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| Jacqueline Bramble |
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The Village of Montebello
New York (NY) 10901
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Montebello is a village in the town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York located north of Suffern; east of Hillburn; south of Wesley Hills and west of Airmont. |
Community Information:
Real Estate in Montebello, NY:
Early history - Montebello far exceeds the formal boundaries of the incorporated Village today. The rolling hills and fertile soil in the Ramapo Valley provided a quite unassuming way of life for the early pioneering families. A small collection of farms and mills dotted the countryside and were connected by dirt paths and rugged roadways. That was all about to change with the coming of the iron rails and the trains that would ride them. In neighboring Suffern, the Erie Railroad began operating in 1841, and with it, exposed the area to sights and sounds never imagined.
Erie Railroad - Suffern became an important and busy station on the main line of the Erie Railroad. New Yorkers, in search of cool, quite retreat to relieve the stress of their urban lifestyles, filled the passenger trains bounds in summer for the surrounding rural regions. Relatively isolated prior to the 1860’s, Suffern served as a welcome mat for the upstate Erie traveler. Twenty trains a day, loaded with seasonal tourists, stopped at the impressive Victorian depot. Wordsoon spread among the travelers that “romantic scenery, fascinating beauty and rich land” could be found at the “pleasant summer resort”. Suffern played host to the traveling public, whether accepting the hospitality offered by the resort hotels and boarding houses or just switching trains. The list of guests, visitors and part-time residents who were attracted to Suffern’s rural charm included the names of many families from New York’s affluent “upper crust”. Some came as seasonal vacationers, closing to rent an estate, while others bought property from the abundant amount of undeveloped land. Picturesque rolling hills and vast wooded lands guarded by the Ramapo Mountains provided a rustic setting for the development of elegant country estates.
Montebello Estate - One such estate was that of wealthy New York financier Thomas Fortune Ryan, in August 1987, the Ryan’s purchased the former Groesbeck mansion which was built in the 1860’s. From the hilltop, the estate has a commanding view of the Ramapo Mountains. The Ryan’s called their estate “Montebello”. Within three years, they had the elegant frame dwelling torn down and replaced with a large brick and stone mansion at the cost of $600,000. The new summer home contained such amenities as a two-lane bowling alley, an electric elevator, a private chapel, greenhouse, 13 fireplaces and in all, over forty-four rooms. The estate comprises 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) and has a working farm. (Not including the 5 smaller “mansions” the Ryan’s built for their sons in the area, some of which are still standing today). Aside from a fashionable home on Fifth Avenue, the Ryan’s maintained homes in Washington, D.C. and a second home in Livingston, Virginia, all reflecting the wealth of one of America’s most prosperous and devoutly religious Irish Catholic families. Thomas Fortune Ryan’s riches were in vast contrast with his humble beginnings in rural Nelson County, Virginia. Orphaned at age nine, Ryan would eventually become the tenth wealthiest man in the nation. After leaving his native state is 1868, he traveled to Baltimore, Maryland and found a job in the dry goods business of John S. Barry, a highly successful entrepreneur. It was at this time that Ryan met Ida M. Barry, the boss’s daughter, whom he later married. Using his wife’s wealth as a foundation on which to build his own. Ryan launched his business career. Upon moving to New York, he engaged in the stock market trade and at age 23 became the youngest man ever to purchase a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. From there he amassed millions in urban transit, railroads, tobacco, insurance, banking, rubber, diamonds, and even the Thompson submachine gun. The Ryan’s were as generous to philanthropies as they were rich. It has been estimated that Mrs. Ryan gave $20 million dollars to various charities and endowments across the country. Most of these were affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church; however, there were also sizable donations to nonsectarian institutions as well. By 1905 it was reported that Mrs. Ryan’s munificence covered the building of “at least one hundred new chapels, schools, churches, hospitals, homes for Sisters of Charity and homes for the aged and infirmed”. Mrs. Ryan displayed a special fondness for her new neighbors by contributing equipment to the newly formed Suffern Fire Department. She also built a new church and established a girl’s school and a seminary in Suffern, among other things. Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, she turned her attention to the health needs of the community and started Good Samaritan Hospital. After Mrs. Ryan’s death in 1917, the family divided up the estate and sold the main mansion in 1921 to Edward Swann, New York City District Attorney. After a brief period of ownership (several months), Swann sold the property to the Archdiocese of New York. They established a retreat site for St. Joseph’s College and Seminary at the mansion. In 1944, Montebello was sold to Suffern resident Gustav Mayer. Among some of the plans the Mayer family had for the property, one idea was to develop a country club. That never materialized and the vacant mansion fell victim to vandals. The cooper mining giant Phelps Dodge Corp. bought the dilapidated mansion in 1951 and used it as a corporate records headquarters for the next 31 years. After a relocation move, Phelps Dodge Corp sold the mansion for $1.6 million to Gary Goldberg, president of the investment/financial planning firm which bears his name. After a year of extensive renovation, Montebello had yet another life, becoming a unique office park with turn-of-the- century elegance, bridging the past with the future.
*Some content provided by Wikipedia.org
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