Astor Home for Children, historic building in Rhinebeck, New York state, USA
The Astor Home for Children is a brick building in Jacobean style located in Rhinebeck, featuring tall chimneys, decorative gables, and a slate roof with leaded-glass windows. The two-story structure sits on wooded grounds and includes a front porch supported by four columns, with a guest cottage nearby and additions made over the decades.
The site began in 1904 as Holiday Farm, established by Alice Morton to provide recovery care for ill children from the city brought by train. The current main building was designed in 1914 by McKim, Mead & White, and the organization took the Astor name after Vincent Astor became president and sponsored its development.
The building bears the Astor family name, reflecting their role in supporting community care for children during the early 1900s. Its Jacobean design with tall chimneys and decorative brickwork remains a visual anchor in Rhinebeck, representing a period when wealthy families invested in local institutions for child welfare.
The building sits on wooded grounds with gentle slopes outside the village center, so comfortable walking shoes are recommended when exploring the surroundings. The property is visible from the street, though access may be limited since it is on private grounds.
The facility originally operated as a recovery site where city children arrived by train and received free lodging, clothing, and meals at no cost to their families. It later transformed into a mental health facility and became one of the first centers in the country to receive formal accreditation for such services in the 1970s.
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