Wednesday, May 14, 2014

If you owned most of Greenwich Village...

...and died fairly young with no heirs...would you leave your vast fortune to building a vast retirement home for sailors? I am glad Mr. Randall did, because Snug Harbor is an amazing place. But when I think of old, weathered sailors, I don't think of a demographic that brings out a lot of sympathy in people.

Young orphans, disease research, poverty, education....these are areas one would think of first, even in the early 1800's, or am I wrong? Anyway, here's a photo of a window in the Main Hall. And he left his "dower" to the sailors, not a wife, lover, kids or friend...


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