do you liek abandoned places??....READThe place is so fascinating to me- completely destroyed, yet gives off a strong feeling of having just been evacuated; the presence of people is still not ignorable. There are still worksheets strewn around in the classrooms, there are still peeling posters on dormitory walls, along with bedframes and wardrobe-style closets. All the windows have been smashed in, furniture overturned and heaved through the windows, toilets uprooted from their stalls and laying in the bathroom, graffiti is everywhere. All in all quite shocking a sight.
I knew very little about this place; from what I could gather I assumed it was a long-abandoned Catholic boys boarding school. Catholic because of its name, boarding school because I found dorm rooms. I had a feeling this place had a strange and dark past-- it looks as if everyone just up and left one day!! I've done some more research on the place and though I haven't found a huge amount of information, what I did find only deepens my curiosity. Apparently this institution was first a boys' military school, then a co-ed rehabilitation facility for teens, then in the late 90s it turned into an all-boys rehabilitation center. And some crazy shit went down. I will present my research.
From dailyfreeman.com:
“'After World War II it became an elite high school-aged military school and it was very prominent,' he said.
The campus later housed a juvenile detention center for boys ages 13 to 18 for 17 years prior to its closing in May 2000. Allegations of inappropriate relationships between staff and residents and inadequate supervision led to the state revoking the facility’s operating license.
In February 2000, a female youth counselor was charged with sodomy and other criminal charges for having sexual contact with at least five residents of the facility.
'They had lots of problems,' Traudt said. 'I’m a police officer and back then I was a midnight patrol officer and I can remember all kinds of issues like people coming out to break out their friends from the facility or kids leaving the facility and trying to make their way to the (Rhinecliff) train station.'"
From the Office of Children and Family Services
"The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) contracted with Pius to provide youth designated by the courts as juvenile delinquents and persons in need of supervision with care, treatment, education, rehabilitation, and guidance at its two residential facilities – the Holy Cross campus in Rhinecliff and the Chester campus in Orange County. In June 1999, OCFS received allegations regarding the inappropriate activities of Pius staff. The allegations included staff bringing firearms and illegal substances into the facilities, and having sexual relations with the resident youth. The contract covered the period of July 1, 1996 through June 30, 2001. . . In January 2000, OCFS told Pius to take immediate steps to improve safety at Holy Cross, and in May 2000, OCFS suspended Pius’ operating certificate and closed the Holy Cross Facility."
From freemanonline
"The property was once site of the Holy Cross Campus of Pius XII Youth and Family Services, which ran a juvenile detention center for boys 13 to 18 years old. It has been abandoned since 2000, when amid allegations of inappropriate relationships between staff and residents, the state revoked the facility’s license and the campus was closed."
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As if these websites didn't give me enough chills, I actually found a gallery of photographs taken several years ago at Holy Cross by Joel Capolongo. I looked at the comments, and some actual alumni commented his works! Most of them expressed shock and disbelief that they are laying eyes on this place again. And some are reconnecting with each other through the photos. It is really quite moving. Here is the gallery and here are some of the comments that touched me most:
"OMG these pictures bring back so many memories!!! I have been searching like crazy for any info on Holy Cross since I spent a lil over a year there (92-93). I was actually discharged BECAUSE it was turning into an all boys school. I was in the first wave of females to go home. Otherwise I was supposed to be there until 18 and then go into independent living. I live about 1.5 hours away and def want to go there to take pictures. I have not been there since I drove away in 93! I really wish I could find all my old friends who were there with me then! I had a blast there. Yes there were some crazy bad things that occurred but 99% of it was all good! I loved the staff!!! It is a shame it is abandoned! Thank you for posting these pictures! I remember those dorm rooms like it was yesterday and those closets!!!"
"It seems that the developers have their eye on the Holy Cross Campus & want to build condos on the land. I think it's a shame, personally, but that might be because I'm a bit biased & attached. If anyone is going to take photos, go back & do it now before it's too late. I have noticed that there is a huge flaw in many of the articles reporting on the new development... They keep reporting that it was an "all boys school." It wasn't always that way. It was co-ed for years. I also dug up a report of charges in which it mentions inappropriate sexual relations between staff & students during the all boys residency. Apparently, all sorts of scandalous things were happening when it became an all boys school.
This wasn't the case during my time at Holy Cross.
Also, I wanted to make note of my earlier comment where I protectively boast about this being a good school.... It was, for me. I had a positive experience in what should have been a terrible time for me. This was due to the staff & teachers who were employed there at the time who gave us some normalcy & the resident who lived there at the time. However, I can understand that this wasn't the same experience for everyone & I don't want my comments to sway you from sharing your story. By all means, do share your stories. They're unique & very few can identify."
"I lived there as a young girl many years ago. It was not much different then. I was surprised yet relieved to hear it had finally closed. I had to go and see it and it was like walking back in time. It was deserted yet haunting, if those walls could talk. I could tell you everything about the pics you posted. The conditions that you see were not mouch better when I actually lived there. It is beautiful in a bitter sweet way a part of history. It was a warehouse for the states unwanted and lost youth with no other place to go. Tossed away by the world and lost behind those walls. The picture of the door with the small window is where we were locked up for any various reasons, anything from fighting to wanting in despair out and a normal humane existance. No furniture, no blankets, no shoes, minimal clothing, no food or drinks, no bathroom or any facilities, no windows, no heat hard cold tiled floors and cinder block walls. We stayed there till we would stop crying until our will and spirit was broken and sometimes it took days. Then when they were satisfied they opened the door, broken and weak from crying we would return to the cell block style dorms (floors). It was a long walk down those old dark hallways. We didn't need air conditioning in the summer it was always soooooo darn and cold. Only a few lights to light the hallways or rooms dated from another time. I'm glad you posted these pics I love history and architecture and old buildings. How did you get in and get them? I'm planning to go and get some of my own as part of my healing. When were they taken? You did a great job, Thank you!"
"It's almost chilling to look at some of these pictures considering the fact that I spent almost two years of my life at that facility around 1994 or so. I actually even played basketball for Rhinecliff on those very courts. A story that I remember hearing when I was there, from several credible sources, was that while repairs were being conducted on the roof of the gymnasium a worker actually fell through the sky light some 50 or 60ft. to his death.
I remember the "isolation" rooms that one of the other guests was speaking of. I don't believe that they were in the actual school building though. From what I remember they were in an adjacent building, Central Hall. I remember spending almost 48 hours in one of those rooms."
"I heard rumors that all of the girls were then taken away & it became a boys reform school. While these picture are freaky & there were many misguided & emotionally tortured youth living there, it was a great attempt at a reform school. . .I carried out a fairly normal life behind those walls. We experimented with the same things that they had outside, we had relationships, bad times & good times. we even had a prom. I suppose I have lots to say about this place, but I've just stumbled across this & it's a bit overwhelming to see! Thanks for posting your photos!"
Wow I don't even know what to do with all this. I just hope someone out there is excited as I am to learn all this.
Alex
Dumbfounded
Content
Eager
Triumph
Hope
