Skene Manor
Whitehall, New York
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Located just 24 miles from Wilson Castle, our first road trip of the year will also take us to explore a location standing proudly above Whitehall, NY. Having held several names throughout its history, it is known today as Skene Manor.
It all began in 1867 when New York State Supreme Court Judge Joseph H. Potter purchased the property where the Manor stands today. The land had previously been owned by Whitehall's founder, Philip Skene. Judge Potter later built a Victorian Gothic-style mansion and named it "Mountain Terrace," constructing it between 1872 and 1874. Mountain Terrace was sold to Edgar Lowenstein by Catharine Potter in 1906. Lowenstein renamed it "Lowen’s Castle" and added a carriage house, gas fixtures, and a heating system. In 1917, Lowenstein’s daughter-in-law sold the mansion to Dr. Theodore H. Sachs, an optometrist and jeweler. Dr. Sachs installed a wooden clock from the Presbyterian church in the manor’s tower, which extended down to the cellar. After Dr. Sachs' death in 1939, the manor remained vacant. In 1942, materials from the tower clock and attic cistern were donated to the WWII effort, rendering the clock inoperable. In 1946, Clayton and Pauline Scheer purchased the manor and gave it its current name, "Skene Manor," in honor of the founder of Whitehall, New York. They lived upstairs while transforming the first floor into a bar/restaurant. Among the most chilling tales is that of Colonel Skene’s wife, Catharine, whose final resting place remains a mystery. Some believe she was buried beneath the grand staircase or in the cellar, sparking rumors that her spirit still roams the manor. Guests and staff alike have reported seeing a woman in a Victorian gown near the fountain, her large ring catching the moonlight before she vanishes into the night. This story was actually fabricated by Pauline Scheer to attract customers, even adding an imitation grotto with a hand rising from it, claiming it belonged to Catharine. While this story was untrue, it has become a memorable part of Skene Manor's history. Skene Manor was sold in 1951 to Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Reynolds, who expanded the restaurant business until the death of their son, Richard Reynolds, in 1968. Ownership then passed to Leo Mulholland, who ran the restaurant with his nine children. In 1983, Joel Murphy bought the manor and continued the business until his retirement. Afterward, the building changed hands multiple times but fell into disrepair as later owners failed to maintain the restaurant. In the mid-1990s, Whitehall residents formed Skene Manor Preservation, Inc. to prevent the manor from being relocated out of state. The manor was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. |
Investigation at this location:
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