What Goes on Inside?
Two of the oldest buildings on the college’s campus have a storied history and are currently in use
Marist students walk by these two buildings nearly every day on their regular route to class; two small houses with tiny windows made of grey and red brick. St. Peter’s and the Kieran Gatehouse sit perched on the green between Route 9 and the Our Lady Seat of Wisdom chapel. Both structures, built circa 1865, harken back to the early days of the property, before Marist students or even Marist Brothers came to know this plot of land bordering the Hudson as home. Their history and current usage remain a mystery to many current students and visitors, and Makena Gera ‘21 said that the structures often pique the interest of families on Admissions tours.
“There have been a few times that I was giving a tour and a dad interrupted me to ask about the grey building on the green in front of the library,” Gera said, referring to St. Peter’s. “I had no idea what it was, and I had never really thought much about it before. They’re definitely something that interest people when they come onto campus, especially since they look so different from some of the newer buildings. They really stand out.”
The two buildings originally belonged to Edvard Bech, the proprietor of the Roselund Estate. Dr. John Ansley, Director, Archives and Special Collections, said that Bech had grand plans for the Hudson River property, but died before he could see them come to fruition. His widow stayed at Roselund until she sold it to the Marist Brothers in the early 1900s. The buildings remain a part of Marist College’s campus today and are currently in use. Marist Brother Frank Kelly said that their longevity is a testament to their impressive care and strong construction.
“You see very little wear and tear on the outside of the buildings,” Kelly said. “They’re truly a piece of the history, both of the college and of the Marist Brothers presence at the college. They’re landmarks, not only for the county but for the college and for the Brothers.”
St. Peter’s
The History
In the property’s days as an estate, the gardener and his family lived in the building. Marist Archives reports that after purchasing the estate, the Marist Brothers then used the space from 1908 to 1969. Kelly said that the Brothers who taught at the local St. Peter’s school would stay in the building, hence its current name. The building underwent a series of extensions to include a print shop and expanded faculty housing. These parts were eventually removed in 1969, and the current building represents the original design.
Today
The St. Peter’s building currently houses the Upward Bound program. The federally-funded program was founded in 1965, and Marist’s program dates back to 1966. The program assists students prepare for a successful entrance to college through a variety of programs and activities, per the U.S. Department of Education. The Marist website attests that the college’s program “serves over 100 youths from two senior high schools located in Dutchess and Orange counties.”
Kieran Gatehouse
History
As the name would suggest, what’s known today as the Kieran Gatehouse marked the entrance to the Roselund Estate as well as the original entrance to the College until around the 1970s, Kelly said. It’s designated as an historical landmark, small only about four rooms. The Brothers have used the building in a variety of ways: the provincial headquarters, the home and office of the province archivist, the home of the college’s founding president, Brother Paul Ambrose Fontaine, recently, the home of the Scholar-in-Residence, Brother Sean Sammon, as well as the place for visiting brothers today stay.
Today
The Brothers continue to maintain the space, and in recently Campus Ministry has used Kieran Gatehouse for various small faith group meetings. “We have more meetings than we have space in Byrne,” Kelly said. “Right now it is used for things like Men’s Spirit Group. It used for our Colbert intentional service community, and it’s used for our Jewish Shabbat.”