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Memories of EMA and OHEKA Castle
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This article appeared in the OHEKA Garden Journal of 2004.
It is reprinted here with revisions and added photos...
Remembrances of EMA and OHEKA Castle
by Roger Lee Hall
Portrait of Otto H. Kahn
(from NNDB )
I didn't know it when I went to a private military school there, but that was actually a castle built by a wealthy banker with Kuhn, Loeb & Co. in New York.
He was Otto H. Kahn (1867-1934).
He named his dream castle: "OHEKA" after the initials of his full name (O=Otto/ HE=Hermann/ KA=Kahn).
His castle was completed in 1919. It originally had 127 rooms
and occupied 109,000 square feet of space, making it the second largest
private residence in the United States (after the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina)
.
This old photo shows the magnificent castle and gardens:
When I first arrived there in September of 1952,
I knew immediately that it was going to be a very special place.
I was attending Eastern Military Academy (or EMA).
At EMA they mistakenly told us it had been built by the playboy, Aly Kahn,
who was once married to movie actress, Rita Hayworth.
It was many years later before I learned it was Otto (not Aly) Kahn who had it built.
I was pleased to see Otto Kahn's castle briefly in the newsreel footage at the beginning of the film classic, CITIZEN KANE, one of my all-time favorite films. I first watched the film on WOR-TV in New York in the 1950s and knew even then it was a great film.
The castle was not so luxurious when I arrived there, but it was still impressive.
It had a well worn cobblestone courtyard like some old European town and
was difficult for us cadets to march on it.
Kahn was originally from Germany, yet
his castle was modeled
on French chateau models.
After EMA went bankrupt in 1979, the castle went unoccupied and vandals took over and caused almost total destruction. Fortunately, it was purchased in 1984 by an industrious developer, Gary Melius, who could see the value of restoring Otto Kahn's jewel of a castle.
He began restoring it and after years of careful restoration work and millions of dollars spent on labor and materials, the castle itself is now nearly complete again.
This is how the entrance courtyard looks after the restoration...
Here is the magnificent swirling staircase in the entrance foyer,
modeled after the one at the Chateau Fontainbleu in France...
and long straight hallways from the EMA days in the 1950s...
During the time I attended in the 1950s many of the young cadets were afraid to walk past the wind tunnels in the basement on the way to the canteen. The tunnels were dark and made an eerie, whistling sound. It was quite spooky, like a haunted castle in a horror movie.
The fountains outside weren't filled with water and many of the ornamental satuary were cracked or missing pieces. Weather permitting, each morning we met to pick up any trash on the terrace grounds before we had breakfast. EMA did try to keep the place neat and clean but it wasn't easy with such a massive building to maintain.
This 1999 photo shows the room where I lived while an EMA cadet, before undergoing restoration:
Here is that same fireplace in a beautifully restored room of the castle:
My room during my first years at EMA was right above the Main Ballroom. The photo shows the outside rear facade. and my living space was where the third large window on the next floor is located and also the window around the corner. I loved that room. It had such a great view of the surrounding grounds.
Unfortunately, almost total destruction was done by young wreckless vandals, who set many fires and broke all of the windows after EMA went bankrupt in the late 1970s.
It was burned and broken but the castle refused to die.
That's because Otto Kahn had made sure it was built extremely well. He had it constructed so it was fireproofed, with walls over three feet thick and solid reinforced steel and concrete materials.
For over twenty years the restoration of OHEKA has been taking place. This photo shows a small portion of my favorite room there -- the restored OHEKA Library with a beautiful grand piano.
The Library was also the favorite room of the castle's original owner, Otto H. Kahn, whose portrait is shown here.
Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of
the new owner, developer Gary Melius (shown in gray vest),
the castle now looks much better than when I attended EMA there.
In 1954, our room supervisor was Mr. Lewis Brody, who was also our history teacher. In my yearbook, he wrote: "To my bright Jolly One." That's what he called me because I smiled so much and was interested in learning. What he didn't know was I wanted to be at that safe and secure school. I had just lived through a painful separation with my parents so I was glad to be away at school.
Since it was a military academy, there were the drills and parades. I loved marching to the snappy tunes played by the very good EMA band, under the direction of Mr. Felix Sangenito. My favorite was E.E. Bagley's "National Emblem March." For the next few years I would spend many happy hours learning, thanks to teachers like Mr. Brody.
Most important to my later music career,
I did my first singing while at Eastern Military Academy.
I joined the Lower School Glee Club in 1954,
which was the first year they had one for us youngsters.
Here is the EMA yearbook photo:
I remember performing in a variety show which featured a medley of Irving Berlin songs, like "This is the Army" and "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning."
Many years later, in 1988, I did a 100th birthday radio tribute to Irving Berlin. I played "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning," as sung by the songwriter himself. The radio host commented how much fun it was to recall the song when trying to get up in the morning.
That was true for the EMA cadets as well.
Oh, how we hated to get up so early in the morning!
But oh, how much I loved living in Otto Kahn's magnificent castle!
I have never forgotten those wonderful years,
and give it my military salute of gratitude...
Special Guests at the Garden Party
Celebrating
The 20th Anniversary of the
Restoration of OHEKA Castle
(1984 - 2004)
Sponsored by the Friends of OHEKA Castle
June 10, 2004
Theme: The Roaring Twenties
Hosts: Otto and Addie Kahn
(portrayed by Gary and Pam Melius)The Kahn's Special Guests:
New York Governor Al Smith
(portrayed by Huntington Supintendent of Highways, William Naughton)Grace Moore
(portrayed by Huntington Town Clerk, Jo-Ann Raia)Mary Astor
(portrayed by Huntington Councilwoman, Susan Berland)Fred Astaire
(portrayed by Music Presevationist, Roger Hall)The Great Gatsby
(portrayed by Huntington Councilman, Mark Cuthbertson)
Message from Frank L. Scalia,
President of the Eastern Military Academy Alumni Association
in the 2004 Garden Party Journal...
Thank You!
Gary and Pam Melius and Friends of OHEKA
for restoring our former home!
Eastern Military Academy
"We occupied the Castle the longest"!
From 1948 to 1979"Our proud members appreciate your efforts to maintain and promote
the heritage of Eastern Military Academy"!
For more information see
Eastern Military Academy Alumni Association
"Fred Astaire" Brings His Greetings to the OHEKA Garden Party
"I'd like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Kahn for inviting me to take part in the festivities today at this grand chateau on Long Island. I met Otto years ago when my sister Adele and I were working on the first all Gershwin show Lady Be Good in 1924. Adele also met Otto at a party in midtown New York given by Carl Van Vechten in 1925. She danced a little, the powerful Negro singer Paul Robeson sang, and George Gershwin played his wonderful Rhapsody in Blue for the arty guests. George's brother, Ira, tells a funny story about Otto.
It seems when Lady Be Good was being prepared, Otto was approached as a potential investor. He listened to the set-up, said it sounded like a success; so he wasn't interested. He only helped finance those shows, ballets, and other artistic ventures which were worth doing but which reached the point of no returns.
Then Alex Aarons happened to mention that "The Man I Love" -- which Otto had heard before at a party and liked very much -- would be part of the show. Otto said o put him down for ten thousand. The following year Otto not only got his money back but received a dividend greater than his investment. Otto wrote to the producer to thank him -- it was the first time Otto had received a return on his investment for a theatrical production. And he was so pleased!!
Now I'd like to sing a song in tribute to Otto by his son and his orchestra. It was recorded it for the Victor record label. Otto should be very proud of his son.
What's the name of the song?
Why it's "Clap Yo' Hands" of course.
Please join me in singing along or just swaying to the music."
-- "Fred Astaire" (as portrayed by RogerLee Hall)
Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra
To hear a rare 1926 recording of "Clap Yo' Hands" as played by Otto Kahn's son,
Roger Wolfe Kahn (1907-1962) with His Orchestra,
click here:In addition to being a band leader, he was also a songwriter. One of the songs he co-wrote with Irving Caesar and Joseph Meyer was "Crazy Rhythm," a big hit in 1928.
Read more about him at this link:
And from one musician named Roger to another...
Anne Kahn Baugh (a Kahn descendant)
with singer Roger Hall
at the 2004 OHEKA Garden Party
The story about Roger's years at Eastern Military Academy
may be found at this link:
This illustrated eBook (PineTree Press, 2008)
is a collection of song lyrics, poems and stories
by songwriter and poet, Roger Hall.It is available on CD-ROM disc, playable on any computer with Microsoft Word. Any of the pages may be enlarged or printed
to read away from the computer.It also includes music tracks with
ten of Roger's early songs,
as well as
a set of 25 poems titled, "Dreams,"
and over 100 pictures from Roger's personal collection.One of the stories is titled:
"E.M.A. at OHEKA"
Roger's describes how much fun it was to be
a cadet at Eastern Military Academy,
living in Otto Kahn's magnificent OHEKA castle in the 1950s.To read more about this eBook, click on this link to
"Dream World"
Songs, Poems and StoriesIf you wish to order this illustrated eBook
go to the
Another collection of stories is available with one chapter featuring
Roger's years at EMA living at OHEKA.
This story is titled:"Oh! How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning"
For more about this eBook, click on this link:
"Free As The Breeze"
Confessions of a Struggling Songwriter
For photo galleries and information, including the magnificent new illustrated book, OHEKA: Monument to Survival by Ellen Schaffer and Joan Cergol, click on this link:
Read the best biography about the castle's first owner,
Otto the Magnificent: The Life of Otto Kahn
by John Kobbler (1988, 242 pages)
See also this biographical information on
Unless otherwise indicated, the photos on this page are
from Eastern Military Academy yearbooks and those taken by Gail M. Hall.For any comments or questions, write to:
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