Part 13/14:
In 1944, the property was purchased by the Basilian Fathers, a Ukrainian Catholic monastic order, who renamed it St. Joseph’s Abbey. Since then, the estate has served as a religious retreat, remarkably preserving much of its original interior decor and architectural grandeur. The opulent interiors, including the grand hall and ornate rooms, remain largely unchanged, echoing the estate’s aristocratic past.
Reflection
Omstead Manor exemplifies the extravagance of America’s Gilded Age—a symbol of unchecked wealth, architectural ambition, and the self-made elite’s desire to leave a legacy. Its story from shimmering estate to neglected relic and finally to a peaceful monastery captures the boisterous rise and quiet decline of a bygone era.