A New England Spire

Posted on September 25, 2013September 25, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Mount St. John School

Posted on April 16, 2013April 16, 2013 by Dusty Roads

This building is Mount St. John in Deep River Connecticut. I have never seen the building up close but each time I take a trip down the river I see that dome gleaming in the sunlight. The building fascinated me but I heard different things about it. On the river cruise on the Becky Thatcher the guide pointed it out and said it was a convent. But on the Riverquest cruise that guide said it was a home for troubled boys.

On my most recent trip down the river the captain mentioned that he thought the school had been sold and was being closed down this summer.

So here is the history as I have been able to dig it up.

Mount Saint John was founded as St. John’s Industrial School in 1904 in Hartford. This was a residential school for boys in need of care. The need rapidly outgrew the space in Hartford so in 1907 the cornerstone was laid for the beautiful building we see from the river today.

In 1908 the staff and residents moved from Hartford to the new property in Deep River. The Xaverian Brothers, staffed the school from its opening until 1919. While much good work was done, the future of the institution as an Industrial School was very uncertain. At the same time, an orphanage for boys in Hartford, conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery, was in dire need of more accommodations. It was agreed that the orphanage would move to the Deep River site. At that time the Sisters of St. Joseph administered the home and school until 1958.

Then in 1958, a large addition to the original building opened to house new dormitories, classrooms, and a gymnasium/auditorium. The programs for the boys admitted are tailored for individual needs and have changed over the years as the types of problems presented has changed with society.

For more information on the history of Mount St John including photos I refer you to a great blog entry I ran across http://mountsaintjohnsschoolalumni.blogspot.com/

Although finding history on this building was easy, finding current news was not so I don’t know the current status of the building or it’s school. I can only hope that with its history of good works that the news our good captain shared is wrong and the legacy will continue.

Mystery Monday

Posted on April 15, 2013April 15, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Any guesses about where and what this is?

Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona

Posted on March 24, 2013March 24, 2013 by Dusty Roads

And the answer is…The Chapel of the Holy Cross located in Sedona, Arizona.

The Chapel was a gift from Marguerite Brunswig Staude who felt that a church should be dedicated to finding God through art.

Sedona is known for its spiritual energies and seems an appropriate place for a church that still seems ageless even in 2013. The groundbreaking was in April 1955 and completed in 18 months at a cost of only $300,000 a modest sum even for those days. The dedication was in the spring of 1957.

The most prominent feature is the cross which seems to be wedged into the distinctive red rocks as though it was just planted there by some giant pilgrim.

When you go to Sedona one of the first things to do is take the trolley ride. It’s a great way to get a feel for the area. The trolley will take you right to the Chapel and allow you time to climb the ramp to the top and explore the interior.

Inside the chapel is intimate and unadorned. Benches hug the angular walls. Down the center are 14 pews in two rows of 7 each. Your eyes are drawn to the cross in the center with the floor-to-ceiling windows behind it.

It creates an atmosphere to let the spirit soar.

When I visited there was little decoration. Apart from two tapestries on the wall the only other striking color is the flickering ruby-red devotion candles.

The Chapel is surrounded by the iconic rock formations of Sedona, Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, Cathedral Rock, even a spire known as Madonna and Child.