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efforts, an advisory Committee of Orange County gentlemen was formed and was at once successful. In March of 1887, the Society purchased the old Methodist Church on South Street, then in use as a boarding house. As the building was under lease at that time, formal possession of the property wasn't taken until May, 1888. · Besides the original purchase price of $5,670, another $2,225.86 was spent on remodeling. The home was formally opened on December 5, 1888. Rooms in the home were named after townships represented by the incorporators of the Society; for example, Warwick, Chester, Goshen, Wallkill, Hamptonburgh, Mt. Hope, Minisink, Montgomery, Blooming Grove, Monroe, and Crawford.
A $5.000 addition was completed in 1897 on land which had been purchased from the Anglo-Swiss Condensary in 1891. On March 2, 1901, the name was changed officially to Orange County Home for Aged Women, although most called it "the old ladies home." The former Leander Brink home (which stood on the site of the 1939 brick addition) was presented to the home by John H. Morrison in memory of Elizabeth A. Horton.
The old Brink Home, or old North Wing of the home, was demolished in 1938. Residents displaced by the demolition were temporarily moved to the former home of the late Thomas Watts at 125 Highland Avenue. It was a bequest from the estate of Mr. Watts that made the new wing possible. Many others contributed to the project as well. Ground was broken for the addition in 1938, and the cornerstone laid in the fall of that year. Completed in March, 1939, open house was held March 29. The wing was occupied April 1. Architect was Edwin P. Valkenburgh and Harold H. Smith was the contractor. An interesting feature was a roof-top recreation area.
The two-story brick addition, 33 feet wide, 126 feet long, was actually the first part of a three-phase construction project. A nearly identical South Wing was planned, followed by a Central Unit which was to contain kitchens, dining rooms, laundry, living rooms, executive offices, a ten bed infirmary, "two large solaria" and rooms for the matron and nurses. While a South wing was added in 1982, the original expansion plans were never carried out.
Today, the facility is called "Southwinds Retirement home."
THRALL HOSPITAL
Middletown's first hospital was also established through the efforts of Julia E. Bradner. In November of 1887, Dr. Bradner called a meeting at her home of Middletown women for the purpose of establishing a hospital here. On December 6, the group was incorporated as the Middletown Hospital Association. Various fundraising activities were carried out, but by late 1890 only about $5,000 had been raised.
Julia Bradner appeared before the Orange County Board of