Sunset Lake

Sunset Lake relates peripherally to the Esopus Project, in that it is the origin of Black Creek, which begins there in Plattekill and meanders past New Paltz northward through some other lakes and waterfalls, and eventually cascades into the Hudson River just north of the Marist Brothers property

The Lake is related another way because the Marist Brothers acquired an old campsite at Sunset Lake in the late 1940s. Previously the camp was known as Camp Saint Agnes, and was operated by the parish of St. Agnes Church on 43rd between Lexington and Third Avenue in New York City. (The Marist Brothers taught at St. Agnes High School and often served as camp counselors at the camp.)  When the cost of renovations and operations became too burdensome for the parish, it was transferred to the Brothers for private use as an alternate recreation and vacation site for Juniors from Esopus, but also for the Student Brothers from Poughkeepsie. 

Student Brothers were expected to complete the four year program in three years and three summers. They were granted family leave only after the summer session of their second year. Brother Paul Ambrose, the Dean/President/Master of Scholastics employed a lot of creativity in getting the student to break the monotony of their Poughkeepsie environment. Camp Sunset became a site for two week vacations after the summer session was completed and before the Fall Semester began. The young brothers combined a relaxed atmosphere with some work in rehabilitating the buildings.

The site was also used for outings of the lay students at Marist until the camp was sold to others in the mid 1960s. 

As of March 2002, I was unable to locate the transfer deeds for acquisition or disposition of the camp in the county clerk's office in Kingston.

.Click on any picture below to see an enlargement.

Sunset Lake is shallow.  The campers could swim off the dock, but kept close to the dock to avoid meeting grass on the lake floor.  Canoeing and fishing were favorite pastimes.

Sunset Lake remains almost the same as the mid 1950s.  ===►►

There was neither television nor athletic fields, so reading became a popular sport.  The chapel stood apart. Behind it was the former administration building, used as a dormitory.

The boathouse stored only ancient canoes and rowboats. The property is close to the New York Thruway, but not near an exit.

◄◄=== The chapel was built before the Marist Brothers purchased the property, but the Student Brothers repainted the exterior.

The site where the chapel once stood, taken by Brother Stephen Kappes 8 Feb 2004. ===►►

<<== This building  was a garage.

The administration building  was the largest on the camp site. ==>>

The cabins had no air conditioning, but the student brothers replaced the screening in each of the sleeping cabins.  ===►►

Student brothers took turns cooking for the group ==>>

<<==  Some repairs beside painting were needed.

This is all that remains of the dining room and recreation hall in 2004 ===►►

When purchased, the buildings had been painted yellow.  Gradually they were all painted white.  ===►►

most recent revision:    5 March 2004