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A Brief History
of
Camp Alvernia
Also known as Chalmers Place & St. Francis College
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Before Camp Alvernia stood the Chalmers house; the small farmhouse was built about 1840, with the first known occupants being Ruth Ann Burr Chalmers and her husband, David Bethune Chalmers. The farmhouse was in the Greek Revival style with a parlor, sitting room, kitchen downstairs, and two bedrooms on the second level. The basement was accessed by pie-shaped stairs.
In 1879, the Chalmers built a large three-story house in the French Renaissance style with a mansard roof on the tower. For nearly 10 years, the Chalmers Place was the largest and most popular boarding house in Centerport, accommodating upwards of 60 guests.
In celebration of their centennial arrival to the Brooklyn Diocese from Galway, Ireland, the Franciscan Brothers originally wanted to purchase a residence in the country. Brother Isidore Garvey conceived the unusual plan of obtaining some of the necessary funds by exchanging soap coupons for money and organizing students from 22 different schools to collect the coupons.
In 1888, Mrs. Chalmers, who had been a widow since 1885, sold the boarding house and property to St. Francis College in Brooklyn for $10,000, or roughly $337,000 today. Shortly after the purchase, a second tower was added to match the 3-story addition, keeping the French Renaissance style.
The same year, Mount Alvernia was opened as a summer monastery for the Franciscan Brothers. During the vacation period, some boarding students from St. Francis Academy also stayed at the Centerport home. Eventually, a reputation was formed, causing students from other Franciscan schools to come to Centerport during the summer, resulting in the development of Camp Alvernia.
In 1906, a formal camping program was introduced and was developed year-after-year into integrated plan of social, cultural, and sports activities.
Unfortunately, in February of 1980, without warning, the Catholic Diocese tore down the entire structure.
Camp Alvernia is still considered the first known Catholic summer camp in the United States and oldest camp in continuous existence in New York State, continuing to welcome campers 136 years later.
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100 Years Ago
1925 News Articles
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Burn Permit
The Long-Islander
April 10, 1925
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Centerport Near Drowning
The Long-Islander
April 17, 1925
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Susan Homans Woodruff, was the last of a trio of elderly female angels of the Communist Daily Worker, a 1890 graduate of Smith College, and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Woodruff was a schoolteacher for 14 years, and also bought a farm and sponsored a back-to-the-soil movement in Huntington. She also was a lecturer on trade unions and women's rights.
By the time she was 71, Woodruff visited Soviet Russia five times to study "the new type of woman." She passed at the age of 83.
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Greenlawn Pigeon Farm
The Brooklyn Eagle
April 23, 1925
| | | | 1925 Ford Touring Car Ad | |
Motor Car Thief
The County Review
April 23, 1925
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Daylight Saving Time
The Long-Islander
April 24, 1925
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GCHA Membership
Looking to Become a Member or Renew?
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Consider renewing your membership or joining, as your annual dues allows us to continue maintaining our two historic properties, the John Gardiner Farmhouse, and the Suydam Homestead, alongside the preservation of paintings, photographs, documents, and ephemera at the Russell B. Brush Research Center.
An annual membership entitles you to a subscription to our quarterly newsletter and monthly e-newsletter, in addition to discounts on programs. You will also get early access to our digitized collection, and virtual exhibits/tours.
Senior/Student - $20
Individual - $25
Family - $40
Sponsor - $75
Patron - $125
Click a tier & pay online via Square
or
Mail a check to:
GCHA
31 Broadway, Greenlawn, NY 11740
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Gift Options
To Support Our Association
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Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association Mug
$12.00
Click here!
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(Images of America)
Greenlawn: A Long Island Hamlet
From the archives of the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association comes this striking visual history of the north shore Long Island hamlet of Greenlawn.
Originally known as Oldfields, the area was settled in the early 1800s by farmers. The extension of the Long Island Railroad through the farmlands in 1867-1868 provided the impetus for the development of a profitable pickle and cabbage industry, the growth of the community, and the arrival of vacationers, many of whom soon became year-round residents. Greenlawn includes stories of the Halloween eve conflagration, the Adirondack-style vacation retreat, the opera house, the farmhouse murders, the vaudevillians, and the Pickle King, among others. Today, houses cover the old farmlands; yet Greenlawn with: one main street of small shops, a railroad crossing that halts traffic throughout the day, and many historical buildings-still retains its small-town charm.
$20.00
Click here!
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(Images of America)
Centerport
Discover the Deco estates, summer camp spots, and stunning landscapes that Long Island's North Shore coastal community of Centerport has to offer.
Once known as Little Cow Harbor, the coastal community of Centerport on Long Island's north shore is rich in natural resources, including a beautiful harbor with several freshwater streams surrounded by wooded hills. Centerport was originally the site of several important mills, but in the late 19th century, it became a summer retreat for both the rich and the not so rich. Youth camps, most notably the Franciscan Brothers' Camp Alvernia; guesthouses; and resorts as well as popular restaurants dotted the shoreline. In the early 20th century, large estates were established by the Vanderbilt, Van Iderstine, Burling, Morse, DeBrabant, Whitney, and Corbin families on the Little Neck peninsula. As the 20th century progressed, modest and generously sized houses replaced the small farms and many of the large estates. The unspoiled natural beauty and rich history has for centuries drawn residents whose love of Centerport continue to make our village a great place to live.
$20.00
Click here!
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Harvey A. Weber's Centerport
In 1990, Harvey Weber wrote, edited, designed and published Centerport, a word and photographic history of his adopted home. The book was well received and was reprinted in 1991. At his death in September 1991, the rights to his book about Centerport became the property of his widow, Madeline Weber. In 2001, as the book was about to go out of print, Mrs. Weber generously ceded the rights to the Centerport book to the GCHA in loving memory of her husband. The Association has now re-issued Harvey Weber's book as a tribute to the great contribution he has made to preserve the history of Centerport through his own beautiful photographs and through the historic photographs that he assembled. The Association also acknowledges with heartfelt gratitude the generosity of Madeline Weber. Her gift has made it possible for our community to enjoy her husband's work for years to come.
Harvey Weber was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1917. He died in Centerport in 1991. During his lifetime he received many prestigious awards and honors, including the Joseph Costa Award from the National Press Photographers Association. He exhibited his work in six one-man shows. His photographs are included in museum, university, and private collections.
$5.00
Click here!
(Available only through the GCHA)
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