Historical Background of St. Paul’s
• In July 1869, 7000 acres of the “Hempstead Plain” were purchased by Garden City’s Founder Alexander Turney Stewart for $395,328; The Hempstead Plain was the biggest private land purchase of the century.
• Stewart planned an entire town with his architect, John Kellum.
• Cornelia Clinch Stewart planned the most impressive buildings in GC: The Cathedral Complex and St. Paul’s School.
• After AT Stewart’s death in 1876, Cornelia continued to improve Garden City as a memorial to her beloved husband. NOTE: Mrs. Stewart accomplished all this before women had the right to vote!
• St. Paul’s is listed on The National Register of Historic Places.
• Designed in the Ruskinian Gothic Style, a style rarely seen outside urban areas.
• In 2003, St. Paul’s main building was chosen by the Preservation League of New York State as “Seven to Save” significant but endangered properties.
• According to Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Goldberger, “St. Paul’s School is far more than a landmark in Garden City – it is one of the greatest works of the Gothic Revival in the United States along with the Cathedral of the Incarnation.”
• St. Paul’s strengthens Garden City as a unique place with a unique history.
In Memoriam – Alex. Turney Stewart
Cornelia (Clinch) Stewart commissioned St. Paul’s School in 1879 to honor her husband, Garden City founder Alexander Turney Stewart. Designed by renowned architect Richard Morris Hunt, the school opened in 1883 as a premier military preparatory academy, anchoring the community’s civic identity for more than a century.
Future of St. Paul’s
The Village of Garden City acquired the landmark and its 48-acre campus in 1993 following the school’s closure. After decades of structural uncertainty, the implementation of the Landmark Option and the formation of the St. Paul’s Landmark Society provide a clear and sustainable path forward for the property.