as the first chair of the Commission on Human Rights, such a retreat would be a place to find agreement, and to "unite the notions."
​
​The grounds of a Hyde Park Peace Retreat would most certainly be a unique place of repose, recovery, and restoration; where great minds gather in fellowship, meditation, workshops, and concerts; a space for cultivating composure in these challenging times.
Picture
The nearby FDR Library & Museum
Randall Stuart is an artisan, activist, educator, and reverend with a history of successfully transforming historic & sacred spaces: both in performance and with brick & board. His most recent creation, Cerimon House [Portland, Oregon - 2009 thru 2020], was a successful arts & humanities center in a 100 year old fellowship lodge, which was fully renovated for the task. (This East Coast project on the Hudson River would be reminiscent of that fine institution, however it will be on a smaller scale, and a private endeavor.) Mr. Stuart is an award-winning theatre director, the author of Squire, and the upcoming story cycle The Resplendent West: an ancestral epic that spans nine generations, and begins its narrative in the first years of New Amsterdam in the 1600's.