It’s nice when an old Hudson Valley structure has a fairy tale ending. Unlike many fine homes and structures that fell to ruin through age, abandonment, or misguided civic improvement, the Webb Horton House in Middletown, NY, suffered none of these. Whether by intent or twist of fate, the impressive structure remains in as good a shape as ever.
The mansion was designed and built for Webb Horton, a man from Delaware County, NY, who made big money in the tanning industry in Narrowsburg, NY. The Horton family had been living on the property since the 1880s and had gradually acquired a significant portion of the surrounding land. In 1902, at the age of 76, Webb Horton started construction on the mansion. It was completed in 1906, reportedly for a million dollars. Quite the tidy sum for that age.
Here’s where fate enters the picture. Horton died in 1908 without ever spending one night in his mansion. His wife, who inherited the estate, died two years later. Shortly after, in 1918, both his children died without marrying and without leaving heirs.
Before his death, Eugene Horton (Webb Horton’s son) willed the estate to a cousin and employee, John Morrison. Morrison managed the estate until his death in 1947. He made few changes to the property, and the Horton House and its outlying structures stayed mostly in their original state.
By Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Upon his death, Morrison’s will left the estate to Horton Hospital (named after Webb Horton) in Middletown. Morrison’s will granted his wife Catherine life tenancy on the property.
Enter twist of fate #2- In the late 1940s, the founders of Orange County Community College approached the widow with an offer to buy the property. She was willing to sell but did not have the legal right to do so because her husband’s will had already disposed of the property to Horton Hospital. The hospital, however, was not willing to sell at that time. They planned to sell the property upon Widow Morrison’s death, when they could get a better price. The local community, wanting a college presence, kicked in and raised $480,000 toward the purchase of the property, donated the property to the school, and the deal was done.
Orange County Community College moved into the Horton House and its surrounding structures, and the first classes were held in 1950 in the garage/stable building. Since that time, many modern improvements have been made to the OCCC Campus, but to this day the mansion (renamed Morrison Hall), the stables, and other outbuildings are still used for educational, administrative, and custodial purposes. A few changes have been made to the mansion, but the building has retained its original architectural integrity, as seen in the more recent image.
It’s really nice to see such a grand structure intact and put to worthwhile community use. It’s quite the fairy tale ending.
The Sojourner
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