Historians relate rich history at The Fountains in Millbrook

MILLBROOK — Two resident historians who are members of the community at The Fountains teamed up to delve into the history of the 200 acres which comprise the senior residential campus. They presented their findings at a community forum on Wednesday, March 12.

Unveiling their findings were Lucy Johnson and Margaret Cornell, both of whose careers had been steeped in history. Johnson had been a professor of anthropology at Vassar College after having earned her doctorate in anthropology at Columbia University.

Cornell was a professional archivist, having earned her master’s degree in archival management from Simmons College.

Both having become residents at The Fountains about a year ago, they soon connected over a shared interest in exploring the history of their surroundings, and particularly of the old stone chapel. Cornell’s husband had been an ordained Methodist minister, drawing her to want to know more about the chapel.

Johnson began her report with the earliest history of the acreage on what was Prospect Hill, once the home of monks when it was named Priory Farm. It eventually became an elementary school named Hope Farm, a home for orphaned youngsters and then a K-12 school named Greer School after its founder, Episcopal Bishop David Greer.

At one point, 95 children were housed at Hope Farm which had been founded in 1907 by Episcopal clergyman Thomas Hazzard who determined the farm needed a chapel. In 1913, $12,500 was donated, sufficient to construct a chapel on the grounds, Johnson said.

Seating 300 in its Sanctuary, the chapel was built with local boulders, shaped with hand tools by Italian stone masons. The completed chapel was dedicated in 1915. The chapel bell, cast in 1896, weighs 3,000 pounds.

The chapel was refurbished in 1970. Eleanor Roosevelt spoke at the Greer School’s 1955 graduation exercises. 1932 had marked the first high school graduation class. The final Greer School yearbook honored the class of 1958.

Margaret Cornell had once been a student at Greer School.

The chapel was refurbished in 1970, Cornell noted. Seeing the chapel today, Cornell said that she feels a sense of awe that much of the chapel remains intact, although it is dusty and the plaster is crumbling.

Audience comments suggested that the chapel deserves more publicity and perhaps the cooperation of the Millbrook Historical Society to guide the chapel toward being listed as a national historic site worthy of preservation and protection.

“It is a unique part of The Fountains,” Cornell said.