Coindre Hall

 Coindre Hall was originally known as West Neck Farm when it was created. It was established as a country home for George McKesson Brown and his wife Pearl, who commuted from New York City where they owned a pharmaceutical company. The Brown’s became year-round residents during World War I.

The estate was a manor of approximately 135 acres between Huntington Harbor and Southdown Road. It contained numerous buildings including a farm house, a garage complex, the Gate House, the Boat House, the Water Tower, the Ice House, and the Main House. All of the buildings on the Estate were linked to the Main House by a complete telephone system. On several occasions, the Estate, particularly the Water Tower, was used by movie studios in filming silent movies.

The Main House itself was modeled after a chateau in the south of France. Within the Main House, there was an indoor “plunge” pool and a walk-in refrigerator in the basement. The chandelier in the center of the spiral staircase is a copy of one that hung in the New York State House in Albany

The ice in the ice room was harvested from the pond behind the Boat House each winter and stored in the Ice House on the west side of the pond. The ice was then brought up to the ice room in the basement of the Main House as needed. In 1932, Mr. Brown’s wealth had diminished mainly because of income and real estate taxes. He broke up the estate and began selling off portions of the property.

 In 1939, the Brown’s moved into the Gate House and the northeast 34 acres on which the Main House was situated was sold to the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. After some renovations, the Brothers named the building Coindre Hall after the founder of their order and opened it as boarding school for young boys. After 30 years, the school eventually went bankrupt.

The building was occupied by two other schools for a short time each, but both also went bankrupt. Coindre Hall was acquired by Suffolk County in 1972, but it was neglected until it was dedicated into a County Historical Trust. In 1991, the Alliance for the Preservation of Coindre Hall Park was organized to preserve, protect and restore this property. It is not only known as a local landmark, but is also listed in the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. In 1995, the mansion was officially designated “The Museum of Long Island’s Gold Coast”.

 

 

Source:

“The Chateau at Coindre Hall.” Huntington Public Schools, www.hufsd.edu/assets/pdfs/community/local/2012/local_town_historical_coindre_hall.pdf. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.