The Orak Mansion, once a summer retreat, has a fascinating history tied to its builder, George Briggs Buchanan. Born in Haverstraw, Buchanan made his fortune on Wall Street as a trader and served as vice president of a company that produced a sticky sweetener called Karo syrup. In a clever twist, he named his estate “Orak” by spelling the syrup’s name backward.

Buchanan, whose family roots were in Haverstraw’s brickmaking and shipyard industries, spent his final days at Orak, passing away there in April 1939 at the age of 64, as noted in his obituary in The New York Times.

Years later, the Orak property, along with the now-demolished mansion, became part of Harriman State Park, however, there are ruins that remain. It was Harriman’s son, Averell, who donated the land to create the park that bears the family name.

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