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48 HOOK erty but were unsuccessful at secur- ing a buyer. Eventually a group of in- dividuals formed Rockwood Hall, Inc. to purchase it and develop it into a country club which operated for a few years. Ul3mately the ven- ture failed and by 1936 Rockwood Hall Inc. declared bankruptcy. In 1938 the bankruptcy court, by ref- eree's deed, sold the land and build- ings to William's nephew, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Rockefeller had no real use for the buildings and by 1941 they were in disrepair. The decision was made to raze them, and all that opulent rub- ble was discarded into the river where it remains today. But out of ruins comes rebirth. The founda3on walls s3ll stand and have become the centerpiece of the current day park. On any given day you'll find visitors si5ng on the walls awai3ng the glorious golden hour that comes as the sun sets on the west shore of the Hudson. Or maybe families frol- icking in the fields snapping cher- ished photos that perfectly capture a slice of childhood life. The park is a mul3genera3onal gem where chil- dren sleigh ride in winter and fly kites on windy days, re3rees walk the loop trails, equestrian riders come to enjoy the property as it was designed to be seen, by horse, and neighboring workers spend their lunch hour unplugged and in tune with their surroundings. It's a place to reflect, where 3me stands s3ll for a moment, and it can be 1880 or 2026. While the castle may be gone, the Frederick Law Olm- stead-designed landscape remains, and preserva3on efforts and prac- 3ces prevail to protect it for future genera3ons. Since the park's beginning in the mid '70s when the Rockefeller fam- ily entered a lease agreement with the state, there has always been a bit of mystery about the loca3on and how to access it. It seemed to be the secret of locals who knew that if you took Route 117 to the end of Phelps Way and were lucky enough to snag one of very few parking spots along the guardrail, that there was a trail that led to the most magnificent views. Over the years the park has seen a tremen- dous increase in visitors and there's a con3nued need for more parking, signage and restroom facili3es. Now Photograph by Michael Finger