From Secular Estate to Sacred Sanctuary: Discover How Middletown’s Storied Land Became a home for the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Middletown, New York, is much more than the pond and baseball field visible from Wawayanda road. This 65-acre property is a landmark of faith, steeped in history and fertile in Carmelite spirituality. When the first Irish Carmelites arrived in America, they envisioned a dream of sowing seeds of joy and peace that embody our way of life. Today, this beautiful Upstate New York countryside holds the fruit of that dream. From what was once secular in development, The National Shrine and its grounds have become a spiritual center where dwells the 800-year-old Carmelite tradition of prayer, community, and service. The Carmelite Friars of the Northern American Province of St. Elias have been committed to this vision since the beginning. But how did this land, originally developed with secular ambitions, synchronize to the rhythm of the founders’ beating hearts?
Originally, this tract of land near Middletown was envisioned by Freeman Wheeler, a local real estate developer, as part of a larger initiative to populate the area in the early 20th century. Among the parcels Wheeler purchased, one notable property called the “Locksley Hall” was sold to Horace Corey, a known agnostic and vocal critic of the Church. The property was immortalized by the cornerstone with the inscription “The Thistles, 1902.” With his anti-religious sentiments, Corey’s estate, complete with an artificial pond and orchards, became a site of extravagance in the area, a place where local social life intersected with his outspoken Middletown Forum written against “the local men of the cloth.” Corey’s death led to the property passing through several hands, including theatrical producer James Wallick and later the Spanish diplomat Count Rafael Diaz de la Cortina, who expanded the landholdings around “The Thistles.”
In an unexpected twist, Countess Marguerite Diaz de la Cortina, the count’s wife, was later compelled by circumstances to relinquish the property, and it ultimately came to the attention of Father Finbar O’Connor, our first Commissary General in New York. Tasked with establishing a preparatory college, later to be named St. Albert’s Jr. Seminary, for aspiring Carmelites, Father O’Connor found “The Thistles” in Middletown an ideal location and proceeded, with the support of Archbishop John Cardinal Farley, to acquire the land. Yet, the acquisition was far from straightforward. A challenge arose when city planning revealed that Wheeler Avenue was intended to cut through the property, which could jeopardize the Carmelite community’s plans to maintain the land as a unified, secluded space for spiritual formation.
Only after lengthy legal proceedings and negotiations were the rights to this parcel settled, allowing the Carmelites to preserve the property intact. “The Thistles” was thus transformed from a landmark of Middletown’s secular, early developmental phase into a spiritual space for the religious formation of future Carmelites.
Today, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, draws visitors from all over—from alumni who fondly remember St. Albert’s Jr. Seminary to neighbors who’ve seen the land’s evolution over the years, to pilgrims from distant places inspired by its contemplative beauty. For those unfamiliar with Middletown, this historic site stands as a beacon of the Carmelite tradition, where the trials and dreams of its founders live on, inviting all to experience a renewed spiritual depth.
As we continue to honor this legacy, the Development Center of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel invites all those who feel this special and intimate connection to support us in sustaining this historic and spiritually thriving site. Your generosity enables the Carmelites to preserve and share this sacred space, ensuring it continues to inspire all who seek refuge and connection with God. Please help us keep alive this space that saw a remarkable journey from secular estate to sacred ground as well as nurturing future generations of Carmelites.
What would you like to read more about?
St. Albert's Jr. Seminary
The Thistles
The Irish Carmelites in the US
The Conkling
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