Wealthy Scottish inventor and industrialist John T. McRoy purchased almost 500 acres in what was then Byram Township (becoming part of the Borough of Hopatcong in 1922) and built the mansion (designed by New York City architect Clarence Curter) we see today.
The original house, now the Clubhouse, as it looked in 1911.
1912, McRoy put the property up for sale, and after nearly becoming a tuberculosis sanatorium, it was acquired by the Hudson Guild of New York City in 1917.
Hudson Guild was a settlement house in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. The Guild’s aim in purchasing the farm was to bring city children to the country, where they could learn about life outside the city while enjoying traditional camp activities. Half of a camper’s day was spent working on the farm. Hudson Guild Farm also provided a venue for the discussion of important issues and would invite many influential liberal thinkers of the day to the farm.
In 1921 a get together of individuals led to the concept for the Appalachian Trail and Hudson Farm is recognized as the birthplace of the Appalachian Trail.
Hudson Guild Farm evolved over the years to address the needs of Chelsea residents and in later years catered more to seniors than to children. In the early 1990s, the Guild’s management determined that there was no longer a need to own a farm. Large developers soon became interested in the site. However, instead of a large housing development, a group led by the Kellogg family emerged to purchase the property in 1997.
Since 1997, the new Hudson Farm increased the size of the farm to approximately 4,200 acres in Hopatcong, Byram, and Andover. The Hudson Farm Club now operates as a private year-round outdoor facility for its members, boasting one of the most attractive shooting layouts in the country, with much of the land preserved from developed forever. The original McRoy mansion, which served as the main lodge of Hudson Guild Farm, has been beautifully renovated and restored to serve as the clubhouse. From the progressive ideals and charitable work of Hudson Guild to the many philanthropic activities of today’s Hudson Farm Club, this property has long distinguished itself as a very special part of Hopatcong.
