The Story Behind Our Name - Green Chimneys

Green Chimneys School bulletin board displays the message, "This school is better because you are in it."

Classroom as Community

September 30, 2019

The Story Behind Our Name

At the time of purchase by the Ross family, the Dell-Howe Farm already sported the green chimneys and cupolas. The owner prior to Tolbert was Colonel Henry Breckenridge who hired an itinerant minister to perform odd jobs around the farm, one of which was to paint the chimneys.

Apparently, the minister found some green paint and not only painted all the chimneys, but the barn cupolas as well. This became the “talk of the town,” because painting one’s chimneys anything but red, white or black was unheard of in those days!

Almost immediately, locals began to give directions to the Dell-Howe Farm by saying, “…and you go down the road…it’s the one with the green chimneys!” Breckenridge, being a rather unique man, decided that the green chimneys made his farm easy to find, and believed his business improved because of this novelty. He decided to keep the color, and let people talk about his farm as much as they pleased.

The farm quickly became known as Green Chimneys, which was certainly more “fun” than Dell-Howe Farm. The Rosses never broke with this tradition and to this day, all chimneys and cupolas on the nearly 200-acre farm continue to be painted that same shade of green!

Barred Owl

This barred owl fell from his nest and ended up on the ground in New Paltz, NY where he was rescued and cared for but it was quickly apparent that he was severely disfigured. He had a twisted, crooked beak, his wing feathers weren’t fully developed and one eye was shut while the other did not look as it should. This was not a bird that could be released back into the wild. Green Chimneys wildlife specialists worked with a local veterinary hospital to improve the bird’s health and determined that the owl was totally blind in one eye and 80-90% blind in the other.