Untitled (11)14—Poughkeepsie Journal Thursday, February 10, 1972
State Eyes Stonykill Farm
FISHKILL—Another chapter tially that the state use this ment which has no further ase ct les care takigr* operation in
in the long life of picturesque farm and its buildings for agri- for it." conjunction Witt; the State Ag-
Stonvkil; Farm along Route cultural purposes and a prac- For many. years. Stonykill ricultural School at Farming -
9 -D apoarentty has opened with tice farm. was an agrichural s c Ito o I date. L.1.
"We're contemplating taking under the direction of Herbert Several agencies and organi-
the disclosure that the State over Stonvkill." said J e r r y W. Muller Sr. But for about a zations over the years. includ-
Emirunmental Conservation Passer of the Environmental decade, the farm has been in a in, colleges. have attempted to
Department is interested in its Conservation Department. state of limbo, as Muller and take over Stonykill, but the
550 acres. "It's now under the jurisdic- his assistant. Charles Ehlers, deed restrictions set by the
The restrictions are essen- tion of the Education Depart- raised beef cattle in a more- %e:,olanck iamn� almost al-
THIS VIEW OF STONYKILL FARM along Route 9-D in the Revolutionary War. The State Environmental Conservation
Toon of Fishkili snows the large barns which were exten- Department is looking at the farm as a possible site for edu-
siveiv used when agricultural students were trained at the tion and research.
state facility. At the left is a stone house believed to have
housed some of Gen. George Washington's officers in the PQoghkeepsie lournat Photo
-1
For Environmental Projects
mals have prvoed the stumb- the department's New Paltz of- austerity program:. but later a Muller, also supervisor of
ling block, lice thinks the state farm has reprieve came. and Alulter and thr Town of Fishkill, retired as
At one time, the old Conset an excellent potential. his assistant, Charles Ehlers. superintendent of the farm last
vation Department sought to Stonykill often has been in.
have an office at Stonykill, but the news since it was given to continued their caretaking ef- Dec 29 and his place was
Ehlers. taken b%
this never materialized. she state in 1942 0} brothers forts — Ehlers.----
Now. however Passer said. John Bavard R o d g e r s and
the e n t i r e farm is being J a m e s DeLancy Gerplanck.
sought, but we must figure out The farm had been in the fam-
how we can lire up to the deed itY since 1623.
restrictions." About 1963. after the students
The idea for Stonykill's use were gone, it was suggested
for environmental conservation that a State science and tech -
education and research first nology center be located at Sto-
was broached last summer. n}kill.
Passer said. and the studv of Earh- in 1965, the State De -
Its possibilities has been mov- partment of Conservation. Di-
ing siowly since. v i s i o n of Fish and Game,
"No decisions h a v e been looked into the possibility of
made." he emphasized. b u i I d i ng a regional office
The department, he said. is there,
trying to determine which divi- Then. in 1966, it was men-
sion for all divisions) would tioned as a site for a state
utilize the property, and what correctional facilty and Super -
u s e education. research, or intendent tiluller was opposed.
other... would be made it. In 1962. Muller asked Gov.
Passer said further the de- Rockefeller to take half of the
partment wants to learn 550 -acre farm for the Hudson
whether the deed restrictions highlands S t a t e Park. The
can he satisfied a'. the same state park has been created
time that a program is pre- but it is completely south of
sented "the people can profit Beacon several miles from Sto-
from." nvkill.
He said any program likely in the late 1960s some
would make use of the many count', leaders saw the farm
Stonykill buildings as well as as a possible Dutchess Com
the meadow, p a s t u r e and munity College location, and
woodland along both sides of still later as a new site for
Route 9-D in the Towns of Brooklvn Polvtechnical Insti-
Fishkill and Wappinger. tute.
The Alban department aide Many were shocked in 1971
s a i d that Regional Director to learn that the state planned
Warren McKeon, who heads to close as part of the state's