American Catskills: Blog

The Red Caboose at Livingston Manor

(American Catskills) — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The regional New York Ontario & Western Railway (O&W) operated from 1868 to 1957 and ran from Weehawken, New Jersey to Oswego on the shores of Lake Ontario, passing through the southern Catskills and Sullivan County along the way. There were also branches to Kingston, Port Jervis, Monticello, Delhi, Utica, Rome and Scranton. The railway was mainly used to transport people, coal and dairy products to and from rural communities along the line and the New York City metropolitan area.

However, after years of declining fortunes, and due to lower passenger traffic, improved automobile roads, declining coal shipments and outdated equipment, the O&W went bankrupt and liquidated its assets in 1957. The O&W railway was the first Class I railroad in the United States to be fully abandoned.

The red caboose located off exit 96 of Route 17 serves as a town landmark and the unofficial entrance to the beautiful hamlet of Livingston Manor, New York. The car originally served as an Erie Railroad caboose, but was later repainted with the logo of the N.Y. O. & W. when it was moved to Livingston Manor.

The caboose was purchased in 1984 by the Livingston Manor Chamber of Commerce to serve as an information kiosk for travelers visiting the hamlet. For a short time, it was staffed with an attendant to answer questions about the area. There were plans to expand the site into a full rest stop, but those plans never materialized due a number of issues.

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – October 2026

(American Catskills) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Title: John Burroughs on Veranda at Woodchuck Lodge, Roxbury, N.Y.

Photographer: Clyde Fisher

Author’s collection

Delaware & Ulster Railroad: A History and Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Ulster and Delaware Railroad had its founding roots with the Rondout and Oswego Railroad, chartered in 1866 by Thomas Cornell in order to provide a route for goods from mid-state beyond the Catskills to the Hudson River. By 1872 the Rondout and Oswego was bankrupt, but was reorganized as the New York, Kington and Syracuse Railroad. This railroad, in 1875, also went bankrupt. It was then reorganized yet again as the Ulster and Delaware Railroad.

The Ulster and Delaware Railroad proved to be very successful, opening up the central Catskills region for expanded tourism and providing easy access to the numerous boarding houses and hotels along the line. It also operated as a freight line, supporting the local agricultural, timber and bluestone industries in getting their products to market.

At its greatest extent, the railroad originated at Kingston Point, on the Hudson River, and followed much of what is today’s Route 28, passing through four counties (Ulster, Delaware, Schoharie and Otsego), ultimately connecting to its western terminus at Oneonta. The Ulster and Delaware Railroad was advertised as “The Only All-Rail Route to the Catskill Mountains.” At its peak, in 1913, the railroad carried 676,000 passengers along with a substantial amount of freight.

Eventually the rise of the automobile and changing vacation patterns led to a slow, steady decline in the Catskills railroad business, and by 1932 the Ulster and Delaware Railroad was acquired by New York Central. The line was then operated by New York Central until 1954, when passenger service ended.

Today, the spirit of the region’s great railroad era lives on with the Delaware and Ulster Railroad (DURR), based out of Arkville. Operating along a section of what was the Ulster & Delaware line, the tourist oriented DURR is a wonderfully scenic trip with the trains, rails and depot station all evoking memories of yester-year. Visit the DURR website at www.durr.org for more information.

Rip Van Winkle Flyer

The Rip Van Winkle Flyer is a charter train used by the DURR for special occasions and large tour groups. Travelers can take a scenic ride through the countryside as they feast on a delicious three course meal in one of the fully restored dining cars.

The Rip Van Winkle Flyer, with its unmistakable art deco appearance, consists of five cars including a 1948 Budd observation car (New York Central #61), a 1948 Budd Tavern Lounge car, a 1950 Pullman Standard dining car (known as East Branch), a 1948 Budd Vista Dome car (known as Olive Branch) and a Budd baggage/generator car.

DURR #5106

DURR #5106 was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company in August 1953. The locomotive was originally built as the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway #5106.

DURR #5017

DURR #5017 was manufactured by the American Locomotive Company in January 1963. The locomotive formerly operated as the Delaware & Hudson #5017.

DURR #14

DURR #14, a saddle-tank steam locomotive, was manufactured by the H. K. Porter Company in 1920. It operated at the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal (BEDT) for many years, and is one of five surviving BEDT locomotives. It was retired from service in 1966 and eventually made its way to the DURR at Arkville.

Train #447

Car #447 formerly operated as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It is just over 64 feet long and has seating capacity for 72 people.

Other

Roscoe O&W Railway Museum

(American Catskills) — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Roscoe O&W Railway Museum was founded by Wilmer and Ethel Sipple in 1984 to help tell the story of the O. & W. and its impact on farming, tourism, hunting, fishing and community life.

The museum was dedicated at 11am on Saturday, September 15, 1984. The dedication ceremony was followed by a reception and a program of movies and slides on the history of the New York, Ontario & Western Railway that was shown in the Roscoe Theater. The museum was originally located in a railroad caboose, which was restored and repainted in NYO&W colors.

The museum building, its current location, was acquired in 1986. It is a former stable, feed store and auto garage. During the renovation of the building, the siding, slate and wood shingles from the abandoned O&W Summitville Station were used to create an O&W façade. The museum contains O&W artifacts, general railroad memorabilia and local history displays.

Wilmer E. Sipple (1924-2015) was a lifelong area resident and teacher for the Roscoe and Liberty Central School Districts. He served in the US Army during World War II. He had a love for trains, was an excellent woodworker and built cabins on the lake. For a time, he served as the Rockland town historian. Ethel was an art teacher at both Roscoe and Livingston Manor. She was an artist in many different mediums including sketching, painting and ceramics. Both Wilmer and Ethel loved traveling. Wilmer E. Sipple died on September 25, 2015 and Ethel Sipple passed away seven years later on July 20, 2022. Both Wilmer and Ethel are buried at the Riverview Cemetery in Roscoe.

Across the street from the museum are two train cars that form part of its outside display, including a caboose and a trout car. First, the caboose is the refurbished N. Y. O. & W. caboose #8487, formerly of the Erie Railroad.

The second car, originally a Lackawanna coach, was restored to represent an original O&W trout car. Trout cars were used to carry fish from hatcheries in upstate New York and Long Island to stock streams in the area. In the beginning, baggage cars and box cars were used to haul the iced, trout filled milk cans to easily accessible river crossings on the railroad. Once at the river site the cans were carried by the men to the stream and dumped. For sites more distant from the railroad, the cans were loaded on horseback for the journey to the stream. Where possible, the train engineer would even stop the train at river and stream crossings to dump the young trout directly into the water.

The Roscoe O&W Railway Museum is located at 7 Railroad Avenue in Roscoe, New York, adjacent to where the O&W railbed once ran.

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is scenically located just north of the hamlet of Bethel in Sullivan County, New York.

The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is home to the site where the historic Woodstock Music & Art Fair took place on August 15-18 1969. The concert featured 32 of the most famous musical acts of the era including the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, The Who, Jimi Hendrix and many more. Over 400,000 concert-goers made their way to the rural country hamlet for the show. At the time, it was the largest concert audience ever assembled. The Woodstock Music & Art Fair It is widely considered to be one of the pivotal moments of the 1960s and in the history of music.

Today, the original stage area of the Woodstock concert and the adjacent portions of the concert field remain undeveloped and are open to visitors. The site has seen relatively little change in the years since the concert, and topography, views, tree lines, stone walls, field patterns, forests, open space, streams, and ponds present in 1969 can be discerned in the landscape today. When visiting the site today, you can almost envision the crowds and hear the music.

In addition to the Woodstock site, the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is also home to a concert pavilion where bands regularly play and a wonderful museum dedicated to the 1969 Woodstock festival and the legacy of the 1960s.

A Woodstock monument called “Peace and Music” was created and installed at the location of the original festival by local sculptor Wayne Saward (1957-2009) in 1984 to mark the 15th anniversary of the concert. The 5 1/2-ton concrete and cast iron monument displays two plaques that list all the on-stage performers from the 1969 concert and includes a high-relief design showing the famous original catbird on a guitar design that was used on the Woodstock concert posters. The monument is located on a rise near the corner of Hurd Road and West Shore Road with a view of the entire concert field.

The Woodstock Music Festival Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “the site of one the most important cultural and social events of the second half of the twentieth century,” “the definitive expression of the musical, cultural, and political idealism of the 1960s,” and “a watershed event in the transformation of American culture.”

The Woodstock site draws thousands of visitors every year, each seeking to reach back in time to feel, in some way, the enduring Woodstock spirit.

Visit the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts website at www.bethelwoodscenter.org for more information about events, programs, camping, visiting information and much more.

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – September 2026

(American Catskills) — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Title: Kaaterskill Falls, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

Publisher: Detroit Publishing Company

Library of Congress

Brunel Park: A History and Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“As a token of admiration for the grandeur and mysteries of nature and the beauty of the Catskill Mountains, Emile Brunel, a native of France, chose these sites for the Chalet Indien in 1920. He conceived, designed, sculpted and erected these statues and monuments in memory of the Indian tribes who sojourned on these grounds, once upon a time.”

Introduction

Beginning in the early 1980s my family would take our summer vacations in the Catskills at some rustic cabins located on the Esopus Creek near Phoenicia, New York. Leaving Long Island to head north, the excitement would build as we approached the Kingston exit for Route 28, which would then take us into the mountains. As we made our way west on Route 28, my two brothers and I would beg our parents to stop at the Indian Trading Post (now Brunel Park), which at the time was home to a great little gift shop and a small museum. Our parents would always oblige us, and they would always wind up buying us some small souvenirs and other trinkets, some of which I still have. For us young boys, the stop at the Trading Post always seemed to mark the real start of the vacation.

Although the gift shop is long gone, Brunel Park remains a great stop for any traveler along Route 28. It is a peaceful park that is home to over a dozen statues, sculptures, bas reliefs and totem poles created by Emile Brunel, a French immigrant who would become a noted painter, photographer, filmmaker, sculptor and resort owner. I continue to stop by every couple of years during my Catskills trips, sometimes just for memories sake, sometimes to sit quietly for a few minutes, sometimes to take photographs. No matter the reason, I am always glad that I stopped.

With all these memories near at hand, this blog post feels even more personal than most, and was thoroughly enjoyable to research, write and photograph. With that, here is the life story of the always interesting Emile Brunel, the history of the property and a detailed photographic study of Brunel Park.

Emile Brunel

Emile Brunel (1874-1944) was born in Chateauneuf, France in 1874. Brunel can trace his ancestors to the days of the French Revolution and Napoleon the Great. His grandfather served in the armies of the Second Republic and afterwards as a professor.

Brunel was educated in a Jesuit College, and was “drawing maps and covers for books and programs, and did wonders with the camera at the age of twelve. He was called “The Artist” among his classmates.” He was then a graduate of the art schools in Paris.

During the time of the Dreyfus Affair in Paris, Brunel was a full-fledged art student in the Quarter Latin, and about this time, he went to London, painting portraits in the studios of Regent Street and in the clubs of the West End. He visited all the large cities on the continent, studying the Dutch School of Dusseldorf, and in Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam and the Italian schools in Florence, Rome, Venice and Naples, and the old masters in London.

In 1902, at the age of 28, Brunel came to the United States “on a bet.” “The first question asked of E. Brunel some sixteen years ago [in 1902] before leaving the steamer, when entering the harbor of New York City, was: Are you a professional?” E. Brunel answered, “Yes,” to the Federal Inspector, who tapped him on the shoulder, saying ‘We want you.’”

Upon his arrival, Brunel took an extended trip through the western United States where he sought to see the continually shrinking western frontier of the country. His goal was to capture remnants of the “wild west” on canvas. During his travels, he supported himself as an itinerant artist. He designed signs and posted broadsides for circuses and whiskey companies.

After Brunel’s time traveling the west, he returned east and became a New Yorker. He turned his artistic skills from painting to photography. For a time, Brunel worked as a photojournalist for the New York Times Magazine and would go on to develop a certain degree of fame as a portrait photographer.

In 1906, he started his own photographic studio on 42nd Street, near Broadway. “From the first day his gallery was stormed by prominent patrons. The second year the patronage became so great that he could not accommodate his followers, and opened, successfully, several branches in the best districts of the metropolis.” (Long Beach Life. July 18, 1931.)

Brunel’s studios were patronized by a who’s who of New York society, including such people as businessman W. K. Vanderbilt and family, the Gould family, actress Lillian Gish, the Grand Duke Alexander, financier Bernard Baruch, newspaper publisher Adolph S. Ochs of the New York Times and family, the Lefcourt family, director Cecil B. DeMille, producer Adolph Zukor, actor and playwright George M. Cohan, producer David Belesco, opera singer Enrico Caruso, author Irvin Cobb, President of the National Baseball League John Heydler, illustrator Charles Dana Gibson, writer Mark Twain and “thousands of others prominent in social and business life.”

With his early and ongoing success and reputation forming a base for his photographic business, Brunel would go on to open dozens of portrait studios throughout the United States, including branches at New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit and Pittsburgh. By circa the eary-1910s, it was advertised that the Brunel studios employed over 100 men and women and produced more than 100,000 photographs each year.

In 1910, Brunel founded the E. Brunel School of Photography, which later became the New York Institute of Photography (NYIP). The school started as a retail operation that taught its customers how use the photography equipment they bought. The school quickly expanded into teaching photo engraving, retouching, and cinematography, and began to publish its lessons in book form. In 1914, Brunel registered the school as the New York Institute of Photography. That same year, Brunel published the following advertisement for the school in local newspapers.

“LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY and earn $30 to $50 and more weekly as a studio operator; motion-picture photographer or newspaper photographer, war photographer, government, city, or state photographer, commercial photographer, or start your own business practically without capital; we teach you quickly all branches of photograph; easy terms; $10 starts you; amateurs perfected in their work. Write or call New York Institute of Photography, 1269 Broadway, near 32d St., New York. Founded by E. Brunel, now operating ten successful studios.” (New York Times. May 17, 1914.)

The method and program of instruction at the school to become a professional photographer covered all aspects of the industry. Each lesson in the course was demonstrated by a professional photographer and students were required to take and finish photographs, and mount the same in an album, so that there was a photograph to correspond with every lesson. Each album was inspected and criticized by Brunel and directors at the school.

Topics for instruction at the school included cameras; stands, tripods, plate holders and accessories; lenses; chemicals; photographic materials; studio portraiture lighting, posing and composition; commercial photography; retouching and etching; printing; enlarging; mountain and embellishing; tinting and coloring; and salesmanship.

By 1920, Brunel had left the school and passed control over to Samuel Fortune Falk. The NYIP continues to train photographers today.

Brunel developed a one-hour film development process, a process that was unique and well ahead of its time. He would frequently advertise that “Photos taken at one, at two are done.”

During the mid-1910s, in addition to his photography work, Brunel began to work in cinematography. He worked with a young Cecil B. DeMille and soon found himself a part of the fledgling moving picture industry. Brunel is known to have worked with DeMille on several of his early films. By the end of 1915, DeMille had already directed 20 films and established himself as one of the most prolific and successful directors of the silent era. DeMille would go on to become a legendary motion-picture director and producer, having produced or directed over 160 movies, having served as one of the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and being awarded two Academy Awards.

Brunel would himself produce and direct one film, The Hand of God, which was advertised as “a fantastic production in 100 episodes – depicting biblical and mythological traditions and historical events, scientific, educational and highly artistic.” The film was released in October 1916. The sole surviving print of this early epic film is located at the New York Museum of Modern Art.

In 1917, Brunel founded the Brunel Film Corporation in New York City with the objective “to exhibit and deal in motion picture films.” The corporation had an initial capital of $500. Directors of the company included Charles W. Reynolds, Louis G. Duquet and Brunel. The company was located at 587 Riverside Drive in New York City. The corporation only lasted a couple of years, and by around 1918 or 1919 the Brunel Film Corporation was dissolved.

In August 1911, Emile Brunel became a naturalized American citizen, as declared by the Supreme Court of New York. The process for earning citizenship at the time

“Began with the filing of a declaration of intention, which recorded the applicant’s oath to the clerk of the court that it was his or her bona fide intention to become a citizen of the United States, to reside permanently therein, and to renounce all allegiances to other nations.

Within a period of 2 to 7 years after filing the declaration, the applicant could petition the court for citizenship, presenting at this time the affidavits of two witnesses with personal knowledge of the applicant, stating that the applicant had resided in the United States for at least 5 years and possessed a good moral character.

The petition then became the subject of an investigation and hearing before a judge. Officials of the Bureau conducted preliminary examinations and submitted findings and recommendations to the court.

The hearing before a judge was the last step in the procedure, provided the judge found the findings and recommendation of naturalization officials favorable and satisfactory. If so, the applicant would take an oath of allegiance to the U.S. Constitution and laws and renounce all foreign allegiances, and the judge would issue an order of admission to citizenship and grant the applicant a certificate of citizenship.”

Around 1918, Brunel began to purchase land in the Catskills, including a parcel in Boiceville that already had an operating hotel on the grounds. He renamed the place Chalet Indien, and modernized the hotel and property. The 77-acre complex included a two-story hotel, a bungalow colony, tennis courts, bridal paths, a croquet court, a game room, horseback riding and an Olympic sized swimming pool.

Brunel’s resort was a huge success due to its convenient location, modernized facilities and its flamboyant French proprietor. During its heyday, the guest register was a who’s who of American society. According to the Brunel Park website, noteworthy guests of the resort included King Edward and Mrs. Wallace Simpson, actor Jimmy Cagney, painters Jimmy and father Max Ernst, famed Broadway producer Harold Prince, architect Frederick Kiesler, the composer Karol Rathaus, the poet Richard Beer-Hofmann, composer and songwriter Irving Berlin, art dealer Sydney Janis and his wife Harriet Grossman, famed poster designer Joseph Binder and many members of the Roosevelt family.

While operating Chalet Indien, Brunel began to work as a sculptor, creating a series of works for his property. In preparing for his sculpture work, Brunel made an exhaustive study of Indian lore, habits and artistry, including Alaskan totem poles. In a pictorial album that he maintained about his career, Brunel stated that “the statues and monuments on the Brunel farm, Boiceville . . . are dedicated to the grandeur and mysteries of nature and as a token of admiration for the Catskill mountains.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. September 18, 1847.)

The sculptures “were created by molding wire mesh filled with rocks into rough forms. Next multiple layers of concrete were applied and shaped by hand. Originally, steel pipes driven up to thirty feet into the ground anchored the statues. These supports were cut free from the works when they were relocated in 1947. The current anchoring system is not known. The smaller works were created in much the same fashion with layers of concrete being built up on the wire mesh frames or armatures.”

Brunel was assisted in his sculpture work by Larry P. Bishop, a Boiceville neighbor and local farmer. Bishop helped make “stone and concrete bases for the statues, then erected wooden scaffolds around masses of the pipe and wire first shaped into the figures. After the desired form was satisfactory, they put on the concrete. They used tons of it.” Bishop served as the model for the Moon Haw Haw sculpture.

Bishop once commented on Brunel that “he had a fine disposition. His hand was always extended in a manner of welcome, and his smile bespoke the sincerity of his action. I always loved to work with him.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. September 18, 1947.)

Of his sculpture works, Brunel wrote in a poem that:

“In the open air of the Catskills,

As entertainment I made,

These Indian monuments, these statues,

These totems.

The passer-by stops and asks,

Is it a cemetery,

Or an advertisement for tobacco or wine.

No, like it or not; it is a legend,

An old man told me once

And that I wanted to illustrate with these statues.

Without purpose of gain or to please you,

I built these for my own amusement.”

Brunel’s art “was not originally intended to serve as an advertisement for his resort. His work was intended to represent his own deep personal connection [to] native American culture he had witnessed. However, his personal artistic expressions due to their size and locations quickly became synonymous with his commercial venture. This connection would be strengthened after his death when the gigantic works would be assembled in a “park” as part of the family’s commercial Trading Post. Throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s the sculptures of Emile Brunel and his Native American collection would serve as one of the region’s premier tourist destinations.”

Circa 1940, along with his sculpting and overseeing Chalet Indien, Brunel worked as a real estate broker. One advertisement stated that “Emile Brunel, for 25 years, has surveyed every corner of the Catskills, from Roscoe to Cairo. He has sculpted, for his pleasure and pastime, on his estate in Boiceville, the well known statues of Indians and Totem Poles. He has now settled in a Futuristic Home in Boiceville and will promote Real Estate in the beautiful and healthful sites of the Catskill Mountains. There is a constant demand for private estates, farms, camp sites, summer homes, bungalows, boarding houses, road stands, etc. List your property for sale or rent. E. Brunel, Licensed Real Estate Broker, Boiceville, Ulster Co., N.Y. (Catskill Park).”

After a long, successful and much varied career, Emile Brunel died on Friday, November 10, 1944 at his estate in Boiceville as the result of a heart ailment. A private funeral service was held at his home three days later on Monday, November 13, 1944.

After the funeral, Brunel’s ashes were placed in an urn which was then placed at the top of his Great White Spirit sculpture. In 1947, three years after his death, it was reported that Brunel’s ashes were removed from the sculpture as the state of New York realigned Route 28 through the hotel property, which caused the Great White Spirit sculpture to be moved away from the road construction to its current location in Brunel Park. It is not clear if the urn and ashes were later returned to the top of the sculpture once the move was complete.

Emile Brunel was survived by his wife Gladyse, a daughter Gladyse and two grandchildren, Gladyse and Anne.

Brunel Park

Brunel Park, also known as the Emile Brunel Studio and Sculpture Garden, is situated just off Route 28 in the hamlet of Boiceville, New York on a small section of what was Brunel’s Chalet Indien resort property.

After Brunel’s death in 1944, and with the redesign and realignment of Route 28 through the hotel property in 1947, the hotel closed and the sculptures were moved to their current location and much of the remaining property was sold. In October 1947, during the Route 28 construction project, it was reported that “two of the Brunel Indian statues at Boiceville have been moved to new bases farther up the slope of Snyder’s Hill. One of the statues broke in two when a derrick cable snapped but this damage was repaired satisfactorily.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. October 16, 1947.) The article is not clear which of the three large sculptures was broken.

The totem poles were re-erected next to Route 28 and the three large statues were re-erected on a plateau of land north of the studio. The area would be renamed Brunel Park.

Brunel’s wife, later his daughter, and then his granddaughter would operate a trading post and museum on the property for over 50 more years until the mid-1990s. The museum housed Brunel’s significant Native American artifact collection and the trading post sold both fine Native American crafts and jewelry as well as other inexpensive gifts and souvenirs. A 1976 photograph by famous photographer John Margolies shows signs in front of the trading post advertising Quoddy moccasins and “Genuine Cherokee Indian Made Moccasins and Indian Crafts” for sale.

The Indian Trading Post was closed on August 1, 1995 by Brunel’s granddaughter Anne, who planned to move to Florida. In September 1995, Anne, via auctioneer George Cole, offered the complete contents of the Indian Trading Post and Museum for sale. The auction was held in Red Hook, New York. There were over 350 lots available for sale, including a pre-historic Shaman stone, Dick Chrisjohn (1921-1991) wood carvings, jewelry from the George C. Wallace collection, Brunel’s artwork, false face masks, beaded clothing, headdresses, totems, kachina dolls, spear heads, weapons, pottery, Navajo rugs, baskets and much more.

Perhaps the most widely watched item at the auction was a mysterious Native American “shaman stone” that was formerly owned by Brunel. Reportedly, the 9 1/2-inch, hollow sandstone artifact was turned up by a farmer’s plow in Cornwallville, near Windham Mountain, in the 1800s “at a site where Henry Hudson reported Native Americans convened once a year to placate a demon spirit.” On the front of the stone was a face carving and on the back was a hand’s shape. The stone also included a map of all the continents, a halo and markings that could be writing. The history and description of the stone seem a bit fanciful, but nonetheless a local amateur anthropologist estimated that it could sell for as much as $100,000. There were no further news reports on the auction, so it is unclear who bought the stone, or how much it sold for, or where the mysterious stone is today. (“Native American artifact at auction.” Poughkeepsie Journal. September 10, 1995.)

Brunel Park contains a log cabin, Brunel’s studio building, three large scale sculptures known as Moon Haw Haw, Natache and The Great White Spirit, two sculpted totem poles and several small-scale sculptures. All the sculptures are beautifully set on several acres of landscaped grounds.

The Emile Brunel Studio and Sculpture Garden is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “an unusual and unique regional collection of folk-art dating from the early twentieth century” and as “a rare surviving example of roadside art and architecture in the upper Hudson Valley.”

The home and property were purchased by private owners in 1997 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Today, Brunel Park is operated by the non-profit organization Friends of Brunel Park, which was founded in 2018 by Cynthia Nikitin and her husband Evgeny Nikitin. The organization seeks to serve as a community destination and artistic and education center, to preserve the site as a unique landmark in perpetuity and to celebrate the legacy of Emile Brunel.

In June 2023, the process began to restore the sculptures and totems at Brunel Park. The work was completed by AM Masonry, and included the cleaning, sandblasting, power washing, patching, fixing, sculpting and protecting of the major totems.

Brunel Park is open daily year-round for self-guided tours from 1pm to 5pm from March to November and from 12pm to 4pm from December to February. The address is 4008 State Route 28, at Desilva Road, in Boiceville, New York. Visit their website at www.brunelpark.org for more information.

Studio

The Emile Brunel two-story studio building was constructed in 1929 using the “craftsman” architectural style yet was “strongly influenced by French country design.”

“The most significant aspect of the house are the works of art carved by Brunel into the concrete stucco exterior finish. A relief carving spans the south elevation of the studio. Located between the exposed basement level and first floor the frieze measures about three feet in height. It depicts a Native American village scene. The scene includes hunters returning from a successful hunt, a tribal Shaman, Indian scouts in canoes, a Squaw with her two children, and two scouts keeping a vigilant lookout. Also in the piece is the image of Brunel.

Located on the south elevation of the west wing of the house is a large relief medallion. The carving includes the profiles of Emile Brunel and his wife, Glasyse. Below is partially completed inscription which reads, “Le don de Dieu.” The phrase translates from French as Gift of God or God Given.”

The Cabin

The log cabin was built in 1960 to serve as a souvenir store. The cabin, now referred to as the Cranesbill Cabin, is currently used for artist residencies. The cabin, constructed of hand-hewn logs, is approximately 500 square feet and offers propane heat, a small loft space and a modern kitchen and bathroom.

Cabin Totem Pole

Located in front of the log cabin, the 30-foot, hand carved, wooden totem pole was envisioned, sculpted and erected by Brunel, who stated that each carving represented a different event in his own life. From bottom to top, the totem pole includes a donkey, an Indian chief, a fish, an eagle and two smiling faces. The totem pole is titled “Statue de la Territoire,” which translate to Statue of the Territory.

Eagle Totem

The Eagle Totem was one of a pair of totems that once stood on each side of the driveway.

Moon Haw Haw

The 30-foot sculpture known as Moon Haw Haw depicts a male Native American figure with a single feather at the rear of his head as he looks skyward towards the Burroughs Range to the west, with both arms outstretched, palms facing upwards. The work, completed in 1929, is believed to be Brunel’s first work on the property.

While in its original location, before it was moved in 1947 due to the Route 28 realignment, at the base of the Moon Haw Haw sculpture was a small pool, constructed of rocks, into which flowed a stream of cold Catskill mountain water, piped from one of the five never-failing springs on the grounds of Chalet Indian. In 1933 “during the recent drought, this water supply was frequented by neighbors of the Brunel family, who were glad indeed to climb the steep slope leading up to the monument in order to secure good drinking water for their homes.

Moonhaw, “that picturesque sylvan retreat,” refers to the geographical area near Brunel Park at the base of the eastern slope of the Wittenberg Range, more commonly referred to as the Burroughs Range. The range is comprised of Wittenberg Mountain, Cornell Mountain and Slide Mountain.

Moon Haw Road and what locals call Moonhaw Hollow are modern place names in the hamlet of West Shokan in the town of Olive. Both the road and the hollow bear the name of an Esopus Indian leader identified as “Moonhaw, the right Ancrop,” who was among several Indian signatories who placed their marks on the Indian deed dated June 6, 1746 (as per Ulster County Records, Deed Book EE:61-64) that transferred their lands to settlers.

The Moonhaw Club, originally built by Charles Coutant, was an historic, rustic hunting camp located in the Moonhaw area.

Moon Haw HawAuthor's Collection.

Natache

The sculpture known as Natache was conceived by Brunel in 1933. That year, Brunel sculpted an eight-inch clay model of his vision for the future statue. The sculpture is roughly twenty feet in height including her stone base. Natache depicts a Native American woman sitting with her right arm raised and her head tilted back. She carries a papoose with a child on her back.

Great White Spirit

The sculpture known as the Great White Spirit “is thought to be Brunel’s last. It consists of a thirty-foot-tall tree trunk with spreading roots. At the top of the trunk, are four large faces (the faces of religion). These four images are intended to represent the world’s great faiths. Depicted are Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism. Around the base of the tree are the four faces of vice. These include jealousy, hate, lust and greed. This work would also serve as Brunel’s own monument as his ashes are interred within its form.”

After completing the Great White Spirit, with a pool at the base, Brunel and L. P. Bishop, his assistant and neighbor, each made a footprint at the bottom as a seal of friendship to remain beyond the span of their lives for all the guests at the chalet to observe.

The Big Frog

The Little Gargoyle

The Little Gargoyle represents the gargoyles from Brunel’s beloved St. Nicolas Cathedral in his hometown of Chateau-Neuf, France.

Tugboat Catherine C. Miller on the Hudson River

(American Catskills) — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Catherine C. Miller is a U.S flagged tugboat from Staten Island, New York. It was built in 1981 by Terrebonne Shipbuilders Incorporated of Houma, Louisiana as the Miss Keely for Sea Ray Marine Services Incorporated of Houma, Louisiana.

In 1998, the tug was acquired by G and B Marine Incorporated of Houma, Louisiana. The tug retained her name.

In 1999, she was acquired by Double Eagle Marine Incorporated of New Iberia, Louisiana. The tug was renamed as the Ouachita Eagle.

In 2002, the tug was acquired by Delta Towing Incorporated of Houma, Louisiana. The tug was renamed as the Delta Mariner.

In 2011, she was acquired by Miller's Tug and Launch Incorporated of Staten Island, New York. The tug was renamed as the Catherine C. Miller.

The Catherine C. Miller is seen here as she makes her way south on the Hudson River near Kingston, New York and past the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse.

Coral Coast, Chesapeake City, Maryland

(American Catskills) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Coral Coast is a U.S. flagged tugboat from Chesapeake City, Maryland. It was built in 1971 by the McDermott Shipyard Incorporated of Morgan City, Louisiana as the Luke Z. Defelice for the DeFelice Marine Towing Company of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

In 1980, the DeFelice Marine Towing Company was acquired by Gulf Fleet Marine Incorporated of Houston, Texas. The tug retained her name.

In 1985, Zapata Marine Service, Gulf Fleet Marine Incorporated, and Jackson Marine Services merged to form Zapata Gulf Marine Service Incorporated of Houston, Texas. The tug retained her name.

In 1986, the tug was acquired by the Morania Oil Tanker Corporation of Staten Island, New York. The tug was then renamed as the Morania No. 2.

In 2000, the Morania Oil Tanker Corporation merged with Penn Maritime Incorporated of Stamford, Connecticut. The tug was then renamed as the Penn No. 2.

In 2010, the tug was acquired by the Dann Marine Towing Company of Chesapeake City, Maryland. The tug was then renamed the Coral Coast.

The Coral Coast is seen here as she makes her way north on the Hudson River near Kingston, New York.

Esopus Meadows Lighthouse: A History and Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse, affectionately known as the Maid of the Meadows, is an active lighthouse located on the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie and Kingston. It is located at River Mile 87 on the Hudson River, as measured from the southern tip of Manhattan. The Hudson River is approximately 315 miles long.

The lighthouse stands on the west side of the channel, in the river, and is accessible only by boat. The lighthouse was originally constructed in order to warn mariners of the tidal mud flats located off the western shore of the Hudson River.

The Name – Meadows

The meadows, from which the lighthouse takes its name, refers to the pastureland that was once located at and around the area where the lighthouse is now located, and reached to the western shore of the Hudson River. The land was used by local farmers as pastureland for grazing by their cows. However, in time, with the changing of the river, the meadows first became accessible only at low tide, and are now fully submerged at any tide.

Of the meadows area, noted archaeologist Robert E. Funk wrote that “There is a distinct possibility, if not probability, that prehistoric (and even historic) sites still exist on ancient benches, terraces, and floodplain deposits below the Hudson's average modern low tide level. An example of this potential is Esopus Meadows . . . which is presently under about two meters of water. Aerial photographs show evidence of stone walls that indicate the area was dry and habitable in early colonial times. There may well be Native American sites on this submerged land mass.” (Funk, Robert E. An Introduction to the History of Prehistoric Archaeology in New York State.)

Once submerged, the area became a grave threat to mariners, as the water where the meadows once stood gave the appearance that the area was navigable, when in reality it was only several feet deep. Historical newspapers featured countless stories of vessels damaged or stranded at the meadows.

Today, according to the Town of Esopus Comprehensive Plan of 2019, “the shallow, subtidal lands provide feeding, breeding, and nursery habitats for many aquatic fish species including Striped Bass and American Shad. A sizable population of shortnose and American sturgeon winter in the adjacent channels of the Meadows and can be found in the area year-round. A significant concentration of waterfowl also occurs in the Esopus Meadows area during spring and fall migrations, attracted by the many valuable feeding areas.

Esopus Meadows is adjacent to the Kingston-Poughkeepsie Deepwater Habitat on the opposite side of the River. The Meadows are one of the most southern locations of freshwater shallows on the Hudson. In recent years the invasive, non-native water chestnut has expanded to the site and has proved problematic to fish species as well as humans who seek to use the river for recreational purposes.”

The Name – Esopus

The historical meaning of the name Esopus varies depending on the source. According to noted historian Alf Evers in his book The Catskills “the word ‘Esopus’ is a Europeanized form of an Algonkian word for a brook or small stream. Dutch settlers applied it to the stream that rises in the Catskills and enters the Hudson at what became Saugerties. The settlers transferred the name to the Indians who lived on its banks and then to the land along the river.”

According to the Historians of Ulster County in their book titled History of Ulster County, With Emphasis on the Last 100 Years, “the Indians called the place “esepu” meaning “high banks” according to some historians and “flowing waters” according to others. Both apply. Town of Esopus is indeed a land of “high banks and flowing waters.” The Dutch settlers named their colony “Esopus” after the Indian name for the area, and called the Indians living here the Esopus Indians.”

The Town of Esopus Bicentennial Committee in their book titled Town of Esopus Story 3000 B.C. – 1978 A.D. “the name Esopus is a Dutch word derived from the Indian language. It means “land of flowing waters and high banks.” “Esopus is said to be a Dutch Latinization of Esepu, the name of the Indians in this area.”

William M. Beauchamp in his Aboriginal Place Names of New York writes that “E-so-pus, once Sopus, was derived by Heckewelder from seepu, the Delaware word for river. Seepus was made equivalent to Sopus, and Esopus was formed from this, being so called in 1655. It sometimes appeared as Sopers. The Indians there were of the Algonquin family, and there would be more force in the alleged origin had they not called the place by another name, and the Dutch invariably by this. It became prominent at an early day.”

Nathanial Bartlett Sylvester in his History of Ulster County, New York wrote that “the territory now included in the town of Esopus was originally known as Cline Esopus, to distinguish it from the larger tract called Esopus, north and west of the Rondout and the Wallkill.”

A Special Time on the River

The following excerpt, written by Tom R. Lake, provides a reimagination of Native American life in the springtime at Esopus Meadows. The essay, titled “The Ancestral Lure of the Hudson Estuary,” is included in The Journey: An Algonquian Peoples Seminar published by the New York State Museum.

“Spring fishing camps must have been a time of contentment. The group had survived another long, cold winter, the river was warming, and the “cooperative” (the river) was open for business. It is possible to visualize the fishing station at Esopus Meadows, RM87, about 4,000 years ago.

There might be a dozen thatched wigwams arranged in a roughly circular pattern. A low hum of voices from women cooking fish and shellfish amidst blue woodsmoke would rise from several hearths and stone ovens. The smells of good food would fill the air. Other members of the group would likely be busy in net-making or in netmending, or would be in woodworking areas, where new dugout canoes were being fashioned from logs. Small children would be laughing and running along the shore, domesticated wolf pups yipping at their heels.

At the edge of camp, a few people would be feeding hemlock boughs to smoky fires over which fresh hides would be stretched. Several cleaned and plucked wild turkeys could be hung from a pole nearby, waiting their turn to be smoked, using the fragrant pignut. Long ragged skeins of Canada Geese and Snow Geese headed north overhead. The chatter of birds and the “fire” color of orioles would highlight the trees under a cloudless blue sky; a white blanket of shadbush bloomed all around.

On the broad floodplain, several dugout canoes would be drawn up on the beach ahead of the rising tide. Families and clans would have set up fish processing racks and smokehouses. (They would have avoided the initial processing of fish and game too near where they were living in deference to black bears and wolves.) Some people would be tending fish weirs made of saplings bound with natural fibers; others would be collecting freshwater mussels from the shallows. Groups of adolescent males and adults would be dragging long nets out of the river, spilling hundreds of river herring and scores of shad onto the beach. Osprey would swoop down to the river’s edge to grab those that were floating away. Nearby, several adult bald eagles would perch on snags waiting their turn at an easy fish dinner.

In time, after the spring spawning migration of shad and herring ended, members of the group would gather up their belongings and head downriver, where the promise of blue crabs, shellfish, and ocean fish awaited them. They would not return to their fish processing spot until next spring, when the pussy willow’s catkins emerged.”

Brief History of the Lighthouse Service

The U.S. Lighthouse Establishment was created by the First Congress in 1789 to manage the 12 colonial lighthouses now controlled by the federal government and to oversee construction of new lighthouses. Sandy Hook Lighthouse, built in New Jersey in 1764, is the only colonial lighthouse that has survived (Boston Harbor Lighthouse, built in 1716, was rebuilt in 1783-1784). Between 1789 and 1820 about 40 new lighthouses were built by the Lighthouse Establishment.

On August 31, 1852, the U.S. Lighthouse Establishment became the U.S. Lighthouse Board, largely due to the numerous complaints about the state of the U.S. lighthouse system. The nine-member board was composed primarily of Naval and Army engineer officers. The country was divided into 12 new lighthouse districts, each with an inspector responsible for overall construction, maintenance and purchasing.

On June 17, 1910, the U.S. Lighthouse Board became the Bureau of Lighthouses. The number of districts was increased to 19.

In 1939, the Bureau of Lighthouses was abolished and its functions were transferred to the U. S. Coast Guard. At the end of World War II, the Coast Guard staffed 468 light stations.

Following the war, the Coast Guard embarked on a program of automation. The rationale for the programs was to reduce the cost of maintaining lighthouses, to remove personnel from extremely isolated and hazardous locations and to make billets available for programming. Despite these efforts, the Coast Guard “manned” 27 lighthouses in 1962. The Coast Guard then initiated the Lighthouse Automation and Modernization Program in 1968. LAMP was designed to accelerate and standardize the remaining lighthouses for automation and to standardize the equipment at those previously automated.

Every Coast Guard-owned lighthouse in the United States was then automated and unmanned, with the sole exception of the Boston Lighthouse. In November 1989, just as the Coast Guard was preparing to automate the Boston Light on Little Brewster Island, the US Senate passed a law sponsored by Senator Kennedy requiring that Boston Light be permanently manned. Boston Light thus became the only manned lighthouse in the United States.

The law also required that public access to Little Brewster be facilitated, and this occurred during the 1990s, culminating with the official opening of the island to the public in 1999. The light was finally automated in 1998, again the last one in the country, and now remains always “on,” ending the keeper’s having to climb the stairs twice a day.

In 2003, Dr. Sally Snowman became the first civilian keeper at the Boston Lighthouse since 1941. After 20 years, Dr. Snowman retired in 2023. Snowman served as the last official lighthouse keeper in the United States.

The First Lighthouse at Esopus Meadows

The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 brought about a boom in shipping along the Hudson River. The 363-mile man-made canal traversed the state of New York, connecting Lake Erie at Buffalo to the Hudson River at Albany. The canal enabled agricultural products from the northwest to make their way to ports in New York. After the Delaware and Hudson Canal opened in 1828, coal from Pennsylvania was shipped to Kingston for distribution in the east, making the need for navigational aids on the upper Hudson River even more important. Commercial river travel became an integral part of the development of the communities along its shores.

In 1831, due to ongoing danger posed by the tidal mud flats at Esopus Meadows and the growing need for improved navigation along the Hudson River, the U. S. Congress appropriated $3,000 for "erecting a beacon light at the junction of Rondout Creek and Hudson River, or on or near the Esopus Meadows, as may be deemed most expedient by the Secretary of the Treasury." Despite the allocation of funds, the lighthouse was not constructed at that time.

In 1837, the U. S. Congress again appropriated $3,000 for the construction of a lighthouse at Esopus Meadows. However, the following year, in 1838, it was reported that “for the light-house at Esopus Meadows, on the Hudson River, three thousand dollars only were appropriated; it will require at least six thousand dollars; and, consequently, nothing has been done in relation to it. The proper site is inundated at high tides, rendering it necessary to place the building on a pier so strong as to resist the floating ice in the spring of the year.”

In 1838, the U. S. Congress appropriated the additional $3,000, for a total of $6,000, to construct the lighthouse. The site for the lighthouse was acquired from local farmer George Terpening for the sum of one dollar.

In 1838, advertisements were placed in local newspapers seeking proposals to build the new lighthouse at Esopus Meadows. These advertisements offer great insight as to the description, layout and construction of the lighthouse.

“Custom House. Collector’s Office, New York. 16th July, 1838. Proposals will be received at this Office until the 4th day of August next, at noon, for BUILDING A MOLE and LIGHT HOUSE, on the point of the Flat, at Esopus Meadows, where the water at low tide is about one and a half feet deep, of the following materials, dimensions, and description, viz:

1st. To build a Wharf, forming a square to the south end 40 feet by 50 feet, and from the two north corners to a point at the extent of 50 feet from the said square in a direct north line. Said Wharf to be formed on the outsides with white pine timber of not less than one foot, hewed on three sides, and laid on a slant of 30 degrees, and secured with braces in the area. The height to be five feet above high water mark, and inside of the timber seven oak spiles eighteen inches in diameter, placed at proper distances apart, the same to be well driven into the ground, and in height four feed above the top of the Wharf. The area thus formed to be filled with stone as high as the top of the timber. On the outside of the timber to be planked with oak plank three inches thick, one end driven well into the ground, and spiked into each timber to the top of the Wharf.

The mole to be 50 feet long and 40 feet wide. The walls of stone, four feet thick at the bottom, two at the top, and to rise four feet above the average high water mark. The walls to be leveled off with large flat stones, and the filling to be raised crownwise in the center of the Mole. Within the area is to be made the foundation of the house, which is to be thirty four feet long and twenty wide. The foundation walls of the Dwelling and Lighthouse to be two feet thick, of split stone, laid in lime mortar, and carried up to within three feet of the top of the Mole walls. The space between the Mole walls and those of the house to be filled up with stones, gravel, sand or earth. The exterior of the Mole walls to be well backed up with earth, level with the foundation walls of the house.

The Dwelling house to be built of split stone, thirty four feet long and twenty wide, two stories, each eight feet high; the lower story to be divided into a kitchen, store and oil rooms, with a pantry and the entries between; stairs in the front entry to go into the second story, which is to be divided into 2 rooms, with closets, and an entry between them, from the latter stairs to go into the chambers, which are to be lathed and plastered; a chimney in each end of the house, with fire places in the kitchen, and the two rooms in the second story, iron or stone mantel pieces, an oven in the kitchen, with an iron door; crane, trammels, and hooks; a sink on one side of the fire place, with a spout leading through the wall; doors in the front and rear entries. The walls of the house to be two feet thick; laid in lime mortar; the roof to be rectangular, the boards of which to be well jointed and halved, and well secured and covered with imperial slates; two windows of sixteen panes of 8 by 10 glass in the kitchen, one in the oil and store rooms, three in each room of the second story, and one in each chamber; the doors to be four paneled, with good hinges and thumb latches to each, and a good lock on the outside doors; all the doors to be double and well nailed; the inside walls and ceiling of the apartments to be lathed and plastered, and all the inside work to be finished in a plain decent style with seasoned lumber. All the wood work, inside and out, to be covered with two good coats of paint; gutters to lead round the house, with spouts to carry off the water; an outhouse, five feet by four, well shingled and painted.

On the center of the house to be an octagon tower, eight feet in diameter, and to rise two feet above the ridgepole of the House; the poles to be ten inches square, to stand on the beams of the house, and well secured together by girths and braces, the former to be ten inches square; the outside above the roof the house to be boarded and slated; on top of the tower a deck ten feet in diameter, formed of three inch planks, on which is to be laid tarred sheathing paper, and that covered with heavy capper, well secured to the deck with copper nails; in one side of the deck a scuttle to enter the lantern, the scuttle doors to be made of double boards, and covered with copper like the deck; one window in the upper story of the tower, of twelve lights, of ten by eight glass, a sufficient number of steps to lead from the attic chamber of the house to the entrance of the scuttle, with a railing thereto.

An iron lantern of the octagon form, the posts to be one and half inch square, and to pass through the deck four feet, and bolted on to the posts of the tower; the height and diameter to be sufficient to admit an iron sash in each octagon to contain eighteen lights, nine by twelve; the lower tier to be filled with copper, the rabbets of the sashes to be three quarters of an inch deep, and to be glazed with the best double glass of the Boston manufactory; in one of the octagons an iron framed door covered with copper, two feet by four, to shut tight into rabbets, with to strong turn buttons; the top to be a dome formed by sixteen iron rafters concentrating into an iron hoop four inches wide, and nine inches diameter, covered with thirty ounce copper, which must come down and rivet on the piece that forms the top of the sash, which is to be three inches wide; on the top a traversing ventilator, two and half feet long, and fifteen inches diameter, on which must be secured a copper vane three feet long and twenty inches wide – the lantern to be guarded by an iron railing, the posts to be one and a quarter inches square, the upper one to be four feet above the deck; the house to have one complete electrical conductor, made of copper, three quarters of an inch in diameter, pointed at each end, and enter the ground five feet, at an angle of about 45 degrees; the lantern, door and windows of the tower to be painted twice over, white inside and black outside.

Separate proposals will be received for fitting up the said lantern, after it shall be built, with five patent lamps, and fourteen inch reflectors, and to furnish one spare lamp, six tin butts of 80 gallons each, for keeping the oil, with tin covers to each, and all necessary apparatus, in the same manner as the lighthouses in the United States have been fitted by Mr. Winslow Lewis. The whole to be approved by the superintendent of the establishment, or such other person as may be designated by him. Payment to be when the work shall be completed and approved, and not before.

The work to be commenced by the 25th of August next, and finished within three months thereafter. All the materials to be of the best king. J. HOYT, Collector and Superintendent of Lighthouses for this District.”

The work was scheduled to be completed in December 1838, but an early frost delayed final construction. Ried Clapp was the contractor for the job. As per the proposal notices in the local newspapers, Clapp would not be paid for his work on the lighthouse until the job was completed.

The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse became active in June 1839, with Jeremiah Terpenning serving as the first lightkeeper from 1839 to 1842. After his years of service at the lighthouse, Jeremiah became a farmer in the town of Esopus.

In 1844, the lighthouse inspector reported that the lighthouse had five lamps with all the necessary supplies. He also wrote that “this light is well kept. The reflectors are much worn; and I would advise the same arrangement with the lantern as that proposed at Stony Point.”

In 1850, it was reported that “this building, which stands on a pier, has not had any repairs the last two years. It is in somewhat of a dilapidated state, but is now kept clean, and the lighting apparatus is now is good burning order.” The lighthouse had four lamps. Supplies on hand included 114 gallons of spring oil, 24 gallons of winter oil, 20 tube glasses, 2 gross wicks, 20 yards of cloth, 1 buff skin, 1 box of soap, 1 box of Tripoli, 1 pair of scissors, and 1 wick box. There were also two spare lamps, both in good working order, common burners and 16-inch reflectors. The inspector also gave the lighthouse keeper an oil-cask to keep water in.

By 1855, it was reported that the pier at the lighthouse was suffering damage due to ice coming from the south, and it was therefore proposed to add a south-facing triangular extension to the pier to act as an icebreaker. “This pier, which is nine feet high above the bottom, is 41 by 50 feet, with an angular extension to the northward of 50 feet for an ice-breaker. The southern extremity of this pier has been much injured by ice coming from that direction and acted upon by southeast wins, and the current of flood. Elsewhere it appears to be in good order. It is proposed to add to this pier a triangular extension on its south end to protect it from further damage by ice from that direction, constructed of squared timber and ties, resting upon piles solidly driven into the ground, with a facing of 3-inch chestnut plank, protected at the angles by stout iron bands and sheet-iron, and the whole filled with stone.”

Advertisements were placed in local newspapers seeking proposals for the pier repairs. “To Contractors. Proposals will be received at this office until the 10th of June next, for . . . “the repair of Light-House Piers in the Hudson River, at Esopus Meadows, Rondout, Saugerties Coxsackie Island and Stuyvesant. The plans and specifications relative to these works can be examined at this office after the 27th inst., between the hours of 12 and 3 P. M. G. DUTTON, Captain U. S. Corps of Engineers, New York, May 23, 1856.” The work was completed in 1857 at a cost of $696.

After nearly three decades of use, continuous flood tides and ice flows significantly weakened the lighthouse foundation, making it unsafe for use. By 1867, it was reported that the lighthouse was “in a ruinous condition,” and it was proposed to rebuild the lighthouse “on the plan already adopted for other stations on the Hudson.”

In 1869 it was reported that “this station is in an exceeding bad state, and the only economical remedy is to rebuild the light-house. The wooden pier upon which this light-house stands is in such a dilapidated state that it is feared the whole will be taken away by the ice and freshets during the coming winter. The keeper’s house is unfit for occupancy in the winter, even if the foundation pier were safe enough to justify its occupancy.”

The last lighthouse keeper at the first Esopus Meadows Lighthouse was Charles M. Yates, who served from 1866 to 1870.

The Second Lighthouse at Esopus Meadows

With the imminent demise of the first lighthouse, it was decided to construct a new lighthouse at the same location. The U. S. Congress appropriated $25,000 for the work on July 15, 1870. The Lighthouse Board determined that the money had become available too late in the working season of 1870 to allow for construction to proceed to the point where the lighthouse could “resist the winter storms and ice of the spring.” Therefore, the start of construction was delayed to the spring of the following year, in 1871. The new lighthouse was located 100 feet southeast of its original location.

The contract for building the new lighthouse at Esopus Meadows was awarded to R. C. Bloom, an architect, William Gage, a dock-builder, and Frank Malden. The Rondout Freeman reported the cost to be about $22,000 and that work would begin in July 1871. The lighthouse beacon was officially lighted in August 1872.

Jonathan Cole served as the first lighthouse keeper of the second Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. Cole would become the longest serving keeper in the history of the lighthouse, serving for 15 years from 1870 to 1885.

With the construction of the new lighthouse, proposals were solicited for the sale and removal of the old stone dwelling, but no proposals were received. Therefore, the old lighthouse was torn down in 1873, with the remaining stone being used around the base as riprap.

In 1891, a fog bell was added to the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. The bell was designed to be struck by machinery every ten seconds in thick or foggy weather.

The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse was considered a family station because it could not be manned from shore. It was only accessible by water, so for the entirety of its operation it always had a keeper in residence. After the Coast Guard acquired the Lighthouse Service in 1939, the keepers and their families were gradually replaced by Coast Guard personnel.

Lighthouse keepers continuously kept guard over the river at the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse until its automation by the Coast Guard in 1965. The last entry in the station log reported that the main light was extinguished at 6:37 am on Tuesday, August 17, 1965.

With the 1965 automation, the three-man crew from the Coast Guard, including Alfred Vaughn, Stanley Fletcher and Lawrence Lutackas, were reassigned from their official duty at the lighthouse to other locations. Wood boards were placed over the glass windows and then painted to resemble curtained windows.

With the automation, the light was changed to flash white every 10 seconds with a half second flash of 8,000 candlepower on bearings of 155 on 010 degrees, diminishing to 800 candlepower around the remainder of the horizon 52 feet above the water.

The Coast Guard then added a light nearby with a steel pole type beacon, with plans to demolish the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. In 1966, U.S. Coast Guard Captain R. A. Schultz commented that “The present structure has been surveyed and found to be uninhabitable. It is beyond economical repair for our uses, and so will be razed later this year.” (Barrytown Explorer. February 1, 1966.)

Fortunately, the plans to demolish the lighthouse were put on hold when the Hudson River Valley Commission expressed its interest in preserving the historic structure. The Commission estimated that it would take approximately $45,000 to renovate the lighthouse and settle its foundation. The required funding was never raised and the work was never completed by the Commission.

Over the following decades, despite the preservation plans, but without on-site keepers, the lighthouse fell into a sad state of disrepair. Seasonal ice floes continued to damage the structural foundation of the lighthouse, with its foundations settling unevenly.

Restoration

Twenty-five years after its closing, in 1990, the Save Esopus Lighthouse Commission (SELC) leased the lighthouse from the United States Coast Guard for the purposes of restoration. The SELC eventually took ownership of the lighthouse in 2002, as part of the pilot program for the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA).

Under the provisions of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA) of 2000, there was “a mechanism for the disposal of Federally-owned historic light stations that have been declared excess to the needs of the responsible agency.” The NHLPA recognized “the cultural, recreational, and educational value associated with historic light station properties by allowing them to be transferred at no cost to Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit corporations, educational agencies, and community development organizations.”

Any eligible entity that received ownership of a lighthouse had to comply with conditions set forth in the NHLPA and had to be financially able to maintain the historic light station. The eligible entity to which the historic light station was conveyed had to make the station available for education, park, recreation, cultural, or historic preservation purposes for the general public at reasonable times and under reasonable conditions.

The SELC conducted extensive renovations over the years at the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. Perhaps most importantly, the building, which was significantly leaning, underwent significant structural repairs to level and stabilize the lighthouse. Other work included restoration carpentry work, repairing the roof, replacing windows, painting the interior and exterior of the building, adding a concrete cap to the lighthouse pier, installing a floating dock to allow larger vessels to stop at the lighthouse and much more.

On May 31, 2003, at 8:20 pm, after 38 years of darkness, the tower light again became an active navigational aid to guide vessels on the Hudson River. Stanley Fletcher, one of the last three Coast Guard members who worked at the lighthouse in 1965 when it was decommissioned, had the honor of throwing the switch to turn on the light in a special ceremony that was widely attended. Fletcher (1931-2015) was a retired US Coast Guard Engineman First Class.

The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse is twice listed on the National Register of Historic Places, once as its own entry and a second time as part of the Hudson River Lighthouses Thematic Group. Other lighthouses within the thematic group include Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse, Tarrytown Lighthouse, Stony Point Lighthouse, Esopus Meadows Lighthouse, Rondout Lighthouse, Saugerties Lighthouse and the Hudson/Athens Lighthouse.

Albert Richard Dow (1849-1922)

The second Esopus Meadows Lighthouse was designed by Albert Richard Dow, a prominent Vermont engineer. Dow was born in Burlington, Vermont on March 21, 1849, the son of Isaac and Frances (Scott) Dow. Dow studied civil engineering at the University of Vermont, graduating with his Bachelor of Arts degree with the class of 1870, his Civil Engineering degree in 1872 and his Master of Arts degree in 1873.

While attending the University of Vermont, the Lighthouse Service announced a national competition for architects and engineers for possible designs of a future lighthouse. Entries were received from across the Unites States. Despite the high level of competition, the winning design was submitted by Dow. Other lighthouses designed by Dow include the Colchester Reef Light (Vermont), the Rose Island Lighthouse (Rhode Island), the Sabin Point Light (Rhode Island) and the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse (Rhode Island).

Dow was an instructor at Burlington High School in 1870-1871, served as the superintendent of lighthouse construction from 1872 to 1877 and worked as the Burlington city engineer and superintendent of streets from 1878 to 1892. He also worked on the Chicago, Santa Fe and California Railroad in 1877-1878. He later opened his own Civil Engineering and Surveying company in Burlington.

Albert Dow passed away suddenly early in the morning on June 18, 1922 and is buried Lakeview Cemetery in Burlington, Vermont. He was survived by two sons, Charles S. Dow, of New Haven, Connecticut, and Arthur W. Dow, of Burlington, Vermont.

The Second Lighthouse Building

The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse was built on a new foundation that was laid on top of a circular granite pier with 250 40-foot-long piles driven down into the riverbed. The piles were cut off three feet below the mean water line and were then capped with 12-inch square timbers and topped with a deck of 3-inch pine. Granite blocks where then piled on top to a height of 16 feet, with the finished round pier measuring 49 feet in diameter at the base and 46 feet at the top.

The dwelling and tower, built on this new pier, were painted white, the Mansard roof was of a slate color, and the lantern was painted black.

The first floor of the lighthouse contained a kitchen, a pantry, a sitting room, and a supply room; while the second floor contained two bedrooms, closets and two other “chamber” rooms that served various functions over the years. The bedrooms measured 13 feet 2 inches by 15 feet 10 inches; while the “chamber” rooms measured 9 feet by 8 feet 10 inches. The second floor also provided access to the tower. A beautiful staircase with a black walnut banister and spindles wound up to the tower.

As per the National Register of Historic Places, the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse is a “wood frame building set on stone rip rap. It is painted white with a red mansard roof. The tower and the lantern room extends through the roof of the southeast façade. An octagonal deck surrounds the lantern room. There is a total of fifteen windows, six of which are roof dormers.

There are three bays on each of the northeast and southeast facades. There are two bays on the northwest and the southwest facades. There are two entrances to the building, one in the northwest façade and the other in the northeast façade. The detailing around the windows and doorways is in the Second Empire style.”

The beacon apparatus was dioptric, of the 5th order of Fresnel, and illuminated an arc of 270 degrees of the horizon, with a fixed white light. The focal-plane was 58 feet above the river, and the light could be seen in clear weather for 12 nautical miles.

The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse is the only remaining Hudson River lighthouse to be built with a wood frame and sheathed in clapboard.

For those seeking additional architectural details about the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse, the National Archives (www.archives.gov) contains 17 architectural and engineering drawings of the structure. The 17 drawings, which are available online, include:

Plate 1: Front Elevation
Plate 2: Foundation and Horizontal Plans
Plate 3: Pier Plan
Plate 4: Base and First Floor
Plate 5: Attic, Lantern Deck and Watch Room
Plate 6: Front Elevation and Vertical Section
Plate 7: Framing Details
Plate 8: Framing Details
Plate 9: Northeast and Southwest Sides
Plate 10: Southeast and Northwest Sides
Plate 11: Windows
Plate 12: Doors
Plate 13: Kitchen Entrance and Storm Doors
Plate 14: Dormer Window
Plate 15: Lantern Railing and Wrought Iron
Plate 16: Railing
Plate 17: Half Vertical and Half Elevation

How To Visit

There are several ways to view the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. From land, visitors can visit Lighthouse Park, a riverfront park that offers superb views of the Hudson River, including the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. A trail connects Lighthouse Park to the adjacent Esopus Meadows Preserve, which offers two miles of hiking trails. Lighthouse Park is located at 255 River Road in Ulster Park, New York.

Other land views of the lighthouse can be had from the east side of the Hudson River at the great lawn at Mills Mansion in Staatsburg or the great lawn at the Wilderstein Historic Site in Rhinebeck.

By water, visitors can take a wonderful sightseeing boat cruise from Hudson River Cruises, located at 1 East Strand Street in Kingston, New York. The 90-minute cruise offers great views of both the Rondout Lighthouse and the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse, scenic views of waterfront mansions and other sites along the Hudson River. Visit their website at www.hudsonrivercruises.com for more information.

Alternatively, the Hudson River Maritime Museum offers a 2-hour cruise that sails by both the Rondout Lighthouse and the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. The museum is located at 50 Rondout Landing in Kingston, New York. Visit their website at www.hrmm.org for more information.

Selected Sources

D’Entremont, Jeremy. The Lighthouse Handbook: Hudson River & New York Harbor. Kennebunkport, Maine: Cider Mill Press Book Publishers, 2009.

“Esopus Meadows Lighthouse – Town of Esopus, NY.” Hudson River Lighthouses. www.hudsonriverlighthouses.com.

“Esopus Meadows Lighthouse.” Lighthousefriends.com. www.lighthousefriends.com.

Esopus Meadows Lighthouse. National Park Service, nomination form for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, Washington D.C. 1979.

“Esopus Meadows Lighthouse.” US Lighthouses. www.us-lighthouses.com.

Glunt, Ruth R. Lighthouses and Legends of the Hudson. New York: Library Research Association, 1975.

Hudson River Valley Commission of New York. The Hudson River Lighthouses, September 1967.

National Archives. www.archives.gov.

United States Lighthouse Society. www. www.uslhs.org.

North Lake-South Lake: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Thomas Cole at North-South Lake

“Shut in by stupendous mountains which rest on crags which tower more than a thousand feet above the water, whose rugged brows and shadowy peaks are clotted by dark and tangled wood, they [North and South Lakes] have an august aspect of deep seclusion, of utter and unbroken solitude, that when standing on their brink a lonely traveler, I was overwhelmed with an emotion of the sublime, such as I have rarely felt.”

So said Thomas Cole, the renowned American painter who first became famous for his portrayals of the Catskills and was later attributed as founder of the Hudson River School, upon his first encounter with the lakes in 1825.

A decade later, in the summer of 1835, Thomas Cole again described in his journals his experiences on the lake, this time in the company of a friend who had never seen the lake before. “After breakfast, we strolled down to the small lake, a few hundred yards from the house. It has beautiful as well as grand features – rich forests and mountains. The lower lake is much larger and more beautiful than the other. I point out a view which I once painted, which was, I think, the first picture ever painted of the lake, which will hereafter be the subject of a thousand pencils. Several years since I explored its shores for some distance, but thick woods and swampy grounds impeded me. I enriched my sketchbook with studies of fine dead trees, which stand like specters on the shores.

As we made our way to an opening through the woods, which disclosed the lake in a charming manner, we perceived a rude boat among the bushes, which was exactly what we wanted. We pushed off and leaped into it, as if the genius of the deep had placed it there for our special use. Before us spread the virgin waters which the prow of the sketcher had never yet curled enfolded by the green woods, whose venerable masses had never yet figured in annuals, and overlooked by the stern mountain peaks never beheld by Claude or Salvador, nor subjected to the canvas by the innumerable dabblers in paint of all past time . . .

A little promontory, forming a fine foreground to a charming view down the lake, invited us. We had some fine perspective lines of forest on our right, with many dead trees standing near the shore, as if stripped for the elements. These dead trees are a striking feature in the scenery of this lake, and exceedingly picturesque. Their pale forms rise from the margin of the lake, stretching out their contorted branches, and looking like so many genii set to protect their sacred waters. On the left was another reach of forest of various hues, and in the center of the picture rose the distant Round Top, blue and well defined, and cast its reflection on the lake, out to the point where our boat swing like a think in air. The headland was picturesque in the extreme. Apart from the dense wood, a few birches and pines were grouped together in a rich mass, and one giant pine rose far above the rest. On the extreme cape a few bushes of light green grew directly from the water. In the midst of their sparkling foliage stood two of the bare spectral trees, with limbs decorated with moss of silvery hue, and waving like gray locks in the wind. We remained here long enough to finish a sketch, and returned to our harbor to refit.

After dinner we again launched our vessel for a longer voyage of discovery. We now crossed the lake, paddling, after the manner of the Indians. Our boat glided beautifully over the tranquil waters, and swept aside the yellow water-lilies. In a straight between the mainland and a low islet, where the water was very still, the woods were reflected beautifully. I never saw such depth and brilliancy in the reflections. The dead trees on the margin added by their silvery tints to the harmony of color, and their images in the waters, which had a gentle undulation, appeared like immense glittering serpents playing in the deep. At every stroke of the oar some fresh object of beauty would break upon us. We made several sketches, and about sunset turned our prow. As we returned, we struck up the ‘Canadian Boat Song,’ and though our music was rude, the woods answered in melodious echoes. What a place for music by moonlight! It would be romance itself! This may be, and I may enjoy it.”¹

Famous Paintings of North-South Lake

The beauty of the twin lakes, less than a half mile distant from Pine Orchard and the former site of the Catskill Mountain House, were esteemed not only by Thomas Cole but by all who visited, including many of the great 19th century painters of the Hudson River School for whom they were a frequent subject. The most famous painting of the lake, perhaps, is Thomas Cole’s Lake with Dead Trees (1825), which was one of a series of three paintings that launched his career and made him famous.

Other great paintings of the lakes include A View of the Two Lakes and Mountain House (1844) by Thomas Cole and North Lake (1847) by Frederic Church. W. H. Bartlett’s picture Winter Scene on the Catterskills beautifully depicts the frozen lake in wintertime.

Experience North-South Lake

The experiences of Thomas Cole are as much available to the visitor today as they were nearly two centuries ago, albeit with much improved accessibility and with larger crowds. Explore the North and South Lake beach areas as well as the shoreline for different views over the 84-acre lake. There is a 2.8 mile yellow-marked trail that circles both lakes.

Hike 2.4 miles roundtrip to Sunset Rock, which offers an open ledge area with a fantastic, bird’s eye view of North and South Lakes, along with South Mountain (2,460 feet), with Kaaterskill High Peak (3,655 feet) and Roundtop Mountain (3,440 feet) hovering in the background to the southwest.

Visitors can enjoy many other scenic locations in the North-South Lake area including Alligator Rock, Inspiration Point, Pine Orchard, Kaaterskill Falls, Ashley Falls and North Point.

Visitors can rent a kayak, canoe or rowboat in season to further experience the lake and gain some unique views.

North-South Lake Details

North-South Lake, now one, was once two distinct lakes. The earthen dam that separated them was removed in the 1980s.

The water from South Lake exits to the southwest, joins Spruce Creek, drops over Kaaterskill Falls and then joins Kaaterskill Creek for its trip down Kaaterskill Clove, ultimately finding its way to the Hudson River and beyond.

North-South Lake has an average depth of 5.6 feet. The deepest part of North Lake is 12 feet deep, while the deepest part of South Lake is 8 feet. Fish living in the lakes here include Brown Bullhead, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, Pumpkinseed and Yellow Perch.

North-South Lake was often referred to as Sylvan Lake in the 19th century.

North-South Lake Campground

The 1,100-acre North-South Lake area is described on the NY state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) website as the most popular state property in the Catskills and includes its largest campground. In addition to 219 tent and trailer sites, the area also offers charcoal grills, a small beach area for swimming, volleyball, horseshoes, a boat launch (for non-motorized vehicles) and several day-use picnic areas.

How to Get There

From Route 23A, turn on to County Road 18 (North Lake Road) in Haines Falls, which you will follow for 2.3 miles until you reach the North-South Lake gatehouse.

For the North Lake Beach area, after the gatehouse, go left at the fork, following signs for the North Lake Beach area, about 1.6 miles further on.

For the South Lake Beach area, after the gatehouse, go right at the fork, following signs for the South Lake Beach area, about 1.2 miles further on.

In the non-camping off-season from late-October to early-May, most of the roads around the North-South Lake campground area are usually closed to vehicle traffic. In this case, park at the gatehouse and walk the 1.6 miles to the North Lake Beach area or the 1.2 miles to the South Lake Beach area. The road to the South Lake Beach area is sometimes open for the first 0.5 miles to a small parking area near the shore of South Lake, which leaves you a walk of 0.7 miles.

Selected Sources

(1) Rockwell, Rev. Charles. The Catskill Mountains and the Region Around. New York: Taintor, 1867. Rev. ed. 1873. pp. 281-283.

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – August 2026

(American Catskills) — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Title: Cauterskill Fall, from above. (2nd Series, #232)

Photographer: John Jacob Loeffler

Author’s collection

Fitch’s Covered Bridge: A History and Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

The historic Fitch’s Covered Bridge is located off Route 10 in the hamlet of East Delhi, approximately 3 miles northeast from the village of Delhi in Delaware County, New York. The bridge spans the West Branch of the Delaware River.

Fitch’s Covered Bridge is a single span carried on abutments of dry laid fieldstone faced with concrete. The bridge is one lane wide and is 106 feet long. It has an overall width of 20 feet, a portal height of 10 feet and a portal width of 16 feet.

Bridge Design

Fitch’s Covered Bridge utilizes the Town Lattice Truss design, which was first pioneered by Ithiel Town (1784-1844), a prominent American architect and civil engineer.

Town’s first bridge patent, 3169X, was granted on January 28, 1820 for a wood lattice bridge. The design is marked by a horizontal top and bottom chord connected by an uninterrupted series of alternating (criss-crossed), closely spaced, parallel, diagonal timbers that were connected with wooden (1.5 to 2 inch) pins (called treenails, but pronounced and sometimes spelled as trunnels). There are no verticals or posts, and it eliminated the need for arch or large hewn timbers.

The design, with the diagonals acting in compression and in tension, allowed for a more even distribution of the load and, therefore, bridges utilizing the Town Truss design could span further distances, up to an estimated 200 feet.

The design was very popular due to its simplicity, often meaning that the bridge could be constructed quickly using local, and often unskilled, labor and local materials. Remarkably, in order to support heavy trains, the design was modified to double the number of timbers and pins, and was used until after the Civil War. This truss type was also used by Town in the roof design of several of his buildings.

With his 1820 bridge patent, Town advocated for bridge builders to utilize his design for which he would receive a fee, typically one dollar per foot but two dollars per foot if he or his agents caught someone utilizing his design without paying the fee. It was “the first bridge design for which licensees wishing to use the type had to pay a royalty to the patent holder. The practice came to dominate iron bridge building a half century later.” (Brinckerhoff.) Town actively distributed pamphlets promoting his design and became very well-off through these licenses.

Town authored several pamphlets in promotion of his patent, including the 1821 A Description of Ithiel Town’s Improvement in the Construction of Wood and Iron Bridges: intended as a general system of Bridge-Building for rivers, creeks, and harbors, of whatever kind of bottoms, for any practicable width of span or opening, in every part of the country.

Town based his bridge design on his own rhetorical question: “By what construction or arrangement will the least quantity of materials, and cost of labor, erect a bridge of any practicable span or opening between piers or abutments, to be the strongest and most permanent, and to admit of the easiest repair?” The 1821 pamphlet answered that question, providing details of the new bridge design and its advantages over other bridge designs.

Town described the design as “the most simple, permanent, and economical, both in erecting and repairing.” Town detailed twelve advantages of using his recommended mode of construction versus other designs, advantages that included accessible timber available at common saw mills, no iron work was required, less motion than other bridges, less susceptible to winds, the roadway was level, draws for shipping could be introduced in any part of the bridge, lower costs that were up to half of other bridges, increased strength, no pressure against the abutments or piers and the side trusses could be used as a frame on which to cover the bridge.

In 1831, Town released a follow-up to the 1821 pamphlet as “it is thought that some further particulars might be very desirable relating to this mode, improved, as it now is, in its principle, construction, and practical execution.” (Town, Ithiel. Some Account . . .)

Town stated that “simple as the principle and execution is, that a proper arrangement and directions should be given by myself, especially after having had ten years constant experience in the business, in the northern as well as the southern States, during which time I have been enabled, from constant practice, to make many improvements in the principle, and in the arrangement of the materials.” As a selling point for its popularity, Town listed 19 specific bridges that had been constructed with his design, with an additional to 10 or 12 then in progress and the “many small bridges built by towns, counties, etc.”

In 1839, Town published another pamphlet, based on his 1835 patent, 8743X, which introduced the idea of “two (or in some cases, more) series of truss-braces, or lattices.” The modified designed provided “immense additional strength,” required less materials, and kept “the trusses in their true position” without “warping, twisting, or leaning sideways.” (Town, Ithiel. A Description . . ., 1839.)

Based on his original patent, Town felt that the design was “so different in the combination and arrangement of the principle in its mechanical construction, as to produce in substance an entirely different bridge – one in which the materials are so arranged as to produce far greater strength, rigidity, and permanence, in proportion to the quantity of materials, and to be far more secure against its trusses twisting, leaning side ways, or curving in the direction of their length. This greater security, in these respects, arises from the increased thickness of the trusses, by the double series of lattice-braces introduced, and its extra string-piece.”

The town lattice truss was, based on each bridge builder’s experience, subject to experimentation over the 19th century. Variations have included a single upper chord, square lattice members, triple or quadruple lattice, splayed end lattice, the addition of vertical posts, the use of metal fasteners, the addition of sidewalks, various roof framing, among others.

The Town lattice truss design was popular in New England, New York and the South. Of the covered bridges remaining in the Catskills, the town lattice is the most common truss design.

Within the four counties of the Catskills (Ulster, Greene, Sullivan, Delaware), other covered bridges that utilize the Town Lattice Truss include those at Livingston Manor (1860), Bendo (1860), Beaverkill (1865), Lower Shavertown (1877), Ashokan-Turnwood (1885), Millbrook (1902), Halls Mills (1912) and Erpf (1964).

Town is also credited with constructing the first covered bridge in North Carolina in 1818, the Yadkin River Covered Bridge near Salisbury, a bridge that likely served as a prototype for his truss design, patented two years later in 1820. All the remaining famous covered bridges in Madison County, Iowa utilize the town lattice truss. It is estimated that there are approximately 110 historic Town lattice truss covered bridges remaining in the United States. (Bennett, Lola.)

Dr. Thomas Fitch and Dr. Cornelius Root Fitch

Fitch’s Covered Bridge is named for Dr. Thomas Fitch (1774-1850) and his younger brother Dr. Cornelius Root Fitch (1783-1846). Thomas owned a farm near the location of where Fitch’s Covered Bridge would be located, and later sold the farm to his brother Cornelius.

Thomas and Cornelius were two of ten children born to Abner Fitch Jr. (1749-1797) and his wife Elizabeth (Root) Fitch (1753-1817). Abner and Elizabeth had married in 1771. Abner was a farmer in Coventry, Connecticut. Abner and his family were in the process of moving to Bridgewater in Oneida County, New York, when his hip was broken due to an overturned wagon. He was brought to the old Fitch estate, but only lived a fortnight after the accident, dying on March 23, 1797.

After Abner’s passing, his widow Elizabeth moved to Bridgewater, New York with her family and was married to Captain John Mills, of Sherry Valley, New York. John died soon after their marriage, and Elizabeth then moved to Delhi and later to Franklin in Delaware County, New York. She was described as a “woman of great energy of character. She was tall, finely proportioned and of a noble mien and bearing, and deeply religious. Left in straitened circumstances, she yet succeeded in securing for her children the best education obtainable in the region where she lived.” She died in 1817 from apoplexy and is buried Leonta Cemetery in Franklin, New York.

Dr. Thomas Fitch was born on July 28, 1774. “In his youth, he suffered from a pulmonary affection; which, however, he overcame by a fresh milk diet, free horseback exercise and a very regular and temperate habits, abstinence from tobacco, wines, etc., so that he enjoyed very good health, generally weighing 160 to 170 pounds. He was converted in early life and was always an active christian . . .”

Dr. Fitch practiced medicine in Delhi from 1803 to 1810. Thomas bought a farm at the site of the future bridge on the river in 1803. When Thomas left Delhi for Philadelphia in 1810, he sold the farm to his brother Cornelius, who continued to practice medicine in Delhi. Before his move to Philadelphia, Thomas was a founder of the Delaware County Medical Society in 1806, and served as its first treasurer. After his move to Philadelphia, Thomas became a lumber merchant, banker, cashier at The Farmers and Mechanics Bank, prominent land owner and a shareholder in the Louisville and Portland Canal along the Ohio River. He was an elder in the Arch Street Presbyterian Church. He married Olive Fletcher and would have three children, Vine, Diantha and Mary.

About 1848, Thomas sustained a serious injury after his coach overturned while viewing some coal lands in Pennsylvania. He afterwards was required for the last 2 or 3 years of his life to use crutches. In the summer of 1850, while visiting Philadelphia, he was attacked by dysentery and died after a few days’ illness. Dr. Thomas Fitch is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in New London, Connecticut.

Cornelius Root Fitch was born on July 26, 1783. He studied at what is now Hamilton College for his academic studies. At the age of 18, he became a teacher at a select school in Havre de Grace, Maryland. After a year, he returned home to Delhi and began to study medicine under his brother Thomas. Upon completing his studies, he began to practice in Delhi “and became eminent and successful in his profession.” Cornelius joined the medical society founded by his brother in 1815 and served as president from 1822-1823.

Cornelius was described as “a man of more than ordinary intellect, a great reader, and possessed a tenacious memory. He was an ardent politician, contributing to various partisan papers. Dignified and unostentatious in manner, high toned, of moral life, genial and kind in disposition, and possessed of a large fund of anecdote and story, he was esteemed a most entertaining and pleasant companion.” He was married in 1816 to Paulina Farrington, with whom he had ten children. Cornelius remained a well-respected physician in Delhi for his entire life. He died on July 12, 1846 and is buried at the Frisbee Family Cemetery in Delhi, New York.

The 1869 Flood

Late in the day on Saturday, October 2, 1869, it began to rain in the village of Delhi, New York. The rain continued all day Sunday except for a short time around evening time. After dark on Sunday evening, a heavy rain began again and continued to pour down until late Monday morning. The rivers and streams in the area rose rapidly and continued to rise until about 1 o’clock in the afternoon on Monday, when the West Branch Delaware River reached a height about two feet higher than even the oldest inhabitants could recall.

The flooding caused widespread damage throughout the community. Several small buildings and fences were carried away. Lumber and boards from local mills were washed away. Corn and other crops in the fields were destroyed. Hundreds of pumpkins were seen floating past the back windows of the newspaper office. House and office basements were filled with water. The rise of the river was so sudden and rapid that people were taken by surprise, with several families being taken from their homes in boats.

Up and down the local rivers, bridges were wiped out. The bridges over the river at Bloomville were swept off. The bridge at the Hook, over the Little Delaware, was carried off. Both the Bridge Street and the Kingston Street bridges over the West Branch Delaware River in the village of Delhi were taken away.

Despite the widespread damage, the village of Delhi looked to quickly rebound from the flooding, with George H. Yendes, the Commissioner of Highways, advertising in the local newspaper less than two weeks later for a contractor to rebuild both village bridges.

“Bridge Notice. I will let out the construction of the two bridges across the Delaware River, opposite the village of Delhi, and the building of the abutments to the same, on Saturday, October 16th, 1869, at 1 o’clock P.M., at Kiff’s Hotel, to the lowest responsible bidder. Persons wishing to see the plans of said bridges can call on J. Blanchard or H. R. Millard. Geo. H. Yendes, Commissioner of Highways, Delhi, October 12, 1869.” (Delaware Gazette, October 13, 1869.)

Within several weeks, James Frazier and James (possibly Jasper, depending on the source) Warren were awarded the contract to replace the Kingston Street bridge. The work was completed in 1870 at a cost of $1,970. The stone abutments were erected by C. L. Judson at a cost of $200. (Delaware Gazette, October 20, 1869.)

Moving the Bridge

The covered bridge as originally located on Kingston Street in the village of Delhi served the community for 15 years. It was then moved in 1886 after the town decided to replace the wooden covered bridge with a newer, more durable iron structure. Instead of destroying the relatively new wooden bridge, which was constructed only 15 years prior, it was moved three miles further upstream (northeast) to its current location. At its new location, the moved bridge replaced an earlier “Fitch’s Bridge,” which had been declared unsafe.

In February 1886, David L. Wight, the Commissioner of Highways, reported that “the old wooden bridge has been taken down and is now piled up by the road-side. It was intended by the Town Board and myself to have this bridge placed across the river at Fitch’s, in place of the present bridge, which has become nearly worthless, and must soon be extensively repaired or condemned. If the wooden bridge had not been taken down, it would soon have to have been re-shingled, and other repairs made thereon. The little bridge across the binnacle had become unsafe, and a new bridge of some kind had to be built in its place; and it was deemed best by myself and a great many other residents to replace the same with good, permanent and substantial structures (and in pursuance of the resolution of last town meeting against building wooden bridges), instead of bridges of less value, which would soon have to be replaced.” (Delaware Gazette, February 10, 1886.)

In April 1886, Wight placed an advertisement in the Delaware Republican, a local newspaper, for bids or proposals for moving and reconstructing the bridge at its new proposed location at Fitch’s Crossing.

“Sealed bids, or proposals, will be received by the undersigned, until and including the 20th Day of April, 1886, for the following purposes, to wit:

For removing the placing upon the piers over the Little Delaware, near John T. Forrest’s, the Bridge now standing over the Delaware River at East Delhi, known as Fitch’s Bridge.
For placing the lattice bridge which formerly stood across the Delaware River at the foot of Kingston Street, upon the piers in the place of the present Fitch’s Bridge.

Specifications for the above work can be seen at my residence in Delhi, N. Y. The Commissioner reserves the right to reject any and all bids that may be made. A Bond will be required, with sufficient surety, of any person to whom any of the above work is or may be awarded.

Propositions, or bids, may be made for either of the above jobs, or for both, as the bidder may desire.

Dated April 6th, 1886. David L. Wight, Commissioner of Highways.”

The move was conducted in the fall of 1886 through January 1887 by David L. Wight and a team of town workers. Wight and team carefully marked the timbers and hauled them three miles up the West Branch of the Delaware in wagons. During the reconstruction of the bridge, it was rotated 180 degrees, with the bridge now facing in the opposite direction as it did originally. Timbers that were labeled “east” were placed on the west bank, while timbers marked “west” were placed on the east bank. When put into its new position, the bridge was re-shingled.

In the September 11, 1886 issue of the Delaware Republican it was reported that “the bridge taken down at Kingston St. has been put up at Fitch’s Bridge, the approaches raised and teams have been crossing for the past week. When covered and completed it will be the best one ever erected there. The timbers of the old Fitch bridge are to be used at Forrest’s on the Little Delaware.”

Wight, as the Commissioner of Highways, provided his annual report for 1886 to town officials and to the local newspaper for publication. Wight wrote that “since my last annual report, I have caused the old bridge, which has been taken down from the foot of Kingston Street to be replaced, with such additional new pieces as were necessary, across the Delaware River at Fitch’s. It has been newly replanked, shingled and painted, with piers repaired, and is nearly, if not quite, as good as new.”

Wight further wrote that “the bridge across the Little Delaware was washed away in the spring and totally lost and destroyed; and I caused the bridge, which had formerly stood across the river at Fitches, or rather such portions of it as I found to be in a good state of preservation, to be replaced at that point. The old bridge was necessarily shortened, and all defective pieces were replaced by new ones, making a good and substantial bridge for that place.” (Delaware Republican, February 5, 1887.)

Wight summarized the costs involved with reconstructing Fitch’s Bridge at its new location in 1886. Total costs came to $582.40.

Worker / Supplier	Work / Material Provided	Unit Rate	Total Cost
E. J. Rockafeller	22 1/4 days’ work	@ $1.75	$38.93
Jasper Valentine	5 7/8 days’ work	@ $1.75	$10.28
Patsey Hurley	24 1/4 days’ work	@ $1.75	$42.43
Thos. Jackson	15 1/2 days’ work	@ $1.75	$27.12
D. A. McNee	18 1/4 days’ work	@ $1.75	$31.93
Chan Wright	2 1/2 days’ work	@ $1.75	$4.37
Robt. Neal	6 1/2 days’ work	@ $1.75	$11.37
John Hawk	3 1/3 days’ work	@ $1.75	$5.83
Chas Mills	1 days’ work	@ $1.75	$1.75
Jos. Moscript	1 days’ work	@ $2.50	$2.50
Jas. Wight	38 days’ work	@ $2.50	$95.00
D. L. Wight	13 days’ work	@ $2.00	$26.00
D. L. Wight	Man and team, 20 days’ work	@ $3.50	$70.00
Middlemist & Sears	Nails and supplies	--------	$16.50
Archibald & Patterson	Lumber and planing	--------	$18.31
J. C. Roberts	Lumber and shingles	--------	$114.30
Gladstone & Paine	Paint and oil	--------	$28.10
G. M. Harby	Repairs on bolts	--------	$0.75
D. L. Wight	Lumber	--------	$36.93

Restorations

The historic bridge has undergone several restorations, most recently in 1976 and in 2001. During the 1976 restoration, a new wood deck was installed, floor beams were replaced and the local fieldstone abutments were repaired. Prior to the restoration work, the bridge had been out of commission since early in the summer of 1975.

During the 2001 restoration, Fitch’s Covered Bridge was closed for nearly a year. The project cost nearly $425,000. The project, completed by the Delaware County Department of Public Works, won an Award of Merit in the 2002 National Timber Bridge Awards competition, an annual competition that recognizes the best of timber bridge design and construction.

The 2001 work included lengthening the bridge to its original length, completely replacing the floor beams and longitudinal decking, modifying the abutments, rebuilding the trusses to eliminate the flying buttresses and installing new horizontal metal rods to hold the floor system and the bottom of the trusses together. Work also included adding three diamond-shaped windows to each side, installing a wooden-shingled roof and installing natural wood siding on the sides and portals.

To the extent possible and practical, the bridge project maintained traditional construction materials and techniques, including: all sawn truss and bracing elements; wooden peg connectors of the Town lattice trusses and primary bracing; retention of the dry-laid stone abutments; use of matching wedges in the upper lateral system connections; and use of cedar shake roofing materials.

National Register of Historic Places

Built as a vehicular bridge to serve the needs of local residents, Fitch’s Covered Bridge continues its historic function as a public crossing on the West Branch of the Delaware River.

Fitch’s Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a rare and substantially intact example of rural vernacular bridge design and construction in the Catskill region.”

Selected Sources

Allen, Richard Sanders. Covered Bridges of the Northeast. Mineola, New York: The Stephen Greene Press, 1983.

Bennett, Lola. Brown Bridge, Nomination for National Register of Historic Places. Washington DC: National Park Service, 2013.

Berfield, Rick L. Covered Bridges of New York State. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2003.

Brinckerhoff, Parsons. Engineering and Industrial Heritage. A Context for Common Historic Bridge Types. Section 3.1.4. October 2005.

Dwight, Benjamin W. History of the Descendents of Elder John Strong of Northampton, Mass. Albany NY. 1871.

Genealogies of the Stranahan, Josselyn, Fitch and Dow Families in North America. Brooklyn, NY: 1868.

Herrmann, Ward E. Spans of Time. Delhi, New York: Delside Press, 1974.

Town, Ithiel. A Description of Ithiel Town’s Improvement in the Construction of Wood and Iron Bridges: intended as a general system of Bridge-Building for rivers, creeks, and harbors, of whatever kind of bottoms, for any practicable width of span or opening, in every part of the country. 1821.

Town, Ithiel. A Description of Ithiel Town’s Improvement In the Principle, Construction, and Practical Execution of Bridges. New York: Ithiel Town, 1839.

Town, Ithiel. Some Account and Description of Ithiel Town’s Improvement in the Construction and Practical Execution of Bridges, Aqueducts and Rail Road Bridges. New York, 1831.

U. S. Department of Transportation. Covered Bridge Manual (Publication No. FHWA-HRT-04-098). McLean, VA: Federal Highway Administration, April 2005.

John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary: A History and Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“Living in the woods is a real satisfaction to me. When I reach Slabsides there is always a sense of relief, as if I’d got away from something that harassed me. The place attracts me, and I feel very much at home, with the great rock that I can see from my window reaching around my house like a protecting arm.” – John Burroughs.

“If I were to name the three most precious resources of life, I should say books, friends, and nature; and the greatest of these, at least the most constant and always at hand, is nature.” – John Burroughs

“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter . . . to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest, or over a wild flower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.” – John Burroughs

Born and raised in Roxbury, New York, John Burroughs (1837-1921) would grow from his humble roots to become a famous author and naturalist. He authored 27 books that sold over 1 ½ million copies as well as numerous magazine essays.

Burroughs’ most popular writings became generally known as the nature essay. The nature essay relied on Burroughs’ astute observation of his natural surroundings. He took long walks in the woods, collected plant and animal specimens and read voraciously about nature. He would often write not about faraway places that few readers would ever see but about his immediate surroundings. Subjects would include flowers, trees, birds, country living, open fields, barns and barnyards and farm animals. He would write about long hiking trips and fly-fishing. Readers could individually relate to the subjects and his essays resonated with wide audiences.

His literary prominence brought him the audience and friendship of John Muir, Walt Whitman, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and even President Theodore Roosevelt. While his fame has diminished over the past century since his death, his contribution to the literary arts and environmental conservation has ensured that his legacy will not be forgotten.

Located 1 ½ miles from his primary home on the Hudson River, known as Riverby, is the 200-acre John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is home to Slabsides, a one-room, rustic cabin that Burroughs used as a retreat for quiet, to write and to study nature.

"I was offered a tract of land, barely a mile from my home, that contained a secluded nook and a few acres of level, fertile land shut off from the vain, and noisy world of railroads, steamboats, and yachts by a wooded, precipitous mountain, I quickly closed the bargain, and built me a rustic house there, which I called "Slabsides" because its outer walls are covered with slabs. I might have given it a prettier name, but not one more fit, or more in keeping with the mood that brought me thither.

A slab is the first cut from the log, and the bark goes with it. It is like the first cut from the leaf, which we call the crust, and which the children reject, but which we older ones prefer. I wanted to take a fresh cut of life, something that had the bark on, or, if you please, that was like a well-browned and hardened crust.

After three years I am satisfied with the experiment. Life has a different flavor here. It is reduced to simpler terms; its complex equations all disappear." From "Wildlife About My Cabin," Far and Near

Slabsides was built in 1895 and was used primarily during the summers. The cabin sits on a rocky ledge, at the foot of a cliff in a marshy area that was once a lake bottom. As for the name of the cabin, Burroughs at first considered other options, including Crag Foot, Rock Haven and Echo Lodge, but when a neighbor suggested “Slabsides,” Burroughs was immediately taken with the name.

Slabsides was described on its application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

“Burroughs built the cabin with the help of a local carpenter on a rocky ledge at the north end of his newly acquired property. "Slabsides" had only one story, but the attic was commodious. A stone chimney stood at one gabled end, and a rustic porch extended across the face of the cottage. Exposed beams were logs with the bark on them. Burroughs covered inside seams with split birch saplings and also used yellow birch for some of the trim. The ground floor was a single room that functioned as a study, parlor, kitchen, dining room, and bedroom. Upstairs were a partitioned bedroom and an open dormitory for guests.

Burroughs made most of the furniture for "Slabsides" with his own hands. He searched the woods for sticks of odd shapes that might be used for a doorknob, an arm of a settee, a hatrack, or the like. He used a variety of woods in his work; staghorn sumac, yellow birch, hickory, and hornbeam gave his furniture distinctiveness and his cabin character.

Burroughs built the retreat so that he could observe nature and write in quiet. But he also wanted a place where he could entertain visitors who enjoyed the out-of-doors. The first overnight guest arrived on March 21, 1896, and for years afterwards the list grew and multiplied as Burroughs' fame widened and heightened. Many of those who came recorded their experience in print, and the cabin soon became as well known as its builder.”

Clara Barrus, in her noted biography of the famed naturalist titled John Burroughs – Boy and Man, further described the history, construction and setting of Slabsides.

“For years Julian and his father had roamed the woods and swamps in a wild, picturesque region back in the hills, more than a mile from home. The Old Silurian rocks, the primitive forest, the waterfalls, the Black Pond held many a lure for boy and man. Finally there came a time when, wearied with the noise of steamboat and railway, the broad expanse of the Hudson, and the routine and exactions of domestic life, the dweller by the river craved something more primitive and homely than Riverby offered – “something with the bark on” – so decided to build a retreat in that secluded place.

His farmer’s eye saw that if that rich swamp land, once an old lake bottom, were drained and cultivated, the wilderness would blossom into garden produce. Amassa, a young farmer, eagerly undertook the task, Mr. Burroughs advancing the money for the hundred acres and taking a portion of them in part payment, the twenty acres he reserved forming the now well-known Slabsides region.

In 1895 the land was bought. Then they made a road over the mountain, prepared the land, and built the cabin. They blasted through the rim of rock, drained the land, dug up stumps and roots, cut off the undergrowth, pulled out weeds and vines, and burned the rubbish. Skinning the swamp, as it were, they took off more than a foot of it, getting down to the rich black muck. A pine log, sound and hard, was found deeply buried in the muck, having lain there probably since Columbus discovered America. Sticks cut by beavers, some cord wood, a stone bottle, and a wooden mallet were found many feet below the surface. After it was cleared and drained, and ploughed and harrowed, the soil looked like velvet, and in due time long green lines of celery and lettuce gave a touch of the domestic to the wild, untamed region. With the help of a good carpenter, Mr. Burroughs hewed the trees and built his homely cabin, building it on a rock on the edge of the swamp, the rugged, verdure-clad cliffs partly encircling it.

The cabin looks much like a log cabin. It is built of slabs, or the first cut off the logs, the bark being left on. The roomy veranda with rustic railing, shaggy cedar posts, and sloping roof, and the great stone chimney add to the picturesqueness, while the clambering woodbine lends beauty to the rugged exterior. On the wide rustic door is a latch-spring, and a curiously twisted knob for a handle.

The bark was also left on the beams and rafters of the interior, but the little wood-borers have since removed most of it, leaving their delicate traceries instead.

The cabin is a two-storied structure. The planed boards of its inner walls have the seams covered with split birch saplings. A satiny yellow birch partition partly divides the one room below into living-room and bedroom; stairs lead to the loft where there is a comfortable bedroom and a roomy attic. In one corner of the living-room is a window-seat with books and writing table; in a niche under the stairs the dining table is placed; in another corner is the culinary department – cupboard, wash bench, a table with the oil stove, and an array of kitchen utensils.

The bedsteads are built of birch limbs with the bark on, and most of the furniture is home-made, the legs to tables, stands, and window-seats have a curiously twisted effect due to the climbing bitter sweet winding about the sumac limbs.

In looking about the sparsely furnished cabin the visitor sees that his host is untrammeled by things. Old blue coverlids, which grew on the backs of the Roxbury sheep, are on the beds, patch-work quilts, pieced by his mother, upon the cots, the carpet rag rugs upon the floor. From a swinging crane in the wide fireplace hangs a smoky iron tea-kettle, and on the wide stone hearth are old-time andirons and tongs. Some clever maiden has appropriately embroidered an oven bird on a mahogany-colored holder that hangs close by. Trophies from the woods, birds’ nests, and other natural history specimens are on the stone mantel, and the rustic book shelves are overflowing with books.”

Despite the constant flow of visitors, Burroughs would write several books at Slabsides, including Whitman: A Study (1896), Far and Near (1904) and The Way Nature (1905), as well as many articles and essays.

However, “because of the increasing number of sightseers who invaded his privacy and made it difficult for him to work, Burroughs spent his summers after 1908 at "Woodchuck Lodge" in a less traveled region of New York [Roxbury]. He still returned to "Slabsides," however, and the rustic cabin continued to be a favorite subject for journalists and writers. Burroughs entertained friends there for the last time on November 7, 1920, four months before his death.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

Today, the Slabsides cabin remains preserved, both inside and out, much as Burroughs left it when he died in 1921. Slabsides is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In addition to Slabsides, the John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary offers miles of quiet, scenic hiking trails. The trails offer access to open ridgelines, secluded forests, wetlands, waterfalls, interesting rock formations and a scenic peninsula within a stunning eight-acre pond. There is a 55-step stone stairway, a boardwalk through a former celery swamp and even a ladder up a cliff.

Trails at the John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary include:

Ridge Trail (0.9 miles). Explores the southern area of the Nature Sanctuary following the contours of broad, wooded ridges. It passes the spring Burroughs used, crosses over his former celery swamp on a boardwalk and also features a steep stone stairway along a dramatic cliff.

Chodikee Trail (0.7 miles). Winds through dense hemlock woods and rock cliffs. Follow it into the Black Creek State Forest and to Black Creek, skirting a waterfall that once powered a barley grist mill. Burroughs called this area Shattega. It is rich in wildlife.

Ladder Trail (0.2 miles). Traverses two cliffs that lie between the Ridge Trail and the Chodikee Trail in deep woods.

Amasa Martin Trail (0.4 miles). Loops around the former homestead of Amasa Martin, who worked in Burroughs’ celery swamp. His stone walls from the late 1800s still stand.

Peninsula Trail (0.1 miles). Follows the narrow rock ledge that extends into the pond. A favorite picnic destination.

South Pond Trail (0.3 miles). Connects the Slabsides area with the Pond and takes you along a stone pathway past several cascading waterfalls, vernal pools and beaver habitat. Enjoy it after a heavy rain or as the winter snow melts. You may hear the plink of frogs seeking cover as you cross over two streams.

North Pond Trail (0.3 miles). Traces the often sunny northern end of the Pond where stone boulders invite you to linger. It connects Pond Lane with Burroughs Drive.

East Overlook Trail (0.3 miles). From Burroughs Drive the trail loops through mixed woods and offers an eastern view toward the Hudson River.

Julian’s Rock Trail (pending). Ascends the cliff face in front of Slabsides. This trail is abandoned but plans to restore it are pending.

Pond Lane Trail (0.6 miles). Delightful walk from Floyd Ackert Road through hemlock forest to and along the eight-acre Pond. Don’t miss stunning colors of the maples turning in falls.

After Burroughs' death in 1921, friends formed the John Burroughs Memorial Association and acquired Slabsides, his 1895 cabin, to preserve and promote the legacy of the literary naturalist. The name was changed in the 1960's to the John Burroughs Association (JBA) as the mission expanded beyond that of a memorial organization.

Today, Slabsides and the Nature Sanctuary are owned and maintained by the John Burroughs Association. Visit their website at www.johnburroughsassociation.org for more information.

The grounds of the John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary are open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk, while the inside of Slabsides is opened twice a year for Slabsides Day.

Slabsides and the John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary are located at 261 Floyd Ackert Road in West Park, New York, just 90 miles north of New York City and ten miles south of Kingston.

Widow Jane Mine: A History and Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Widow Jane Mine is a former cement mine located on the historic Snyder Estate in the town of Rosendale, New York. The Widow Jane Mine, as well as other mines in the area, were home to the “natural cement” industry, often referred to as Rosendale cement. The Widow Jane Mine was active from around 1825 to 1970.

Natural cement was discovered in the Rosendale area in 1825 and would become a leading regional industry for 145 years. Rosendale cement, known for its strength and durability, was used in the construction of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, the Brooklyn Bridge, the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol, in addition to its widespread use in road construction and other transportation related projects.

In the early 20th century, the natural cement industry began to decline as competing, cheaper and often superior products hit the market. Despite periodic revivals in business, the last Rosendale cement mine closed in 1970. After the decline of the cement industry, many mines in the area, partially flooded with ground water, were put to alternative uses such as mushroom farming and trout farming.

The Widow Jane Mine is a fine example of the “room and pillar” mining technique, meaning the mine is relatively horizontal with pillars upholding the roof rock, making the entrance both safe and easy to access. The “drift” type entry in to the mine allowed for ground level access by workers and equipment. Much of the mine, estimated to be over 1 mile in length, is now flooded with ground water and is therefore inaccessible.

The Widow Jane Mine is named for Jane (LeFevre) Snyder (1820-1904), the widow of the James Snyder (1819-1852). James was the brother of Catherine Snyder (1831-1879), who married Andrew Jacob Snyder (1823-1902), who operated the Snyder & Sons Cement Company on their estate. The 1850 federal census lists James’ occupation as “farmer.” James Snyder passed away at 33 years of age in 1852. Jane never remarried and remained a widow for the rest of her life, living in a house near the mine at the corner of Cottekill Road and Route 213.

Prior to the passing of her husband, Jane had already suffered her share of grief. Four of her children passed away at very young ages, including Cornelius (1840-1842); Jonathan (1842-1845); Edgar (1846-1850); and Nelson (1850-1851). Jane passed away at 83 years of age on April 15, 1904 and is buried in the Rosendale Plains Cemetery in Tillson, New York.

The Widow Jane Mine is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Snyder Estate Natural Cement Historic District. The district is significant “for its long and significant association with the production of natural cement, for its role in the development of the natural cement industry in

America and for its association with several individuals of importance in the development and promotion of this industry.”

The Snyder Estate encompasses approximately 275 acres, including family estate properties and a number of industrial resources related to the four major cement manufacturing operations on the site. The major operations included the Lawrence Cement Works and successor firms; the Beach Cement Works and successor firms; the Snyder Cement Works; and the Century Cement Works. The district is generally bounded by the Tan House Brook to the west; Rondout Creek to the south; Saw Dust Road to the north; and Binnewater Road to the east.

Today, the Snyder Estate is open to the public as home to the Century House Historical Society. The estate includes a seasonal museum dedicated to the history of the cement industry as well as the Widow Jane Mine. The mine is open to visitors. The mine, also noted for its acoustics, is used occasionally for concerts, poetry readings and other artistic endeavors.

The Widow Jane Mine and the Snyder Estate are located at 668 Route 213, approximately 1 mile west from the hamlet of Rosendale. Visit the Century House Historical Society website at www.centuryhouse.org for more information.

Rondout Lighthouse: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Rondout Lighthouse is located at Kingston, New York along on the west side of the Hudson River. The lighthouse marks the entrance and tidal flats of the Rondout Creek. It is one of only seven lighthouses remaining on the Hudson River. It is still operational as a navigational light.

The first Rondout Lighthouse, made of wood, was constructed in 1837 and operated until 1867. After the first lighthouse was damaged in a storm, a second Rondout Lighthouse, made of bluestone, was constructed in 1867. This second lighthouse operated until 1915.

The third, and current, lighthouse was constructed in 1915 after the harbor entrance was realigned. It is set on a concrete pier at the end of a dike wall that extends from the Rondout Creek into the Hudson River.

“Construction of the lighthouse, which is set on a concrete pier with wood piles driven nearly thirty feet into the river, became necessary when the Army Corp of Engineers extended the north dike at Rondout Creek into the river. This area where the Hudson meets the creek has always been a heavily traveled section, where barges reaching the end of the Delaware and Hudson Canal transferred cargo to sloops and steam boats or were met by river tugboats.”

The two-story brick building consists of a cellar, a watch room and a lantern room. The light is still in operation at the top of the tower in the lantern room.

“The base of the square tower serves as the entrance into the building. The stairs inside the tower allow access to all the levels in the structure. The walls of the tower are lined with white, ceramic, glazed tiles. The square tower is located on the east façade of the building. There are three portholes at the top of the tower in front, one porthole on one side and three on the other side of the watch room.

The building has a total of twenty-one windows, including two roof dormers. There are four bays on the northeast and southwest facades. The southeast and northwest facades have three bays each. The roof dormers are located on the northeast and southwest sides of the roof. A covered porch extends from the base of the tower on the southeast facade. An automatic fog signal is located on the roof of the porch.

A coal furnace in the cellar provided the lighthouse with steam radiation heat. Two cisterns collected rain water for general purposes. The kitchen on the first floor was modernized in the 1950's and bottled gas was supplied for the gas range. The plumbing system for the bath on the second floor was updated at the same time. Electricity became available for the household in the late 19/40's. The second floor had three bedrooms and an attic had an additional cistern.”

Lighthouse keepers of the Rondout Lighthouse included James B. Murdock (1915-1923); Ernest Bloom (1923-1935); Robert L. Howard, who died of stroke after a fall on the ice (1935-1945); Albert H. Passel (1945-1946); and Herman Lange, a civilian keeper (1946-1954).

The current lighthouse was automated in 1954, after which it lay mostly abandoned until the 1980s. At that time the Hudson River Maritime Museum (HRMM) initiated some preservation efforts. It leased the building from the Coast Guard, and replaced the slate roof and furnished the interior and began giving tours.

The City of Kingston received ownership of the Rondout Lighthouse on June 19, 2002.

The Rondout Lighthouse, accessible only by boat, is currently owned by the City of Kingston and is operated by the Hudson River Maritime Museum. The museum offers interior tours of the lighthouse from the first floor up to the observation deck. Visit the museum website at www.hrmm.org for more information.

The Rondout Lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – July 2026

(American Catskills) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Title: 155_The Fawn’s Leap – Kauterskill Clove – Catskill Mountain.

Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.

Author’s collection

Five Lock Walk, High Falls, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Five Lock Walk is located at the Delaware and Hudson Canal Museum in the hamlet of High Falls, New York. The scenic walking trail follows along a restored section of towpath of the former D&H Canal.

The 108-mile D&H Canal was constructed to transport coal from northeast Pennsylvania to the Rondout District of Kingston, where it would be placed on ships for transport to New York City. With the late-19th century advent of the railroad, business on the D & H Canal declined and the company eventually ceased operations in 1899.

In 1999, the High Falls locks, 16 through 20, were cleared and refurbished, to the extent possible. These five locks were built in 1850, as part of a new route designed to accommodate increased traffic and larger canal boats. This section also included a loading quay, still visible just past lock 16. The canal locks were constructed of Shawangunk conglomerate, an indigenous stone. Each lock measured 90 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet deep, and provided an average change in elevation of 12 1/2 feet.

The Five Lock Walk is approximately 1/2 mile long one-way, or 1 mile roundtrip, and can be accessed, free of charge, during daylight hours year-round. The trail begins adjacent to the D&H Canal Museum, which is located at 1315 Route 213 in High Falls.

The D&H Canal (High Falls area) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, being “historically and architecturally significant as [a] highly intact collection of commercial, residential and civic architecture, which developed around the Delaware and Hudson Canal and Aqueduct at High Falls.”

Visit the Delaware and Hudson Canal Museum website at www.canalmuseum.org for more information about the museum and its hours of operation.

Depuy Canal House, High Falls, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Depuy Canal House is located off Route 213 in the hamlet of High Falls in Ulster County, New York. The Depuy Canal House, a seven-bay, two-story stone house covered by a steeply pitched gable roof, was built in 1797 by Simeon Depuy, one of the leading citizens of High Falls, and was first known as the Stone House Tavern.

In the 1830s, the structure was acquired by the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company for use as an office and store, and to provide lodging for canal workers. The structure was located adjacent to Lock 16 of the D & H Canal and served its workers for decades. The 108-mile D & H Canal was constructed to transport coal from northeast Pennsylvania to the Rondout District of Kingston, where it would be placed on ships for transport to New York City. With the late-19th century advent of the railroad, business on the D & H Canal declined and the company eventually ceased operations in 1899.

Over time, the Canal House was sold several times and fell into moderate disrepair. The Canal House was then purchased in 1964 by noted chef John Novi, and after a full restoration, was opened to the public in 1969 as a popular local restaurant. The Depuy Canal House gained widespread fame in 1970 when New York Times food critic Craig Clairborne called it “one of the most interesting and best suburban restaurants in America” and gave the restaurant a four-star review, the highest rating possible. John Lennon and Yoko Ono famously dined there in the 1970s while looking for a country home in the area.

After Novi closed the doors to his restaurant in 2015, the Delaware and Hudson Canal Historical Society purchased the building. After its restoration, the society reopened the building to the public as the Delaware and Hudson Canal Museum. Visit their website at www.canalmuseum.org for more information about the museum and its hours of operation.

The Canal House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the High Falls Historic District.

The Windham Path: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Windham Path is a beautiful trail in the village of Windham, New York that journeys through peaceful fields, meanders alongside idyllic woodlands, crosses a magnificent covered bridge, offers views of the pristine Batavia Kill, all while providing picturesque views of the surrounding great northern Catskills.

There are two sections of the path. One section is a 1.5-mile loop trail that can be accessed from a parking area on Route 23. This section of the trail officially opened on Memorial Day in 2013. The second section is a 1/2-mile trail that connects the business area of Windham at the intersection of Route 295 and South Street to the first phase loop. The second section of the path officially opened on Memorial Day in 2015.

The relatively flat, multi-use path is open to foot travel and bicycles in the summer, and cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in the winter. There is often an abundance of wildflowers in the fields during the spring and summer.

Trailhead parking can be found at two locations. One parking area is located off Route 23 to the east of the village of Windham, about 0.7 miles east of the Route 23 and Route 296 intersection. A second parking area is located off Route 296 near the intersection of South Street. A 0.5-mile trail connects the Route 296 parking area to the 1.5-mile loop trail.

At the Top

(American Catskills) — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Kaaterskill Falls, at over 260 feet, is the tallest waterfall in New York State and is one of the most popular destinations in the Catskills. For over two centuries, visitors, as well as many famous artists and writers, have journeyed to the falls to be amazed at its beauty.

At the TopKaaterskill Falls

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – June 2026

(American Catskills) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Old Residents of Hurleyville, N. Y.

Title: Old Residents of Hurleyville, N. Y.

Photographer: Laidlaw & Wood

Author’s collection

Taking It All In

(American Catskills) — Sat, 30 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Taking It All In

Sunset Over the Clove

(American Catskills) — Sat, 23 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Sunset Over the Clove

Resorts World Catskills at Monticello, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 16 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, New York, was built on the site of the former Concord Hotel and opened in February 2018, after a long effort to bring destination casinos to upstate New York.

The casino resort includes an 18-story all-suite hotel and a casino and entertainment complex featuring 100,000 square feet of gaming action including 150 live Las-Vegas style table games, 1,600 state-of-the art slot machines, a poker room, and private gaming salons.

The casino resort destination also offers more than 10 bars and restaurants, which includes Cellaio Steak, an Italian steakhouse created by celebrity chef Scott Conant, and year-round live entertainment at the 2,500-seat RW Epicenter, casino bars and lounges.

The hotel features 332 luxury suites, including 27 premium accommodations consisting of garden suites, penthouse suites and two-story villas. Additional hotel amenities include our day spa, two indoor pools, business center and two fitness centers.

Visit the Resorts World Catskills website at www.rwcatskills.com for more information.

Peekamoose Blue Hole: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 09 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

“We came to a blue pool where the waters of the Rondout, the clearest of all waters, had caught the secret of the skies screened from them. It was in some such pool that the old-world goddesses used to bathe. If Pan ever comes to America, he will love the Blue Hole most of all, and its rocky ledges crowned with the fine-textured beech are certainly the place for him to sit and make his music in. Even to us, drooping with exhaustion, there was still a prayer of admiration possible.” - The Catskills, T. Morris Longstreth.

At the Peekamoose Blue Hole

Peekamoose Blue Hole

All Quiet at the Blue Hole

The Peekamoose Blue Hole is a popular natural swimming hole located on the Rondout Creek in the Peekamoose Valley of the Sundown Wild Forest in the Catskill Forest Preserve.

The Peekamoose Valley is a beautiful destination complete with river scenery, fishing spots, swimming holes, waterfalls and a popular state campground. The scenic drive along Route 42 begins at the hamlet of West Shokan, runs along the Bush Kill and through Watson Hollow, becomes Peekamoose Road (formerly known as Gulf Road), passes Peekamoose Lake, follows the Rondout Creek, allows access to Buttermilk Falls, passes the Blue Hole, and then quickly runs by Bull Run and the hamlet of Sundown, before ending at the Rondout Reservoir.

The Blue Hole is a natural depression in the streambed rock of the Rondout Creek, formed over centuries by a powerful whirlpool that swirled sand and gravel. The area is lined with shale ledges, and the "blue" color of the water comes from the combination of its depth and spring-fed, frigid temperatures.

John Burroughs, the famous author and naturalist, noted during a 1910s visit to fisherman A. W. Dimock, who lived in the region, that “It is forty years since I last saw the Blue Hole, but I can go through the woods straight to it today.” Upon his revisit, Burroughs “called the pool the loveliest spot in the Catskills.”

The Peekamoose Blue Hole was for many years a relatively local secret, popular with campers and hikers visiting the Peekamoose Valley. During these years, the Blue Hole was certainly one of the best and most attractive swimming holes in all the Catskills. It was one of those spots that you visited for a communal feeling with nature.

However, that has all changed, and the Peekamoose Blue Hole is certainly not a secret anymore. In fact, it’s been overrun. It is difficult to say exactly when it changed, but perhaps it was the year 2014 after Travel+Leisure, a travel magazine, highlighted it as one of America’s best swimming holes. After this, the Peekamoose Blue Hole began to appear in other national media, and its popularity took off across the internet, including social media, news outlets and internet guides.

With significantly larger visitation, the area was quickly spoiled by large groups of people with barbeques, radios and coolers descending on the Blue Hole every hot summer day. Crowds treated the isolated Blue Hole like a day at the public beach. Human waste and broken glass could frequently be found along the creekside. Alcohol use was widespread, trash could often be found throughout the area and inconsiderate visitors often ruined an otherwise peaceful setting.

In response, and to better manage the site, local and state officials began implementing changes, including a new day-use permit. The permit is now $10 and is required seven days a week from May 15 to September 15, with the number of daily permits being limited. Large garbage dumpsters and portable restrooms were added nearby. Parking was better organized. Stewards are now present throughout the summer season to better educate visitors on how to act responsibly while also having fun.

Despite all these changes, for a truly peaceful experience at the Peekamoose Blue Hole, visit outside the summer season, as can be seen in the photographs in this blog post. Visit during the cool weather in the spring and fall, or visit at any time that would not be popular for swimming. At these times you will often find the place to yourself, and you will then be able to truly enjoy the rushing waters of the Rondout and the surrounding scenery of the famous Blue Hole.

A Fishing Story at the Blue Hole

Noted inventor, author and sport fisherman Edward Ringwood Hewitt (1866-1957) is closely associated with the sport of fishing. In 1918, he established a fishing camp, called the “Big Bend Club,” on 2,700 acres in the Catskill Mountains. He was a pioneer in stream reconstruction and habitat improvement for trout and was the creator of several innovative flies such as the Neversink Skater and the Bi-Visible.

Hewitt authored many books on fishing, including Secrets of the Salmon (1922), Telling on the Trout (1926), Better Trout Streams (1931), Hewitt's Handbook of Fly Fishing (1933), Hewitt's Handbook of Stream Improvement (1934), Hewitt's Nymph Fly Fishing (1934), Hewitt's Handbook of Trout Raising and Stocking (1935), Those Were the Days (1943), A Trout and Salmon Fisherman for 75 Years (1948) and Days From Seventy-five to Ninety.

Hewitt’s 1926 book titled Telling on the Trout beautifully detailed one of his fishing adventures at the Blue Hole.

“My old friend Mr. Dimmock lived in a camp on the Peekamoose stream, about fifteen miles from my camp on the Neversink. One afternoon a pleasant drive brought me over to tea. As I arose to leave at about five o'clock Mr. Dimmock asked me if I would do him a favor. He said that in the thirty years he had lived in this camp no one of his guests had ever taken a trout out of the Blue Hole in clear low water, and he would very much like to see if it could be done. I had my rod and boots in the car, as usual, and we walked up the stream.

The Blue Hole is a round pool about seventy feet across and rather deep, perhaps ten or fifteen feet in the center. The water enters the pool between two large broken rocks at the top and flows out of the tail at the far corner, the lowest side of the pool being a bar of gravel and small stones.

I had fished this place on several occasions previously, and knew perfectly well that no trout could be caught in the ordinary way in clear water, but had worked out a plan which had taken fish the last time I was there.

We stopped about fifty feet from the bar at the lower end, and I explained to Mr. Dimmock that the trout would be frightened by any line and leader if cast in the center of this clear pool.

The plan was, therefore, to cast the line and leader across the bar and let them rest on the stones, with the fly about a foot within the pool in the shallow water near the bar. When the fly had rested there a few seconds it was pulled a little to make it move like a live insect. A trout at once swam up out of the deep water and slowly took the fly. A little steady pull hauled him over the bar, and I unhooked him and threw him into the stream.

In this way fifteen fish were taken in succession without alarming the others. They were not large fish, only about eight to ten inches long, as there are very few large trout in this stream, probably owing to the very cold water and great freshets, but this experience showed how such a pool might be fished under the most difficult conditions.

A single cast in the center of the pool ended the fishing by alarming all the trout, and they promptly went into hiding.”

John Burroughs on the Rondout

Naturalist John Burroughs explored the upper headwaters of the Rondout with a friend in the early 1900s. He wrote of this tramp through the woods in his 1910 essay titled "A Bed of Boughs," and described the beauty and purity of the stream's waters.

“If there ever was a stream cradled in the rocks, detained lovingly by them, held and fondled in a rocky lap or tossed in rocky arms, that stream is the Rondout. Its course for several miles from its head is over the stratified rock, and into this it has worn a channel that presents most striking and peculiar features.

Now it comes silently along on the top of the rock, spread out and flowing over that thick dark-green moss that is found only in the coldest streams; then drawn into a narrow canal only four or five feet wide, through which it shoots, black and rigid, to be presently caught in a deep basin with shelving, overhanging rocks, beneath which the phoebe-bird builds in security and upon which the fisherman stands and casts his twenty or thirty feet of line with- out fear of being thwarted by the brush; then into a black, well-like pool, ten or fifteen feet deep, with a smooth, circular wall of rock on one side worn by the water through long ages, or else into a deep, oblong pocket, into which and out of which the water glides without a ripple.

The surface rock is a coarse sandstone superincumbent upon a lighter-colored conglomerate that looked like Shawangunk grits, and when this latter is reached by the water it seems to be rapidly disintegrated by it, thus forming the deep excavations alluded to.

My eyes had never before beheld such beauty in a mountain stream. The water was almost as transparent as the air-was indeed like liquid air; and as it lay in these wells and pits enveloped in shadow, or lit up by a chance ray of the vertical sun, it was a perpetual feast to the eye, - so cool, so deep, so pure; every reach and pool like a vast spring. You lay down and drank or dipped the water up in your cup and found it just the right degree of refreshing coldness.

One is never prepared for the clearness of the water in these streams. It is always a surprise. See them every year for a dozen years, and yet, when you first come upon one, you will utter an exclamation; I saw nothing like it in the Adirondacks, nor in Canada. Absolutely without stain or hint of impurity, it seems to magnify like a lens, so that the bed of the stream and the fish in it appear deceptively near. It is rare to find even a trout-stream that is not a little "off color," as they say of diamonds, but the waters in the section of which I am writing have the genuine ray; it is the undimmed and untarnished diamond.

If I were a trout, I should ascend every stream till I found the Rondout. It is the ideal brook. What homes these fish have, what retreats under the rocks, what paved or flagged courts and areas, what crystal depths where no net or snare can reach them! -no mud, no sediment, but here and there in the clefts and seams of the rock patches of white gravel, -spawning-beds ready-made.

The finishing touch is given by the moss with which the rock is everywhere carpeted. Even in the narrow grooves or channels where the water runs the swiftest, the green lining is unbroken. It sweeps down under the stream and up again on the other side like some firmly-woven texture. It softens every outline and cushions every stone. At a certain depth in the great basins and wells it of course ceases, and only the smooth, swept flagging of the place-rock is visible.

The trees are kept well back from the margin of the stream by the want of soil, and the large ones unite their branches far above it, thus forming a high winding gallery, along which the fisherman passes and makes his long casts with scarcely an interruption from branch or twig. In a few places he makes no cast, but sees from his rocky perch the water twenty feet below him, and drops his hook into it as into a well.”

Peekamoose Blue Hole, Early Fall

Cold SwimAt the Peekamoose Blue Hole.

Into the Blue Hole

Poetic Tribute to the Blue Hole

American poet Elaine Goodale Eastman (1863-1953) visited A. W. Dimock at his camp on the Peekamoose, and upon visiting the nearby Blue Hole, wrote the following poetic tribute.

"Wild Nature's gem of changeful luster bright,

Now turquoise pure, now shadowy malachite,

From its rude setting gleams with elfin light.

Say rather, as the inner vision clears,

A well of dreams, a bowl of happy tears

Reflecting heaven – the mirror of the years!

How oft in pensive or in prayerful mood,

My fancy turns to that high solitude,

Above its mystic blue-green depths to brood.

And as the lonely crag above it towers,

Its hoar brow chapleted with autumn flowers,

So memory wreathes those unforgotten hours!"

Potholes In Rondout Gorge

An article titled “Potholes in Rondout Gorge” was published in the August 21, 1925 issue of the New York Evening Post.

“Dr. B. T. Butler of the College of the City of New York, who leads his geology class on field trips throughout the nearby hills and acts as guide on similar excursions for several of the hiking clubs, told me the other day about a feature of the Rondout Gorge in the Catskills that I missed when I went through it. I came off Peekamoose in the dark, found shelter at the caretaker's house on the Dimock

place and went on next morning over Samson Mountain to Vernooy Falls, so I did not see this feature, which a more leisurely examination would have shown.

This is a collection of potholes, some of unusual size, in the bed of Rondout Creek. Some of the best, Dr. Butler says, are in the stream just north of the Dimock House, where it comes out of the valley east of Peekamoose. They run from the size of a waterfall to great cauldrons 10 feet across and 30 feet deep. They must have been cut in the Catskill sandstone by a stream bigger than now flows there, probably from a stream that rose underneath a tongue of ice lying in this valley during the ice age, when the Catskills had their local glaciers.

But the biggest of these potholes is a mile or so downstream, west in the gorge, toward Shady, known as the blue hole, 20 feet across and 40 feet deep. It must have taken a good deal of grinding, with the help of some hard old boulders from the Adirondacks to have gouged that hole.”

Perfect Example of a Trout Stream

Bill Demond wrote an article about a fishing trip to the Blue Hole in 1976. The article, titled “Perfect example of a trout stream,” was published in the July 20, 1976 issue of The Journal-News.

“A young friend, Doug Flackman of Ramsey, N.J. joined me for two days of fishing last week, and on the

second morning I took him to the state water on the Rondout above Sundown. This water is the perfect example of what a trout stream should be, with its crystal-clear, ice-cold water tumbling over moss-covered rocks.

It begins high on Peekamoose Mountain and cascades down into rock-ledge pools before finally entering the Reservoir at Lowe’s Corners. Included in the new state water is the famous Blue Hole, for many years the envy of law-abiding fishermen but a paradise for poachers. The name comes from its baby-blue appearance as one looks down at it from the ledges above. Perhaps the color comes from its great depth, 20 feet or more, or from minerals in the rocks. At any rate the pool and rest of the stream in this

area are well-worth the trip for those who enjoy the real beauty of nature.

Flackman had never been there before and thoroughly enjoyed the setting and commented that the water and surrounding country reminded him of trips to Montana and Idaho. I strongly doubt that there are any more “lunkers” in the Blue Hole or the nice pools below. For the most part we caught and released small brook trout before I finally caught an 11-inch native on the former Ash stretch below.”

Along the Rondout Creek

(American Catskills) — Sat, 02 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Rondout Creek

Along the Rondout Creek

On the Rondout

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – May 2026

(American Catskills) — Fri, 01 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

521_Santa Cruz Falls, Catskill Mts.

Title: 521_Santa Cruz Falls, Catskill Mts.

Photographer: Samuel E. Rusk

Author’s collection

Rondout Creek, Early Autumn

(American Catskills) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Rondout Creek, Early Autumn

Buttermilk Falls at Spring Glen, NY

(American Catskills) — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Buttermilk Falls, also known as Horseshoe Mine Falls, is a beautiful 60-foot waterfall located about five miles south of Ellenville in the hamlet of Spring Glen, New York.

The water of Buttermilk Falls, sourced from an unnamed creek, flows down a gently sloping rock face and over an old mine opening on its journey to feeding the Sandburg Creek which, in turn, flows north through Ellenville to its confluence with the Rondout Creek.

At the base of Buttermilk Falls is the opening for the former Horseshoe Mine, a former exploratory mine which tunnels into the mountainside for several hundred feet.

Buttermilk Fals, Spring Glen, NY

Entrance to Horseshoe MIne

Nevele Falls: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Nevele Falls is a delightful 50-foot roadside waterfall located just outside of Ellenville along the South Gully in the Shawangunk Mountains. Stories say that eleven school teachers were visiting the waterfall in the 1800s and decided to name the falls Nevele (i.e. eleven spelled backwards) in memory of their group.

The nearby Nevele Grand Resort, which took its name from the waterfall, was, for over a century until its 2009 closing, one of the most famous hotels in the Borscht Belt of the Catskills, having even played host to U.S. President Lyndon Johnson in 1966 during his regional visit.

Nevele Falls

Mongaup Falls Reservoir

(American Catskills) — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Mongaup Falls Reservoir is located in the town of Forestburgh in Sullivan County, New York. It has a surface area of 103 acres, a shoreline length of 3.5 miles and a maximum depth of 32 feet.

The area around the Mongaup Falls Reservoir is a popular spot for bald eagle viewing, especially in the winter, due to the presence of the Mongaup Valley Wildlife Management Area and the reservoir which provides open water and fish. The reservoirs are kept from freezing by utility companies for power generation, creating a reliable winter food source for the eagles. Viewing is especially good around the reservoir's eagle viewing shelters.

Mongaup Falls Rservoir

Mongaup Falls Reservoir Reflection

Mongaup Falls Reservoir, Late Afternoon

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – April 2026

(American Catskills) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Title: Ashokan Reservoir Dam Construction

Photographer: William H. Longyear

Author’s collection

Old Barryville Schoolhouse

(American Catskills) — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The current Barryville Town Hall was originally constructed in 1867 as a schoolhouse. It is one of the oldest buildings in the area. The historic building, located in the hamlet of Barryville within the Town of Highland, New York, was used as a school until 1960 before being converted for municipal use.

High up on the mountain behind the schoolhouse is what used to be known as Fish Cabin Falls, which is particularly scenic after a heavy rain or during the spring thaw.

Barryville is named for William Taylor Barry (1784-1835), postmaster general of the United States under Andrew Jackson from 1829 to 1835. Barry had a prominent political career including terms as a member of the House of Representatives (1810-1811), U.S. Senator from Kentucky (1815-1816), member of the Kentucky Senate (1817-1821), Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky (1820-1824), Secretary of State for Kentucky (1824-1825). In 1835 he was appointed ambassador to Spain, but died at Liverpool, England while enroute to assume his position. He is buried at the Frankfort Cemetery in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Nora’s Luvin’ Spoonful

(American Catskills) — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Nora’s Luvin’ Spoonful was a roadside custard and burger place located in Narrowsburg, New York. It was owned and operated by Nora Manzolillo, but was sold in 2021 to Beverly and Jerry Leonetti, who then operated the business under the name of Bev and Jerry’s.

Nieuw Dorp Inn (Ten Eyck House)

(American Catskills) — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Nieuw Dorp Inn, also known as the Ten Eyck House, is located in the historic hamlet of Hurley, New York. The house was constructed circa 1730.

In 1900, the house was owned by Calvin Burhans (1847-1907), a blacksmith, who operated his wagon maker’s shop in the back. Burhans was “a carriage maker, and had few equals in expertness in his line of work. He was well known in this city and throughout the county, and had many friends.”

The Nieuw Dorp Inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Hurley Historic District. The description notes that “this stone building has six bays and is 1 1/2 stories high with a shed roof at the rear. The building, restored in 1937, now has an off-center door with a 12-light transom and small portico, 12/12 sash and four shed dormers.”

The village of Hurley was founded in 1662 by early Dutch settlers who were leaving nearby Kingston, then known as Wiltwyck. The original name of the village was “Nieuw Dorp,” meaning simply New Village. The village was destroyed in 1663 by attacking Esopus Indians, however the village was quickly rebuilt. In 1669, after the English military defeat of the Dutch, the acting governor changed the name of the village to Hurley in honor of his ancestral home at Hurley-on-Thames in England.

Hurley notably served as the temporary capital of New York State for two months after Kingston was burned in 1777 by the British Army during the American Revolution. George Washington visited the village for a public reception on November 16, 1782 during a tour to thank residents for their support during the Revolution.

Old Hurley Burial Ground

(American Catskills) — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Old Hurley Burial Ground is located in the historic hamlet of Hurley, New York. Gravestones date back to at least 1715. The cemetery contains the graves of many local families including Wynkoop, Elmendorf, Crispell, Newkirk, Roosa and DeWitt.

The Old Hurley Burial Ground is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Hurley Historic District. The description of the cemetery notes that “southeast of the Crispel Cottage a lane leads to this cemetery which occupies a wooded knoll overlooking Esopus Creek. Although most of the present gravestones date to the early 19th century, they coexist with earlier crude bluestone slabs. The earliest stone that can be read is that of “Capt. Matys Ten Eyck” dated 1741.”

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – March 2026

(American Catskills) — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Title: U. S. Boys of the Tank Corps, Monticello, N. Y., May 8, 1919

Photographer: Howard P. Thompson

Author’s collection

Bevier House at Hurley, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Bevier House is located on Main Street in the historic hamlet of Hurley, New York. The house was built circa 1720 by Ary Roosa. It was purchased by Lucas Elmendorf in 1752. Here he ran a cooperage making grain barrels for local farmers and supporting the war effort during the American Revolution.

The house remained in the Elmendorf family for several generations, before being purchased by Richard M. Bevier in 1887.

The Bevier House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Hurley Historic District. The description of the house notes that “judging from changes in the masonry this building was probably constructed in three sections. It is now a 5-bay house with irregular fenestration. The gable ends are clapboarded. Alterations include a 19th century center cross gable with fishtail shingles, doorway and 2/2 sash, plus an early 20th century cobblestone porch on the southeast side.”

Petrus Crispell House at Hurley, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Petrus Crispell House is located on Main Street in the historic hamlet of Hurley, New York. The house was built circa 1725.

Petrus Crispell inherited the house and surrounding property from his father Johannes Crispell, who had acquired the property in 1725 and likely built the house shortly thereafter. The house was built on the foundation of a prior smaller house. During the American Revolution, Petrus served as a private with the horse troops of Kingston under the command of Captain Sylvester Salisbury.

The church consistory purchased the property from John Crispell, the son of Petrus Crispell, in 1839, and it has served as the parsonage ever since.

The adjacent Hurley Reformed Church, for which the Petrus Crispell house serves as a parsonage, was built in 1854, replacing an earlier 1801 stone church which had fallen into disrepair. The cornerstone of the church was sealed and dedicated on July 4, 1854, with construction being completed in late November. Stones from the old church were reused in the foundation of the new church. The first service at the new church was held on December 3, 1854, and the building was consecrated the following spring.

The Petrus Crispell House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Hurley Historic District. It was described as having been “built for a member of the Crispel family. It is 1 1/2 stories, made of coursed and squared stone, which continues into the gables. The façade, now 5 bays, was formerly 6, perhaps with two entrances. Nineteenth century alterations include a large cross-gabled dormer and 2/2 sash.”

Dr. Richard Ten Eyck House at Hurley, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Dr. Richard Ten Eyck House is located on Main Street in the historic hamlet of Hurley, New York. The house was built circa 1790 by Richard Ten Eyck as a wedding gift to his English wife Janet Baker.

Dr. Richard Ten Eyck was the son of Matthew and Cornelia (Wynkoop) Ten Eyck. In addition to his work as a physician, Richard Ten Eyck operated a mill, a brewery and a distillery on his extensive property, and grew grains, had large orchards and raised sheep.

Matthew Ten Eyck (1728-1809), Richard’s father, was a patriot of the American Revolution, having served as one of the committee from Hurley, New York to meet at New Paltz to elect delegates from Ulster County to the Provincial Congress. He served at New Paltz as a member of the committee from Hurley, May 11, 1775, to elect deputies to the Provincial Congress from Ulster County. He signed the “Articles of Association” in Hurley on July 6, 1775. He was president of the Board of Trustees of the village of Hurley, and was selected to deliver the address of welcome to General George Washington when he passed through the village in the autumn of 1782.

Dr. Richard Ten Eyck passed away at 89 years of age in 1851 and is buried at the Old Hurley Burial Ground in Hurley, New York.

The Dr. Richard Ten Eyck House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Hurley Historic District. It was described as “a 2 1/2 story, 5-bay Georgian house. It represents the taste of the generation following that responsible for most of Hurley’s stone houses. The shed-roofed addition at the rear is though to date c. 1850. The small portico at the front door probably dates from the third quarter of the 19th century. Other alterations dating from the 20th century include a large shed dormer at the rear and an open porch along the north side.”

The house was reportedly used as a stop on the underground railroad in pre-Civil War days when slave from the south were fleeing to freedom in Canada.

The Old Guard House at Hurley, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Old Guard House, also known as the Spy House or the Du Mond House, is located on Main Street in the historic hamlet of Hurley, New York. The house was built prior to 1685, making it the oldest house in the Hurley historic district. The house has been used as a residence, a pub, an ice cream parlor, a post office and a general store.

The Old Guard House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Hurley Historic District. It was described as “1 1/2-story stone house, with the stones extending into the gables, which are of notably steep pitch. The central brick chimney suggests the building may have been added to at an early date. The main block exhibits considerable integrity, with the only likely additions [being] the scalloped bargeboard and small portico. However, a modern 1-story stone post office has been attached at the northeast corner.”

George C. Kent purchased the house in 1933, after it had been in the DuMond family for many years. In 1934, one year after purchasing the house, Kent opened an ice cream parlor in the house under the name of the “Old Guard House.” Kent later operated a general store from the Old Guard House.

George Kent left the house to his son, Don Kent (1917-2019), a retired Air Force public affairs officer, who then lived there since 1985. Continuing the tradition started by his father, Don actively participated every year in Hurley’s Stone House Day, a special summer day when the owners of the hamlet’s Revolutionary era homes would open their doors to the public for tours and to share the history behind each one.

In a 2002 interview with the Daily Freeman, Don stated that the living room and dining room were original, and that the additions had been made throughout the years, including a post office that later served as a store. The post office operated from 1953 to 1986.

“Other points of interest include original glass window panes with bubbles, door hardware forged in the 1690s, massive oak beams and wide floor boards. The décor is eclectic, including modern furniture and appliances as well as a collection of pieces passed down from the Victorian era, including a tall, free-standing mirror in decorative wooden frame, an organ and a dental cabinet.” (Langston.)

Don, at 93 years of age, put the Old Guard House up for sale in 2011 after having lost his wife in January of that year. “Kent's descendants wanted to keep the home in the family, but nobody wanted to live there. And with insurance companies assessing the 3000-square-foot home at more than $1 million, maintaining the family heirloom was just too expensive.” (Novinson.)

Don finally, at 101 years of age, sold the house in 2019 to Katie Greaves and Alex Perfect. Katie was raised in Hurley and had always wanted to live in the house. Katie and Alex have kept the community tradition alive by opening their home, the “Old Guard House,” each year for Hurley’s Stone House Day.

Revolutionary Intrigue

The Old Guard House, or the Spy House, played a significant role in an episode of military intrigue during the American Revolution.

In the fall of 1777, during the early stages of the American Revolution, British General Henry Clinton was proceeding north up the Hudson River in the hopes of linking up with General John Burgoyne, who was located at Saratoga after having advanced south from Canada. General Henry Clinton captured both Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton on the Hudson River on October 6, 1777.

American General George Clinton’s command retreated from their defeats at Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton to an encampment at Little Britain, New York.

After his tactical victory, British General Henry Clinton then sought to get a message through the American lines to inform General Burgoyne, then located at Saratoga, of his success. General Henry Clinton entrusted Lieutenant Daniel Taylor, an officer in Captain Stewart’s company in the 9th Regiment, of the British Army, with the mission to convey the secret message.

Capture

Dressed in civilian attire, Lieutenant Taylor left Fort Montgomery on horseback on October 8, 1777, and had traveled northward for about 15 miles over the course of two days.

On the night of Friday, October 10, 1777, in the neighborhood of Little Britain, New York, a picket-guard of Colonel Webb’s regiment, under the command of Lieutenant Howe, of the American army, captured within the lines “a suspicious person,” who proved to be Lieutenant Daniel Taylor of the enemy’s forces. It seems that Lieutenant Taylor was not aware that he had passed within the American lines and was further deceived by the uniforms of the American party, who were dressed in red coats, which had been recently captured from a British transport.

Upon seeing the red coats, Lieutenant Taylor assumed the soldiers to be British. Lieutenant Taylor then asked for the name of the commanding general. The Americans answered “General Clinton,” to which Taylor then requested to be taken to see him.

Upon being escorted to the headquarters, Taylor quickly realized that instead of being in front of British royal commander Sir Henry Clinton, he found himself in front of American Governor George Clinton. Upon realizing his mistake, Taylor declared “I am lost!” in a half-subdued voice. He was then immediately observed putting something in his mouth and swallowed it. The object turned out to be a “curiously-wrought, hollow sphere,” a small silver ball of oval form, about the size of a bullet, that was fastened shut with a compound screw in the middle.

Upon seeing him swallow the object, Governor George Clinton ordered that Lieutenant Taylor be given “a very strong emetic, calculated to set either way. This had the desired effect; it brought it from him; but, though close watched, he had the art to conceal it a second time.”

General Clinton then made Lieutenant Taylor “believe I had taken one Capt. Campbell, another messenger, who was out on the same business; that I learned from him all I wanted to know, and demanded the ball on pain of being hung up instantly and cut open to search for it. This brought it forth.”

Dr. Moses Higby

Dr. Moses Higby, then residing at “the Square,” administered the tartar emetic which afforded such convincing proof of Taylor’s allegiances. For his contribution to the war effort, “the Dr. ever afterwards, prided himself greatly on that incident in his practice, which he neither forgot nor permitted any one else to disremember, or be ignorant of.”

Dr. Higby was among the earliest of his profession in this section of Orange County. He “had but a common education, though considered good for the times, and what he lacked in this, strong natural talents, observation and extensive practice made up.”

“That he [Higby] had taken part in the war by being connected with the discovery of the silver ball, his acquaintance personally with the officers of the American army, who lay encamped 1782-3 around his dwelling, and being the principal physician in the settlement, imparted at least a fictitious, if not a real consequence to his character and personal bearing. Of all these interesting incidents and connections the doctor was fond and inclined to recur on proper occasions. His practice was among the old and respectable families in this town and New Windsor, and this, of itself, was a flattering circumstance.” (Eager, p. 170.)

Dr. Moses Higby died on May 3, 1823, “upwards of 80 years of age, having practiced medicine for over 60 years.” (Eager, p. 171.)

The home of Dr. Moses Higby, known as the Higby House, is located at the corner of Cedar Avenue and Union Avenue in New Windsor, New York. There is a historic marker outside the house along the road that reads: “Higby House. Home Of Dr. Moses Higby, Who Removed from Daniel Taylor, British Spy, A Silver Bullet with Message from Sir Henry Clinton to Burgoyne.”

The Secret Message

Upon obtaining the silver ball from Lieutenant Taylor, the Americans opened it and found inside a piece of thin paper. The message within the capsule from British General Clinton to General Burgoyne read:

“Nous y voici [Here we are], and nothing now between us but Gates. I sincerely hope this little success of ours may facilitate your operations. In answer to your letter of the 28th Sept., by C. C., I shall only say I cannot presume to order, or even advise, for reasons obvious. I heartily wish you success. Faithfully yours, H. Clinton.”

The short note was fairly innocuous as it contained no critical intelligence on American movements and no details of British military plans.

The C. C. mentioned in the secret message, and to whom General Clinton had referred, was Captain Campbell, another spy for Sir Henry Clinton who was more fortunate and reached General Burgoyne on October 16th, the day that the city of Kingston was burned.

Court Martial

On Tuesday, October 14th, General Clinton ordered a general court-martial for the trial of Lieutenant Taylor. The court-martial was held at the heights of New Windsor. The court was comprised of Colonel Lewis Du Bois as president, and the following members: Majors Bradford and Huntington, and Captains Ellis, Savage, Watson, Wyllis, Gillespie, Conklin, Wood, Hamtramk, Lee and Husted.

The charge against Lieutenant Taylor was “lurking about the camp as a spy from the enemy.” Lieutenant Taylor pled not guilty, but had “confessed his being an express from Gen. Clinton to Gen. Burgoyne when taken.”

During his confession, Lieutenant Taylor stated that “I left For Montgomery yesterday evening with a charge from General Clinton to go to General Burgoyne and acquaint him that he had landed about five miles below the fort, clambered over the mountains, and stormed with small arms the back part of the Fort, which he carried with the loss of Lt. Col. Grant, of Regt. Volunteers, Major Campbell, Major Sela, a number other officers and about 300 rank and file, that the obstructions in the river were now nearly removed and that he, General Burgoyne, might now move forward or go back, and to acquaint him that General Howe was near Philadelphia, and had defeated the Rebels; and that the Frigates belonging to the Rebels in the River were both burnt.

A Captain Campbell had come from General Burgoyne to General Clinton with dispatches, and set of on his return, on Tuesday, morning ye 7th inst.

I left General Burgoyne 6 mile above Fort Edward the last of July, with orders to acquaint the commanding Officer in New York, that the Roads were so broke up it was extremely difficult, but so soon as he could clear the way he should advance.

I was likewise to inform General Burgoyne that they had now the Key of America (say the passes through the Highlands of Hudson’s River.)”

During the trial, “the prisoner plead that he was not employed as a Spy, but on the contrary was charged both by General Clinton and Burgoyne not to come near our Camp but meeting accidentally with some of our Troops, in British Uniform, he was thereby deceived, and discovered himself to them.”

The court was not convinced by Taylor’s argument. The court, “after considering the case, were of opinion that the prisoner is guilty of the charge brought against him, and adjudged him to suffer death, to be hanged at such time and place as the General shall direct.”

The Execution of Lieutenant Daniel Taylor

After the British capture of both Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton on October 6th, British General Henry Clinton directed his forces under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Vaughan to raid the Hudson Valley. Vaughan sailed northward on the Hudson River towards the city of Kingston.

In response, the remaining army of Governor George Clinton, composed of about 1,000 men, moved northward from Little Britain along the Wallkill River in an attempt to meet the British and save the city of Kingston. Lieutenant Taylor was taken along on this march.

The Americans did not arrive in time, and, on October 16th, the city of Kingston, then the capital of New York State, was attacked and burned by the British. The British troops landed at Kingston Point and marched to the Stockade District of Kingston, burning houses along the way. After only a few hours, the British had burned down over 300 buildings and left the city in ruin.

The advanced guard of the Americans were only able reach “the “Kuykuyt, overlooking Kingston, to behold the village in flames and the enemy nearly retired to his shipping. Had the whole army been at hand it could not, of course, have prevented the destruction of the village, or made any serious resistance to the royal troops.” (Pratt, p. 25.)

“The injury done to the inhabitants [of Kingston] was more than most of them could bear; many persons in comfortable and even affluent circumstances were reduced to absolute want, and all were forced to seek shelter at some distance from their late pleasant homes. The conduct of the cruel foe met with an indignant cry from all parts of the continent, and it steeled the hearts and nerved the arms of our countrymen to pursue with unabating energy the course of resistance to British Tyranny.” (Pratt, p. 38.)

American General George Clinton, as he gathered information and weighed his next moves, established his military outpost at Hurley because of its proximity to Kingston and its command of important roads. Hurley was located approximately three miles southwest of the Stockade District of Kingston.

While the Americans were encamped at Hurley, Lieutenant Taylor, along with other prisoners, was held in the basement of the Du Mond House. Due to Lieutenant Taylor’s imprisonment there, the house was later commonly referred to as the Old Guard House or the Spy House.

On Thursday, October 16th, Governor George Clinton, perhaps with the thoughts of the burning of Kingston fresh in his mind, upheld the court-martial verdict. “The sentence of the General Court-Martial, whereof Col. Du Bois was President, against the within named Daniel Taylor, is approved. And ordered to be carried into execution when the troops are paraded and before they march tomorrow morning. Geo. Clinton, B. Gen., Continental Army.”

Despite the order from Governor Clinton to execute Lieutenant Taylor on Friday, October 17th, the order was not carried out that day, presumably because the attention of the troops was taken up with other matters after the burning of Kingston.

The morning report on Saturday, October 18th, of John Ellis, Officer of the Guard, of the Main Guard of Governor Clinton’s Army at Hurley reported that he had “visited the sentinels frequently, found them alert, on their posts. No Grand Rounds. Nothing material happened.” (Pratt, p. 65.) There were 34 prisoners being held at the time, of which Lieutenant Taylor was one. There was also Isaac Van Vleck, who, like Lieutenant Taylor, was also “taken up as a Spy.”

Other prisoners included William Mohany, who was “confined for saying the Rebels were retreating before Gen’l Burgoyne & that he hoped the Rebels would be beat.” Thomas Porter was being held “for speaking disrespectfully of our General and Under Officers that commanded at Fort Montgomery and for saying that if it had been commanded by British Officers it would not have been given up.”

Bart Miller was confined “for being an Enemy to his Country and saying that he was a friend to George the Third, King of Great Britain.” Jacob Lowes was held for saying he “was raising a Company for the British service.” Nine people were “charged with being Enemies of the States & being found In Arms against the States.”

In the afternoon of Saturday, October 18th, eight days after his capture, Lieutenant Daniel Taylor was hung from an apple tree near the village of Hurley. “From the trunk projected towards the west a large limb about ten feet above the ground. To this the noose was attached.” The tree stood until a few years after 1840, “and bore a sweet red apple.”

The Ulster Sentinel published a detailed account of the hanging in its September 26, 1827 issue. ''He [Taylor] had a long, thin rope around his neck, which was coiled and carried after him by a soldier. On halting at Marbletown he was led into the church, then used as a depot, and being seated near the pulpit the poor wretch bent himself forward to hide his face, and the rope was then coiled upon his back.

At Hurley, three miles from the smoking ruins of Kingston, Taylor was hung on the bough of an apple tree in a by street, not far from the village. The contrivance for his exit into eternity exemplified the rude expedients of the times. A hogshead was placed under the bough, the culprit mounted upon it, and the rope being fastened above, the executioner kicked the hogshead over. He fainted, however, before the fatal kick was given, and thus had an apparently easy death.

Jack Ketch, on this occasion, was performed by a soldier, who received, as per agreement, the dead man's boots for his reward.''

“Jack Ketch” was not the name of the Lieutenant Taylor’s actual executioner, but was a general reference to a person who performed executions. The original “Jack Ketch” was an infamous English public executioner who performed his duties during the late 1600s. Due to his barbarity and botched and bloody executions, the term “Jack Ketch” became synonymous with death and executioners.

The body of Lieutenant Taylor hung from the tree for at least two days. American soldiers encamped in the area were paraded by the body as a warning to any potential British sympathizers.

The Guard Report for Governor Clinton’s Army at Hurley of Sunday, October 19th has the name of Lieutenant Taylor crossed out.

James Rivington, in the November 22nd issue of his loyalist New York newspaper, only made a brief mention of Lieutenant Taylor’s death, reporting that “Mr. Taylor, a spy, taken with a letter to Burgoyne, was hanged Thursday last at Hurley – Fish-kill dispatch of 23 Oct.” (Scott, p. 130.)

The Diary of Nathaniel Webb

Nathaniel Webb, an officer in the Second New York Regiment, wrote in his diary about the dramatic events of October 17-18, 1777.

“17. Friday – Army marches to Hurley, a precinct in Kingston, and encamped. The enemy advanced up ye River, burning wherever they dare land yar troops. Ys evening we have certain intelligence yt Gen. Burgoyne and his army of 5,000 men have just submitted prisoners upon articles of capitulation – an event most happy, and demands the highest thanks of all Americans to ye God of armies.

18. Saturday – Mr. Taylor, a spy, lately taken in Little Britain, was hung here [Hurley]. The Rev. Mr. Romain and myself attended him yesterday [October 17], and I have spent the morning discoursing to him, and attended him at ye gallows. He did not appear to be either a political or a gospel penitent.” (Ruttenber, p. 76.)

The Hanging Apple Tree and Grave

According to the Kingston Daily Freeman in an article published on October 29, 1904, several interested parties were then trying to find the exact spot on which Taylor was executed and buried. They interviewed several of the oldest members of the community.

“The apple tree stood directly in the rear of the Van Sickle house, and the grave in which the spy lies is about ten feet in front of the flagstone lying in front of the front door. When the late Thomas Houghtaling was a school boy the mound over the grave was distinctly visible, and it was the proper thing for patriotic lads to dance upon it. He frequently pointed out the spot to visitors until within a short time of his death.

Measurements of the locality, including the site of the grave, were taken for a map of the surroundings, and it is the purpose of those in charge of the identification of Uster’s historic spots to have erected here a lasting memorial.

The exact site of the tree was 42 1/10 feet from the south corner of the Van Sickle house at a point 60 2/10 feet from the northwest corner of the kitchen. Here a long iron bar was driven deep into the ground, its top being left even with the surface.”

In 1901, local newspapers reported that the bones of a human being, a horse and several Native American implements of warfare and defense were unearthed by workers excavating for the Ellenville and Kingston Railroad near Hurley. At first, it was believed that the remains were those of an Indian chief and his horse, it having been custom to bury the chief’s effects by his side, for use in the happy hunting grounds, to which he was presumed to have gone. However, others believed that the skeleton was that of Lieutenant Taylor. Unfortunately, there were no follow-up articles on what happened to the bones or if the remains were, in fact, those of Lieutenant Taylor.

Aftermath

It did not take long for Sir Henry Clinton to learn “that his ‘silver bullet’ letter had been intercepted after Brigadier Vaughan sent him a page from the New-York Packet, published at Fishkill on October 16, 1777, which printed a letter from George Clinton to Israel Putnam, dated New Windsor, October 11, 1777, detailing Taylor’s capture and reprinting the note.” (Brumwell.)

It is unlikely that General Clinton’s message getting through to General Burgoyne via Lieutenant Taylor would have made even the smallest difference in the course of the conflict in the Hudson Valley, as the Americans had already decisively won the Battle of Saratoga on October 7, 1777, three days prior to Taylor’s capture.

General Burgoyne would seek to escape with his troops to the north on October 8, 1777, but would ultimately surrender his entire army at Saratoga to American General Horatio Gates on October 17, 1777, one day before the hanging of Lieutenant Taylor.

The Battle of Saratoga would prove to be a turning point in the American Revolution. The American defeat of the superior British army lifted patriot morale, furthered the hope for independence and helped to secure the foreign support needed to win the war.

Hurley notably served as the temporary capital of New York State for two months after Kingston was burned on October 16, 1777 by the British Army. George Washington visited the village for a public reception on November 16, 1782 during a tour to thank residents for their support during the Revolution.

American General George Clinton kept Lieutenant Taylor’s silver ball as a reminder of the dramatic events. It was passed down through several generations of Clinton’s descendants. The ball was displayed before the New York Historical Society on February 7, 1843 and eventually made its way into the permanent collection of the New York Historical Society.

George Clinton Genet, a great grand-son of Governor George Clinton related an interesting story about the bullet. “When the bullet was shown to a visitor to the Clinton family, many years ago, a cousin of his, then a lad, put it into his mouth and unintentionally swallowed it. It was recovered in the same manner as that by which Daniel Taylor was compelled to give it up.”

Historic American Building Survey

The Dumond House, or Spy House, was thoroughly researched in 1934 by Myron S. Teller as part of the Historic American Building Surveys. Teller, who lived his whole life in Kingston, New York, was an architect who specialized in the restoration of early American houses. He was the author of “The Early Stone Houses of Ulster County, N.Y.” Below is the full report on the house.

“The Dumond House is one and one-half stories high, and is built of limestone with a frame lean-to in the rear, or north side. The limestone walls are of various thicknesses, from a nearby quarry, with rather square ends laid up in mortar made of clay, and pointed with lime mortar outside.

The steep pitched gables are built up in stone to the peak with an interesting verge board with scalloped edging.

It is interesting to note that the wall plate does not run through to the face of the gable walls, but is stopped about 7” from the end. This may be due to the style of verge board which overhangs the walls about 4”.

In most of the old houses the plate extends through to the face of the wall with the verge board set flat against the gable wall and broadened at the eave to cover and protect the end of the plate.

The front porch is no doubt of later date than the house. This had a ceiling panel that, when taken down by the owner, proved to be a Dutch door. The dimensions checked with the old log frame in opening number 1, which was exposed to examination. Impressions of a wrought iron lock case, key, and spindle hole also checked with an old lock fitted on one of the inside doors. This was probably not the original door. The molding on the face panels and bevel on the back of the panels on the other side matched those of the old window shutters and were no doubt installed at the time such changes and repairs were made. The use of a rim lock would also indicate a later date.

The original front door is thought to have been a Dutch batten door, similar to those shown on sheet number 9. Outside door openings number 2 and 5 are of quite recent date, as the doors, frames and lintels over the opening show.

The main portion of the house occupied by rooms A and B was built first, at which time cellar opening number 2 gave access from an area at the rear of the building, evidenced by the heavy oak lintel over this opening, which can by plainly seen and chamfered similar to that over the cellar area door number 3, built later. Portions of this rear wall were exposed and are pointed outside the same as the frame wall, and where the wall of the kitchen wing joins the main house, there is a vertical joint the full height of the wall. The roof was built over the main roof of the house where some portions of the old worn shingles remain under the rafters and boards, and gives evidence that this wing was a later addition.

The frame lean-to enclosing the space marked “Summer Kitchen” was added still later. Remodeling of this wing was begun by the present owner. The drawings show the windows, doors, and clapboards in their original place taken in the survey before the alteration.

The old house was originally roofed with hand split pine shingles 30” long, and laid about 12” to the weather, as measured on a full length shingle found in the attic under the lean-to roof, and preserved by the present owner.

The front dormer was no doubt built in the roof at some later date.

The floor beams are of heavy hand hewn timber, exposed and mostly of oak in the cellar, with some pine for the second floor used. The pine beams are mostly smooth dressed, and painted. They vary in both size and spacing, as shown on the plans and sections.

The floor boards are mostly of pine, 1 1/2” thick, splined, and many of them measure 16” and 17”, in width. These were nailed to the beams with hand made spikes. Owing to the varying widths these floor boards were laid with all ends finished to a line on one beam without breaking the joints as in modern work.

Frames of both doors and windows are worked out of heavy oak, framed and pinned at the corners. They are set within 1” of the face of the walls and the head functions as a lintel supporting part of the wall over it. Another plank shaped lintel about 4” to 5” thick is laid on top inside, and supports the remaining thickness of the wall.

The windows in walls supporting floor beams are set between the beams and the heads raised close to the floor above. Therefore the sills are higher than those in the end wall.

The window jamb reveals are made of single wide board – these on the three windows in the southeast wall are set with a splay – the others straight. The top sash is fixed. The bottom sash slides up and is held with notched wood buttons in some cases.

The door frame of opening number 9 is finished with a heavy molded pine head-piece on the inside, and inside door number 10 has a head-piece both sides as shown on the detail sheet. This is spiked to the head of the frame, typical of old Dutch houses in Ulster County.

The old doors remaining on the first floor are of three wide boards, varying in width with wide board battens as detail shows. These battens were secured to the boards on one side with hand made nails and the ends clinched in staple form, sunk with the grain and flush with the face of the board.

These doors were fitted with hand forged strap hinges set on battens and also fastened with nails clinched through the door. In some cases, leather pads are used under the nail head, which permitted of a tighter clinching. These hinges are hung on heavy pintle or hinge pins with spike ends which are driven into the oak frame.

The latches and handles are also hand forged. The latch bar is in practically all cases set with a slope or cant. This has a large nail at the end of the bar and a staple guide near the edge of the door. In the frame is a heavy catch-pin which engages and hold the end of the bar when the door is closed.

The spindle of the drop handle passed through door was clinched over the cam which laid under the latch. The end of cam rested in the guide as assembled on detail sheet number 10.

On the Dutch door this drop handle is on the upper half of door. The lower half of door has only a back latch which is operated from the inside.

Other minor doors are fitted with back latches on one side and thumb latch handles on the other. Some doors are now fitted with the Roggins cast iron thumb latches which are of a later date.

The central chimney is a part of the stone partition wall and above the second floor up and out through the roof is built square of the thin brick. In the cellar store rooms can be seen pieces of heavy blue stone flag built in and projecting 4” to 5” each side of the wall. On one side this shelf is used to support the spring of an interesting hearth arch built of old brick.

On the other side of the wall, instead of an arch, there are two heavy locust posts with cross pieces framed in and pinned, with heavy cross poles laid over on which the support of the overhang of fireplace and hearth is built.

The hearth in room “A” has been removed and the fireplace closed to accommodate a modern heater flue which breaks through the arch in the cellar. The original mantle shelf and facing is still left. The boards from shelf to ceiling have been removed, also the cupboard built in the right-hand jamb, thus exposing the chimney shaft. From the top of shelf to the ceiling which the present owner stated he found covered with many layers of white-washing, indicates the house had been lived in with this exposed and that the mantle and facings were finished later.

The present owner, Mr. George Kent, has preserved the cupboard doors, frame, and some boards – these were checked with the chimney when the survey was made and are shown in the sectional drawing, sheet 8, in their original position.

In room “B” the old hearth has been replaced with cement, but the fireplace has the old shelly stone back wall and the splay of jambs is built of brick.

The rear kitchen chimney has two heavy stone wall piers in the cellar with poles built in and projecting to support the hearth over.

The fireplace in the kitchen has been filled in at the back with new stone, making it shallow. At the right is the bake-over with the opening, flue, and dome arch in good repair, except that the overhang on the outside of the wall has broken away, leaving portions of the old brick and supporting stone shelf still in place. The opening has been filled in flush with the wall in new brick.

The kitchen chimney has a simple board facing and shelf as shown in the section.

The original wall cupboard facings at the right of the fireplace are shown. These were found fitted against the back wall insider the closet now faced with plain boards and batten doors of recent date.

The outside walls of the rooms were originally plastered directly on the stone work and are still in this condition in the gable walls of the second floor bedrooms.

The present owner was furred and lined the walls of rooms “A” and “B” with sheet rock plaster board.

All first floor ceilings are formed by the boards of the second floor above, and are painted.

On the second floor the partitions in rooms “A” and “B” are old plaster work both sides. Partitions in room “C” are plastered over boards on room side with lath used as a furring. The ceiling of this room is of boards but of narrow and uniform widths while in other rooms the boards are wide and of varying widths.

The bedroom in the attic space over the kitchen, shown by dotted lines, was built with stud walls plastered on one side. The board ceiling is supported by 2” by 4” beams. When this room was built, the roof cross ties were cut out to make room for the ceiling height.

There is evidence of an old window opening closed up with stone in the rear of this wing at the point indicated. It is likely this room was made for help quarters and the stair from the summer kitchen was put in for access to this room. The insider cellar stair was then built under, as the trap door in the floor to the cellar area was no doubt less convenient for daily use and was only used when provisions were stored in the cellar. This area has not been used for some time and the door is nailed shut.

The main stair in the living room is not the original. The original stair was much steeper as the well-hole indicates and was enclosed with boards with a batten door at the base. There is a notch in the beams each side of this stair well where a small header indicates the line between the end of the wall and a former trap door in the second floor which was used as a granary.

There is also another trap door over room “B.” This existed at the time the survey was under way, and was fitted with hinges of leather or hide nailed on. This opened into a narrow space, partitioned off with boards, and the end opening to the attic is closed with a batten board panel held in place with wood turned buttons.”

Selected Sources:

Brumwell, Stephen. Turncoat. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2018.

Collections of The Ulster Historical Society. Volume 1. Kingston: Hommel & Lounsberry, 1860.

“Daniel Taylor, The British Spy.” Olde Ulster. Volume 1, No. 8. August 1905.

Eager, Samuel. An Outline History of Orange County. Newburgh: S. T. Callahan, 1846-1847.

“Hurley’s Skeleton.” Nyack Evening Star. July 31, 1901.

Langston, Bonnie. “Hurley Opens Doors to History.” Daily Freeman. July 11, 2002.

Lossing, Benson J. The Pictorial Field-Book of The Revolution. Volume 2. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1852.

Monell, J. J. Washington’s Head-Quarters, Newburgh, N. Y., and Adjacent Localities. Newburgh, NY: E. M. Ruttenber, 1872.

Novinson, Michael. “Spy House Owner Placing Historic Site on the Market.” Times Herald-Record. July 11, 2011.

Pratt, George W. An Account of the British Expedition Above the Highlands of the Hudson River and of The Events Connected with the Burning of Kingston in 1777. Albany, NY: Munsell & Rowland, 1861.

Public Papers of George Clinton. Volume 2. New York and Albany: Wynkoop Hallenbeck Crawford Co., 1900.

Ruttenber, Edward M. History of the Town of New Windsor, Orange County, N. Y. Newburgh, NY: The Historical Society of Newburgh Bay and the Highlands, 1911.

Scott, Kenneth. Rivington’s New York Newspaper. Binghamton, New York: Vail-Ballou Press, Inc., 1973.

Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett. History of Ulster County, New York. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1880.

Teller, Myron S. The Dumond House (Spy House), Historic American Building Surveys. New York, 1934.

“The Grave of Taylor The Spy.” Kingston Daily Freeman. October 29, 1904.

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – February 2026

(American Catskills) — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Title: Dauch’s Meat Market

Photographer: Otto Hillig

Author’s collection

Van Deusen House, Hurley, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Van Deusen House is located on Main Street in the historic hamlet of Hurley in Ulster County, New York.

Jan Van Deusen

Jan Van Deusen, a blacksmith at Claverack, moved down the river to Ulster and married Hillegonda Roosa at Hurley in 1719. In 1743 or 1744, he conveyed his house to his son, Jan Jr., who had married Cornelia Wynkoop in 1741. Jan Jr. likely torn down this prior frame structure to erect the current stone building in 1744.

Like his father, Jan Van Deusen Jr. worked as a blacksmith. In 1738, Van Deusen Jr. was a member of the Foot Company of Militia of Hurley, under the command of “Cornelius Wine Coop.”

During the American Revolution, he was elected a deputy of the Provincial Congress for Hurley, Ulster County. He served as a lieutenant in the First Regiment Ulster County Militia; was paymaster in the Third Regiment under Colonel John Cantine; also served in the same regiment under Colonel Levi Pawling; and then served as quartermaster in the same organization. Van Deusen Jr. was a lieutenant and paymaster in 1784 to Colonel Albert Pawling’s regiment of New Levies. As a blacksmith, he did much commissioned work for the Revolutionary army.

The American Revolution

During the American Revolution, the Van Deusen House served as the temporary capitol of New York from November 18 to December 18, 1777 after the British burned Kingston and the Council of Safety fled, first to Marbletown and then to Hurley. After being headquartered at Hurley for about one month, the Council of Safety left the Van Deusen House on December 18, 1777 and relocated to Poughkeepsie at the request of General George Clinton, who wanted the group to meet at a place closer to Newburgh.

The Van Deusen House contained a “secret” room that was used during the American Revolution to store records. The secret room was surprisingly large, measuring 17 feet by 16 feet, with a massive chimney on one side. The room now has windows and a door, but they were 20th century renovations. For some 200 years it was a sealed room which could be entered only through a trap door in the floor.

A rope was attached to the top of the trap door. The rope ran through a ceiling pulley, and a log was tied to the opposite end of the rope, so that a push from below would open the trap door, with an assist from the weight of the log.

The only way to reach the trap door from outside the room is from the steep staircase which rises from the kitchen. The staircase is cleverly designed to appear to be just a kitchen cupboard, with each shelf recessed a bit more than the one immediately below. Climbing it would require skill, for each foot would have to be pulled back before it could be lifted for the next step.

Ownership

Title of the house passed through the names of Van Deusen, Krom, Ten Eyck, Nash and Gibson. The successive transfers of the house were marked in stone in the wall: J V D Jr 1744; J G K 1815; A T E 1862; and G W N 1906.

National Register of Historic Places

The Van Deusen House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Hurley Historic District. It was described as “constructed of coursed and squared stone with clapboard in the upper half of the gable, this building is 1 1/2 stories high and 6 bays wide with a rear ell. Restored in the early 20th century, it now exhibits an off-center door with transom, 12/12 sash and shed dormers. Traditionally the building is said to date from 1727, although it bears several later dated stones, the earliest of which reads 1744.”

Ostrander-Elmendorf House, Hurley, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Ostrander-Elmendorf House is located in the hamlet of Hurley in Ulster County, New York.

The house lot was originally set aside as the minister’s lot. The lot was then purchased by Pieter P. Ostrander, who, in turn, sold it to his son Arent Ostrander, who built the house around 1715. The stone house as seen today was built in three sections, as revealed by construction joints in the ruble stone masonry. The second addition to the east was built as a weaving room.

In the 18th century, the Half Moon Tavern operated in a section of the house. The tavern was named for the ship of English explorer Henry Hudson as he travelled the Hudson River and Catskill region.

Petrus Elmendorf purchased the house in 1804, with the house then being passed down through several generations of the Elmendorf family.

The Ostrander-Elmendorf House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of Hurley Historic District.

Ostrander-Elmendorf House, Hurley, NY

Ostrander-Elmendorf House

Polly Crispell Cottage

(American Catskills) — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Polly Crispell Cottage is located in the hamlet of Hurley in Ulster County, New York. The cottage was built in 1735 by Anthony Crispell, a cordwainer.

The lower level of the house was once used as a blacksmith shop. The chimneys are fitted with iron spikes which early Dutch settlers believed would keep out witches. The spikes were often referred to as “witch catchers.”

Early Morning on the Roses Brook

(American Catskills) — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Delaware County in New York State is home to an agricultural industry that dates back well over 200 years, with farming being the foundation on which with county was built.

As of 2022, according to the Agricultural Statistics Summary produced by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County, there were 579 farms remaining in Delaware County. The farms operated on 128,232 acres of land in a variety of agricultural sectors including dairy farming, livestock and meat production, vegetables and specialty crops, forestry and agroforestry (such as maple syrup production).

This early morning farm scene can be found along the Roses Brook Road that connects Roxbury to South Kortright. The Rose Brook flows into the West Branch of the Delaware River between Bloomville and South Kortright.

Early Morning on the Roses Brook Road

Both the road and the brook take their name from Hugh Rose, an early pioneer in Delaware County. Rose was born, bred and married in Scotland, where “he was engaged as a tiller of the soil until his emigration.” He moved from Scotland to the United States prior to the Revolutionary War.

Rose first settled in Columbia County, but soon came the town of Stamford, where he settled on the stream that was later named in his honor. On his arrival he took up 600 acres of timbered land, which later reverted to the government. He then acquired 200 acres that would then be passed down through several generations.

Taking advantage of the water-power on the brook, Rose put up a saw and grist mill at the mouth of Rose’s Brook, the first one in the vicinity. For many years he followed the occupation of a miller. Rose’s “milling business proved very remunerative, farmers taking their grain to him from long distances, some bringing it on horseback and some in canoes.” His mill was built of logs, as was the house that sheltered him and his family.

Rose was active in community affairs, being one of the prime movers in organizing the Presbyterian Church at Kortright Center. He served as Justice of the Peace for 25 years, and served for many years as an Associate Judge.

Hugh Rose lived to 86 years of age, being “a religious, God-fearing man.” His wife, who outlived him, passed her last years in the town of Claverack. They raised six children – John, Aleck, Hugh, Lydia, Nancy and Catherine.

Sunrise Over the Ashokan Reservoir

(American Catskills) — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Ashokan Reservoir promenade is an amazing place to walk, run, bike, photograph or look for bald eagles. It is also a wonderful location to catch a Catskills sunrise.

The promenade trail is 2.7 miles one-way (5.4 miles roundtrip) as it follows along the southern shore of the reservoir, offering breathtaking views of the Catskill Mountains throughout. The flat path is open to the public from dawn to dusk. With the proper permits, the reservoir is also open for boating and fishing. There are two parking areas on either the east end or the west end of the walking path. You can take the path from either direction.

The Ashokan Reservoir was constructed between 1907 and 1915 by the New York City Board of Water Supply. The reservoir was formed by the damming of the Esopus Creek, which eventually flows into the Hudson River at Saugerties. The reservoir consists of two basins separated by a dividing weir and roadway.

Water enters the Ashokan's West Basin and, after a settling period, is withdrawn from its East Basin. It is carried southeast under the Hudson River via the 92-mile Catskill Aqueduct, which has a maximum depth of 1,114 feet.

It ordinarily enters the Kensico Reservoir in Westchester for further settling, where it mixes with Delaware system water and then travels south in two aqueducts before entering New York City's water supply distribution at the Hillview Reservoir in Yonkers, just north of the City line.

Approximately 40% of New York City’s water comes from the Catskill Mountain reservoir system. New York City’s water remains unfiltered, making it one of only five large cities in the United States that is not required to filter its drinking water.

The Ashokan Reservoir has approximately 8,315 acres (13 square miles) of surface area and 44 miles of shoreline. It has an average depth of 47 feet and is over 180 feet at its deepest. It holds up to 123 billion gallons of water at full capacity.

The forest surrounding the reservoir is maintained by New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), whose mission includes safeguarding the quality of the reservoir’s water.

The Ashokan Reservoir is located in Ulster County, about 13 miles west of the city of Kingston. Route 28 follows the reservoir to the north while Route 28A follows the reservoir to the south.

Catskills Museum of Photography: Historic Photograph of the Month – January 2026

(American Catskills) — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Catskills Museum of Photography is an online historical photograph gallery with over 5,400 photographs from over 190 of the greatest Catskills photographers in history.

Each month I will select one photograph from the collection to feature as the Historic Photograph of the Month.

Title: 938. Mountain House, Catskill Mts., N.Y.

Date: Copyright 1892

Photographer: August Loeffler

Author’s collection

Plymouth Church, Walton, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The historic Plymouth Church is located along Route 21 (Franklin-Walton Road), north of the village of Walton. It is situated on the West Brook, a tributary of the West Branch of the Delaware River.

The church has long supplied the religious needs of a large farming community that was situated several miles from the nearest village. In its earliest days, the nearest churches at Walton, Northfield and Franklin were from four to six miles distant and, therefore, many could not attend service.

The Founding of Plymouth Church

The church congregation was established in 1857 by “a small but earnest band of men and women” who “gathered in the West Brook schoolhouse for the purpose of forming a church.” During this meeting, the Plymouth Congregational Church of West Brook was founded.

The church building was constructed over the course of the next year. Construction began on June 10, 1858, the timbers for the frame of the church were raised in July 1858 and construction was completed in November 1858.

George Nichols donated the site for the building. Thomas Nichols gave the timber for the frame and all the neighbors for three miles around cut the timber, drew and scored it without charge. D. Wiswall, S. Polton, J. D. and Mike Seeley built the church.

At 11am on Thursday, December 23, 1858, the church was “dedicated for purposes of public worship.” The first sermon was preached by Reverend S. P. Martin of Franklin. In its early days, the church was often supplied with ministers from North Walton.

The church was organized with ten charter members, including Chester Pomeroy, Isaac McClenon, James M. Benton, Simeon A. Freer, Phoebe Pomeroy, Deborah McClenon, Angeline Brazee, Caroline Freer, Mary Ann Pomeroy and Helen Freer. Chester Pomeroy was chosen deacon and Isaac McClenon was chosen clerk.

Early Years

Only a few years after its founding, and likely due to its remote location, the Plymouth Church already began to struggle with membership and the ability to retain a permanent pastor. In 1862, it was reported that “Rev. C. S. Marvin has closed his labors with the Plymouth Church at West Brook, where he has been very useful, and is highly esteemed. That church and society are hardly able to sustain a minister, without considerable help from other quarters, more we fear than they will be likely to get in these war times.” (Delaware Republican. April 12, 1862.)

50th Anniversary of Plymouth Church

On December 22-23, 1908, the church celebrated its 50th anniversary with special services over the course of two days. The church was led at this time by Reverend W. C. Davies.

The local newspaper wrote of the special occasion: “This is a country church in a comparatively sparsely settled community and could draw for its membership only a few miles in each direction, but while it has had its times of prosperity and adversity, like all churches, it has continued to grow and now counts a membership of forty.” (“Plymouth’s Anniversary.” Walton Reporter. December 26, 1908.)

Back to Life

By 1955, Plymouth Church had been largely abandoned for over 15 years. That same year “the Rev. Richard Moore, a Franklin minister, with his family, would pass the old church on their frequent visits to relatives.

“There’s the old broken down church,” Mr. Moore would remark, and Jimmy, his small son, would always answer, “Somebody will fix it some day.” This thought turned over and over in Mr. Moore’s mind – he could visualize how it could look were it repaired. People in general felt sorry to see it go down. He liked serving churches in rural communities, as did his father before him.

The Youth Fellowship of Mr. Moore’s church in Franklin wanted a project and the news was passed around that they had decided to clean up the old place and at least hold one service there. So Resurrection Day for Plymouth Church finally came. . .

Young people came, neighbors came, passerby even stepped to lend a hand. Many a pot of coffee helped in its own small way.

Weeds, brushes and trees were cut down. Dirt, stones and glass by the wheelbarrow load was taken out of the church. It was not before they began to see the fruit of their labors.” (Oneonta Star. September 29, 1956.)

The church was reopened for worship on June 12, 1955. Reverend Moore preached the sermon and there was special music provided by the junior choir of the Franklin Methodist Church, who were accompanied by several trumpeters. Though it no assigned pastor, Hartwick College of Oneonta helped to supply it with student ministers.

After that first service, the renovations continued. A new roof was put on, all the broken windows were replaced and the building was placed on jacks so that repairs could be made to the foundation. The interior of the church was redecorated with insulated wall boards and a new furnace was installed. A pulpit set was donated by a Schenectady lodge. Song books were given by the Baptist Church of Walton. The pews, floor and the entire outside was painted. New steps were built. The bell was adjusted and polished, thereafter ringing as it called the people to worship. Electric lights were added, marking the first use of electricity in the church’s history.

Other donations included a reed organ, by Herman Boeing, of Franklin; a piano, by Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Barnhart, of Walton; a chair for the platform, by Lyon Brothers Furniture Store, of Walton; a pulpit to be built by Alfred Shaver, of Oneonta; and a pulpit Bible, by Mrs. Nettie Boyce, of Treadwell. Cash donations were received from Mr. and Mrs. Gus Tietbohl, of Delhi; Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Hutchings, of Binghamton; Mrs. Pearl Watkins, of Walton; and E. W. Ives of Walton. Lloyd Wells, of Walton, offered to sell the church new roofing at cost and donated a day’s labor from two employees.

Trustees from the revitalized church included Stanley DuMond, Anthony Schmidt and John Schmidt. The property committee included Anthony DeMarco, Raymond Liddle and Lloyd Robinson. The religion and education committee included Miss Ethel France, Mrs. Maude Liddle and Mrs. Anna Beers. Leon Robinson was elected treasurer and Mrs. Stanley DuMond was elected secretary.

On February 2, 1958, Mr. Moore came back to Plymouth Church, serving communion, baptizing 12 babies and accepting six new members into the church. By that time, the church now had 32 active members, along with an organist and a choir. Renovations on the church continued, with a kitchen and dining tables being added and a bulletin board was placed in front of the church.

A special service was held on December 23, 1958 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the church. Barry Dowling, of Delhi, a student at Hartwick College, served as pastor each Sunday.

Recent Renovations

The Plymouth Church again underwent significant renovations around 2018-2019 after it was damaged by flooding. After Margaret Van Breeman, a congregant of the church, passed away, she left a portion of her estate to the church.

The generous bequest allowed for the church to be raised and a new foundation built. The interior and exterior were also extensively restored. A new fellowship center, including a kitchen and a dining area, was constructed and named in Margaret’s honor.

Continuing Its Mission

After over 160 years, through the good times and the not-so-good times, the historic Plymouth Church continues to serve the religious needs of the surrounding rural community.

Tappan Covered Bridge

(American Catskills) — Sat, 20 Dec 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The Tappan Covered Bridge, formerly known as the Kittle Covered Bridge, is located in the Dry Brook Valley south of Arkville in the town of Hardenburgh in Ulster County.

The bridge was constructed in 1906 by Salem Jerome Moot. The bridge originally utilized a Kingpost Truss but was rebuilt in 1985 utilizing a Stringer Truss design. It is a single lane, 43 feet long and 12 feet wide as it carries the short, dead-end Erickson Road over the Dry Brook. The bridge is owned and maintained by the town of Hardenburgh.

Due to its lack of original components and the modern restoration, the Tappan Covered Bridge does not qualify for the National Register of Historic Places.

Stratton Falls at Roxbury, New York: A History and Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Stratton Falls refers to both the beautiful 50-foot waterfall located in the town of Roxbury, New York and the small rural community that once thrived around the falls.

Stratton Falls takes its name from Joseph and Samuel Stratton, brothers who fought in the Revolutionary War and settled in the falls area in the early 1790s.

Joseph Stratton (1751-1827)

Joseph Stratton was born in July 1751 in Fairfield, Connecticut. He was a soldier in the American Revolution, after having enlisted on July 19, 1775 at Fairfield with his father and his brother Stephen. He served as a Corporal in the 7th Regiment, which was ordered by General George Washington to Boston camps on September 14, 1775, and was there assigned to General Sullivan’s brigade at Winter Hill, on the left of the besieging line. The regiment then returned to Connecticut, where it served as minute men along the sound, and was called out during various alarms during the war. Joseph was at Fairfield when the town was burned by the British.

In 1778, Joseph married Eunice Berry Middlebrook, with whom he eight children.

About 1792, Joseph settled in Roxbury, New York, where he and his brother Samuel were among the first settlers. His farm was located two miles below the present village of Roxbury. The beautiful Stratton Falls, located on a small branch of the Delaware River, were located on his farm.

Joseph arrived in the area when it was still an unbroken wilderness, only reached by sturdy settlers by cutting the brush and logs before them, and carrying their household goods on an ox sled.

Joseph Stratton passed away on May 11, 1827 and is buried at the Tyler Cemetery in Roxbury, New York.

Samuel Stratton (1755-1838)

Samuel Stratton was born in 1755 in Fairfield, Connecticut. He served in the American Revolution after having enlisted in 1776, under Captain Ebeneezer Hill, in Colonel Jonathan Dimon’s regiment, and marched to New York City. He remained with his company until after the British had taken New York, when he was discharged near Kingsbridge.

In March 1777, Samuel enlisted to serve during the war in the same regiment under Captain Elphalet Thorp. He was in the battles of Ridgefield, Fairfield and Norwalk, and was in service when Fairfield was burned.

He was also a soldier in the War of 1812.

In 1779 Samuel married Grace Darrow, with whom he had six children.

Around 1792 he settled in Roxbury, New York where he bought land and cleared a farm, while also engaging in the manufacture of woolen goods, and built a large mill just below Stratton Falls.

Samuel Stratton passed away on October 3, 1838.

Crossroads at Stratton Falls

The 50-foot Stratton Falls is located on the Mill Creek, which runs into the East Branch of the Delaware River below the village of Roxbury.

The stone arch bridge near the top of Stratton Falls was constructed by Willis Hubbell, a well-known local contractor. In addition to the bridge, Hubbell also constructed a bridge at South Kortright and built many early Roxbury houses. The Hubbell’s were a noted pioneer family in the region for whom two local areas were named, Hubbell Hill and Hubbell Corners.

During the 1800s, the hamlet of Stratton Falls was a thriving small community with several businesses that operated near the stone arch bridge at the top of Stratton Falls, including a distillery, cooper and blacksmith shops, a tavern, a general store, a creamery and a post office. The general store, operated by the Stratton and Hicks families, sold everything that nineteenth century residents might want.

Ira Hicks owned the popular general store at Stratton Falls while also operating a firkin factory next to his other stores. A firkin is a small cask which resembles a whiskey or wine barrel and for centuries it is what was used to store butter. For over 100 years, Delaware County was one of the leading producers of dairy products for New York City and there was a big “dairy trade” of products being transported from this area to the city. Ira Hicks profited from not only making and selling the barrels, but also from charging a fee to arrange for the transport of the farmers' butter products in the firkins to New York City. In 1848, Hicks constructed the mansion that is now the focal point of the resort The Roxbury at Stratton Falls.

Located nearby to Stratton Falls is the Second Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury, which opened for its first services in 1833. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The settlement that grew up around the falls was at one time large enough to warrant a post office. The Stratton’s Falls post office operated from 1840 to 1876. Ezra W. Stratton, son of pioneer Joseph Stratton, was the first postmaster, serving for nearly four years from 1840 to 1844. The post office was discontinued on November 15, 1876 after 36 years of service.

The Rondout and Oswego, later renamed to the New York, Kingston and Syracuse Railroad and then the Ulster and Delaware Railroad, reached the town of Roxbury in December 1871. The line originally stopped south of the village in Stratton Falls but in 1872 it had been extended to Roxbury and then on to Stamford. The location of the station moved the business section of Roxbury from upper Main Street to Bridge Street and the current village square. Passenger service ended in Roxbury in 1954 and freight trains ceased running in 1976.

The oldest cemetery in the town of Roxbury is believed to be what is known as the Tyler Cemetery, located about a 1/4 mile south of Stratton Falls. The oldest stone in the cemetery dates from 1812 and marks the grave of Joseph Stratton, Jr., son of Joseph Stratton, the pioneer, who is also buried here. Members of the Tyler, Butler, Chase, Hull and Olmstead families are also buried here.

Jay Gould: A Native Son

Jason “Jay” Gould (1836-1892), the controversial American railroad magnate and financial speculator, was born at the family homestead in Stratton Falls on May 27, 1836, the son of John Burr Gould and Mary (More) Gould. His father was a farmer and a storekeeper. Jay was educated in the district school and at Beechwood and Hobart seminaries.

Having no interest in following his father’s footsteps, Gould went to work at age 12 as a clerk for a blacksmith in order to earn money to pay for school. After about six months of school, he then obtained a position at a tin-shop in Roxbury, and after three years, at age 15, he became a partner in the management of that business. Gould’s father later joined the operation and eventually took charge there.

During these years Gould privately taught himself mathematics, civil engineering and surveying, and obtained a position from his studies to work on a job mapping Ulster County, New York, earning an extra dollar on the side for every house on which he made a “noon mark” from which the occupants could accurately keep time.

Between 1853 and 1856, Gould surveyed and mapped the counties of Albany, Sullivan and Delaware, and the town of Cohoes. He was also in charge of the mapping counties in Ohio and Michigan, and the survey of a railroad from Newburg to Syracuse and of the Albany and Niskayuna plank road.

While engaged in surveying field work in Delaware County, Gould gathered materials from local residents on the history of the county. In 1856, at only 20 years of age, Gould published his History of Delaware County and Border Wars of New York along with his own comprehensive Map of Delaware County, New York, which was based on an actual survey that he had completed himself.

Soon after publishing the map and book, Gould moved on to larger enterprises. Around 1856, in eastern Pennsylvania, he established a tannery in partnership with Zadock Pratt, the famous Catskills tanner and founder of Prattsville, New York. At its peak, the operation employed 250 men and manufactured 1.5 million pounds of sole leather annually. That tannery operation would grow to become the village of Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania. Gould eventually bought out Pratt’s share of the operation, and joined in partnership with Charles Leupp.

Gould then left for New York City and soon began speculating in the securities of small railroads. Over the next several decades, Gould, through a variety of investments, and often unscrupulous actions, would go on to great financial success. He owned, at various times, the Western Union Telegraph Company, the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad.

Jay Gould is generally identified as one of the most corrupt and ruthless robber barons of the Gilded Age.

John Burroughs at Stratton Falls

John Burroughs (1837-1921), the famous author and naturalist, was born and raised in the town of Roxbury, only a couple of miles from Stratton Falls.

Burroughs would grow from his humble roots to author 27 books that sold over 1 1/2 million copies, as well as writing numerous magazine essays. Burroughs’ most popular writings became generally known as the nature essay.

The nature essay relied on Burroughs’ astute observation of his natural surroundings. He took long walks in the woods, collected plant and animal specimens and read voraciously about nature. He would often write not about faraway places that few readers would ever see but about his immediate surroundings. Subjects would include flowers, trees, birds, country living, open fields, barns and barnyards and farm animals. He would write about long hiking trips and fly-fishing. Readers could individually relate to the subjects and his essays resonated with wide audiences.

His literary prominence brought him the audience of John Muir, Walt Whitman, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and even President Theodore Roosevelt. While his fame has diminished over the past century since his death, his contribution to the literary arts and environmental conservation has ensured that his legacy will not be forgotten.

While growing up, John and his friends would often visit Stratton Falls to go swimming and to collect slate from which they would make into pencils for school.

In his later years, Burroughs offered his recollections of his youthful days at Stratton Falls. “Now and then we school children would play hooky and make a trip down to Stratton Falls, a mile and a half distant, after slate to use in making slate-pencils. It was a place where there were high ledges, and a horseshoe fall of water that you could get in behind, and we liked to hang around there and play. We would run away at noon and not get back until long after school had begun. Our excuse was that we had to get slate-pencils. It was a great adventure. Streaks of slate cropped out in the ledges and we used to get little slabs of that slate and carry them home. Some of it was red and some blue. The way to tell if the slate would do for pencils was to rub it across the ends of your under teeth. You knew instantly by the grit if it was too hard or too soft.

We took the little slabs of slate home, and in our spare time would work them into slate-pencils. I’d cut with my knife two straight deep gashes on one side about a quarter of an inch apart, drawing the knife back and forth and back and forth by the hour. Then I’d turn the slab over and start other cuts to meet the first ones. By and by you broke off the slab along the gashes, and then you could whittle your piece into shape. We got all our slate-pencils in that way. You couldn’t buy them at the store. I never hear of such a thing as buying slate-pencils when I was a boy.” (Johnson, 65-66.)

Clara Barrus, author of John Burroughs: Boy and Man, offered some additional insights about John’s school-age days at Stratton Falls. “The noon-mark cut in the window-sill of the old schoolhouse was a pint of daily interest to the boys. Watching when the sun got there, they grew exceedingly restive if the teacher did not dismiss school on the instant.

Sometimes the boys went down to Stratton Falls for their nooning, bathing in the creek under the rocks. It was a long way off, and occasionally they decided that since they would be tardy anyhow, they might as well stay all the afternoon and get material for slate pencils. Loitering there in the deep gorge worn in the shaly rocks, they hunted out the soft green streaks in the red sandstone, first testing them on their teeth to make sure they would not scratch their slates! They saved these up till winter, whittling them out into pencils in the long evenings before the fire.

Some boys became very deft at pencil-making. It was quite a trick to get a good-sized piece, nicely whittled, without breaking it, and a boy who could do it extra well was the envy of the whole school. The best pencils were used as barter. John always envied one boy an especially fine long pencil with its shining-copper gun-cap. He was never able to swap his pocket treasures for it, and when his hair was white with age, he confessed that he had seldom coveted anything in life as he did that slate pencil of Hi Bouton’s.” (Barrus, 135-146.)

Stratton Falls Today

Stratton Falls is now part of the property at The Roxbury at Stratton Falls, owned by partners Gregory Henderson and Joseph Massa. The hotel has been featured on the national news and has won numerous awards for its whimsical elegance and themed rooms, as well as having been featured on the TLC, HGTV and Animal Planet networks.

One of the rooms in the renovated mansion house is named The Brothers Stratton, in homage to both Joseph and Samuel Stratton.

The resort grounds include scenic trails that lead to the bottom of the falls and to an overlook where you can view both the falls and the historic stone arch bridge.

Visit The Roxbury at Stratton Falls website at www.theroxburyexperience.com for more information.

Selected Sources:

Barrus, Clara. John Burroughs: Boy and Man. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Page & Company, 1922.

Biographical review: This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of the Leading Citizens of Delaware County, New York. Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1895.

Halstead, Murat; J. Frank Beale, Jr. Life of Jay Gould: How He Made His Millions. New York: Edgewood Publishing Company, 1892.

“Historic Roxbury Land Sold.” Oneonta Star. June 22, 1964.

Johnson, Clifton. John Burroughs Talks: His Reminiscences and Comments. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1922.

Stratton, Harriet Russell. A Book of Strattons. Volume 2. New York: Frederick H. Hitchcock, 1918.

The Roxbury Experience. www.theroxburyexperience.com.

Delaware County Fair, New York, 2025

(American Catskills) — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The annual Delaware County Fair was held from August 11-16, 2025 in the village of Walton, New York.

Over 80,000 people attend the historic event each year to enjoy a wide range of activities, including live entertainment, contests, rides, games, shopping, food and much more. Events typically include tractor pulls, horse shows and the demolition derby. Each year there are tractor and farm equipment displays and demonstrations, as well as livestock contests and encounters with over 1,000 animals.

Early Days

The Delaware County Fair has a long history, going back to the 19th century. As far back as October 1841, the Delaware County Agricultural Society held a “Fair and Cattle Show,” which was “numerously attended; and considering the shortness of the time that has elapsed since the organization of the Society – and consequent want of preparation – it far surpassed the most sanguine expectations of the Executive Committee. Many persons were heard to express surprise in relation to the degree of interest, liberality, and enterprise manifested by our Farmers upon the occasion; and certainly it was a much more creditable exhibition of stock and produce than was generally expected at the first Delaware County Fair.” (Delaware Gazette. October 27, 1841.)

The First Fair

The current version of the Delaware County Fair was founded in 1887 with the “First Annual Fair of the Delaware Valley Agricultural Society,” which was held in Walton over three days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of October 4-6, 1887. (Walton Reporter. August 27, 1887.) While other agricultural fairs existed in the county prior to this date, the 1887 fair is considered the beginning of the continuous, modern Delaware County Fair held in Walton.

That first fair, despite the rainy weather, was considered “a grand success.” There were over 1,300 entries for exhibition. Special events included a bicycle race for the championship of Delaware County, a walking match, a five-mile foot race, a grand procession of horses and cattle and a horse race. Colonel F. D. Curtis, editor of the Farm Journal, was the special speaker for the event.

Admission for the duration of the fair was $1.00 for men, 50 cents for women and free for children under 12 if accompanied by their parents or guardians. Carriages belonging to holders of membership tickets were free.

Premium awards were given to best-in-class in dozens of different categories, including cattle, horses, sheep, swine, poultry, butter and cheese, farm products, fruits and vegetables, farm implements and mechanical manufactures. There was a special category for the “Ladies Department,” which included fine arts, domestic manufactures, fancy work, culinary articles, floral specimens and much more.

Some of the noted premium winners included William McDonald, of Walton, who displayed a “Mammoth King” squash that weighed 153 pounds. G. L. Fletcher, of Sidney Center, won ten premium awards on grades of Devon, Durham and Ayrshire cattle. Peter Dennis, of Trout Creek, won six premium awards on thoroughbred Devons. Harper W. Dewey, of Sidney Center, won seven premium awards for his herd of Ayrshire cattle. A full list of the premium winners was reported in the local newspapers.

Vendors of all kinds offered their goods for sale. Some of the vendors included Calvin DuBois, who sold watches, diamonds and clocks; T. Guild & Son offered perfumes; T. L. Terry sold fine neckwear; Fitch Bros. & Seeley displayed their large line of carpets, rugs and mattings; E. M. Stern displayed his goods as a merchant tailor; J. B. Eells & Son displayed their fine buggies and platform wagons; and E. B. Howland displayed his farm wagons.

Additional vendors included Oliver & Ogden displayed a variety of coal and wood stoves; Berray, Shepard & White exhibited their furniture products; O. I. Ells sold willow rockers and other cabinet ware; Eels & Mead had a fine display of fancy groceries; H. J. Twaddell had samples of fruit from Rochester; Harvey Henderson was selling goods from his 5, 10 and 25 cent counters; Barlow & Peake displayed many styles of baby carriages; and L. S. and J. W. St. John had a handsome line of stoves, including coal and wood burners, ranges and oil stoves.

Early Memories

Bert McClenon, who in 1961 claimed the distinction of having attended every fair since its beginning, told the local newspaper about the early days of the fair. For the first fair, and for many years after, the O & W Railroad brought fair goers from the surrounding areas on excursion trains. Jim Darrin operated a stage from the Bridge Street Railroad Station to the fairgrounds for 5 cents a ride.

The fairgrounds were surrounded by a board fence, except on the riverside, where farmers tied their horses. Farmers drove their cattle to the fair. Jim Pomeroy of Sidney Center was a prominent exhibitor of Devons, while Jim Feake of East Brook showed belted cattle. On exhibit were oxen, dairy cows and stallions all brought in by nearby farmers. “Cheap John” of Trout Creek sold whips, shoestrings, needles and more at “bargain” prices. There were buggy races, chariot races and driving horse competitions.

James Munn exhibited pianos and organs while local butter makers exhibited their product. Mr. France, wearing a tall stovepipe had, was an impressive bandleader. Home talent shows provided materials for side shows. Molasses candy stretched from a hook in a post and popcorn popped over charcoal were delicacies on sale at 5 cents and were the delight of every boy and girl. The photographer, ready to make a tin type, was on hand. As a special attraction, late in the afternoon, a balloon took a man skyward.

Today’s Fair

Over the years the fair was held in towns across the county, including Andes, Hobart, Bloomville, Delhi, Franklin and Walton. However, by the 1920s, the fair was permanently located at Walton.

For over 130 years, the Delaware County Fair has remained as relevant and as popular as it was in 1887. The event seems to bring everyone in the community together, including families, the old and the young, the rural farmers and the townspeople, the local college students and the out-of-town tourists. There is something for everyone here.

Visit the Delaware County Fair website at www.delawarecountyfair.org for more information about dates, tickets, schedules and more.

Barns of Delaware County, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Delaware County in New York State is home to an agricultural industry that dates back well over 200 years, with farming being the foundation on which with county was built.

Many of these area farms are home to picturesque barns of all types and distinguishing characteristics, with some still in active use while others are in a decades-long state of neglect. Some of these barns are architecturally significant or are historic landmarks, while others represent the commercial and social history of the community.

Whatever their state, and given today’s fast paced world, these barns have perhaps taken on meaning beyond their original functional use, representing the slower era of yesteryear while continuing as iconic symbols of this country’s agricultural roots. They offer a bridge between the past and the present.

The barns pictured here are characteristic of the pastoral beauty that can be found throughout Delaware County, New York.

Kortright Barn

North Harpersfield Barn

Hoseaville Barn

Red Barn, Vega

Kortright Barn

Pindars Corners Barn

Ce Car Farm

Tannersville, New York: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The colorful village of Tannersville is located in the northern Catskills town of Hunter in Greene County, New York.

The village of Tannersville first began to develop in the early 19th century on the back of the lumber and tanning trade. Over time, and as those industries faded away, tourism soon became the dominant industry. Grand hotels such as the Catskill Mountain House, the Laurel House and Hotel Kaaterskill attracted crowds of seasonal tourists each year. The many smaller boarding houses throughout the region also provided access to the most sought-after scenic destinations in the northern Catskills.

However, by the early-to-mid-20th century, as the automobile, interstate highways and airplane travel changed the vacationing patterns of Americans, the regional tourist trade faded from its peak and the northern Catskills region entered a prolonged period of economic decline.

Today, Tannersville has reclaimed its historic popularity in the minds of many Catskills tourists. The charming village, with a wide array of shops and restaurants, is ideally situated for the outdoor enthusiast with nearby access to skiing, hiking, camping, swimming and more.

A distinctive feature of the village of Tannersville is the colorful paint schemes that have been applied to many of the commercial buildings that line Main Street. Postcards from the early 1900s show buildings with the commercial core painted in multiple, bright colors. Like decoration, color was applied in a fanciful manner, which created a vibrant streetscape. This century-old tradition continues today as many of the commercial buildings are periodically updated with paint schemes consistent with the historic traditions of the village.

From these colorful buildings, Tannersville is sometimes referred to as “the painted village in the sky.” Fodors, the popular producer of travel guides and online tourism information, even named Tannersville as one of “The 15 Most Colorful Small Towns in America.”

The Tannersville Main Street Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as being significant for its “intact core of a small Catskill Mountain village that reflects the recreational development of the region between the late nineteenth century and the mid twentieth century.”

Pancho Villa’s

Red Roses

Roses

Country Store

Maggie’s Krooked Café

Hunter Foundation

Orpheum

Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop

Bones and Stones

Last Chance

Painted Stripes

House Windows

Shutters

Window

Painted House

Parking

Liquors

Colorful Bear

Breakfast Lunch

West Kortright Presbyterian Church

(American Catskills) — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The West Kortright Presbyterian Church is located at the corner of West Kortright Church Road and Turnpike Road in the town of Kortright in Delaware County, New York. Turnpike Road follows the path of the Catskill-Susquehanna Turnpike, an important early nineteenth century east-west route from the Hudson River through Greene, Delaware and Otsego counties.

In 1785, a congregation was organized in Kortright under the pastorate of the Reverend William McAuley, a Scottish immigrant who arrived in Kortright in 1793.

The first church was a log building; however, by 1835, with the congregation numbering nearly five hundred members, the parish constructed a spacious new meeting house. The 1835 church was located on Braehead Road, just about in the center of the town. Not much is known about the appearance of this church; however, it apparently resembled a typical New England wood-frame meeting house of the period, with boxed pews and an elevated pulpit. The church eventually proved too small as well and it was destroyed by fire in 1849.

The fire proved the catalyst for the congregation to consider decentralizing, so that families would not have to travel such long distances to worship. After a period of controversy, the parish split into three separate congregations.

The new congregations were established at locations that were generally equidistant from each other, with new churches constructed at West Kortright, near the western border of the town; North Kortright, at the eastern edge; and near Doonan’s Corners, north of the original church site.

The current West Kortright Presbyterian Church building was constructed in 1850 in the Greek Revival architectural style. Reverend Joseph M. McNulty, who was called in 1852, was the congregation’s first pastor and remained at West Kortright for four years. Reverend McNulty was followed by Reverend John Rippey, who remained from 1856 to 1866. Reverend Rippey was then followed by Reverend Robert T. Doig, who pastored the church from 1868 until 1906. The building was substantially renovated in the 1890s under Reverend Doig’s leadership.

The decision not to hold winter services in West Kortright in 1930 marked a turning point in the history of the community, which now included a more diverse cross section of groups and newcomers. The Great Depression helped hasten the breakdown of the tight insular group that had survived in West Kortright for more than a century. Although the church survived, its congregation slowly diminished and by the 1970s the congregation was reduced to eight members, who petitioned to dissolve the church.

In 1975, the Susquehanna Presbytery granted the West Kortright Center, an arts and cultural organization, use of the building as a gallery and performance space. Over the next decade, this organization repaired and restored the building, while presenting concerts, art shows and educational programs. In 1984, the West Kortright Center took title to the church.

Today, the West Kortright Center continues as an active community arts and cultural organization that has ensured the preservation of the church. Visit their website at www.westkc.org for more information.

The West Kortright Presbyterian Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a distinctive intact example of nineteenth-century religious architecture in Delaware County and for its association with the history of the town of Kortright."

Source: Kathleen LaFrank (June 2002). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: West Kortright Presbyterian Church." New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Kelly Round Barn, Halcottsville, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 13:00:00 GMT

The picturesque Kelly Round Barn is located on Route 30 in Halcottsville, New York, approximately five miles north of the village of Margaretville.

The barn was constructed circa 1893 as part of a dairy farm operated by the Kelly brothers, including Hiram, David, Norman and George. The circular barn is two stories tall, approximately 90 feet in diameter and rests on a solid stone foundation. The ground floor of the barn housed the cows, while the second floor functioned as hay storage.

The Kelly family were among the first settlers in the Halcottsville area. David Kelly, born in Putnam County, settled here as a pioneer farmer in the early 1800s after finding his way into Delaware County by following the blazed trees in the forest. He decided to take up land in what is now Halcottsville, where he lived the rest of his days. His 130 acres of land were originally little more than wilderness, but the place was eventually surrounded by houses, barns and cleared farm land. Besides a farmhouse David, with John Halcott, built a grist-mill by building a wooden dam on the East Branch of the Delaware that formed Wawaka Lake. David had served as a private in the Revolutionary War. David Kelly died in 1848 at 97 years of age and is buried at Old Halcottsville Cemetery in Halcottsville, New York.

Although only a few houses remain today, the small hamlet of Kelly Corners, located between Margaretville and Halcottsville along Route 30, was also named for the Kelly family. The hamlet was once a bustling community with a post office, general store, blacksmith, two creameries, a cheese factory and a railroad depot along the Ulster & Delaware line.

In 1913, David Meade bought the farm from the Kelly family. The Meade family operated the farm for about 50 years through the 1960s. They welcomed summer boarders and called the place Pleasant Home Farm. In 1981, Alta Industries acquired the Round Barn and property, and donated the barn and four acres to the Erpf Catskill Cultural Center which reconstructed the deteriorated barn in 1988.

The Kelly Round Barn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for being “architecturally and historically significant as one of the earliest entirely round barns in the state and as one of the first examples to feature a round silo at the center.”

Today, the fully restored Kelly Round Barn is home to the popular Pakatakan Farmers Market, which features local farmers, craftsmen and artists selling their wares. Customers can buy locally grown or locally made produce, breads, jelly and jam, maple syrup, meats, fish, and cheeses, as well as flowers, plants, arts and crafts, handmade soaps and much more. The market is open Saturdays from mid-May to November.

District 10 School, Margaretville, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The District 10 School is a one-room stone schoolhouse that was originally constructed in 1820 to serve the hamlet of Clark’s Factory, which later became known as Dunraven in the early 20th century. The first school at Dunraven, known as District #10, was constructed of wood in 1765 and burned sometime thereafter. The location of this early school is not known.

Although the stone building now stands alone on the remnants of a street, which is now a dead-end driveway, its site was once along the main road of the community of Dunraven. This road was once widely used, leading down to a covered bridge that crossed the Delaware River. During the nineteenth century, Clark's Factory was a thriving community, with a post office, store, blacksmith shop, sawmill and a number of residences and farms.

The school was constructed by local townspeople using local fieldstone. Among those who assisted with the construction were Colonel John Grant, Captain Asa Grant, John Van Wagoner, Noah Dimmick, Captain Avery Grant and Richard C. Griffin.

By 1857, the school had fallen into disrepair, was torn down, but was then rebuilt in 1860 at the same site and using the original stones. Those involved in construction of the 1860 school included Col. George W. Sands, Robert L. Waterbury, George and Alexander McLean, G. Frank Stimpson and Jake Clum.

In 1940, 120 years after its original construction, Margaretville schools were centralized and District 10 became a part of District 1. At that point, the site became the property of the Margaretville School District.

By the late 1940s New York City had acquired much of the land around what was to become the Pepacton Reservoir, including Dunraven, and the hamlet was destroyed. Interestingly, the District 10 School was the only structure left standing.

By good fortune, the land where the school was located had been donated by John and Anna Van Wagoner to the school district with a deed restriction that the property could only be used for educational or religious purposes by the school district or any subsequent owner. Despite several court challenges and voter referendums to either sell or destroy the school, it has remained standing.

The District 10 School is located along the north side of Route 28, approximately two miles southwest from the village of Margaretville. The school now serves as a local history museum and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as an intact representative example of a modest, one-room-plan nineteenth-century school building in rural Delaware County.”

Halcott United Methodist Church

(American Catskills) — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Halcott United Methodist Church was established in 1829 when John P. Van Valkenburg experienced religion and became an exhorter among the people. The first Class, organized by Reverend Calder in 1830, consisted of Thomas Halcott, Reuben Gordon, Archibald Morrison, Nehemiah Covel, Joseph Halstead, John Moseman, Gibbons Griffins, and their wives; Timothy Tyler and Joseph Brooks, with Mr. Van Valkenburg as leader.

For 20 years the congregation met in private homes, schoolhouses and barns, when it was decided to erect a church building. Plans were made for the erection of a “meeting house” as subscriptions of money, work and materials were received. The Halcott United Methodist Church was dedicated in to service in December 1849.

Reverend John P. Van Valkenburg was born in Rensselaer County in November 1800, a son of Peter L. Van Valkenburg, a captain in the Revolutionary War and grandson of John Van Valkenburg, who came from Holland to Albany County before the Revolution. Van Valkenburg came to Halcott over Vly Mountain with his widowed mother in 1813. There they found and empty cabin and settled there. In later years he cleared land on Turkey Ridge, and then moved west to another farm, the beginning of West Settlement.

In 1821, Van Valkenburg was married to Jemima, daughter of Daniel Griffin, who about 1805 settled in the northern part of the town of Middletown, Delaware county.

Van Valkenburg was licensed to preach in 1833 and was ordained nine years later in 1842. Census reports in 1850, 1855, 1860 and 1875 record his occupation as “Methodist Episcopal Clergyman.” The 1870 census records his occupation as “farmer” and the 1880 census records his occupation as “retired farmer.”

Reverend Van Valkenburg was well regarded in the community. He “has been their local preacher; generations have grown up under his ministry, and the sermons he has preached, as precept, and the life he has lived, as example, have left their impress for good upon the minds and the hearts of the most of them.”

Reverend Van Valkenburg passed away on January 21, 1889 and is buried at Halcott Cemetery in Halcott Center, New York.

After nearly 200 years the Halcott United Methodist Church continues to serve the local community. Worship services are held each Sunday at 9am.

Maple Shade Farm, Delhi, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Maple Shade Farm, located in Delhi, New York, was first settled by Daniel Frisbee (1781-1860), son of Judge Gideon Frisbee, an early settler of Delaware County and a prominent local farmer.

Daniel Frisbee

Daniel Frisbee was born in January 1781 at Canaan, New York, and went to Schoharie County, New York with his parents, and at nine years of age came to Delaware County with them. Daniel was raised in the rural farming tradition, and when he was ready to go out on his own, he bought a timber tract of 200 acres and proceeded to clear what would become the Maple Shade Farm. The farm is located about a mile east of Fitch’s Covered Bridge on the east side of the Delaware River.

“In the customary log house he [Daniel] and his young wife, whose maiden name was Ruth Beardsley, began their labors, mostly of a pioneer nature, experiencing many difficulties, but with a resolute spirit overcoming them all. Here they lived and toiled, and here this worthy couple passed to their final rest. . . Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Frisbee were the parents of twelve children, of whom eleven grew to maturity; namely Erastus, Huldah, Dalinda, Sally, Beardsley, Ruth, Gideon, Lydia, Daniel, Marilla and Edward A.”

Daniel Frisbee passed away on March 4, 1860 and is buried in the Frisbee Family Cemetery in Delhi, New York.

Edward A. Frisbee

After the passing of Daniel Frisbee, the Maple Shade Farm would come into the possession of his youngest son Edward A. Frisbee (1829-1893).

“Edward A. Frisbee was the youngest member of the parental household, and his entire life was spent on the farm where he was born. Through the days of his boyhood and youth he attended school and assisted on the farm, acquiring a good common school education, and becoming well versed in the pursuit of agriculture.

After the decease of his parents, he came into possession of the old homestead, and was for many years known as one of the best farmers in this region. He added many of the fine improvements of the place, building the present commodious residence and good barn and out-buildings. He departed this life on February 5, 1893, at the age of sixty-four years, leaving behind the blessed memory of a life well spent.

On April 11, 1855, he married Rosella D. Graham, the daughter of Henry R. Graham, of Meredith. She passed to the better land April 6, 1888, at the age of fifty-two years. They were the parents of two children – Willard H. and Esther H. The latter is the wife of John D. Paine, a clerk in Graham’s hardware store at Delhi. Both parents were conscientious members of the Baptist church, in which Mr. Edward A. Frisbee served with fidelity as Trustee for many years.”

The Frisbee genealogy notes that “before reaching his twenty-first birthday, the old homestead passed into his hands. With an iron constitution, an indomitable will, and a high ideal, he set out in life to enrich and beautify the paternal estate. The magnificent maples bordering the highways and adorning the grounds, his own hands planted. All that could make home pleasant for his family or his large circle of welcome was freely used. His farm and buildings bear a silent testimony of more than forty years of hard labor, generous outlay of money, and successful farm life. He was a man of few words, but of decided convictions. In his early manhood he espoused the religion of Christ, and the Baptist Church, of which he was a member, had none more loyal to its interests or a more generous supporter of its finances. With his Christian armor on, he has fought the good fight and kept the faith. The world is better for his having lived, and heaven seems nearer now that his is gone.”

Edward A. Frisbee passed away from pneumonia at his home at 64 years of age on February 5, 1893. His funeral was held in the Baptist church. He is buried at the Woodland Cemetery in Delhi, New York.

Upon his passing it was written in the local newspaper that “Mr. Frisbee was an excellent farmer, a substantial and thrifty citizen, a kind and obliging neighbor, an upright, honest and worthy man, and a zealous and consistent member of the Baptist church. His death is a great loss to the community where he lived, and he will be greatly missed by a very large number of friends and neighbors.”

Willard Frisbee

The Maple Shade Farm was then purchased in 1891 by Willard Frisbee (1858-1934), Edward’s son and Daniel’s grandson. Willard lived on the farm for over 50 years.

Willard H. Frisbee was born April 9, 1858 on the family farm. He “was reared upon the old homestead, receiving the rudiments of his education in the district school. Being a bright and ambitious boy, he was afterward sent to the Delaware Academy, thence to Colgate Academy at Hamilton, where he pursued the classical course. Returning to the home of his youth, Mr. Frisbee engaged in farming, and in 1891 purchased from his father the old homestead, in whose management he is meeting with encouraging results. He is well known throughout the locality as an honest, upright man and a true faithful citizen, and as the encourager and supporter of all enterprises calculated to benefit the community.

Mr. Frisbee was united in wedlock January 3, 1883, to Miss Minnie E. Hoag, the descendant of the old and honored family of Delhi, being the daughter of Cyrus Hoag. Into their pleasant home five children have been born – Ralph H., Clarence E., Elmer G., Rosella B., and Wyatt C. Mr. Frisbee takes an active interest in the temperance cause, and casts his vote with the Prohibitionists. Religiously, he is a prominent member of the Baptist church, of which he is a trustee.”

At the time of Willard’s ownership, the Maple Shade Farm included 232 acres of land, “which has been managed in the wisest manner, and has responded liberally in rich products to the hand of one of the most skillful agriculturists of Delaware County. In the prosecution of his labors, Mr. Frisbee has availed himself of the experience of older men, and of the skill of the inventor, adapting his land to that branch of husbandry which he deems most profitable, and using the most approved modern machinery. He is at present largely engaged in dairying and stock-raising, selling the milk from fifty choice cows in the markets of New York, and owning a valuable lot of cattle and horses.”

After retiring from farm life, Willard moved the village of Delhi. Willard Frisbee passed away on May 3, 1934 and is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Delhi, New York.

1893 Description of the Maple Shade Farm

The Maple Shade Farm, under the ownership of Willard Frisbee, was profiled in a July 27, 1893 article titled “Delaware County Dairy Farms” in The Cultivator & Country Gentleman.

“About three miles up the Delaware from Delhi crossing at Fitch’s bridge and for a mile or two farther up the stream, is a very popular and pleasant drive for the people of that village. The first mile or more above the bridge extending through the three farms of Zenas Farrington, George W. Grant and Willard Frisbee, the highway is lined most of the way with rows of maples which, planted 30 or 40 years since, have now attained size sufficient to afford ample shade and also to give a good product in sugar and syrup. From these maples the two latter farms take the names appropriately given by their owners of Maple Dale and Maples Shades farms respectively. All are homestead farms, having been owned and occupied by the fathers of the present occupants . . .

Maple Shade Farm of Willard H. Frisbee comes next, and is a very beautiful and attractive home, with buildings all comparatively new and conveniently arranged, large and commodious.

The barn, 40 by 70 feet in the main part, with a wing 30 by 40 feet, was rebuilt in 1890, and from the observatory at the top of this building is a magnificent view of the surrounding country to a great distance. Mows are built in sections here, so that he keeps his early late-cut hay separate, and feeds as he wishes in winter, fall or spring.

On 115 acres of the original farm he wintered last season 60 head of cattle and 5 horses; runs a milk dairy of about 30 cows, shipping milk direct to New York, and milk has brought to about $1,800 per year, with some $400 paid out for grain feed.

Thus managed he has constantly added to the fertility of the farm.

Having now added to the size of the farm by purchase of 117 acres adjoining, he expects to increase his dairy to about 50 cows.

He has a silo 11 by 12 by 28 feet, and from this the ensilage-carrier referred to above runs the whole length of the stable through the alley ahead of his cows, thus rendering the handling of this heavy feed a comparatively light task.”

Elmer Graham Frisbee

After the retirement of Willard Frisbee, the Maple Shade Farm passed into the possession of Elmer Frisbee, Willard’s son.

Elmer was born on March 30, 1887 on the family farm where he would always reside. “He was an active, progressive farmer and a good citizen, being most helpful in the Baptist Church, where he was a member of the choir, a teacher in the Sunday school and had served as superintendent of the Sunday school for a number of years. He will be greatly missed in the church and community, and most of all in his home, in which are left his wife, Mrs. Estella (Wyant) Frisbee, and one daughter, Miss Allena Frisbee, who graduated this year [1932] from Keuka College.”

Elmer Frisbee passed away on August 1, 1932 after having suffered a serious injury while working in his shop making cauliflower crates. The power saw he was using caught on a timber and the timber was thrown back, striking him violently in the chest and abdomen. He was taken to the Delhi Hospital, where he spent two days, but was released to go back home. However, within a few days he suffered severe nasal hemorrhages, and on the bleeding being stopped, he fell to the floor unconscious. His daughter, Allena, hurried to Delhi village to seek medical help, and she returned to the farm with Doctor E. W. Hainlen. Unfortunately, Elmer died soon thereafter. Elmer Frisbee is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Delhi, New York.

Today

The Maple Shade Farm is currently owned by Abby and Jay Wilson and primarily operates as a wedding venue, but occasionally offers special events that are open to the public. Visit their website at www.mapleshadefarmny.com to find out more information.

RIP Philip B. Travis

(American Catskills) — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Private Philip B. Travis was a soldier with the Captain Hewitt Company of Colonel Butler’s Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment during the American Revolution. Travis enlisted in 1778 and served on the frontier.

Travis would serve for one year from March 1778 to March 1779. He was wounded and taken prisoner during an engagement with the British and Native Americans at the Battle of Wyoming, also known as the Wyoming Massacre, in July 1778. He was also wounded in the Battle of Wyalusing, also in 1778. Travis was a pensioner when he died at Roxbury.

Philip B. Travis is buried at the Second Old School Baptist Church in Roxbury in Delaware County, New York.

His original grave marker notes that he died on December 30, 1851, while a new marker at the base of the old one notes that he was a veteran who was born in 1761 and died in 1848. Several lineage books for the Daughters of the American Revolution note that he died in 1848.

RIP David Corbin

(American Catskills) — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Located adjacent to the Second Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury is the church cemetery. Funerary markers are laid out in several long rows arranged in a north to south direction, with each of the monuments oriented to the west.

One summer afternoon I was walking around the cemetery after having photographed the church. Cemeteries often provide interesting insight into a region’s history, through the graves of the area’s earliest pioneers, the veterans of our nation’s wars, including the American Revolution, and famous people, as well as the statues and art that can often be found there.

Here I came upon a quite unique grave marker which made me pause, for a moment at first, and then for much longer. The marker included inscriptions for the five children of Timothy and Eleanor Corbin, all of whom died under two years of age. Losing five children that young would have been extraordinarily heartbreaking for both parents.

Even more troubling was the cause of death for young David Corbin, who died on June 6, 1839. His marker inscription read: “David, died June 6, 1839. His death was produced by being spared [speared] in the head by a Rooster, aged 1 year, 9 months, & 24 days.”

If you ask friends and family on how they want to leave this earth, many would likely say something along the lines of “quietly, in my sleep.” Being speared in the head by a rooster, would not be a thought to be considered, and if it were, it would likely be very low on the list of the desired ways to go. It is impossible to imagine the grief of his parents, Timothy and Eleanor Corbin. Rest in peace, young David Corbin.

Second Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury

(American Catskills) — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Second Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury is located along Route 41 south of the village of Roxbury near the crossroads hamlet of Stratton Falls.

The church was formed from the First Old School Baptist Church at Batavia Kill on May 1, 1816. The first pastor was Elder William Warren, who was also pastor of the first church. Its first officers were Jothan W. Scudder, deacon; and J. Root, clerk. At its organization, 53 members of the first church served as the congregation for the new church. For its first 17 years, the newly formed congregation met at Scudder’s Schoolhouse.

On January 7, 1832, it was decided to erect a meeting house for the now established congregation. Deacon Scudder, Ruben Every and Ezra Stratton were appointed to serve as trustees to oversee the construction of the new church building. The historic church was built using the traditional meeting house plan that was characteristic of the Old School Baptist faith.

Locally known as the “Yellow Church,” construction on the Second Old School Baptist Church began in 1832. The first services were conducted in the new building in April 1833.

Early pastors of the church included Elder William Warren, who served from 1816 to 1821; Elder Platt, who served from 1821 to 1823; and Elder David Mead, who served from 1823 to 1845 and was the pastor at the time of the church’s construction.

Located adjacent to the church on the south side is the O. S. Baptist Church Cemetery. Funerary markers are laid out in several long rows arranged in a north to south direction, with each of the monuments oriented to the west. The cemetery “provides a chronical of funerary art and customs associated with the community and this specific congregation.”

Gideon Frisbee House

(American Catskills) — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Gideon Frisbee (1758-1828) was a man of many occupations that through an industrious career included revolutionary war soldier, militia captain, pioneer, farmer, lumber merchant, justice of the peace, county treasurer, tavern keeper and vestryman.

Gideon Frisbee was born at Connecticut in 1758, the son of Philip Frisbee (1740-1813) and Phoebe (Hendricks) Frisbee. His father Philip was appointed on June 24, 1776, only ten days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, by the inhabitants of his home district as one of 12 delegates to represent Albany County in the provincial congress in favor of independence of the American colonies. Philip went on to proudly serve during the American Revolution with the 17th Albany County Regiment, fought at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 and later served as a member of the New York State Assembly. In 1787, Philip was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in a militia regiment in Columbia County, New York. During the American Revolution, Gideon, like his father, served with the 17th Regiment of the Albany County Militia.

In 1785 Frisbee moved from Canaan, Columbia County, New York to the town of Delhi, Delaware County, New York. There he purchased a large tract of land at the mouth of Elk Creek and its junction with the West Branch of the Delaware River. It is said that Frisbee found a man at that spot named “Kidder” girding trees for his land, and that Frisbee offered him a cow if he would quit-clam his right to the land to him. Frisbee built the first mill in the town of Delhi at the mouth of Elk Creek in 1788. Elk Creek took its name from the numerous elk and deer that flocked to the salt spring on the Frisbee farm.

During the late 1780s, Frisbee established the first sawmill and gristmill in the area east of Delhi. By 1797, Frisbee was listed on the first tax assessment roll as owning the most valuable property in the county.

In the early days of the settlement, Frisbee was a captain of militia and justice of the peace. On the formation of Delaware County in 1797, he was appointed county treasurer and at about the same time as associate judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Both these positions, he held with fidelity and honor till within a few years of his death, when he resigned them on account of his failing health. He was a vestryman, and churchwarden, of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Delhi; and was a member of the first board of trustees of the Delaware Academy, established at Delhi in 1820, holding the office until his death. He served as president of the Delaware Agricultural Society.

Gideon married twice, first to Huldah Kidder (1756-1804), with whom he had six children. After Huldah passed away in 1804, Gideon married again, to Freelove Fiske (1805-1857), with whom he had six children.

Frisbee’s Federal-style, two-story house, located two miles northeast of Delhi, was built in 1797 along the West Branch of the Delaware River. The house is sometimes referred to as the “Birthplace of Delaware County” as the first meeting of the county board of supervisors was held here in 1797. The supervisors met at his house for several years, and the first courts of the county convened here. It was rumored that the first jury of the county held its deliberations under a large tree that stood across the highway from the residence.

The building was built on the site of an earlier log dwelling house. It is situated on Route 10, the original main route of travel from Stamford, New York, near the head of the Delaware River, to the Pennsylvania state line and to points south of that along the river.

The Gideon Frisbee House was extensively described on its application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

“A two story, clapboarded, frame structure with a rectangular main section five bays wide and two bays deep, the house also has a one and half store wing of later construction added to the back (west) elevation. A large interior brick chimney rises through the center of the shingled, gable roof at each end of the main section. A smaller interior brick chimney services the kitchen wing on the rear of the structure. An unpainted shed is attached to the kitchen wing on the west elevation.

The architectural style could be described as plain Federal with its thin and delicate classical detailing overlaying a basically Georgian format. Especially dramatic are the giant pilasters flanking the central bay and on the corners. Above the central doorway is a three sash window in a large, classically detailed casement.

The interior of the main section has remained virtually intact. A large central hallway carries through the Georgian ideal but the thin lines of the detailing, including the paired, square balusters on the stairway, well demonstrate the ideas of delicacy and grace inherent in Federal design.

The southeast room with its large windows set above paneled bases, and its paneled door cabinets built in the fireplace wall, provides a degree of elegance and formality to this country house. In the “Tavern Room” on the southwest side of the house, the woodwork is plainer and less elegant. The room is served by an exterior door flanking the fireplace on that same southwest corner of the house. The southwest room on the second floor is notable for its original closets, unusual for the period. The room arrangement in the original rectangular block was simply two over two with a large, full width, central hall.”

Located directly behind the Frisbee House is the original dairy barn, which was built just prior to 1800. A second part was added sometime in the 19th century and an open pole shed was attached to it in 1974. The barn holds farm machinery and tools that help visitors imagine farming during the 1800s in Delaware County.

Gideon Frisbee passed away at his home in Delhi, New York on August 14, 1828. Funeral services were conducted by Reverend Mabie and Reverend Maxwell. Pallbearers included Mr. Crane, Judge Law, General Root and Honorable S. Sherwood. Frisbee is buried in the Frisbee Family Cemetery in Delhi.

Gideon was highly respected in the community. Upon his passing it was written in the local newspaper that “he acquired a handsome property by honest industry and frugality; and was one of the most useful members of society this country ever knew.” (Delaware Gazette. August 27, 1828.) “He was respected and honored by all who knew him for his sound and impartial judgment, for his sterling integrity, and for his fidelity with which he discharged all his obligations in private and public life.”

After Gideon’s passing in 1828, the house passed to his second wife, Freelove (Fiske) Frisbee. The house then remained in the Frisbee family for much of its history until it was acquired in 1960 by the Delaware County Historical Association (DCHA), for which it now serves as their headquarters.

In addition to the Gideon Frisbee House, the DCHA property is home to several other historic structures including the one-room Husted Hollow Schoolhouse, the Amos Wood Gunshop, the Woodin Blacksmith Shop, a tollgate house and the Frisbee family barns. The DCHA museum hosts historical exhibitions and special events throughout the year. Visit the DCHA website at www.dcha-ny.org for more information on the buildings, visiting hours and the history of Delaware County.

The Gideon Frisbee House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as a landmark and symbol of accomplishment in the early years of Delaware County’s development.”

Woodin Blacksmith Shop

(American Catskills) — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Woodin Blacksmith Shop, originally located on the family farm in Wolf Hollow in Andes, New York, served three generations of the Woodin family as they made hinges and hardware while also repairing farm equipment for themselves and their neighbors. The adjacent corn crib, also originally located on the Woodin farm, was used to store feed corn for the winter.

The Woodin Blacksmith Shop is now located on the property of the Delaware County Historical Association (DCHA) in Delhi, New York. The blacksmith shop and corn crib were donated to the DCHA by the Woodin family and were moved from Andes to the DCHA property in June 1993.

In addition to the Woodin Blacksmith Shop, the DCHA museum is also home to the Gideon Frisbee house, the Amos Wood Gunshop, the Husted Hollow Schoolhouse, a tollgate building, the Frisbee Family Cemetery and a nature trail.

The DCHA museum hosts historical exhibitions and special events throughout the year. Visit the DCHA website at www.dcha-ny.org for more information on the buildings, visiting hours and the history of Delaware County.

Amos Wood Gunshop

(American Catskills) — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Amos Phineas Wood (1841-1924) was a gunsmith, machinist, postmaster, farmer and inventor. He used this building in North Hamden from 1867 to 1924 as both a gun shop and post office.

Amos Wood was born on October 19, 1841, the son of Ira Penfield Wood and Sally Howland. Amos received the baptismal names of his two grandfathers, Amos Wood and Phineas Howland.

Sally Howland, Amos’ mother, was “the daughter of Captain Phineas Holand, and the grand-daughter of one Gershom Howland, who came to the town of Hamden from Rhode Island, in 1796, bringing with him his wife and four sons – Joseph, Job, Phineas, and Gershom. These sons all married and reared children, many of whom are settled in this part of Delaware County. The Howland family are lineally descended from Henry Howland, who was one of three brothers that were living in Plymouth, Mass., in 1625. The other brothers were Arthur and John Howland, the latter of whom crossed the ocean in the “Mayflower” in 1620. Henry Howland subsequently settled in Duxbury, Mass., being one of the pioneers of that place.”

Amos’ father Ira was born in Massachusetts in 1814, but moved with his family to Delaware County in 1814. After Ira’s marriage to Sally Howland in 1834, they lived for one year in the village of Delhi, “then came to Hamden, where they bought a tract of wild land, fifty acres, paying for it one hundred and seventy dollars. This land had been obtained from the government by Mrs. Wood’s father the previous year, he having paid one dollar and fifty cents per acre. Renting a small log house for three months, they proceeded to build a cabin of their own. Having cut down the trees, Mr. Wood hewed out the rafters himself, and erected a comfortable house, consisting of two living rooms and a bedroom. Mrs. Wood did many a baking in the old-fashioned tin oven, before a stump fire.”

Willard Samuel Wood, Amos’ older brother, was educated at the district school, followed by the seminary and became a teacher in New Jersey. When the Civil War broke out, Willard enlisted with the First New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, going to the front as First Sergeant in Company D. He was an active participant in many engagements; and on May 11, 1864, at the Battle of Spotsylvania, he was captured and made prisoner. He was first confined at Dansville, and was afterward taken to Andersonville, and then on to Florence, South Carolina, where he died of starvation.

From a young age Amos worked on the family homestead, which he later took responsibility for when his father passed away. Amos “inherited in a large degree the mechanical ability of his father, who was equally competent to clean a clock or build a mill.”

In 1865, at 24 years of age, Amos went to work for A. D. Bishop, a gunsmith of Decatur, Otsego County, New York, to learn the fundamentals of gunsmithing. He returned to his home at North Hamden around 1866 and set up his own gunshop in a building purchased by his mother and moved to the home property. It is believed that the building was originally built as a dwelling, but was purchased by the Wood family when the original family went west. The building was then moved two or three miles to the Wood family farm.

Wood made hunting and target rifles to order, and also made boot pistols. He repaired rifles, purchasing rough castings and parts from firms in New York City and then filing and polishing them to fit his needs. Many of his guns included stocks of black walnut.

In 1869, only several years after beginning his gunsmith trade, the local newspaper spoke very highly of Wood’s abilities. “We have been shown a target rifle and shot-gun combined, (one rifle and two shot barrels) manufactured by Mr. Amos Wood, gunsmith, at North Hamden, which reflects credit upon the genius and mechanical skill of the maker. It is much lighter than an ordinary target rifle, weighing only eight pounds, and yet it does equally good service, carrying 100 rods. The particular advantage claimed for it is its practicability as a target and sporting gun.” (Delaware Republican. September 11, 1869.)

The work of a gunsmith was often dangerous, with Wood receiving several serious injuries over the years. In 1888, Wood was injured while firing salutes in honor of Benjamin Harrison’s election as U. S. President. He was injured by the premature discharge of a blast that he had put in a large stone cannon. His face was blown full of powder, and pieces of the stone struck him on the hand and leg, inflicting severe wounds. Flesh was torn from one of his limbs, and his head, hands and other portions of his body were burned and lacerated. Dr. Huyck was calls and he dressed the wounds.

In 1891 Wood was seriously injured by the explosion of a gun which he had been repairing. Wood had just put a new breech pin in an old army musket and was trying it, when the pin blew out, filling his eyes fully of powder and burning his face. Local doctors, Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Greenwood, were immediately summoned, and they cleaned the powder from his eyes and dressed his wounds.

In 1897 Wood suffered a painful accident while repairing a gun. While holding the stock in his left hand, he was working with his right hand on the refractory screw. The screw driver slipped, striking his left hand and passing entirely through it. Wood could not use his hand for several weeks.

Despite the dangers of the trade, Wood worked as a gunsmith for 59 years from his initial training in 1865 until his passing in 1924. Wood was one of three gunsmiths recognized as professionals in Delaware County. Of the other two, there was one with the last name of Buckham whose shop was located in the rear of a hardware store in Delhi. The other was A. R. Davis of Deposit whose shop was located near the railroad station in that village.

Wood served as postmaster at North Hamden for many years until rural free delivery brought about the discontinuance of the position.

In addition to his postmaster and gunsmith trade, Wood “also carries on general farming and dairying, making butter from his eighteen grade Jersey cows. His farm is well improved, and his buildings kept in good repair, everything about the premises indicating the careful supervision of an intelligent proprietor. In 1894 he built an extension to his barn, which is now thirty feet by eight feet, and in the basement has room for thirty cows and two or more horses. An invaluable luxury of his farm is a spring of pure, cold water, which is carried to the house from a distance of seventeen rods.

Mr. Wood was married in 1868 to Sally M. Howland, a cousin, and the daughter of William Howland. Of this congenial union three children have been born, one whom, Minnie, a beautiful girl of thirteen years, died in 1880. The living children are: Ira P., born July 16, 1877; and Ella Mabel, born August 15, 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are worthy and valued members of the Chrisitan church, to which his parents also belonged. In politics he follows in the footsteps of his father, and is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party.”

Amos Wood passed away from pneumonia at 82 years of age on February 22, 1924 in the same house where he had been born. His wife Sally died less than 20 hours later, also from pneumonia. A joint funeral was held at the United Presbyterian Church at Mundale. The service was officiated by Reverend C. A. Jay. Both Amos and Sally are buried at Ouleout Valley Cemetery in Franklin, New York.

Wood, “known far and wide as an expert gunsmith,” was well respected in the community. He “was widely known in the towns of Walton, Hamden and Franklin. Genial, generous, and likeable, all who came in contact with him felt that he was a real friend. Many will miss his hearty handshake, the twinkle in his eye that betokened wit and goodwill, and the sincere interest he took in the welfare of his friends and the community.”

In the summer of 1966, 44 years after his passing, an advertisement was placed in the Walton Reporter, a local newspaper, announcing the sale of the contents of the Amos Wood gunsmith shop. Items for sale included old shotguns, rifles, bullet molds, mold cherries, powder horns and much more.

Although many of the individual items went to a variety of buyers, the Delaware County Historical Association (DCHA) in Delhi, New York was fortunate enough to be able to buy the actual gunshop building from Amos Wood's grand-daughter, Mrs. Ralph Irwin, for $900. The contract was signed on October 24, 1966 and the building was moved to the DCHA in November 1966.

A dedication for the gunshop was held six years later on July 22, 1972. Gordon Goodemoot coordinated the final restoration of the gunshop and planned the dedication.

In addition to the Amos Wood Gunshop, the DCHA museum is also home to the Gideon Frisbee house, the Woodin blacksmith shop, the Husted Hollow Schoolhouse, a tollgate building, the Frisbee Family Cemetery and a nature trail.

Selected Sources:

Biographical Review: The Leading Citizens of Delaware County, New York. Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1895. pp. 251-252.

“Shelton Dedicates Museum Gunshop.” Stamford Mirror Recorder. July 26, 1972.

“Three in One Family Die Within Thirty-Six Hours.” Walton Reporter. March 1, 1924.

Husted Hollow Schoolhouse

(American Catskills) — Sat, 30 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Early records show that School District No. 10 in Kortright kept a one-room schoolhouse beginning in 1819. That first year the school was in session for six months, of which four months and ten days of that time were under the supervision of an approved teacher. Records show that during this time 70 pupils were registered, 64 of whom were between 5 and 15 years of age.

The current Husted Hollow Schoolhouse building was built around 1870. The school was located in Husted Hollow in the town of Kortright. The school served the community until 1933, when it closed due to state-wide school district consolidation. The last teacher at Husted Hollow was Grace Martin and the last student was Alma Shelley, who was in 6th grade at the time.

The Husted Hollow Road name was later changed at some point to Crowe Road after the Rural Electrification Act mapped the electric layout for area rural families.

The Husted Hollow Schoolhouse building was moved in 1967 to the property of the Delaware County Historical Association (DCHA) in Delhi, New York, and has remained there ever since. The schoolhouse was donated to the DCHA by James Davis and Robert McDowell, an attorney in Stamford.

In addition to the schoolhouse, the DCHA is also home to the Gideon Frisbee house, the Woodin blacksmith shop, the Amos Wood gun shop, a tollgate building, the Frisbee Family Cemetery and a nature trail.

The museum hosts historical exhibitions and special events throughout the year. Visit the DCHA website at www.dcha-ny.org for more information on the buildings, visiting hours and the history of Delaware County.

Hamden District No. 1 School

(American Catskills) — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Hamden School District No. 1 was organized in September 1826 to meet the educational needs of the growing rural community. The district encompassed the lower part of the town, on both sides of the Delaware River, near the border with the town of Walton, around the hamlet of Mallory Corners. There were originally eight school districts in the town of Hamden, with the number of schools growing to 12 by 1832 and eventually peaking at more than twenty schools.

The original Hamden District No. 1 School building was located across the road on land donated by John Combs, a veteran of the American Revolution and one of the earliest settlers in the district. Combs came from New Durham, New York and arrived in 1805. That school building served the community from 1828 to 1858.

The current historic Hamden District No. 1 School building was built in 1859. It was located on a quarter-acre plot of land purchased from Wesley and Ferris Terry for ten dollars. The school is sited a small, flat, grassy site, amid several stands of mature trees. The wood for the school was milled on the farm of William Mallory, which was located a short distance away. James Russell was paid 88 cents to grade the lot and lay up the stone foundation. The school continuously served the community for 95 years until its closing in 1954, when it closed due to state-wide school district consolidation.

After the school closed, the Sprague family purchased the building, and Clifford Sprague, an industrial arts teacher in Downsville, used the building as a woodworking shop. In 2014 the town of Hamden purchased the building from the descendants of Harold Sprague and subsequently secured funding from the New York State and Municipal Capital program to restore the school, which was completed in 2016.

The building is now home to the Hamden Schoolhouse Museum, which is open to the public and contains a variety of historical artifacts and exhibits.

The Hamden District No. 1 school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a “representative intact example of a mid-nineteenth century one-room schoolhouse in the town of Hamden” and as lasting testament to “a century of education history in the small riverside school district.”

Opus 40: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMT

"One of the largest and most beguiling works of art on the entire continent." Brendan Gill, March 1989, Architectural Digest

Opus 40 is a monumental environmental sculpture set in a former bluestone quarry in Saugerties, New York. The sculpture is made of thousands upon thousands of bluestone pieces that form a puzzle of terraces, stairs, ramps, pathways and moat-like passageways, all centered on a 9-ton, 14-foot-tall monolith. The sculpture is beautifully surrounded by landscaped grounds, with the famous Overlook Mountain serving as a stunning backdrop.

The entire sculpture is the work of one man, Harvey Fite (1903-1976), a sculptor and professor at Bard College. Fite purchased the property, an abandoned quarry, in 1938 from the widow of the last quarry master. When Fite began working on the property, it was originally intended to be a location to display his various wood and stone sculptures. Over time, however, the entire location itself became the work of art. Fite continued to work on Opus 40 until 1976, a lifetime of work and dedication. Fittingly, the name Opus is Latin for “work” while 40 is the number jokingly chosen by Fite because that is how long he thought it would take him to finish the sculpture. Fite died in 1976 at the age of 72 in an unfortunate accident while working on the property.

The technique that Fite used in constructing Opus 40 “is an ancient method called ‘dry keying,’ which relies on the careful fitting of stone upon stone, and the pressure of the mass, for its stability. The ‘keys’ are large stones placed at intervals throughout the wall, which support and are held in place by the smaller surrounding stones. There is no mortar or cement anywhere in the construction; as a result, it is not susceptible to the ravages of erosion.”

The Opus 40 grounds include Fite’s home and two workshop buildings. The second story of one of the workshop buildings would become the Quarryman’s Museum, which displays a collection of quarryman’s tools and artifacts. Three of Fite’s sculptures, titled Flame, Tomorrow and Quarry Family, are located on the adjoining grounds.

The 6.5-acre Opus 40 property remains an enduring tribute to the history of bluestone, the durable, resilient and beautiful stone whose trade once dominated Catskills industry. The Opus 40 property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as one of New York State’s most significant examples of environmental art.”

Opus 40 is open for visits and hosts a wide range of special events including concerts, movies, classes, workshops, nature walks, guided tours and much more.

For more information about the history of Opus 40, current events and for visiting information, visit their website at www.opus40.org.

Opus 40

Nine Tons

The Work of One Man

An Ode to Bluestone

Pathway

Passageway

Around the Corner

Stairs

Walls

Dry Keying

Stone Upon Stone

Quarryman's Museum

Quarry Family

Woman

Trinity Episcopal Church at Saugerties, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Trinity Episcopal Church is located on Route 9W, near Barclay Street, in the village of Saugerties, New York. The church complex is located on 4.75 acres of land and includes the church building (1831), a parish house (circa 1875) and a parsonage (circa 1890).

The Episcopal congregation in Saugerties was first established in the early 19th century with the arrival of Henry Barclay (1778-1857) in 1825. Barclay initially held services in his home and organized a Sunday school program. This initial effort led to a growing interest in the establishment of a permanent church in the community.

In 1831 Trinity Parish was organized. Its first rector was the Reverend Robert Sherwood. In this same year Henry Barclay donated a parcel of land for the construction of a church. With financial assistance from Trinity Church in New York City, the Missionary Society of St. Stephen, and a number of private benefactors the new church was begun. The corner stone was laid on June 10, 1831 and the first services were conducted in the building in September.

The Trinity Episcopal Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “an important example of its period and type and remains one of the community’s most significant visual and architectural landmarks.”

The parish ceased regular services in July 2024 after 193 years of ministry in Saugerties.

Kiersted House at Saugerties, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Kiersted House, located on Main Street in Saugerties, is a wonderful surviving example of the Dutch Colonial stone houses that were common in the pre-American Revolution era. The house appears to have been built in sections, with the earliest section having been built circa 1727. The house still retains many of its original details including stone exterior, wood plank floors, glass window panes and iron hardware.

The earliest recorded owner of the stone house was Hiskia DuBois, with the house being originally located on a farm of approximately 40 acres. Upon Hiskia’s passing, the house was inherited by his son David DuBois, who in turn sold it in 1773 to Dr. Christopher Kiersted (1736-1791), for whom the house takes its name.

Dr. Kiersted, a descendent of Dr. Hans Kierstede of New Amsterdam, was born in the city of New York in August 1736 and was educated in that city. In the years prior to the American Revolution, he signed the Articles of Association, which formalized a boycott of British goods, sought to free Americans economically from Great Britain, affirmed the loyalty of New York citizens to the American cause and later served to inspire the 1776 Declaration of Independence. Dr. Kiersted would go on to provide services to the soldiers of the Revolutionary War.

After getting married, moving to what would become Saugerties and purchasing the house in 1773, Dr. Kiersted would notably become the first physician in the Saugerties area. His home served as both his residence and his medical office. After Dr. Kiersted’s death on March 23, 1791, the house passed to his son John Kiersted (1786-1862), who enlarged the structure and planted the grove of monumental black locust trees in front of the residence. The house remained in the Kiersted family well into the 20th century.

There are many incredible stories regarding the history of the Kiersted House, although it is often difficult to differentiate between fact and legend. Both Benedict Arnold and George Washington are rumored to have visited the house. The house was reportedly used on several occasions during the American Revolution as an army headquarters. There was also the story of the Tory prisoner that was locked in the kitchen during the American Revolution, and the prisoner scratched into the kitchen window with some hard, sharp instrument the words “Love Thy King.”

The Kiersted House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “an exceptional example of early eighteenth and nineteenth century local building craft and practices.”

The historic house is currently home to the Saugerties Historical Society. It is open for tours and plays host to a number of events including school visits, summertime concerts and colonial-era reenactments.

Saugerties Lighthouse: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 26 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The original Saugerties Lighthouse was constructed in 1835 by the U. S. Lighthouse Establishment to mark Hudson River shoals and the entrance to Saugerties Harbor on the Esopus Creek.

The original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1848, but was rebuilt by 1850 on the old site. At this time, four mineral oil lamps replaced earlier whale oil lamps.

The current lighthouse was built in 1869 to replace the prior one that had been damaged by ice floes. The lighthouse was in continuous operation for 85 years, until 1954, when it was decommissioned by the U. S. Coast Guard and the lights were automated. Without a permanent keeper, the lighthouse fell into disrepair and by the 1980s it was close to being demolished.

In 1986, the Saugerties Lighthouse Conservancy acquired the lighthouse and managed its renovation. After 36 years of darkness, the lighthouse was officially re-dedicated as an aid to navigation on August 4, 1990. The Saugerties Lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, the lighthouse is accessible year-round from sunrise to sunset via a flat 1/2 mile walk along a nature trail (be sure to check the tide tables). Seasonal tours of the lighthouse interior are available. The lighthouse also operates year-round as a 2-room bed-and-breakfast.

The lighthouse is located at 168 Lighthouse Drive, Saugerties, New York. Visit the lighthouse website at www.saugertieslighthouse.com for more information.

Bristol Beach State Park

(American Catskills) — Sat, 19 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Bristol Beach State Park is an undeveloped 242-acre state park located on the Hudson River in the town of Saugerties, New York. The property includes Hudson River shoreline, marshes and tidal flats, woodlands and meadows. The northern section of the park is known as Eve’s Point, which is a narrow spit of land that juts out into the Hudson River.

Malden-on-Hudson, commonly known as Malden, was founded as Bristol in 1812 by Asa Bigelow (1779-1850), a merchant and the first postmaster at Saugerties. The only house in Bristol when Bigelow arrived was an old fish-house. Bigelow proceeded to build the first dock, the first road, the first church, the first hotel and the first school there. The settlement provided a deepwater port for Bigelow’s merchant fleet, with the port becoming the center of the bluestone trade in Saugerties. For many years, the Bigelow Bluestone Company was one of the largest bluestone companies in the Hudson Valley.

The lands of the park were the former home of the Staples Brickyard, which closed for business in 1958. In 1964, Terry Staples offered to sell the 53 acres of the land to the state of New York for $120,000. The state said no, so Staples gave it to the state for free. His one irrevocable condition on the donation was that the property could only be used for a recreational park.

In 1967, the 53-acre state park was transferred from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC). With surrounding development pressures in the 1990s, the PIPC expanded the park through the purchase of adjacent parcels.

The park remains undeveloped, but provides excellent access to the Hudson River. Despite its name, the park does not include a developed beach and swimming is not permitted. It is however a popular location for fishing, birding, putting in a kayak or canoe and for viewing the Hudson River.

There have been many discussions over the years as to whether the park should be developed, with possible ideas including constructing additional vehicle access roads, building woodland hiking trails or ATV trails, installing educational displays about the brick industry or creating a sandy beach along the shoreline.

To get to Bristol Beach State Park, take Route 9W north from the village of Saugerties. Drive for about 2 1/2 miles to Emerick Road, turn right and follow Emerick Road to the end, where there is a small dirt parking area. This is the Eve’s Point section of the park.

Overlooking the Hudson

Along the Hudson, from Bristol Beach State Park

The Saint Emilion on the Hudson River

(American Catskills) — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The tugboat Saint Emilion was originally built in 2007 by Sea Boats Incorporated of Fall River, Massachusetts. She was originally named the Barbara C.

In 2011, the tugboat was acquired by K-Sea Transportation Partnership Incorporated of East Brunswick, New Jersey and was renamed to the Arabian Sea. Also in 2011, the K-Sea Transportation Partnership Incorporated was acquired by the Kirby Corporation of Channelview, Texas, which continued with the name Arabian Sea.

In 2017, the Arabian Sea was phased out of service and was temporarily located at the yard of the Kirby Corporation in Staten Island, New York.

In 2019, the tug was acquired by the Apex Oil Company of St. Louis, Missouri, who renamed the tug to Saint Emilion. The tugboat, which measures 105 feet long and is powered by two diesel engines with a rating of 4,800 horsepower, continues to work its trade along the Hudson River.

Saint Emilion Heading Down River

Saint Emilion on the Hudson River

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by Alan Wright

(American Catskills) — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Rip Van Winkle, as illustrated by Alan Wright, was published in 1921 by the firm of Thomas, Nelson and Sons, Ltd. The 64-page book contains 11 full-page line illustrations plus the cover art. Illustrations included:

Rip and his dog, Wolf
A troop of children hanging on to his coat-tails
Running like a wild colt at his mother's heels
They sat there in the shade throughout a long, lazy, summer's day
He saw a strange figure toiling up the rocks
A company of odd-looking people playing at nine-pins
He rubbed his eyes and looked about him
A troop of children ran at his heels, hooting after him
What brought him to the election with a gun over his shoulder
She had a chubby child in her arms
He used to tell his story to every stranger

Alan Wright (1864-1959) was a well-regarded painter, postcard designer, children’s writer and illustrator. He was born on September 30, 1864, the son of William Arthur Wright and Emily (Broad) Wright. Wright was raised near Chard, in Somerset, before moving with his family to Hampstead, in London. He attended the St. John’s Wood School of Art in north London.

Wright was a prolific illustrator throughout his career, with his work appearing in many books. In addition to Rip Van Winkle (1921), other books illustrated by Wright include Queen Victoria’s Dolls (1894); The Wallypug in London (1898); Adventures in Wallypug Land (1898); The Little Panjandrum’s Dodo (1899); The Mandarin’s Kite (1900); The New Panjandrum (1902); Baker Minor and the Dragon (1902); In Search of the Wallypug (1903); The Cinematograph Train (1904); Professor Philanderpan (1904); The Wallypug Birthday Book (1904); The Wallypug in Fogland (1904); The Wallypug in the Moon (1905); Rural Life in England (1907); The Life of Queen Victoria (1910); Bingo and Babs (1919); Mrs. Bunnykins’ Busy Day (1919); Mrs. Bunnykins Builds an Igloo (1920); Tony Twiddler, His Tale (1920); The Enchanted Doll (1921); The Story of the Saucy Squirrel (1924); The Wonderful Tale of the Trail of Snail (1924); The Book of Baby Birds (1933); Mr. Toad Goes to Sea (1940); among many others.

Wright’s work was featured in a variety of periodicals as well, including Atalanta; The Dome; The Girl’s Own Paper; The Idler; The Pall Mall Magazine; The Parade; The Strand Magazine; The Sunday Pictorial; The Wide World Magazine; and The Windmill.

Wright’s work was described as being “in the style of the woodcut with strong Celtic and Gothic emphasis, he also made designs for eastern subjects.” Wright’s signature on his works was typically a small device resembling a fly or a beetle, but examined closely it will be seen to contain an A and W.

In 1912, Wright married Anne Anderson (1874-1952), a well-regarded Scottish illustrator known for her work in children’s books. Wright was a frequent collaborator with his wife, sometimes even working on the same drawings, that they signed jointly. Collaborative books illustrated by both Wright and Anderson include The Busy Bunny Book (1916); Two Bold Sportsmen (1918); The Naughty Neddy (1918); Sing-Song Stories (1922); The Cuddly Kitten and the Busy Bunny (1926); The Podgy Puppy (1927); among others.

Later in his career, Wright created hunting and coaching scenes for calendars and greeting cards.

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by Alan Wright

Rip and his dog, Wolf

A troop of children hanging on to his coat-tails

Running like a wild colt at his mother's heels

They sat there in the shade throughout a long, lazy, summer's day

He saw a strange figure toiling up the rocks

A company of odd-looking people playing at nine-pins

He rubbed his eyes and looked about him

A troop of children ran at his heels, hooting after him

What brought him to the election with a gun over his shoulder?

She had a chubby child in her arms

He used to tell his story to every stranger

Rip Van Winkle, Drawings by Victor Perard

(American Catskills) — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Rip Van Winkle, as illustrated by Victor Perard, was published in 1933 by the Frederick A. Stokes Company of New York. The book is thoroughly illustrated, with drawings on every page. The drawings were highly regarded for their accuracy, particularly in regards to the Catskills scenery, the regional architecture and the character’s clothes. This is partly attributed to Perard having made his sketches while traveling in the Catskills.

Rip Van Winkle, as illustrated by Perard, was published to much acclaim. A review of the book in the Minneapolis Journal noted that it was “more than just another appearance of a well-worn classic; it is a setting that may make the story shine like new if it comes to children at the story age. A hundred charcoal drawings meander through the text, of which there is never much on the page. These pictures put Rip and his friends, in the costume of their time, into scenery that for the most part still remains as wild and wonderful as it was in the days when little men played bowls among the mountains.”

Another review in the Elementary English Review noted that “Victor Perard, a well-known New York artist, gives us a beautiful edition of the beloved American legend. It is entirely hand lettered and has over a hundred distinguished line illustrations. Every picture was sketched in the Catskill Mountains on the actual scene of Irving’s story, and truly reflects the spirit of the text.”

A third review, in the March 10, 1934 issue of Scholastic, also extensively praised the book. “One more important book, and that is a new edition of one of our oldest national favorites. But you know how a school classic is likely to become so familiar that it loses its zest, and must be brought back to its original flavor by some special treatment. If you have forgotten how good a story Rip Van Winkle really is, because you have had to deal with it as a lesson, just look over this new Rip Van Winkle, by Washington Irving, drawings by Victor Perard (Stokes). This is hand-lettered throughout, legibly and without the least flourish, and thickly sprinkled with a hundred charcoal sketches made on the spot. I have spent a long summer in Rip Van Winkle’s home country, climbing peaks like those in these pictures, roaming their old roads and looking out over these broad landscapes, and I can assure you they are as accurate as photographs and far more inspiring. I am assured also that Mr. Perard is just as accurate in his reproductions of our early costumes and uniforms as he is in regard to architecture – on which point I can also testify. The splendid drawings give the tale new vigor.”

Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving, Drawings by Victor Perard

A Posthumous Writing of Diedrich Knickerbocker

Taught Them To Fly Kites

He Was Fain To Draw Off His Forces, And Take To The Outside Of The House

Victor Perard

Victor Perard (1870-1957), the illustrator, was born in Paris to an American mother and French father. He received his early art training at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, where he studied with Jean-Leon Gerome. On finding his early love of art, Perard once commented that “as a child, I played in the Tuileries Gardens adjoining the Louvre Art Galleries in Paris, and when it rained I took refuge in the Museum. The pictures interested me, and on returning home I would often try to draw some of them from memory.”

After immigrating to the United States, he continued with his love of drawing. He attended the public schools, after which he went to work for George White, “an able illustrator and commercial artist, and got practical experience for a few years.” He then began work as an illustrator working for various magazines, including Scribner’s, Harper’s Weekly and The Century, and for several book publishers. Perard also studied at the Art Students League and the National Academy of Design in New York.

Perard was a prolific author of instruction books on drawing, including How to Draw, Drawing Faces and Expressions, Drawing People, Drawing Trees, Drawing Dogs, Drawing Houses, Drawing Sea & Sky, Drawing Flowers, Drawing Children, Drawing Animals, Drawing Horses, Figure Drawing, Sketching Landscape and Anatomy and Drawing.

He taught life classes for 20 years at Cooper Union and for 10 years at the Traphagen School of Fashion, both located in New York City. He was an active member of the Society of Illustrators and the Salmagundi Club. His works can be found in many museum and institutional collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Library of Congress, Smithsonian American Art Museum, New York Public Library, New York Historical Society and the National Gallery of Art.

Victor Perard died at 87 years of age on July 9, 1957 at the home of his nephew, Victor A. Clement, in Bellport, New York. He had been living with Clement for two years. Victor Perard is buried at Mount Bethel Church Cemetery in Warren, New Jersey.

How Solemnly They Would Listen To The Contents, As Drawled Out By Derrick Van Bummel, The Schoolmaster

From Even This Stronghold The Unlucky Rip Was At Length Routed By His Termagant Wife

Panting and Fatigued, He Threw Himself, Late In The Afternoon, On A Green Knoll

A Company of Odd-Looking Personages Playing At Nine-Pins

As He Rose To Walk, He Found Himself Stiff In The Joints, And Wanting In His Usual Activity

Frederick A. Stokes

Frederick A. Stokes was a nationally-known publisher whose company published over 3,000 books in over 60 years of business. Stokes was born on November 4, 1857 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Frederick Abbot Stokes and Caroline Augusta (Allen) Stokes. He graduated in 1875 as salutatorian from the Cheshire Academy and in 1879 from Yale University, where he was a member of Psi Upsilon and Wolf’s Head. While in college, Stokes authored a series of popular articles that were published in the Yale Courant, and would form the basis of the “racy, rollicking” book College Tramps, which narrated the adventures of a group of eight Yale students during a summer trip through Europe.

After graduation, Stokes moved to New York to work for the publishing firm of Dodd, Mead & Company, and remained there for two years. In 1881, Stokes partnered with Joel P. White to establish the publishing firm of White & Stokes, which would become White, Stokes and Allen in 1883. Four years later, in 1887, Stokes purchased all the interests of his partners and then joined with his brother Horace S. Stokes to form the firm of Frederick A. Stokes and Brother. In 1890 the partnership with his brother was dissolved by mutual consent and the company became the Fredrick A. Stokes Company. Stokes would serve as the president of this company for the remainder of his life.

Stokes was active in several industry organizations, including being a member of the National Association of Book Publishers, serving as treasurer of the American Publishers Copyright League and serving as both secretary and president of the American Publishers Association. He was the editor of Pocket Magazine from 1898 to 1901.

When Stokes passed away in 1939, he left the Frederick A. Stokes Company to his sons who operated it for four more years before selling to J. B. Lippincott in 1943. Stokes passed away at 82 years of age on November 15, 1939 after an illness of several months. Funeral services were held at the Church of the Incarnation in New York City. Frederick A. Stokes is buried at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

As He Approached The Village, He Met A Number Of People, But None Whom He Knew

A Lean Billious-Looking Fellow, With His Pockets Full Of Hand-Bills, Was Haranguing Vehemently About Rights Of Citizens

A Fresh Comely Woman Passed Through The Throng To Get A Peep At The Gray-Bearded Man

He Soon Found Many Of His Former Cronies, Though All Rather The Worse For the Wear And Tear Of Time

He Used To Tell His Story To Every Stranger That Arrived At Mr. Doolittle's Hotel

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by Howard Morris

(American Catskills) — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Comet Press published a limited-edition version of the Rip Van Winkle story in 1941. Only 750 copies were made available. The book was produced with Oldstyle Number Seven text with headings in Deepdene italic. The paper was T. J. Gray Laid Text and the binding was PX cloth turned inside out.

The Rip Van Winkle illustrations were created by Howard Morris, who would also illustrate other books for the Comet Press, including The Song of Hiawatha and The Gold Bug.

In addition to the cover art and title page, the book contained four full-page illustrations and one half-page illustration. Although the illustrations were not titled, they correspond nicely with the story. Using the Rip Van Winkle story line, I have taken the liberty to title each of the illustrations with a passage from the book.

A Little Village, Of Great Antiquity

The Children of the Village, Too, Would Shout With Joy Whenever He Approached

They Clambered Up a Narrow Gully

He Was Naturally a Thirsty Soul

On Waking, He Found Himself on the Green Knoll

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by John Fitz, Jr.

(American Catskills) — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Rip Van Winkle, as illustrated by John Fitz, Jr., was published in 1928 by the John C. Winston Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The book contained the cover drawing, one color illustration and six black-and-white illustrations. The illustrations included:

Rip Taught the Children of the Village to Fly Kites
Rip Would Sometimes Share the Contents of His Wallet With Wolf
On a Level Spot Was a Company of Odd-Looking Personages Playing at Nine-Pins
Rip Called and Whistled After Wolf, But Was Only Answered by the Cawing of a Flock of Crows
A Fresh, Comely Woman, With a Chubby Child in Her Arms, Pressed Through the Throng
The Appearance of Rip Soon Attracted the Attention of the Tavern Politicians
Rip Took His Place Once More On the Bench at the Inn Door

Rip Taught the Children of the Village to Fly Kites

The children of the village, too, would shout with joy whenever he approached. He assisted at their sports, made their playthings, taught them to fly kites and shoot marbles, and told them long stories of ghosts, witches and Indians. Whenever he went dodging about the village, he was surrounded by a troop of them, hanging on his skirts, clambering on his back, and playing a thousand tricks on him with impunity; and not a dog would bark at him throughout the neighborhood.

Rip Would Sometimes Share the Contents of His Wallet With Wolf

Poor Rip was at last reduced almost to despair; and his only alternative, to escape from the labor of the farm and clamor of his wife, was to take gun in hand and stroll away into the woods. Here he would sometimes seat himself at the foot of a tree, and share contents of his wallet with Wolf, with whom he sympathized as a fellow-sufferer in persecution.

On a Level Spot Was a Company of Odd-Looking Personages Playing at Nine-Pins

On entering the amphitheater, new objects of wonder presented themselves. On a level spot in the center was a company of odd-looking personages playing at nine-pins. They were dressed in a quaint outlandish fashion; some wore short doublets, others jerkins, with long knives in their belts, and most of them had enormous breeches, of similar style with that of the guide’s. Their visages, too, were peculiar; one had a large beard, broad face, and small piggish eyes; the face of another seemed to consist entirely of nose, and was surmounted by a white sugar-loaf hat, set off with a little red cock’s tail. They all had beards, of various shapes and colors.

Rip Called and Whistled After Wolf, But Was Only Answered by the Cawing of a Flock of Crows

At length he reached to where the ravine had opened through the cliffs to the amphitheater; but no traces of such opening remained. The rocks presented a high impenetrable wall over which the torrent came tumbling in a sheet of feathery foam, and fell into a broad deep basin, black from the shadows of the surrounding forest. Here, then, poor Rip was brought to a stand. He again called and whistled after his dog; he was only answered by the cawing of a flock of idle crows, sporting high in air about a dry tree that overhung a sunny precipice; and who, secure in their elevation, seemed to look down and scoff at the poor man’s perplexities.

A Fresh, Comely Woman, With a Chubby Child in Her Arms, Pressed Through the Throng

The bystanders began now to look at each other, nod, wink significantly, and tap their fingers against their foreheads. There was a whisper, also, about securing the gun, and keeping the old fellow from doing mischief, at the very suggestion of which the self-important man in the cocked hat retired with some precipitation. At this critical moment a fresh comely woman pressed through the throng to get a peep at the gray-bearded man. She had a chubby child in her arms, which, frightened at his looks, began to cry.

The Appearance of Rip Soon Attracted the Attention of the Tavern Politicians

The appearance of Rip, with his long grizzled beard, his rusty fowling piece, his uncouth dress, and an army of women and children at his heels, soon attracted the attention of the tavern politicians. They crowded round him, eyeing him from head to foot with great curiosity.

Rip Took His Place Once More On the Bench at the Inn Door

Having nothing to do at home, and being arrived at that happy age when a man can be idle with impunity, he took his place once more on the bench at the inn door, and was reverenced as one of the patriarchs of the village, and a chronicle of the old times ‘before the war.’”

John Fitz, jr. was a well-regarded illustrator of his time. He completed illustrations for several titles published by the John C. Winston Company, including Aesop’s Fables, The Little Lame Prince, Jackanapes and A Dog of Flanders.

The John C. Winston Company was founded in 1884 at Philadelphia by John Clark Winston (1856-1920). Winston born in Darlington, Indiana on November 22, 1856, the son of Henry Winston and Anna Clark Winston. Shortly after he was born, the family moved to Virginia, and Winston later moved to Philadelphia. He graduated from Haverford College in 1881 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, while also serving as the class president. Winston had intended to pursue the study of law, but after graduation he was offered a position with a publishing house in Indianapolis. He accepted the position, but three years later he returned to Philadelphia to go into business for himself.

The John C. Winston Company began in 1884 in a small way, with Winston opening an office in a single room in a small building. The company’s first venture was a single volume, but after proving successful, other books were added. The company grew significantly after it was incorporated in 1900. The company developed a large business publishing Bibles and other religious works, as well as educational books and general literature. In 1905, Winston acquired the firm of Henry T. Coates & Company, successors to the noted Philadelphia firm of Porter & Coates.

The John C. Winston Company would operate for 76 years until 1960, when it merged with several other publishers, including Henry Holt and Company and Rinehart and Company, to become Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

With all his success, John C. Winston was very active in the community, being a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the University Club, the City Club, the Germantown Cricket Club, and the Huntingdon Valley Country Club. He was elected around 1916 as the president of the Arts and Science Club of Germantown. Winston passed away on May 6, 1920 after a short illness. Funeral services were held at the Friends’ Meeting House in Germantown and were widely attended by the public and dignitaries, which included the mayor of Philadelphia.

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by R. W. Sawyer

(American Catskills) — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Rip Van Winkle, as illustrated by R. W. Sawyer, was published in 1909 by John W. Luce & Company of Boston. The book, at 34 pages long, was printed on imitation birch bark paper and included a slipcase. It originally retailed for 75 cents.

The book was well received by the industry and readers alike. The Boston Globe wrote that “Rip Van Winkle, Washington Irving’s famous story in birchbark imitation dress, with decorations and illustrations by R. W. Sawyer, would prove an acceptable Christmas gift to anyone. The story has no superior in the realm of fiction. The narrative has a restful flow, the plot is homely, yet ingenious, the character of Rip perennially lovable and the humor exquisite. If there is a person living who has not read this masterpiece he should do so at once. The birchbark edition will add pleasure to the reading.”

The San Francisco Call and Post wrote that “Rip Van Winkle is always one of the favorite stories to be put into fancy little booklets for the holiday season. This year Washington Irving’s little masterpiece has been most artistically bound in imitation birch bark and the paper upon which it is printed seems also birch bark. The decorations of unusual excellence are done by R. W. Sawyer and have been well reproduced in color. The real book lover has usually a scorn for the fancifully bound booklets, but this one will please him.”

The Village Inn

Perpetual Club of the Sages, Philosophers, and Other Idle Personages of the Village

He Was a Short Square-Built Old Fellow

A Company of Odd-Looking Personages Playing at Nine-Pins

He Was Naturally a Thirsty Soul

He Fell Into a Deep Sleep

He Found Himself On the Green Knoll

Surely, I Have Not Slept Here All Night

He Had Now Entered the Skirts of the Village

Being Arrived At That Happy Age When a Man Can Be Idle With Impunity

The Indianapolis News reviewed that “Rip Van Winkle, Washington Irving’s famous classic of the Catskills, has been issued bound in imitation wood and illustrated attractively. The type is large and legible and all – old as well as young – who love the quaint old story, with the irony and humor of Washington Irving that is in it, will find this reprint acceptable.”

The Plain Dealer, of Cleveland, offered that “another distinctly attractive Irving gift book is Rip Van Winkle, decorated by R. W. Sawyer. The paper, the binding and the little box in which the booklet is placed area all dainty imitations of birch bark.

The Buffalo Courier Express reviewed that “Rip Van Winkle appears in a new dress – an attractive one – this fall. It is printed in a tall narrow volume, on paper that looks like birch bark, and with covers of what looks like bark, tied together by a thong. It has decorations by R. W. Sawyer.”

John W. Luce & Company, the publishers, was a small publishing firm founded in December 1903 at Boston, Massachusetts. It was briefly first known as Robinson, Luce Company. John W. Luce had previously helped organize the C. M. Clark Publishing Company, where he had remained for about five years until the spring of 1903. John W. Luce & Company ceased publishing new works in 1947 and went out of business shortly thereafter.

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by Edna Cooke

(American Catskills) — Sat, 31 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Rip Van Winkle, as illustrated in color by Edna Cooke and in line by Felix O. C. Darley, was published in 1923 by the J. B. Lippincott Company of Philadelphia. The book contained four color illustrations by Cooke and six line illustrations by Darley. The cover of the book is based on one of Cooke’s color illustrations.

The four Rip Van Winkle color illustrations by Cooke included:

He Told Them Long Stories of Ghosts, Witches, and Indians
During the Whole Time, Rip and His Companion Had Labored on In Silence
He Even Ventured, When No Eye Was Fixed Upon Him, To Taste the Beverage
A Troop of Strange Children Ran at His Heels

He Told Them Long Stories of Ghosts, Witches, and Indians.

During the Whole Time, Rip and His Companion Had Labored on In Silence

Passing through the ravine, they came to a hollow, like a small amphitheater, surrounded by perpendicular precipices, over the brinks of which impending trees shot their branches, so that you only caught glimpses of the azure sky and the bright evening cloud. During the whole time Rip and his companion had labored on in silence; for though the former marveled greatly what could be the object of carrying a keg of liquor up this wild mountain, yet there was something strange and incomprehensible about the unknown, that inspired awe and checked familiarity.

He Even Ventured, When No Eye Was Fixed Upon Him, To Taste the Beverage

By degrees Rip’s awe and apprehension subsided. He even ventured, when no eye was fixed upon him, to taste the beverage, which he found had much of the flavor of excellent Hollands. He was naturally a thirsty soul, and was soon tempted to repeat the draught. One taste provoked another; and he reiterated his visits to the flagon so often that at length his senses were overpowered, his eyes swam in his head, his gradually declines, and he fell into a deep sleep.

A Troop of Strange Children Ran at His Heels

He had now entered the skirts of the village. A troop of strange children ran at his heels, hooting after him, and pointing at his gray beard. The dogs, too, not one of which he recognized for an old acquaintance, barked at him as he passed. The very village was altered; it was larger and more populous. There were rows of houses which he had never seen before, and those which had been his familiar haunts had disappeared. Strange names were over the doors, strange faces at the windows, everything was strange. His mind now misgave him; he began to doubt whether both he and the world around him were not bewitched.

Edna Cooke Shoemaker (1889-1975) was born in Philadelphia in 1889, the daughter of George Anderson Cooke and Elizabeth (Simon) Cooke. She graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1908 and then studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. She studied under noted artists Hugh Breckenridge (1870-1937) and Henry McCarter (1864-1942).

From 1915 through the 1940s Cooke illustrated numerous children’s books as well as school text books published by the John C. Winston Company in Philadelphia and Charles Scribner’s Sons in New York. Illustrated children’s books with Cooke’s works included Mother Goose and Other Nursery Rhymes, Heidi, Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates, Tommy Tiptoe, Stories of Mrs. Moleworth, Stories by Juliana Horatia Ewing, East o’ the Sun, West o’ the Moon and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Cooke also illustrated magazine covers, advertisements and stories for leading industry publications, including the Ladies Home Journal, McCall’s magazine and The Delineator.

Cooke looked to pass on her artistic knowledge by teaching art at the Mary Lyon School in Swarthmore in the 1920s and at the Haverford School in the 1930s. She was a member of the Philadelphia Arts Alliance. During the 1940s Cooke was one of the organizers of the Rose Tree Marionettes, and from then through the 1950s she created numerous puppets for its productions.

Edna Cooke married Orlando Shoemaker (1890-1964), a mechanical engineer, in 1924. They had three children together, including Winslow Cooke, Abigail Ann Cooke and Oliver Ireton Cooke. Orlando graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1915. He served in the U. S. Army before and during World War I, including time with the U. S. Horse Cavalry on the Mexican border and later as a member of the 92nd Division, 349th Field Artillery with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was in the front-line trenches when the Armistice was signed in 1918. He worked as an engineer for the Navy Department and for the State Highway Department. Orlando Shoemaker died in 1964.

Edna Cooke Shoemaker passed away on November 28, 1975. Funeral services were held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Cooke is buried at St. John’s Episcopal Church Cemetery in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.

Rip Van Winkle: Treasury of American Folklore

(American Catskills) — Sat, 24 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Hamilton Mint manufactured a limited-edition series of 24 ingots in .999 fine silver titled the Treasury of American Folklore. The ingots were offered for sale in 1975 and originally sold for $13.75 per ingot. The 24 ingots were issued at a rate of two per month for 12 months. Each ingot measured 1 1/4 inch by 1 3/4 inch in size.

The Hamilton Mint advertised that only 10,000 first edition sets in proof finish silver would be minted. They also advertised that once the edition limits were reached, the dies for the ingots would be destroyed, “thus establishing forever the rarity and integrity of this fine collection.”

There was also a special collection of the same silver ingots but made with a plating of 24 kt. gold. This edition was limited to 5,000 sets. Each gold-plated ingot originally cost $18.75.

With your subscription for the series, the Hamilton Mint included your own unique matching serial number on each ingot and provided a signed “Certificate of Authenticity,” “attesting to the limited-edition status and precious metal content of your collection.” Each subscriber to the series received “a specially designed presentation case that combines the luxurious appearance of finely crafted wood with lucite. Sturdy construction permits you to displays as well as protect your valuable collection.”

The Hamilton Mint was a popular producer of silver and gold-plated collectibles during the 1970s. The company was founded in 1972 at Arlington Heights, Chicago “because people like to collect things.” The Hamilton Mint was part of an industry that grew rapidly after the surprising success of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Mint. By the mid-1970s, advertisements noted that the Hamilton Mint was the “world’s second largest private mint.” In 1976, they employed approximately 150 people and had sales of over $10 million dollars a year.

Hamilton Mint was founded as a subsidiary of Joys, Ltd., a mail order marketer of porcelain, crystal and metal plates. Late in 1972, Joys and Hamilton were acquired by Downe Communications, a publishing and broadcasting firm. In 1975, the Charter Company, a diversified Florida-based holding company with interests in oil refining and marketing, acquired a 43 per cent interest in Downe; and in 1977, Charter acquired Downe’s remaining shares to bring its ownership to 100 per cent. James P. Smith, Jr., an executive with the Charter oil business, was appointed president of the Hamilton Mint. Prior company presidents included Myron Cooper, a former sales manager at the Franklin Mint, and Paul A. McShane, who succeeded Cooper.

The Hamilton Mint, like other companies in the collectibles industry, was susceptible to tough competition, changing and volatile raw material prices and ever-changing consumer tastes. By October 1978, after only six years in existence, the Chicago Tribune published an advertisement noting that “due to sale & relocation of certain production to Metal Arts Co. Inc. of N. Y.” an auction would be held at the Hamilton Mint location in Arlington Heights, Illinois to sell off all its possessions, including coining and embossing presses, toolroom, plating, factory equipment and office equipment.

Much of what was produced by the Hamilton Mint was offered in the form of sets of bars or rounds, many with American themes. Their products were sold nationally by both mail and wholesale.

Example sets included Wonders of America, America the Beautiful, America’s Greatest Events, Our Greatest Americans, The American Revolution Old Glory Ingot Collection, Sprit of America, Profiles of the West, American Presidents, American Indian Collection, Pearl Harbor Commemorative Medal Collection, World of Flight, America’s 50 States, Bicentennial Set, Birds of America, American Wildlife, The Great Classic Cars, several different Norman Rockwell sets (Portraits of America, Four Seasons, Four Freedoms, Best Loved Post Covers 1916-1960) and many more.

The Treasury of American Folklore series featured some of the most well-known characters, both real and fictional, from American history.

In addition to Rip Van Winkle, other folklore subjects of the series included Wild Bill Hickok, Judge Roy Bean, Sweet Betsy from Pike, Buffalo Bill Cody, Big Foot Wallace, Brer Rabbit, Doc Holliday, Sam Bass, Uncle Davy Lane, Mike Fink, Billy the Kid, Jesse James, John Henry, Headless Horseman, Joe Magarac, Johnny Appleseed, Butch Cassidy, Davy Crockett, Wyatt Earp, John Brown, Paul Bunyon, Casey Jones and Pecos Bill.

The Rip Van Winkle ingot depicts our beloved Rip lying on the ground at the foot of a tree with his trusty gun by his side. While still wearing his hat, Rip’s beard has grown to considerable length. Rip would sleep for 20 years. The scene, as described in the original story, is below.

“By degrees Rip’s awe and apprehension subsided. He even ventured, when no eye was fixed upon him, to taste the beverage, which he found had much of the flavor of excellent Hollands. He was naturally a thirsty soul, and was soon tempted to repeat the draught. One taste provoked another; and he reiterated his visits to the flagon so often that at length his senses were overpowered, his eyes swam in his head, his head gradually declined, and he fell into a deep sleep.”

Sullivan County Museum Photo Exhibition

(American Catskills) — Sat, 17 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Sullivan County Parks & Recreation Department recently sponsored a photo contest that sought to showcase the landscapes and wildlife at their parks and museums. Photographs could be taken at one of the selected county parks, including:

D&H Canal Interpretive Center and Linear Park, Summitville
Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History, Narrowsburg
Lake Superior State Park, Bethel
Livingston Manor Covered Bridge Park, Livingston Manor
Minisink Battleground Park, Barryville
Stone Arch Bridge Historical Park, Kenoza Lake
Sullivan County Cultural Center, Hurleyville

Photographers could submit up to three photographs. Each photograph would be evaluated on composition, use of light and the artistic presentation of the subject. Chosen photographs would be displayed at the Sullivan County Museum at Hurleyville, and, of those, a select few would also be chosen for display at the Government Center at Monticello.

For the contest I submitted three photographs and I was happy to learn that all three photographs were chosen for the exhibit at the Sullivan County Museum and, of those, one was chosen for the exhibit at the Government Center at Monticello. The photographs at the Sullivan County Museum will be displayed through the end of the summer. Two of the photographs were taken at the Livingston Manor Covered Bridge and one was taken at the Stone Arch Bridge in Kenoza Lake.

The Sullivan County Museum is located at 265 Main Street in Hurleyville. Admission to the museum is free. The Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4:30pm. The Government Center is located at 100 North Street in Monticello.

Standing the Test of Time

Livingston Manor Covered Bridge

The historic Livingston Manor Covered Bridge, formerly known as the Mott Flats Bridge and more recently as the Vantran Bridge, was originally built in 1860 by John Davidson, a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. The bridge was restored to its original beauty in 1984 by the Division of Public Works. The town lattice truss bridge is approximately 17 feet wide and spans 117 feet over the famous Willowemoc Creek. The single lane bridge is open to vehicular traffic and continues to this day as a key river crossing point for the local community.

The original name of the bridge, Mott Flats, came from the Mott family, who owned land around the bridge. John Mott would later grow in to an influential American figure as the founder of the YMCA, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and philanthropist. His original homestead house is located directly adjacent to the bridge.

Autumn at the Stone Arch Bridge

The Stone Arch Bridge, one of the most recognizable sites in Sullivan County, was constructed circa 1873 by Henry and Phillip Hembdt, brothers and recent German immigrants, in order to support the growing commercial needs of the county, particularly farming, timbering and tanning. The three arch bridge crosses the East Branch Callicoon Creek, a major tributary of the Delaware River. The bridge remained open to vehicular traffic until 1955, after which it has since been open to pedestrian traffic only. Today, the bridge serves as the focal point of a 20-acre county park that features a woodland walk, fishing rights, and a kid’s playground. The historic bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Stone Arch Bridge is locally famous for its role in one of the most prominent murder cases in Catskills history. In January 1892 George Markert was brutally murdered at the bridge by Joseph Heidt.

Adam Heidt, Joseph’s father, believed that Markert was a “hexenmeister,” or sorcerer, who possessed supernatural powers, and that he practiced the “black art” of witchcraft. Both Adam and Joseph believed that Markert had placed a hex on Adam Heidt and his family which had led to personal illness, prevented their cows from giving cream, the death of several their cattle, the death of a horse, killed their crops and frustrated business plans. The Heidt’s also believed that Markert’s hex had led to the death of several family members.

Joseph confessed to the crime, but defended himself by claiming self-defense. He testified that he only went to the bridge to have Markert lift the curse off his father. Joseph was convicted of the murder and spent 20 years in prison. Adam Heidt was acquitted, but was committed to an insane asylum the following year.

The Story of Rip Van Winkle

(American Catskills) — Sat, 10 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Story of Rip Van Winkle, a much-condensed version of the original, was first published in Germany. The 8-page pamphlet contained four illustrations, including three that were full-page and one that was half-page. The story, in its shortened attempt, makes occasional errors when compared to the original.

In a small cottage near the town lived Rip Van Winkle. He was known to everybody as an idle, drinking fellow who would never work. While the men and women of the village scolded Rip and told him he ought to be ashamed of himself the boys always shouted with joy when they saw him. Rip was a great hero with the little ones, for he never tired of joining in their games. In fact this was how he would spend the greater part of his time during the day.

Rip had a good dog named Schneider which he was very fond of, and often when the weather was fine he would take his dog with him and go fishing in some stream near by. It happened one day that he fell asleep whilst he was fishing and so he did not get home till very late. At this his wife was very angry and gave him many a cuff. “Ah!” said Rip, “this is no place for me,” so he went off to the village tavern where he knew he would find many friends. Here he sat for a long time relating tales of his dog and his gun.

The Story of Rip Van Winkle (2)

It happened one day that Rip Van Winkle sought relief from his cares and sorrows by going into the mountains. He climbed up to a great height thinking all the time of his sad plight, when he suddenly discovered that the sun had already set and that darkness was fast coming on.

It soon grew quite dark and so poor Rip was unable to find his way back again, for he had strayed many miles that day. As he felt tired he lay down to rest and to wait for the break of day, when he would be able to find his way home once more.

He began thinking of the phantom crew who were supposed to make merry in the mountains at night, when he suddenly heard a voice call from a neighboring hill. “Rip Van Winkle!” He looked all about him but could see nothing except a lonely crow. He was beginning to think he must have been mistaken when he once more heard the voice call out!

“Ho, Rip Van Winkle!” Schneider skulked to his master’s side and just at that moment a man came out from the thicket and beckoned to Rip for help. He was very stout and had very short legs. On his shoulder he carried a keg and this he wanted Rip to carry up the mountain for him. Rip complied and when they were on their way several peals of thunder made the mountain tremble.

Up they clambered until at last the funny stranger halted. Rip cast a quick glance round and beheld many strange little men playing at nine-pins. They did not speak a word but went on rolling the balls which made the noise Rip had thought was thunder. The eyes of these peculiar men were very small but their beards and noses were very long. Each one of them took a glass and filled it to the brim from the keg which Rip had carried up. One queer little man made a sign to Rip and asked him if he would like something to drink. Rip did not stop to think very long, for he was very thirsty indeed and felt he needed a little refreshment.

The Story of Rip Van Winkle (3)

He immediately filled the glass up to the very brim and then drained it. The next thing he did was to stretch himself out on the mossy ground and have a good long sleep, for he felt very tired.

When he awoke he found it was a nice sunny morning and the funny little men who had been playing nine-pins the night before were gone. He straight, rubbed his eyes and looked all around.

“Surely,” said he, “I must have slept all night.” Then he began to wonder what he could say to his wife. “I know she will be very angry,” he murmured to himself. He took up his gun, but strange to say the wood was quite soft and had completely rotted away.

“This is funny” he said to himself, “whatever can have caused my gun to go like that?” Then he raised himself on to his feet and found that his bones and joints were so stiff and sore that he had the greatest difficulty in moving at all. “I must certainly wend my way home at once,” he thought. With a very trembling step he began to wander down the mountain side, but the farther he went the more difficulty he had in walking. Several times he was obliged to stop and rest, but after a very long time of weary journeying he once more found himself in his native town. He looked around and could not understand things at all. Everything seemed to be so different to what it was when he last saw it. He did not know the people in the village, and they, too, did not know him.

Rip Van Winkle was a stranger in his own native place – the place where he had lived so long. He tottered up to his cottage door, and here, too, he found everything different. His poor wife was dead, so she would not be able to be angry with him or scold him any more.

He then made his way, as fast as his poor legs would let him, to the tavern where he had spent so many jolly hours in days gone by. Here he hoped to find some of his old friends. But alas! it was all in vain; he could not find a single face that he knew. All were strange to him.

He next met a youth wo was strolling carelessly along. Rip Van Winkle gazed at him and seemed to recognize in him his own image, but Rip did not know that it was his own darling son whom he had known only when he was very young.

The next thing that drew his attention was a group of little girls who were playing and laughing merrily. He looked into the face of each one of them, hoping to see his own daughter, but although he stood gazing at them for a long time he could not find the dear face he sought for so longingly.

The Story of Rip Van Winkle (4)

At last, however, he discovered that his daughter was the wife of a very rich farmer. When they met she took his hand and looked at him a puzzled sort of way, for she thought her father was dead and never expected to see him on this earth again. She kissed his cheeks and his forehead which were all covered with marks and wrinkles, for Rip Van Winkle was an old and grey headed man now.

Twenty years had passed away since Rip went to sleep on top of the mountain. He had slept through those twenty summers of bright sunshine and those twenty winters of snow, frost and ice. But his love of stories remained. He delighted to gather the village children round him once again, and play with them and tell them tales as he had done so very many times in the days gone by.

He was very fond of telling them about the ninepin game and the little ones would laugh merrily when he related ho the balls made a noise like thunder. They often questioned him about his nap on the mountain and about the crew of funny little men, and he never tired of answering their questions, and joining in their merry laughter. Rip Van Winkle could not forget the drink he had taken on the mountain, for the taste of it all still lingered on his palate.

This always made him very sad, as it reminded him of the twenty beautiful years which he had lost and which he could never recall, however much he might try. Rip continued to hobble about the town for some time, until at last he lay down to that rest from which he will never more awake on this earth.

They buried him in the village churchyard, and many were the tears shed by the lads and lassies whom he loved so much and who never ceased to love him.

When these little ones grew up to be men and women they never tired of telling their own children the story of Rip Van Winkle.

Rip Van Winkle: The Raphael Tuck & Sons Series

(American Catskills) — Sat, 03 May 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Raphael Tuck & Sons was a prominent British publishing and printing company. It was founded by Raphael Tuck and his wife Ernestine in London in 1866. The company would become a very successful merchant of pictures, greeting cards and postcards; and they also played a significant role in the postcard boom of the early 1900s.

After Raphael Tuck retired in 1882 to pursue theological and philosophical work, the firm was operated by his sons. The company operated until 1959, when it merged with two other companies to form the British Printing Corporation, which later changed its name in 1982 to the British Printing & Communications Corporation.

The beautiful Rip Van Winkle series of six cards, no. 992, was published by Raphael Tuck & Sons. The cards were designed in England and printed in Germany. The artist was Joseph Bury.

Many of the six-panel fold-out cards published by Raphael Tuck included advertising on the back and were given away free by local businesses with various purchases. The reverse side of one of the Rip Van Winkle cards includes an advertisement for C. D. Kenny, a tea dealer and coffee roaster.

Rip playing with the Children

Rip and his scolding wife

The game of ninepins in the Mountains

Rip goes to sleep

Rip wakes up after 20 years sleep

Rip returns to the Village and is recognized by his daughter

Rip Van Winkle: Fit the Picture to the Story

(American Catskills) — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Stampkraft Poster Stamp Art Books were a novel new idea in the 1910s that combined reading and art for young children. The Rip Van Winkle version was published in 1916.

Published by the United Art Publishing Company in New York, the Stampkraft books were marketed with a tagline of “fit the picture to the story.” The pages of the book contained a quotation or a summary of a section of the original story. Each book also included an envelope with “poster stamps” that would then be placed within the book on the page opposite the corresponding section of the story. When you were finished, you had a complete, illustrated story.

The Rip Van Winkle story had 12 poster stamps, but other stories were sometimes larger in size, with either 24 stamps, 72 stamps or 168 stamps.

Other Stampkraft books included Robinson Crusoe, Jack and the Bean-Stalk, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Three Bears, Story of Peter Rabbit, Joseph and His Brethren, Mother Goose Rhymes and many more.

Rip and the children. Many years ago, while this country was still under the rule of England, there lived in a village near the Hudson River, a good-natured, simple man named Rip Van Winkle. He was exceedingly lazy and disliked all kinds of work, but on account of his kind heart and good disposition, all the children in the village loved him. He taught them all sorts of games, made toys for them, told them stories, and was always surrounded by a crowd of them wherever he went.

Rip’s cow destroys the cabbages. Owing to his shiftless and lazy ways, Rip had great difficulty in keeping his farm in order, and in making it produce crops. He could not keep the weeds from growing in his garden and choking out the vegetables, and the fences that he built were so badly put together that they always fell to pieces, so that the cow would wander around among the cabbages and destroy them. Thus the large estate that had been his grew smaller and smaller, till there was only a small potato-patch left.

Rip at the Village Inn. Poor Rip was cursed with a sharp-tongued, ill-tempered wife, who made life a burden to him, by constantly scolding and finding fault with his laziness and idleness. From morning until night she complained and quarreled, so that Rip, in order to have peace, was forced to leave the house. With his dog Wolf he would go to the village inn, and sitting on a bench before the door with his friends, would discuss the affairs of the day or listen while the schoolmaster read some interesting bit of news from the paper.

Rip’s wife upbraids him. One fine day, after a particularly severe scolding from his wife, Rip felt he could not stand this sort of life any longer, so taking his gun under his arm and calling his dog, he set off to go squirrel-shooting in the mountains. Even as he left the house, his wife came to the door and called after him that he was an idle good-for-nothing, and had better keep out of her sight. He could hear her voice at the very end of the village street, and was glad to get out of sound of it for a while.

Rip hunting in the mountains. Happy to be free from his nagging wife, Rip and his dog Wolf wandered ever farther up into the mountains. The grass was soft and green, the trees waved to him in welcome, and even the little brook seemed to tinkle a musical greeting to him. Wolf frolicked and romped at his heels as though he, too, were glad to be out in the open with his master, and many a squirrel fell that afternoon, a prey to Rip’s trusty shot-gun.

Rip sees a strange figure. Tired from his long tramp, Rip threw himself down to rest in the shade of a tree, and as he sat there gazing down into the valley, he thought he heard his name called several times. He peered in the direction from which the sound seemed to come, but at first he could see nothing. Looking more closely, however, he could just distinguish in the failing light (for the sun was setting) a strange figure dressed in the old Dutch style, with a high-peaked hat and long beard, carrying a keg of liquor up the mountain-side.

Rip helps the dwarf to carry the keg. Looking curiously at the strange little man with the heavy load, Rip saw him beckon to him to come and help him carry the keg up the mountain. At first he was rather afraid to go, for the stranger’s appearance was certainly peculiar, but he overcame his fear, and Rip and the dwarf took turns at carrying the keg up the steep hill. Every once in a while during the climb Rip would hear peals of what he took to be thunder, and expected to see a heavy storm at any minute. But he said nothing to his companion and they made the ascent in complete silence.

The dwarfs playing nine-pins. At the end of the climb, Rip and his guide entered a small hollow, where he found a company of men playing at nine-pins. They were dressed in the old fashion of a by-gone day and wore tall sugar-loaf hats. They were a most solemn assembly, who never spoke or smiled, but only stopped their game long enough to stare at Rip. His companion opened the keg of liquor and motioned to Rip to serve the company. This he did, and upon tasting the contents himself, found it to be so good that he drank of it several times.

Rip falls asleep. The liquor in the keg, which Rip had found to taste so good, must have been very strong and fiery, for soon afterwards he could feel himself getting drowsy. His eyes refused to stay open, hid head fell on his breast, and finding it useless to try to keep awake any longer, he threw himself down on a soft patch of turf under a tree, and with his dog and gun beside him, he soon fell fast asleep.

Rip’s awakening. When Rip awoke from his sleep, he found himself in the same place where he had seen the dwarfs playing nine-pins. His dog was gone, and beside him lay his gun, now rusty and broken. Although he whistled for Wolf, the latter did not come, so Rip decided to look for him. Upon trying to walk, he found his joints very stiff and concluded he must be rheumatic from sleeping out of doors. With great difficulty he succeeded in making his way down the mountain, but much to his disappointment he did not meet wolf on the road.

Rip’s return to the village. When Rip reached the village, he saw many people, but none whom he knew. The dogs barked at him, the children did not recognize him, and his old home, which had always been so neat, was now in ruins. Looking down at his chest, he found to his surprise that his beard had grown long and gray and that his clothes were in rags. Much disturbed by this and the numerous changes in the village, he wandered on, asking various people whom he met about his old friends, but all those about whom he inquired had been dead for many years.

Rip meets his daughter. At last Rip turned to a young woman in the curious crowd which had gathered around him. Her face and voice were familiar to him, and upon asking her name, he found her to be his own daughter. She was married now although she had been but a little girl when last he saw her. From her, he learned that his wife was dead, and that he, too, had been given up for dead when he disappeared twenty years ago. She was very glad to see her dear father again and took him home to live with her husband and children. There he spent his old age in peace and contentment and never again visited Hendrick Hudson and his band who played nine-pins in the mountains.

Rip Van Winkle, Illustrated by Donald E. Cooke

(American Catskills) — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Folio Club of Philadelphia published a beautifully illustrated version of the classic story Rip Van Winkle in 1946. The book includes 12 illustrations, all of them created by Donald E. Cooke (1916-1985), who was an acclaimed artist, author, illustrator, educator, publisher and journalist.

Cooke was born in the Germantown section of Philadelphia on August 5, 1916, the son of Philip Warren Cooke and Halchen (Mohr) Cooke. He studied at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art. Prior to World War II, Cooke worked as an illustration instructor at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art from 1938 to 1940 and as and art director for the David McKay Company from 1940 to 1941.

Cooke served during World War II as a tech sergeant in the US Army in the Information and Education Division. He was mustered into service on February 8, 1941 at Fort Meade, Maryland, and was discharged on February 9, 1945 at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He was one of the first correspondents for Yank, The Army Weekly, a magazine published by the US Army during World War II.

After World War II, Cooke worked as the art director and managing editor at the John C. Winston Company from 1945 to 1960. Cooke founded, in 1960, his own company called Edraydo Publishers, which later became Haverford House. As a painter, publisher, printer and poet, he wrote more than 30 books and illustrated and designed hundreds of others. He also printed and published books, note cards and limited-edition art prints.

Cooke was an active member of the Philadelphia Book Clinic, the city’s publishing association. In 1985, before his passing, Cooke received the clinic’s “man of the year” award for his more than 40 years of service in the industry. Donald E. Cooke passed away on August 17, 1985 at Bryn Mawr Hospital and is buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Rip Van Winkle included one illustration on the cover and 11 additional illustrations within the story. One of the illustrations was oversized, taking up two complete pages. All the illustrations were untitled but corresponded perfectly to various scenes of the story. Using the Rip Van Winkle story line, I have taken the liberty to title each of the illustrations with a passage from the book.

Rip Van Winkle, written by Washington Irving, and illustrated by Donald E. Cooke

A Little Village, Of Great Antiquity

The Fiery Furnace of Domestic Tribulation

Perpetual Club of the Sages, Philosophers and Other Idle Personages of the Village

He Would Sometimes Seat Himself at the Foot of a Tree

He Was Still More Surprised at the Singularity of the Stranger's Appearance

They Clambered Up a Narrow Gully

A Company of Odd-Looking Personages Playing at Nine-Pins

On Waking, He Found Himself on the Green Knoll

He Found the House Gone to Decay

He Met a Number of People, But None Whom He Knew

Being Arrived At That Happy Age When a Man Can Be Idle With Impunity

Rip Van Winkle Council

(American Catskills) — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Rip Van Winkle Council of the Boy Scouts of America serves the youth of Ulster and Greene counties in the state of New York. The Rip Van Winkle Council is headquartered in Kingston, New York. Camp Tri-Mount, the council’s camp, is a 500-acre camp located in East Jewett, New York.

The Boy Scouts of America, now known as Scouting America, was founded in 1910 with a purpose “to teach patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred values.” It remains one of the largest youth organizations in the United States.

The Kingston Council (#405) of the Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1916, changing its name to the Ulster County Council (#405) in 1919 as the organization continued to grow. The Greene County Council (#766) was founded in 1926. In 1930 the Ulster County Council (#405) and the Greene County Council (#766) merged to form the Ulster-Greene Council (#405). In March 1950, the Ulster-Greene Council changed its name to the Rip Van Winkle Council (#405).

Within the current Rip Van Winkle Council, there are two districts. One is the Algonquin District, which is comprised of Ulster County with the exception of the town of Saugerties. The second is the Mohican District, which is comprised of Greene County plus the town of Saugerties.

By 1919, only three years after its founding, the local council had 283 active scouts in 10 different troops. There were approximately 400,000 members of the Boy Scouts of America in the United States at that time.

The Council Shoulder Patch (CSP) was first introduced by the Boy Scouts of America as official uniform insignia in early 1970s. They are worn on the top of your shirt sleeve to identify your local council. The Jamboree Shoulder Patch (JSP) is a special patch produced by local councils for its members attending a National or World Jamboree.

Each council has its own custom design for its patches that relate to the community in which it operates. Many of the historic patches for the Rip Van Winkle Council feature the beloved Rip Van Winkle character who, according to the story written by Washington Irving, lived in the Catskill Mountains. Rip can be seen on several council patches in the rugged Catskill Mountains in a variety of scenes, including sleeping on the ground, holding his trusty rifle or standing outside his simple home.

Rip Van Winkle Council, NY

Rip Van Winkle Council, B. S. A.

In 2025, it was announced on the council website that the Rip Van Winkle Council would merge with the Twin Rivers Council, and operate under the name of Twin Rivers Council. The Rip Van Winkle Council would become the Rip Van Winkle District. The Twin Rivers Council is based in Albany, New York and would serve, after the merger, 15 counties in northeastern New York.

For more information about the Rip Van Winkle Council, visit their website at www.rvwbsa.org.

Rip Van Winkle: The 1981 Franklin Mint Calendar and Art Medal

(American Catskills) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT

The Rip Van Winkle calendar and art medal was issued in 1981 by the Franklin Mint. The 3-inch bronze medal was designed by Al Fiorentino and modeled by Dominic Angelini, a staff sculptor at the Franklin Mint.

The front of the medal depicts three scenes, including a young Rip Van Winkle walking with his dog Wolf, then an aged, newly awakened Rip Van Winkle sitting on a tree with his trusty rifle after his 20-year nap and lastly an old Rip returning to his home village where he is unrecognized after his long absence.

The reverse side of the medal depicts the calendar for the year 1981, Rip’s trusty rifle, a set of nine-pins, and a “strange figure” carrying a keg of liquor.

Dominic Angelini (1923-2017), sculptor of the Rip Van Winkle medal, was born in Camden, New Jersey to Italian immigrant parents, with his father working as a coal stoker at a factory. Dominic proudly served during World War II after having enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He survived 65 bombing missions as a turret gunner in a B-25 bomber with the 57th Bomb Wing, 487th Squadron. After the war, Dominic worked at the New York Shipyard in Camden, before attending the Hussian School of Art on the GI Bill. He became a designer at Price Brothers Lithograph in Bridgeton designing can labels. In 1979, Dominic went to work for the Franklin Mint in Philadelphia where he designed commemorative coins and sculptures. Dominic passed away in 2017 and is buried at Saint Bridget’s Cemetery in Glassboro, New Jersey.

The Franklin Mint was founded as a private mint in 1964 by Joseph H. Segel (1931-2019) in Wawa, Pennsylvania. The Franklin Mint mass produced and sold collectible items such as coins, medals, jewelry, die-cast vehicles and aircraft, sculpture and much more. The Franklin Mint closed its physical operations in 2003, but continue to exist as an online brand owned by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV).

Abe Minckler: Famous Rattlesnake Catcher

(American Catskills) — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Everybody’s friend Abraham “Abe” Minckler gained a small degree of local fame in the Sullivan County section of the Catskills as a well-known rattlesnake catcher, entertainer and salesman. By around the year 1900, Abe had worked at catching rattlesnakes for over 30 years.

Everybody's Friend, Abe

Abraham Minckler was born on June 21, 1829, the son of John Minckler and Catherine (Post) Minckler. Abe was baptized in July 1829 in Schoharie County, New York. Abe married Claracilla “Clara” E. Ferguson (1835-1912), who was born at Shavertown in Delaware County, New York. Various census records report Abe’s occupation as “farmer.” At around the year 1900, now over 70 years of age, Abe was living at Kellams on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River.

Abe made a living for many years exhibiting the reptiles at fairs and in local towns, selling live snakes to zoos and circuses and selling snake oil and snake skins. The snake skins were often cured to make belts, charms and trophies. Live snakes were worth about 50 to 75 cents each, which were sometimes sold to museums in New York City. The snake oil was thought to be an invaluable painkiller and was used to treat rheumatism, while the snakeskin belts were thought to possess great virtue in the cure of “misery.” Abe had been bitten several times, but always cured himself with an herb remedy created by Joe Geer, the “Rattlesnake Man,” of Long Eddy, who in turn learned the remedy from the Indians.

In the summer of 1899, Abe captured 18 rattlesnakes at Shohola, Pennsylvania. He sought to train the reptiles “until they become partially civilized, then sell them at the highest market price. Since the snake is a foe to man we deem Mr. Minckler worthy of a bounty in removing this evil from the habitations of man. The traveler would do well to cultivate the acquaintance of this wholesale snake dealer. He could undoubtedly furnish material for a good sized snake story.” (Tri-States Union. June 8, 1899.)

In the summer of 1901, at Goshen, New York, “a strange traveler, giving his name as A. Minckler, was the object of interest on Main Street. He makes a specialty of hunting rattlesnakes and has a basket specially prepared for the poisonous reptiles. Upon request he stepped into Hanrahan’s store and showed the snakes. Those he had were large in size, having ten and twelve rattles. He also carried several bottles of rattlesnake oil which he said he sold at $1 an ounce. His outfit consisted of several iron pikes with hooks attached, and also several wooden pieces resembling pike poles. These instruments he used in capturing the snakes. Mr. Minckler left for the mountains, where he expects to spend some time hunting the snakes in their dens.” (The Independent Republican. June 14, 1901.)

In June 1902, a local newspaper noted that Abe had captured 20 rattlesnakes in one week near Hankins, New York. In July 1902 Abe was giving an exhibition of five rattlesnakes and one black snake at Middletown, New York, when he was arrested and then instructed by Captain Brinckerhoff not to give any more street exhibitions.

In August 1901, Abe visited the village of Jeffersonville, New York, where he exhibited four live rattlesnakes that he carried in a box. “He handles the poisonous reptiles fearlessly by stepping on their heads and then catching them by the neck. Minckler says that the common belief that a rattlesnake can jump or strike its length is false; it will, he says, do well to strike a distance of six inches.” (Sullivan County Record. August 22, 1901.)

In October 1902, Abe was at Binghamton, New York, where he exhibited the rattlesnakes “to the curious. He carries them in a tight box with a sliding top, and if bystanders will make up a purse of twenty-five cents he will open the box and handle the snakes, which are rattlers in full possession of their fangs. Perhaps it is due to the cold fall weather, but whatever the reason, the reptiles are quite torpid. When Minckler puts them on the ground the bystanders always scatter, but the rattlers seldom do more than move their heads about as if curious to see what is going on. Minckler, however, never leaves them out long.” (“A. Minckler Catches Snakes for a Living.” Broome Republican. October 25, 1902.) The article also noted that Abe was seemingly wearing the same clothes and black-striped shirt from a previous visit to Binghamton four years prior.

A popular postcard published by the George V. Millar Company of Scranton, Pennsylvania depicted Abe sitting on a folding chair with each foot on a live rattlesnake while he was holding another with his hooked stick. Two skins are draped over his shoulders and six more ore displayed to his right. The sign reads “A. Minckler, Dealer in Snakes, Snake Skins, Snake Oils, Also Ferrets. Snake Bite Cure A Specialty. Kellam, PA.” Minckler seemed “to have no fear of the snakes and handles them as though they were as harmless as kittens.”

The legacy of Abe Minckler lives on through the work of author Clara Gillow Clark who published a book titled Willie and the Rattlesnake King in 1997. The book tells the fictional tale of 13-year-old Willie Bishop as he runs away from hopes of joining a traveling medicine show to team up with snake handler Abraham Minckler, the Rattlesnake King.

Abe Minckler was killed instantly by an Erie train engine near Callicoon Depot on November 21, 1902. Abe was returning from Binghamton where he had sold a box of live rattlesnakes. On the return train trip, Abe got off on a foggy morning at Callicoon Depot, where he began to make his way along the east bound train tracks. An Erie engine, which had been hauling an east bound train, got short of water, left the cars at Rock Run, and made its way to Callicoon for water. In backing up its cars, the train struck Abe, “who evidently was not expecting anything to come from that direction on the east bound track.”

Abe’s funeral was held at Kellams, Pennsylvania, with Reverend Rodney officiating. Abe is buried at Union Cemetery in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife and three sons, as well as two brothers, David of Fremont Center, and Harmon of Middletown.

Alfred S. Landis: The Postcard Artist

(American Catskills) — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Introduction

Alfred S. Landis was one of the most unique and prolific artists in Catskills history. He published nearly 800 artistic postcards that depicted the hotels, resorts, boarding houses and scenery from throughout the four counties of the Catskill region. His beautiful and colorful postcards remain highly sought after collectibles to this day.

Columbia Hotel, South Fallsburg, N. Y.

Background

Alfred S. Landis was born in Pennsylvania in September 1872. The 1900 United States census recorded 27-year-old Landis as living in Manhattan, New York with an occupation of lithographer. The 1905 New York state census recorded Landis is living in Bronx, New York, with an occupation of photographer. In 1910, Landis was living at Montclair, New Jersey; in 1920 and 1930, at West Orange Township, New Jersey; and in 1940, at Bayville, New Jersey; all with an occupation of lithographer. The 1950 United States census recorded Landis as living in Wurtsboro, New York with an occupation of “postcard artist.”

According to Joan Dunn in the Postcards Published by Alfred S. Landis, the earliest postmark date found on a Landis postcard was in August 1919. The postcard was published by the firm of Landis & Alsop, located at 294 Roseville Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. The partnership of Landis & Alsop ended around the late 1920s near the end of the “white border” era of postcards (1915-1930).

There has been a bit of mystery as to the identity of Alsop in the partnership of Landis and Alsop. As mentioned above, the first Landis and Alsop postcard was published around 1919. However, the partnership had created several popular and well-regarded birds-eye view city maps nearly twenty years prior. Examples include New Rochelle (1899), Morristown (1899), Atlantic City (1900), Easton, PA and Phillipsburg, NJ (1900), Binghamton (1901), Allentown (1900), Elmira (1901) and Buffalo (1901). Most of these maps can be viewed online at the Library of Congress website.

All of the maps were published by Landis & Alsop, located at 294 Roseville Avenue in Newark, New Jersey, which matches the address listed for the firm on some of its earliest postcards. In addition, the Atlantic City map contained an advertising reference for a musical song sheet titled “I’ll Love but Thee” with words and music by Charles F. Alsop. The song sheet was published by the Alsop Publishing Company at 294 Roseville Avenue in Newark.

Charles F. Alsop was recorded on his 1896 marriage license with an occupation of “artist,” in the 1910 national census with an occupation of “writer, show card” and in the 1920 census with an occupation of “commercial artist.” He authored several songs, including “Alice, My Darling, My Own” in 1896 and “In Manila Bay” in 1898. “In Manila Bay” was written exclusively for publication in the Philadelphia Press. The piece was written for George Dewey, who was known as the Hero of Manila and was promoted to Admiral of the Navy for winning the battle of Manila Bay with only one American casualty.

After the end of the Landis and Alsop partnership in the late 1920s, Landis then operated independently. A. S. Landis lived in the village of Wurtsboro, New York for approximately 13 years from 1942 to 1955. During these years, the hotel, resort and boarding house industry of the Catskills was at its peak. Hundreds of establishments could be found throughout the countryside and mountains. Landis postcards depicted a wide range of subjects including hotels, motels, resorts, boarding houses, pools, lakes, landscapes, waterfalls and rural scenes.

Upon agreement with a business owner, Landis would visit their establishment to sketch the buildings, landscape, roads and resort activities. With this sketch, Landis would return to his studio at Wurtsboro, where he would paint a picture as if he were looking down on the business from the air. When complete, the original painting would be presented to the owner of the establishment, while postcards of the painting were manufactured to be given to guests and used as marketing.

Jim Landis, grandson of Alfred Landis, described the artistic process of his grandfather. “In order to get his unusual and interesting perspective he would venture to hillsides and rooftops and even carried a ladder with him for an extra few feet. These different perspectives and an excellent imagination were the perfect combination to produce the “Bird’s-Eye View” that is his trademark.

[He would paint] directly onto a canvas held by an easel while he was at the site of the subject . . . Alfred would take countless photos from all sorts of angles and positions to get the full perspective for his art work. The photos were then pieced together like a puzzle to form the basis for the painting.

Needless to say, most of the paintings were not scaled. It would have been impossible to get the entire subject into a painting if the scale was accurate. Ball fields, playgrounds, casinos, additional rooms, buildings in progress and even buildings not yet built were “squeezed in” so that the potential guest would be able to see all the resort had to offer. Beach access, water access and what is offered all in one neat postcard. The resort owners loved this.

Usually, the original painting was displayed in the hotel. That was part of the package that Alfred sold. Alfred sold the framed painting along with the postcards to the owners. The owners would proudly display the painting and that led to selling more postcards.” (Landis, Jim. “The Magic of Alfred Landis.” Postcards Published by Alfred S. Landis. Wurtsboro, NY: Half Moon Postcard Club, 2007.)

The resulting postcards were unique in their style, and were unlike any other postcards that had been previously produced for the Catskills market. Most of the postcards utilized a healthy use of color in making Landis’ signature “birds-eye view” come to life. They made each hotel, motel, resort and boarding house a fun, inviting place to spend your vacation.

Landis was married to Florence Day Landis. He was a dedicated member of the Dutch Reformed Church of Mamakating for many years. After his time in Wurtsboro, Landis retired to Daytona Beach, Florida, where he continued to paint and published a small number of postcards. Landis lived at Daytona Beach from 1956 until his passing in August 1960. Both Alfred and Florence are buried at Rosedale Cemetery in Orange, New Jersey.

Postcards

The Half Moon Postcard Club of Wurtsboro, New York published a first edition reference guide in 1994 that detailed all the known postcards published by Landis. The guide, titled Postcards Published by Alfred S. Landis – “Birds-Eye View Artist", was updated as a second edition in 2007.

The updated 2007 guide lists 1,056 postcards published by Landis, which includes 838 from the state of New York, 171 from New Jersey, 8 from Pennsylvania, 6 from Florida, 2 from Connecticut and 1 from Virginia.

Of the 838 postcards from New York, 790 were from the four counties of the Catskills, including 535 from Sullivan County, 160 from Ulster County, 69 from Greene County and 26 from Delaware County.

In Delaware County, locations of the Landis postcards include Arkville (3), Fleischmanns (20), Grand Gorge (1), Margaretville (1) and Stamford (1).

In Greene County, locations include Acra (2), Cairo (3), Catskill (3), East Durham (3), East Windham (2), Greenville (5), Haines Falls (5), Hensonville (2), Hunter (5), Leeds (2), Lexington (1), Maplecrest (1), Palenville (9), South Cairo (1), Tannersville (6), Windham (18). There is also one card listed for Stamford that should be in the Delaware County section.

In Ulster County, locations include Accord (9), Allaben (1), Big Indian (3), Ellenville (82), Greenfield Park (36), Hurley (1), Kerhonkson (6), Lake Katrine (1), Mount Tremper (1), Napanoch (2), New Paltz (1), Phoenicia (2), Pine Hill (2), Saugerties (2), Spring Glen (3), Ulster Heights (1), Ulster Park (1) and Wawarsing (6).

In Sullivan County, locations include Bushville (3), Dairyland (1), Fallsburg (16), Ferndale (47), Fosterdale (8), Glen Wild (4), Greenfield (2), Hurleyville (20), Jeffersonville (1), Kauneonga Lake (8), Kenoza Lake (4), Kiamesha Lake (26), Lake Huntington (5), Liberty (6), Livingston Manor (36), Loch Sheldrake (57), Monticello (49), Mountaindale (25), Narrowsburg (1), North Branch (1), Parksville (46), Rock Hill (4), Roscoe (3), South Fallsburg (63), Summitville (3), Swan Lake (31), Westbrookville (4), White Lake (6), White Sulpher Springs (7), Woodbourne (17), Woodridge (24), Wurtsboro (4) and Youngsville (3).

As seen from the above, the most popular location for Landis to work was Ellenville, with 82 postcards. Other popular locations included South Fallsburg, with 63 postcards; Loch Sheldrake, with 57 postcards; Monticello, with 49 postcards; Ferndale with 47 postcards; Parksville, with 46 postcards; Livingston Manor with 36 postcards; and Greenfield Park, with 36 postcards.

Since the publication of the 2007 guide with 1,056 Landis postcards, technology has improved significantly, leading to the discovery of additional Landis postcards which are readily found on the internet and on various auction and postcard websites. My personal collection includes a number of Landis postcards that are not included in the guide. If the guide were to be updated, it would be interesting to see how many more Landis postcards were published.

Landis published his postcards from several different locations during his long career including

Landis and Alsop, 294 Roseville Avenue, Newark, New Jersey
Landis and Alsop, 332 Park Avenue, Newark, New Jersey
A. S. Landis, Beachwood, New Jersey
A. S. Landis, Bayville, New Jersey
A. S. Landis, Wurtsboro, New York
A. S. Landis, Wurtsboro, New York and Daytona Beach, Florida
A. S. Landis, Route 1, Box 25, Daytona Beach, Florida

These addresses are listed in chronological order to assist with the dating of postcards.

Gallery

I have only recently started to collect postcards published by Alfred S. Landis. I had previously focused my collecting mostly on Catskills photography, but there was something different, something unique about the Landis postcards that I decided to begin collecting them as well.

I have now acquired over 90 Landis postcards, which are all available for viewing from the “Alfred S. Landis” link on the “Gallery” page. I am focused mostly on collecting the Landis postcards from the four counties of the Catskills region, but am expanding my collection as postcards from the other states become available. A few of the Landis Catskills postcards are featured here.

Grand View Hotel, Hurleyville, Sull. Co., N. Y.

High View Mountain House, Roscoe, Sull. Co., N. Y.

Hollywood Country Club, Livingston Manor, N. Y.

Murphy's Hotel, Grand Gorge, N. Y.

Paradise Farm, Cuddebackville, Sullivan Co., N. Y.

Silver Valley House, Arkville, N. Y.

William C. North: The Man Who Photographed Emily Dickinson

(American Catskills) — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Introduction

William C. North holds a special place in photographic history. He was one of the pioneer photographers of Cleveland and made many of the oldest daguerreotypes in the city. He was a frequent prize winner at county and state fairs and achieved widespread recognition for his daguerreotypes, ambrotypes and stereoscopic views. He took famous photographs of Emily Dickinson, John D. Rockefeller and Henry Ward Beecher, among many other dignitaries. His photographic works can be found in museums across the country, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City, Missouri); the George Eastman Museum (Rochester, New York); and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (Fort Worth, Texas).

Biography

William C. North was born in Saugerties, New York on April 6, 1816. He was the son of Benjamin North (1779-1848) and Hannah (Mosier) North (1778-1865). Benjamin served during the War of 1812 with Captain Louis Bevier’s company. William was a direct descendent of John North, who sailed from London at the age of 20 and landed at Boston on April 16, 1635.

An 1858 advertisement noted that William had “practiced this beautiful art for the last fourteen years,” meaning his photographic career began circa 1844 or 1845. William can be found at the city Poughkeepsie, New York beginning circa July 1845. He located his photographic rooms at Miss Schoonmaker’s private boarding house at 25 Cannon Street.

By September 1845, while still at Poughkeepsie, William had moved his gallery to 251 1/2 Main Street, four doors from Market Street. William joined with L. M. Ives to form the partnership of North & Ives. Ives was “a young gentleman who received instruction some two years since of Professor Plumbe, or Broadway, N. Y., and who has been a recent pupil of Mr. Gurney, and received from him a perfect knowledge of the late improvements in the art. He is also an Artist by profession, and understands the manner of blending colors more perfectly than any one can who has not been instructed in the art of painting, and will therefore pay particular attention to coloring.”

The partnership of North & Ives, Daguerreian artists, was next located at Hudson, New York from circa November 1845 to early 1846. Their photographic rooms were located in the Post Office building on Warren Street. The local newspaper reported in February 1846 that the rooms of North & Ives “have been thronged by our citizens, anxious to procure their most perfect Likenesses. Their work is most perfect in the art; too true to nature for such as desire a shade of flattery – they present the face as it is; not always as its wearer might wish . . . Such of our ladies and gentlemen as have not availed themselves of the skill of these gentlemanly artists, we advise to examine their prices. We have never seen truer Likenesses than at their rooms . . .”

By the summer of 1846, William was working on his own again, now at Springfield, Massachusetts. His Daguerrean Gallery was located at No. 8 Fountain Row, opposite the Alden House. In October 1846, while still at Springfield, William appears to have taken a partner to establish the firm of North & James. The partnership was recognized for their daguerreotypes at the exhibition of the Hampden Agricultural Society on October 7 and 8, 1846. “The committee were pleased to see in the exhibition so many good Daguerreotype miniatures. Beautiful pictures were exhibited, executed both by Mr. North, now Messrs. North & James, also by Mr. Cooley. We saw no difference in the pictures as regards merit. Were we to make our choice, one would be as acceptable as the other. Much praise we think is due to them both for their truthful likenesses.”

Circa December 1846 to March 1847, William was located at Amherst, Massachusetts. It was during this time that William took a now famous daguerreotype of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), who was then just a 16-year-old girl, but was later recognized as one of the great American poets. It is the only confirmed photograph of Dickinson. For more information about the interesting history of the Dickinson daguerreotype, see “Lost and Found: Emily Dickinson’s Unknown Daguerreotypist” by Mary Elizabeth Kromer Bernhard.

William’s next stop, by March 29, 1847, was Greenfield, Massachusetts. His gallery, open from 8am to 6pm, was located on Main Street, opposite Davis’s Hall. He remained at Greenfield until circa May 18, 1847. Although William only remained at Greenfield for a short time, his photographs were highly admired. “Mr. North, the Daguerreotype Artist now in town, has taken a most perfect likeness of the old Indian house in Deerfield. Even the prints of the axe can be seen upon the door. He has also taken a view of Doctor Hovey’s building, which is a beautiful one. The likenesses he takes are the most perfect of any that we have ever seen taken by the daguerreotype apparatus. He has taken those of a large number of our citizens, which have given great satisfaction. He will remain in town a short time longer. Those who wish a correct likeness of themselves, or friends, would do well to give him a call at his rooms, opposite Davis’ Hall.” (Gazette & Courier. May 11, 1847.)

Between May 1847 and circa November 1847, William was located at Brattleboro, Vermont. His gallery was located on Main Street, one door south of the Post Office. During the Windham County Agricultural Fair in October 1847, “the daguerreotypes by Mr. North were much and justly admired, as equal to the best productions of the art.” (Vermont Phoenix. October 7, 1847.)

By early 1848, William had relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where he would open a gallery at 142 Washington Street, with his residence at the Marlboro Hotel. William is recorded in Boston city directories in both 1848 and 1849. While there, William advertised a “New & Important Discovery. A chemical mixture, prepared and sold by W. C. North, 142 Washington Street, Boston. It produces perfect life-like Daguerreotype Miniatures.” (The Galaxy. April 11, 1848.)

Between 1848 and 1850, North also maintained a studio in Rondout, New York. William’s nephew, Walter C. North, would begin to assist at the Rondout studio in 1850. William was recorded on the 1850 national census as living in “Kingston village” with an occupation of “artist.”

William North left Rondout for Ohio in 1850, and briefly lived in Oberlin, but quickly moved on to Cleveland, where he opened his Daguerrean Rooms in October 1850 at the Dunham House. Almost immediately William made a good impression on the citizens of Cleveland with his artistic skill. A Cleveland newspaper reported on October 29 that William’s “skill as an artist is of the highest order, as all must admit who have seen his pictures. He does not color them as artists generally do, but makes them rich and lifelike as the most elegant steel engraving, with sunlight and chemicals alone.” (Morning Daily True Democrat. October 29, 1850.)

Emily Dickinson, half length portrait, circa 1846-1847. Amherst College Digital Collections.

Portrait of a Young Woman. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Portrait of a Young Woman, Seated. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Portrait of a Seated Young Woman. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Portrait of a Young Man with a Thick Chin Beard. The J. Paul Getty Museum.

In late November 1850, William purchased the Cleveland daguerreotype gallery of G. W. Tilton, at the Melodeon building on Superior Street. In 1851, William won the First Premium prize at the Ohio State Fair and was “acknowledged by the public to be the best Daguerrean Artist in Cleveland.” Circa January 1852, William opened a branch gallery at Ohio City, near Folsom’s store, but this gallery only lasted for one year, when it was taken over by E. Greenwood. In 1854, William was awarded three First Premium prizes at the Ohio State Fair for his daguerreotypes and mezzographs.

In circa 1856, William sold his Cleveland gallery to his nephew Walter C. North, who had been operating his own gallery at Mansfield, Ohio. William moved in early 1857 to Buffalo, New York, where he opened a “new fine art gallery” at 324 Main Street, a few doors above the American Hotel. The gallery would also become known as “North’s First Premium Fine Art Gallery” after William was awarded First Premium prizes for both Daguerreotypes and Ambrotypes at the New York State Fair of 1857.

By early 1858, William established a partnership with Jefferson T. Upson (1829-1870) at Buffalo. Upson had previously worked for William at both Buffalo and Cleveland. They continued to operate at 324 Main Street. In December 1858, William returned to Cleveland, where he bought his former photograph gallery back from his nephew Walter. Upson continued to operate the Buffalo gallery on his own.

Circa 1857-1858, William took a photograph of 18-year-old John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), who was then working as a bookkeeper in Cleveland. It is the earliest known photograph of Rockefeller, who would grow to become one of the great titans of American business and industry. Rockefeller began his own business in 1859, built his first oil refinery in 1863, and established the Standard Oil company in 1870, which revolutionized the emerging petroleum industry. Rockefeller chose this photograph to be the frontispiece of his autobiography, Random Reminiscences of Men and Events, published in 1909 when he was 70 years old.

In February 1862, William photographed Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), one of the most famous ministers of the 19th century. Beecher had given a lecture at the Melodeon building in Cleveland on February 26, 1862. William produced a carte de visite of Beecher and offered “elegant ones just taken and finished in the best style” for sale at his studio on 205 Superior Street.

In February 1862, William joined with Christian F. Schwerdt (1836-1908) to establish the firm of North & Schwerdt. North would take the photographs and, if customers desired, Schwerdt would create a colored photograph, which often took on the appearance of an oil painting. The Cleveland Leader described the portrait of Honorable F. T. Backus in 1865. “This portrait is from the studio of North and Schwerdt, of this city, and is properly a colored photograph, although it seems a painting. The face is first thrown upon canvas by a camera, and the contour is thus obtained with distinctness, when the brush follows with the life-like coloring. Perhaps it is safe to say that less skill is required in the artist to produce a portrait like this, that is demanded for the execution of the “old school” portrait, for Nature co-operates with the artist; but certain it is, that a more correct likeness is insured. The portrait in question has caught Mr. Backus’ happiest expression, and fixed it on the canvas with perfect fidelity.” (Cleveland Leader. March 15, 1865.) The partnership of North & Schwerdt lasted for approximately 3 1/2 years until October 1865.

In February 1867, William moved his gallery from Brainard’s Hall to No. 211 Superior Street on the Marble Block. “The new place has been elegantly fitted up. Its reception room is unexcelled by any in town, in the beauty of its appointments. The operating rooms are very large, and the apparatus connected therewith is of the most improved and perfect character, enabling him to take the very best of pictures.” (The Evening Post. February 5, 1867.)

Portrait, Man in Suit and Bowtie. Author's collection.

Portrait, Man in Suit. Author's collection.

Reverend SchullerAuthor's collection.

Reverend Schuller. Author's collection.

Portrait, Woman with Curly Hair. Author's collection.

W. C. North, Photographer, 211 Superior Street, Cleveland, Ohio. Author's collection.

W. C. North, Photographer, 211 and 213 Superior Street, Cleveland, Ohio. Author's collection.

In May 1876, William modernized his gallery by “making extensive alteration and improvements, by which he is now possessed of all the latest and most valuable accessories known to the business. His operating rooms have been provided with new sky-lights and side lights, many choice adjuncts in the way of scenic and variously shaded backgrounds, and adjustable screens, which render it possible to produce almost any effect which is desired. He has also introduced new and improved cameras – one of which is the largest made – and other mechanical attachments, which gives him a decided advantage over most of our other artists.” (Cleveland Leader. May 20, 1876.)

William joined with Edward A. Stein to establish the partnership of North & Stein in November 1878. The gallery continued to operate at North’s previous location at 211 Superior Street. In September 1879, the partnership of North & Stein was dissolved, with William retiring from the photograph business and Stein continuing with the business under the firm name of National Photographic Gallery. William, who had previously served on the Cleveland city council, thereafter devoted himself to civic activities.

William married Leila Allen in 1841, but she died a year later in 1842. From this marriage, their son Allen C. North (1842-1882) was born. Allen served as a drummer boy during the Civil War and was later a member of the Cleveland Grays. Allen was a leading photographer at Toledo, Ohio until his death by suicide in 1882.

William remarried in 1849 to Anna J. Mahan (1829-1911), the eldest daughter of Reverend Asa Mahan, the first president of Oberlin College. Anna graduated from Oberlin College in 1848 with A. B. degree, the first woman to receive the A. B. degree for the full classical course of study. She was prominent in philanthropic work in Cleveland, including working with the Humane Society and the Associated Charities, as well as serving for over 40 years on the board of managers of Lakeside Hospital.

William Case North passed away at his home on Jennings Avenue in Cleveland on March 9, 1890. Upon his passing, it was written that “Christianity was to him more than a matter of profession; it was a matter daily living, and his belief found exemplification in his kindly spirit, his generous nature and his earnest efforts to assist the poor and needy. He was a very charitable man and no tale of sorrow or distress was ever told to him in vain. Many who knew him have reason to bless his memory for his timely assistance in the hour of need. He remained for many years an interesting figure in the life of Cleveland, and wherever known he was honored and esteemed.” Funeral services were held at his home, with Reverend W. C. Endly officiating. William is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland.

John Jacob Loeffler in the Catskills – Part 2

(American Catskills) — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 13:00:00 GMT

This week’s post is a continuation from last week, where I posted a series of recently acquired Catskills stereoviews published by photographer John Jacob Loeffler. I had acquired 39 new stereoviews, 20 of which were published last week, and the remaining 19 are included here.

They have all been added to the Loeffler gallery, which now contains nearly 200 of his photographs, 165 of which are from the Catskills. To access the gallery, click on the “Historic Photo Gallery” tab, and then navigate to John Jacob Loeffler.

3rd Series, #279_View from Piazza of Laurel House

3rd Series, #287_In the Cauterskill Clove towards Prospect Mountain

4th Series, #293_Burger's Hotel, Palensville

4th Series, #295_Pine Grove House, Palensville

4th Series, #296_Pine Grove House, Palensville

4th Series, #304_Looking down the stream from Palensville Bridge

4th Series, #308_Artists Grotto, Palensville

4th Series, #309_Artists Grotto, Palensville

4th Series, #311_Bowlder above Artists Grotto, Palensville

4th Series, #313_View in the Cauterskill Clove, near Mason's

4th Series, #315_Triton Cave, Haines Ravine

4th Series, #317_Shelving Rock Fall, Haines Ravine

4th Series, #319_View in Haines Ravine

4th Series, #319_View in Haines Ravine

5th Series, #327_version 1_Upper Cascade (side view), Haines Ravine

5th Series, #334_The Lemon Squeezer, South Mountain

5th Series, #339_Bowlder on South Moutain

5th Series, #351_Picnic Rock, Stone Clove

5th Series, #353_Picnic Rock, Stony Clove

6th Series, #365_The Overlook Mountain House from Hopper Rock

John Jacob Loeffler in the Catskills – Part 1

(American Catskills) — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 13:00:00 GMT

John Jacob Loeffler is one of the great Catskills photographers of all time. He made hundreds of stereoviews of the Catskills throughout the 1870s and 1880s. The photographs, part of the series titled Catskill Mountain Scenery, demonstrate his skill and vision as well as the timeless beauty of the Catskills, being equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

I have recently acquired nearly 40 new Catskills stereoviews that were published by John Jacob Loeffler. They have all been added to the Loeffler gallery, which now contains nearly 200 of his photographs, 165 of which are from the Catskills. To access the gallery, click on the “Historic Photo Gallery” tab, and then navigate to John Jacob Loeffler.

Twenty of the new stereoviews are highlighted here this week, and the remaining will be published in next week’s post.

1st Series, #208, version 2_Looking down from the Spray House

1st Series, #209_Looking down from the Spray House

1st Series, #213_The Lake

1st Series, #213, version 1_The Lake

1st Series, #214, version 1_View from North Mountain

1st Series, #220_Fawn's Leap (Looking down)

1st Series, #222, version 1_Fawn's Leap

1st Series, #222, version 1_Fawn's Leap

2nd Series, #231_The Spray House

2nd Series, #231_The Spray House

2nd Series, #235_Rapids above the Fall, looking down the stream

2nd Series, #239_Wood Path from Laurel House to the Falls

2nd Series, #241_Platform at the head of the Steps

2nd Series, #245, version 1_Cauterskill Fall, from upper Steps

2nd Series, #246_Round Top from the Steps

2nd Series, #247, version 1_Path behind the Falls, and overhanging Rocks

2nd Series, #254, version 1_In the Ravine

2nd Series, #258_In the Ravine

2nd Series, #259_In the Ravine

2nd Series, #259_In the Ravine

3rd Series, #263_Glen Mary

3rd Series, #263_Glen Mary

3rd Series, #264_The Sphynx

3rd Series, #264_The Sphynx

3rd Series, #266_From Sphynx, looking toward Haines'

3rd Series, #268_North Mountain, from Tannersville Road

Crazy Horse Memorial

(American Catskills) — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The monument is being carved out of Thunderhead Mountain, now also referred to as Crazy Horse Mountain. It is located approximately 16 miles from Mount Rushmore.

Crazy Horse Memorial

Crazy Horse Memorial, South Dakota

Crazy Horse Memorial

The memorial depicts Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, one of the most recognized Native Americans of the 1800s. On June 17, 1876, with more than 1,200 warriors, Crazy Horse helped defeat General George Crook at the Battle of the Rosebud. Eight days later, on June 25, 1876, Crazy Horse led a band of Lakota warriors against the Seventh U.S. Cavalry Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel George Custer. The battle would become known as the Battle of Little Bighorn, but is also referred to as Custer’s Last Stand or the Battle of the Greasy Grass. At the end of the battle, Custer was dead, along with 9 of his officers and 280 of his enlisted men. One year later after the Battle of Little Big Horn, in 1877, Crazy Horse was killed by a military guard at Fort Robinson, Nebraska.

The Crazy Horse memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Bear (1874-1953), a Lakota elder, and was to be sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski (1908-1982). The memorial has been in progress since 1948, with much work still remaining. The final dimensions of the sculpture are planned to be 641 feet long and 563 feet high, which would make it the largest sculpture in the world when completed.

For more information visit the Crazy Horse Memorial website at www.crazyhorsememorial.org.

Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church, South Dakota

(American Catskills) — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The congregation of the Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church in South Dakota was originally organized on July 25, 1916 by Dr. William Wallace, the district missionary. Reverend G. W. Campbell, the pastor at Interior, through his “persistent labors,” also assisted in organizational efforts. Upon its founding, it was reported that “the new organization, which begins life with twelve members, will minister to a large community of ranchers who have no religious services except those afforded by Big Foot Pass Church.”

The Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church building was constructed in 1927 and dedicated on November 13, 1927. The church was located about half way between the town of Quinn and the town of Interior. Services were originally held in the school house, but the congregation grew to such a size that it was decided that its own church building was required.

On the day of the dedication, Reverend M. T. Rainier, from Belvidere, South Dakota, gave the morning sermon, while Reverend Johnson, from Aberdeen, South Dakota, gave the dedication sermon in the afternoon. A picnic lunch was served at noon. Reverend W. O. Howard was in his second years of serving as the permanent pastor.

Funding for the church was raised through several auction sales, for which friends of the church donated everything from “fancy work” to mules, all of which was auctioned off to the highest bidder. Most of the building was constructed with volunteer labor, with “the pastor doing his bit with the rest.” The church had a seating capacity for 150 people. There were approximately 50 active members at the time of the church’s construction.

Big Foot Pass was named for Chief Spotted Elk, who was also known as Big Foot. He was killed in 1890, along with at least 150 members of his tribe, at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.

Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church is now located at the historic 1880 Town in Midland, South Dakota.

1880 Town at Midland, South Dakota

(American Catskills) — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic 1880 Town is located along Interstate 90 at the town of Midland, South Dakota. It offers a charming step back in time with more than 30 original buildings and thousands of unique relics.

1880 Town

Scene from the Old West

Dakota Hotel

Culpepper Saloon

The original name of the town was Two Strike after the historical Lakota leader. His name Two Strike was earned when, during battle, he knocked two members of the Ute tribe off their horses with a single blow of his war club.

The original 1880 Town got its start in 1972 through the work of Clarence Hullinger (1915-2012) and his son Richard Hullinger. A movie production company had come to the region to make an 1880s western film and created an Old West main street through a fictional western town. The site chosen for the town was on Hullinger’s land. The movie project was abandoned before filming began and the movie company gave Clarence Hullinger the buildings, which were then moved to the current site of the 1880 Town.

Most of the buildings are from the 1880 to 1920 era and have been transported from communities around South Dakota to 1880 Town in order to provide a close-to-realistic western experience. Buildings include the Culpepper Saloon, the Wells Fargo & Co. Express Office, the Potter County Jail (1896), the Everett Zaugg Blacksmith shop, Gregory National Bank, the Chicago & North Western Depot (1886), the Longhorn Saloon, the Big Foot Pass Presbyterian Church, the St. Stephen’s Church (1915), among many others. The Dakota Hotel, built in 1910, was moved from Draper, South Dakota to 1880 Town. A quarter-mile from the town is a homestead site which includes a small home, barn, corrals and a windmill.

Everett Zaugg Blacksmith

Emporium

Homestead Barn

Grazing

The Vanishing Prairie Museum includes a tribute to Casey Tibbs (1929-1990), a 9-time World Champion Rodeo Cowboy, including All-Around Champion Cowboy titles in 1951 and 1955. Tibbs is considered by many to be the greatest bronc rider of all time. He was inducted into Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. The tribute contains a variety of memorabilia from his career including saddles, belt buckles, jackets and hats as well as photographs, sculptures and event advertisements.

The 1880 Town is located on Interstate 90, 22 miles west of Murdo, South Dakota and about 60 miles east of Wall, South Dakota. Visit the 1880 Town website at www.1880town.com for more information.

Carhenge: Built with Blood, Sweat and Beers

(American Catskills) — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Carhenge, located near the city of Alliance, Nebraska, is an inventive replica of Stonhenge in England, but made with cars.

The sculpture was created by James Reinders (1927-2021), who graduated from high school in Alliance, served with the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific, attended the University of Nebraska with an engineering major and went on to work in the oil industry for over three decades. He had become familiar with Stonehenge while living in London for seven years.

According to Carhenge website, it “was built as a memorial to Reinders’ father who once lived on the farm where Carhenge now stands. While relatives were gathered following the death of Reinders’ father in 1982, the discussion turned to a memorial and the idea of a Stonehenge replica was developed. The family agreed to gather in five years and build it. The clan, about 35 strong, gathered in June of 1987 and went to work. The dedication was held on the Summer Solstice in 1987 with champagne, poetry, songs, and a play written by the family.”

Reinders purchased most of the cars in Alliance. Models include a 1943 Plymouth Savoy, 1945 Jeep Willys, 1956 Buick Roadmaster Deluxe, 1957 Cadillac Eldorado, 1965 Ford Thunderbird, 1971 Chevrolet Nova, a 1976 American Motors Gremlin and many others. To avoid ground contamination Reinders drained all the oil and gasoline from all the vehicles before construction. Several foreign cars were originally included in the installation, but were later taken away and ritually buried.

The spacing and height of the 39 vehicles is nearly identical to Stonehenge. The circle measures approximately 96 feet in diameter. Some of the cars are held upright in pits five feet deep, trunk end down. The cars used to form the arches have been welded into place. All the cars are covered with battleship gray paint. The heel stone is depicted by a 1962 Cadillac.

Construction on the project began on June 13, 1987 and took about a week. Once complete the family held a christening ceremony which included one last meal together and they sang a tribute to the building of Carhenge written by Veronica Cook to the tune of “On Top of Old Smokey.” A bottle of champagne was smashed against the ambulance in the center of the circle of cars. Family members joked that the christening of Carhenge included a sacrifice, i.e. “we all sacrificed our vacations to get this thing built.” The family would also joke that Carhenge was built with “blood, sweat and beers.”

There was a sign created for the roadway made of hubcaps, license plates, car ornaments and chrome bumpers. Access was originally restricted to the roadside, and visitors would not be able to come on the property for a closer look. Reinders commented in local newspapers that it was not his intent to create a tourist attraction.

Although Carhenge is widely beloved now, this was not the case in the early days after it was first constructed. Some local neighbors complained that it was eyesore. The city of Alliance charged Reinders with zoning violations, claiming that the site of Carhenge was within city limits and that it violated the required agricultural use of the land. The state of Nebraska then claimed that the creation was in violation of the state’s junkyard laws, which required the cars be located in a zoned industrial area and that the cars be screened from the view of the traveling public. In time, public sentiment grew in favor of letting Carhenge remain, and these issues were resolved. Carhenge would go on to become a popular tourist attraction drawing thousands of visitors to the region every year.

The creation of Carhenge and the ensuing controversy made national news. Newspapers, magazines and television shows all covered the story. Reporters and photographers were sent to northwest Nebraska to see the site for themselves. James Reinders was profiled numerous times, with one of the most frequent questions being “why?”

On August 21, 2017, 30 years after its creation, Carhenge hosted over 4,000 people, including Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and creator James Reinders, for the total solar eclipse that was crossing the country. Carhenge was located within the path of totality, which lasted for 2 minutes and 28 seconds. In all, it took 21 minutes for the total solar eclipse to move through the state. Nebraska will not see another total solar eclipse until the year 2106. Reinders has stated that he was not aware of the total solar eclipse when Carhenge was first constructed.

Another car art installation on the Carhenge property is titled “The Fourd Seasons,” which was inspired by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. The installation is meant to suggest Nebraska’s seasonal changes when wheat is planted, grows, matures and the field lies barren during a windy winter. It is constructed out of four Ford cars.

Other sculptures on the property include Dino the Dinosaur, constructed by Merle Stone of Hemingford, Nebraska, and the Spawning Salmon, created by Geoff Sandhurts of Canada.

Although never completed, Jim Reinders had other ideas for additional car art installations. They included plans for Caramid, a scale model of the Great Pyramid at Gaza, done in cars, and a 100-foot segment of the Great Wall of China, made of cars.

Reinders donated Carhenge and the 10 acres of grounds to the Friends of Carhenge, a local group of dedicated people who preserved and maintained it until October of 2013 when it was then gifted to the City of Alliance.

Today, Carhenge continues to attract thousands of visitors each year. It has appeared in several Hollywood movies and is one of the most photographed sites in the state of Nebraska. Admission to the grounds is free. A visitor center called “The Pit Stop” was constructed on the property in 2007. Carhenge is open year-round from dawn to dusk. Visit their website at www.carhenge.com for more information.

Ghost Town at Scenic, South Dakota

(American Catskills) — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 12:00:00 GMT

“Every town in the Badlands had its characters, but in Scenic the characters had a town.” – Reflections of the Badlands by Philip S. Hall

The abandoned ghost town of Scenic, South Dakota is located along Route 44 near the western edge of Badlands National Park, approximately 50 miles from Rapid City, and seven miles north of the Pine Ridge Reservation boundary line. The town, established circa 1906, took its name for its location in a broad basin surrounded by the “scenic” Badlands.

Early Days at Scenic

The town of Scenic was originally founded as a farming and ranching town. In 1907, a year after its founding, a traveler through Scenic noted that the town consisted of nothing more than “a box car for a depot, section house, a tent and a – saloon.” The town would soon change.

Ab Jefferson, the town’s first businessman, built the first building at Scenic, “which was a tar paper shack located on the south side of the railroad track.” This building was “the 1st grocery store and became a place where all could get together at the end of the day.” Jefferson operated the saloon and soon after added a store, a restaurant and a hotel. As would become a common theme for Scenic, Jefferson was arrested in those early days “for the sale of intoxicating liquors” to Native Americans, which was then against the law. Prior to moving to Scenic, Jefferson had established a ranch at the southwest base of Sheep Mountain Table, but was ruined in 1905 when a spring blizzard pushed his cattle off the edge of the table.

By 1907 a grocery store had been built at Scenic by Len Anderson, which was quickly followed by a mercantile store, two restaurants, a pool hall, a barbershop, a bank building, a printing office, a drugstore and the establishment of a post office. Soon thereafter, with the arrival of the Milwaukee Railroad, came a school, two churches, more stores, livery barns, blacksmith shops, a dance hall, a theater and a newspaper by the name of the Scenic Observer. By the 1920s Scenic had a population of 250 people and the town had become a trade center for farmers, ranchers and homesteaders in the surrounding region.

The Congregational Church was organized in 1906/1907 by a group of homesteaders. The congregation originally met in people’s homes to worship, until the first church building was built in 1909. The church was located 7 1/2 miles from Scenic on Kube Table. By 1911 there were 19 members and the first minister was Joabez Spitelli. The church building was moved from Kube Table to the town of Scenic in 1914.

Over time, and as tourism developed, the town then historically served as a stopping point for travelers making their way from Rapid City to the Badlands. However, once the new highway was built, there was little reason for travelers to come this way, and eventually little reason for the people who lived there to stay.

Characters and Other Odd Events

All sorts of characters have found their way to Scenic, including trappers, homesteaders, farmers, ranchers, traders, missionaries, saloon-keepers, bikers and gamblers.

“The colorful Frank Hart lived just west of town. Between gambling and riding unbroken horses down Main Street, he enlivened the town. Poker players in the livery barn occasionally looked up to see a full-grown wolf stalking main street. It was Bruno following at the heels of his owner, Bud Dalrymple.” (Hall, Philip S. Reflections of the Badlands. p. 163.)

Bud Dalrymple (1881-1955) was a well-known wolf hunter in the Badlands and the surrounding region. Ranchers in the area would often hire Dalrymple to hunt and trap the wolf, which was considered an enemy of range stock. Dalrymple wrote often about the wolf in various trade publications and in 1919 published a book on his personal experiences titled “The Gray Wolf of South Dakota.” Dalrymple wrote of the proper dress for a “wolfer,” how to find a wolf den, the bounties paid by the state and stockmen for each wolf skin, how to skin a wolf and he wrote about the demands of the challenging Badlands terrain.

Then there was the hardscrabble Mary Hynes (1858-1926) who homesteaded on the top of Sheep Mountain Table in 1907 with five of her eleven children after her husband had run off. Sheep Mountain Table was located four miles south of Scenic and the land was only available for claim because it was considered inaccessible. After staking her claim to the table, the family, through lots of hard work and ingenuity, carved their own path, and later a road, to the top of the table. There they created a new life on their isolated ranch. Everything that was required for their home was at first hauled to the top via a plank sled with wooden runners pulled by a horse. The Hynes family, through Mary Hynes followed by her son Clarence “Hap” Hynes (1888-1967), remained on Sheep Mountain Table until 1935 when Hap sold the land to the National Park Service and moved to Scenic to operate a hotel and bar.

The sensational murder of 81-year-old Tom Friet, owner of “The Agate Shop”, and a recognized expert in Badlands mineral and fossil specimens, took place on Friday, January 13th, 1956 at his one room cabin on main street in the heart of Scenic. Friet had originally been a homesteader on the Quinn Table. On the night of his murder, Friet had visited a bar across the street to watch television, as was his custom each evening. After leaving for the night, he was never again seen alive. A neighbor found his body the next afternoon, around 3pm, lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Friet had been brutally beaten on the head with a blunt instrument and then choked with his own necktie. The coroner ruled that Friet had died of strangulation and a broken neck. The assumed motive was robbery, as it did not seem that Friet had any enemies in town, but others thought it was probably just “a drunken bum.” Despite the widespread news of the murder, authorities never found out who did it.

“Carl Bohling, a homesteader in Quinn Draw, thought that Scenic was a unique town. ‘It’s the only place in the world,’ he quipped, ‘where you can walk across main street knee deep in mud and have dust blow in your face.’” (Hall, Philip S. Reflections of the Badlands. p. 161.)

Other strange events, not always of this planet, seemed to happen at Scenic, such as when a meteor hit the land of J. A. Mulholland, a homesteader who lived four miles east of town on what was known as 71 Table. Mulholland not only saw “the brilliant light given off by the meteor, but he also heard it strike the ground with great force.” The meteor hit the earth in a draw, “ploughing up a deep furrow of earth. Finally it buried itself in the earth to an unknown depth. The meteor is about three feet in diameter.” (“Meteor Strikes Earth Near Scenic – Will Be Unearthed.” Black Hills Daily Register. September 20, 1911.)

Twila Merrill

The town of Scenic was once almost entirely owned by Twila Merrill (1936-2014), a famous rodeo rider during the 1950s and 1960s who was later inducted into the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Hall of Fame. Merrill, the daughter of Charles Merrill (1910-1996) and Eletta Merrill (1913-1978), grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in a ranching and rodeo family. Her father Charles was a rancher and rodeo contractor from 1928 to 1967 and later assisted Twila in managing a bar and store at Scenic.

Twila began riding in rodeos in 1952 after graduating from high school in Rushville, Nebraska. She rode bareback, saddle broncs and bulls. She earned a widespread reputation not only for her skill but also for frequently entering the men’s rodeo competitions. Working in the rodeo took her all over the west, in the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain states, and from the Canadian border all the way down to Texas and Arizona.

During one 6-year stretch on the rodeo circuit, Merrill was never bucked off. Then she went to the Belle Fourche rodeo, where her father was the stock contractor. She was bucked off a red roan mare, and her father gently said “I want to remind you there ain’t no horse that can’t be rode or cowgirl that can’t be throwed.” (Rapid City Journal. December 5, 2014.)

After years on the road, and at her father’s request, Twila moved to Scenic in 1963, where she purchased a bar and a house. In 1965, she married Loren Palmer (1936-1970), a rancher and long-distance trucker. Five years after their marriage, Loren died in 1970 after a tragic truck accident near Mt. Anthony, Idaho. Over time, at Scenic, Twila added additional businesses, including a trucking company, a cattle ranch and horse trading. She purchased land in and around Scenic bit by bit over several decades until she practically owned the entire town.

Longhorn Saloon

The Longhorn Saloon, which Twila operated, earned a notorious reputation over the years. The saloon was the site of regular fights, including the town marshal being roughed up several times, as well as several murders, including killings in 1968, 1975, 1976 and 1985. It was widely believed that anyone going to the Longhorn Saloon should carry a gun in their boots.

In 1968, a fight behind the saloon led to the shooting death of Ardie Janis. Patrick Grooms was convicted of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in jail. In 1975 Richard Marshall was charged, and later convicted, in the shooting death of Martin Montileaux. In 1976 Harold Crazy Thunder was shot by Alvin Broken Rope, who later pled guilty and was sentenced to 35 years in jail. In 1985 Herman Tuttle, Jr. was killed during a street fight between two feuding families, the Tuttle family and the Cottier family, a melee that included at least 20 people.

Twila and her father Charles were both shot during a 1984 incident at the saloon. Both were hit with shotgun blasts from about 10 feet away after an argument with two customers. It is believed that the argument followed the publication of a photograph of the saloon on the front page of the weekly Lakota Times, published on the neighboring Pine Ridge Reservation. The photograph included the sign above the outside door of the saloon, which had been there for decades, that read “No Indians Allowed.” The two customers took issue with the sign and attempted to tear it down, after which a brief gunfight ensued. Twila later painted over the “No” part of the sign.

As a note of historical context, in 1832 the U.S. Congress passed legislation banning the sale of alcoholic beverages to Native American people. That legislation remained on the record for 121 years until it was repealed in 1953, and tribes were then given the option of retaining prohibition or allowing the sale and consumption of alcohol on reservations. Pine Ridge remains a “dry” reservation.

In 1987 Michael O’Keefe, a member of the El Forest Arrows motorcycle club, was stabbed in the stomach at the Longhorn Saloon. The stabbing took place during a fight between members of both the El Forest Arrrows motorcycle club and members of the Galloping Goose motorcycle club against a local group of Native Americans. The motorcyclists were supposedly annual visitors to the Longhorn Saloon, having visited the bar for eight years in a row.

The false front of the single-story Longhorn Saloon advertised whiskey, beer, wine and tobacco. Cattle skulls were hung with barbed wire. Two doors down the street, tellingly, and appropriately, seemed to be the town jail, with a jail cell that would have been visibly open to those on main street. Inside the saloon, the ceilings were low and covered with brands from local ranches, the floor was covered with sawdust and the walls were decorated with various artifacts including chaps, spurs, mounted horns, petrified turtles and other cowboy memorabilia. Oil barrels with metal tractor seats served as barstools. The men’s bathroom was painted blood red, with the walls marked by signs of previous struggles such as holes and knife cuts. With tribal law making the nearby Pine Ridge Reservation “dry,” the Longhorn Saloon saw good business from Native Americans.

Scenic: For Sale

By the 2000’s, and with her declining health, Twila Merrill decided to sell the entire town. News of the offering sale reached the national news, with many leading newspapers and television networks covering the story. The town of Scenic was purchased in 2011 for $800,000 by the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ), a Philippines-based church. It seems that not much has been done with the town since its purchase, nor is it evident as to what the church plans to do in the future.

Today, despite its prior thriving history, only decaying homes and businesses remain. The abandoned Old Longhorn Saloon, constructed in 1906, is decorated with longhorn cattle skulls. The Longhorn Store marked its business with a motto of “ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if we don’t have it, it isn’t a must.” The C. H. Merrill Museum of Natural History is all boarded up. Other former businesses included the Sam 2 Bulls Gallery and the Tatanka Trading Post.

Until the church makes its decision as to the future of the town, Scenic remains an interesting stopping point for those visiting the Badlands. The rough and interesting history of the region and the long-abandoned buildings, which are still charming in their own way, provide a small glimpse into what was once a popular small town in a very “scenic” part of the country.

Colgate Lake Reflections

(American Catskills) — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Colgate Lake is a scenic 29-acre lake located in the 1,500 Colgate Lake Wild Forest in the town of East Jewett of the northern Catskills. The area around the lake provides panoramic views of the Blackhead Mountain Range, which includes Thomas Cole (3,950 feet), Black Dome (3,990 feet) and Blackhead (3,950 feet).

The lake is named after Robert Colgate, the 19th century owner of what is now the Colgate-Palmolive company. He owned thousands of acres in the East Kill Valley area, including the land in and around Colgate Lake. The property was purchased for $475,000 by the state of New York in 1975 from the Robert Colgate estate.

The lake is a popular location for fishing, kayaking, picnicking and primitive camping. The yellow marked Colgate Lake Trail travels 4 miles to Dutcher Notch and the Escarpment Trail in the Windham Blackhead Range Wilderness Area.

First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury

(American Catskills) — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury is located in the rural hamlet of Vega, New York in the northeast corner of the Town of Roxbury in Delaware County, New York. The church is idyllically situated in the Denver-Vega Valley in a pleasing country setting with stark mountain backdrops.

The First Old School Baptist Church has its roots in a Baptist church organized in the Denver-Vega Valley on May 27, 1796. It was the first church of any denomination to have been formed in the Town of Roxbury. The original society was constituted by Elder William Warren, Shubal Dimmick, David Robinson, Elizabeth Robinson, Abner Bangs, Isaac Hodgkins, Samuel Mosher and John Avery. In the early days the society worshipped in barns, private dwellings, school houses and wherever opportunity offered.

The first church building for the congregation was likely a log structure that was erected circa 1800-1810. Early records show that it was located south of the Vega Cemetery on Cartwright Road, however the exact location remains unidentified.

The current church building, the second one constructed for the congregation, was built in 1856 in the “traditional meeting house form” that was characteristic of the Old School Baptist faith. This style of architecture is “defined by clean and economical form uncluttered by ornament and embellished with restrained detail.”

Interestingly, Old School Baptists, who believe in baptism by immersion, used the creek, the Batavia Kill, that is located behind the church for this purpose by constructing a wooden dam to raise the water level whenever new members were to be baptized. “In Old School Baptist churches, it was preferred to perform baptisms in natural water sources, since this is where John the Baptist immersed Christ.”

By the 1920s, the Old School Baptists of the Catskills were in significant decline. By 1929, the First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury was one of seven area churches served by a single preacher, Elder Arnold H. Bellows (1884-1957), who rotated monthly around the association which included the two Roxbury churches, the Middletown-Andes Church, the Olive-Hurley Church, the Middleburgh Church, the Clovesville Church and the Lexington Church. Elder Bellows continued to serve the association into the 1950s. The population and energy of the Old School Baptist Church gradually diminished. By 1975 only one member of the church remained.

Today, the fully restored church is home to the Roxbury Arts Group, a non-profit organization who utilize the historic space for a variety of artistic functions.

First O. S. B. Church of Roxbury

First O. S. B. Church of Roxbury (1856)

Elder William Warren

Elder William Warren served as the first pastor of the First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and immigrated to the United States. Warren served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He began his ministry near Carmel, in Putnam County, New York on June 25, 1791, and was ordained in 1793. He came to the Batavia Kill area in 1796.

Elder Warren served the First Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury from 1796 to 1811. He was succeeded by Elder James Mead, who served until 1813. Following elders included John Warren (1813), Orlando Mack (1813-1823) and David Mead (1823-1845). In 1800 Warren established the first store in the upper end of the Batavia Kill Valley.

Elder Warren would also become the first pastor of the Second Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury when it was formed in 1816. At its organization 53 members of the first church served as the new congregation for the new church. At first, the congregation held their meetings in the Scudder school-house. In 1833 they built a church near Stratton’s Falls in Roxbury. Elder Warren served the Second Old School Baptist Church of Roxbury from 1816 to 1821.

After his service at Roxbury, Elder Warren relocated to Olive in Ulster County, New York. He served as the third pastor of the Olive & Hurley Old School Baptist Church from 1821 to 1834.

Elder William Warren passed away at 76 years of age on December 6, 1836 in Olive, York. His body was later brought to the Vega Cemetery for burial. A portion of his epitaph reads, “He came preaching the gospel of Christ in the wilderness – he was a man of God and a father in Israel.”

Elder Warren lost his wife, Synthia, and daughter, Margaret, within three months of each other in 1809. Margaret, who died in May, and Synthia, who died in August, are both buried nearby in the Vega Cemetery.

National Register of Historic Places

The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a distinctive example of nineteenth-century rural church architecture.”

The church “epitomizes nineteenth-century wood-frame country church architecture in New York, particularly the plain aesthetic that so effectively articulated the world view of the orthodox sects of many rural religions, such as Baptist, Presbyterian, the Shakers, and the Society of Friends. Plainness was achieved by manipulating a number of architectural dimensions. In form, a plain building was precise and geometrical. In churches, wings, apses, dormers, clerestories, and other protrusions were omitted in favor of an austere rectangular solid with a gable (triangular) roof. Ornamental detail was greatly reduced from the perceived norm and used only where necessary to maintain architectural logic or to refer to a critical dialectic.

On the Roxbury church, ornament was limited to corners, roof-lines and the edges of opening where it was important to denote the transition from one element to another. In this case, the choices were greatly simplified and interpreted in a modest, non-worldly vocabulary. Workmanship was usually quite high in plain buildings, lest the austerity and distortion be construed as a lack of awareness or skill. Here is where the critical cultural statement is expressed in the architecture. The Old School Baptists were plain for ideological reasons, not because they lacked anything. The fineness of the Roxbury building, evident both in the handling of its restraint and the signature flourishes nested in design features such as the gallery stairs, is what distinguishes the building as architecture. That the architecture is plain, places this remote, local building in the larger dialectic of the Old School Baptists and their position in the world.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

Jewett Presbyterian Church

(American Catskills) — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The Jewett Presbyterian Church is located in the hamlet of Jewett in the northern Catskills of Greene County, New York. Located adjacent to the church is the Jewett Heights Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Presbyterian congregation at the hamlet of Jewett was established in 1799. J. B. Beers wrote in his 1884 The History of Greene County of the early days of the church.

“The first building at this place used exclusively for church purposed, was built around the year 1800, near the present residence of D. Noble Chase. Before it was finished, it was sold at auction to Elisha Thompson for $50. He then presented the meeting-house to the society, by whom it was used for only a short time. In 1804, another church edifice was commenced on the site of the present church, but remained unfinished for a number of years. The present building was erected in the year 1848. The first pastor was Rev. Mr. Stimson; the present pastor is Rev. William S. Long.

When the American Board of Foreign Missions had been formed in 1810, and called for aid to send out its first missionaries, Mr. Stimpson caught the spirit, and infuse in into the hearts of the members of his congregation. But little money was to be found in this community, however, and instead, Mr. Stimpson solicited from each a sheep or lamb. He gathered together a flock of about 30, and with the help of a boy, started for Catskill, 30 miles distant. The flock was sold for $1 per head, and the money was given to the missionary society. This was the first offering from this congregation for ethe conversion of heathen in foreign lands. Since then, the offerings of the church to the cause of missions, etc., have been stated and frequent, and according to the means of the donors, often liberal. This church and Sunday-school are prospering finely.”

The church was originally organized as part of the First Congregational Church of Windham. In 1813, the congregation separated from Windham to establish its own church. The church was organized by a “Council of the Northern Associated Presbytery” and became known as the Lexington Congregational Society. Fourteen years later, in 1827, the church changed to the Presbyterian denomination and was received into the Columbia Presbytery. In 1850 the name of the church was changed to Jewett, to correspond with the changed town name.

Beginning in 1846 discussions began about the possibility of constructing a new church building. A committee comprised of Loring Beach, Isaac Hinman and James Harrington was established to examine churches in other places to determine the best architectural plan. A subscription was started amongst the church members to raise the money required.

The current church building was constructed in 1848. The contract for its construction was awarded to J. B. Hinman and William Goslee “for a sum not exceeding twenty-five hundred dollars.” One stipulation for the building required that “the floors of the new church shall be laid of good hemlock board one inch thick and lined with the same material half inch thick.” The building was extensively repaired and decorated in 1901. The parsonage was built in 1844, and was enlarged in 1896.

The adjacent Jewett Heights Methodist Episcopal Church was also constructed in 1848. The Methodist church was constructed on a site purchased from the Presbyterian Church for five dollars. The Methodist church flourished for many years, but membership gradually declined until they ceased to hold regular services, around 1892. In 1901 they sold their meeting house to the Presbyterian church, who then fitted the building for social uses. Today, the building serves as the Presbyterian Church Hall.

The Jewett Presbyterian Church, part of the Albany Presbytery, continues to the serve the local community.

National Register of Historic Places

The Jewett Presbyterian Church and the Jewett Heights Methodist Episcopal Church are together listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Jewett Presbyterian Church Complex. The churches represent “a unique and largely intact collection of Greek Revival era ecclesiastic architecture in Greene County.”

“The Jewett Presbyterian Church is a two-story, four by three bay timber frame building. The church is covered by a moderately pitched gable roof clad with asphalt shingles. Narrow clapboards sheath the building. The edifice rests on a modern concrete block foundation, which replaced a failing stone foundation. Windows throughout the church are elongated with simple frames and contain stained glass panels.

The east façade of the church is highlighted by a fully pedimented gable, which features a compound frieze and broad cornice moldings. A wide frieze with a decorative molding band supports the pediment. The frieze extends down the side elevations of the church terminating beneath partial cornice returns on the west gable elevation. The entablature is supported on all four corners of the church by broad pilasters with simple capitals and bases. Two additional pilasters grace the façade marking the divisions between the bays. The central bay of this elevation features an elongated window which contains a Victorian era stained glass panel. The north and south bays on the façade each contain an entrance. Each entry is composed of a pair of four panel wood doors set within finely crafted Greek Revival style frames. The frames are composed of broad pilasters supporting an unusually tall entablature, which is crowned by a heavily molded cornice. Surmounting the roof, on this elevation is belfry. This feature is composed of an unusually tall first stage, which terminates in a broad cornice. The second stage is composed of pairs of pilasters flanking louvered openings. The pilasters support a simple frieze, which in turn supports a broad cornice. The tower terminates with an octagonal spire, which is crowned by an iron weathervane.

The south and north elevations are identical and feature four evenly spaced windows. The west (rear) elevation of the church is unremarkable.

The interior plan of the church is simple and largely intact from the building’s period of construction. The plan consists of nave, chancel and entry vestibules. The main entrance of the building open into small vestibules. The vestibules open into the nave of the church. These entrances flank a two-story classical arch composed of pilasters supporting a segmental arch. The recess behind the arch separates the two vestibule spaces and originally served as the chancel of the church. Presently, this space serves as extra seating. Two ranks of wood pews lead up to the present altar area at the west wall of the church. This space is composed of a raised paneled dais, on which a lectern and chairs are located. A choir area is also located on the platform. Finishes in the church are simple and include plaster walls above wood wainscotting. Window and door surrounds are simple. In the late twentieth century a dropped ceiling was installed in an effort to conserve heat in the building. The original ceiling finishes survive intact above.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

Reverend Henry Bowen Stimson

“The name of Henry B. Stimson is indelibly carved on the foundation of the old church, and is still honored by the generations that survive.”

Reverend Henry Bowen Stimson, the first pastor of the Jewett Presbyterian Church, came from Framingham, Massachusetts to the Windham area in 1785 with his father, George Stimson, who was then almost 60 years of age. Henry was around 13 or 14 years old at the time. George was working as an agent for Robert Livingston and came to manage his herds that were pastured in the mountain sections of his lands. George had previously served during the American Revolution as a minute man at the Battle of Lexington.

At Windham, George and Henry Stimson found “a large, smooth, perpendicular rock, at right-angles to the street, from ten to twenty feet in height and breadth.” There “the two built, against the side of that rock, a rude cabin of brush and logs, with a roof of bark; and there they lived, among bears, wolves, and panthers, two years, until the other members of their family removed there. Their nearest neighbors were at Prattsville, ten mile in one direction, and at Cairo, sixteen miles in the other; and they brought their Indian corn, and other provisions, from the east side of the Hudson River, some thirty miles distant. The corn they bruised or ground with a stone, on the top of a large rock. Just as the first winter of their sojourn there commenced, their rude cabin, with everything in it, was burned; and then they reared another, which was but a poor shelter for them, amid the deep snows and raging winds of those mountain heights.” (Rockwell, p. 269.)

“The Captain and the boy Henry spent the winter of 1785-6 here. Their stores got low, and the father went to Claverack, near Hudson, where the nearest mill was, to get food. He expected to be gone but a few days, and left Henry alone. But the ice in the Hudson made his return crossing impossible for six weeks, during which time the boy Henry had to live in the hut alone, among wolves, bears, panthers, and other dangers, with no kind guardian except the Heavenly Father, whose care for His people never ceases.” (Dodd, p. 9.)

“An incident worth relating, occurred at that time. One night there came along a man on horseback, - a stranger, - who spent the night and shared with Henry his potato breakfast, and tried to persuade the boy that the return of his father was very doubtful, and that he had better go with him to a safer place. The boy, however, would not leave the place, and so the traveler started on. Soon he returned, fearing that the boy would starve if left alone, and evidently thinking it his duty to save him, tried to force him to go, whereupon Henry ran and hid in the woods, and the man had to go on without him after all.

Many years afterward, the Rev. Henry B. Stimson, at a Presbytery meeting was accosted by an aged gentleman who said, “You are from Batavia, are you not?” “Do you know a little boy who years ago lived in a hut there and was left alone?” Mr. Stimson replied, “I am that boy,” a statement which melted all to tears.” (Dodd, p. 9.)

By the age of 20, Henry “had been at school but three or four months in all; and yet, by the diligent reading and study of such books as he could obtain, much of it at night, after severe toil by day, lighted by pine-knows stuck in the back of the chimney of their log-cabin, and lying with his book on the floor before him, he lad the foundation of a solid, useful education.” (Rockwell, p. 269.)

After assisting in taking care of the family for those seven years, Henry entered school at Claverack in Columbia County, New York and at Kinderhook, New York. He remained there for nine years, engaged in his studies, while working as a cabinet-maker to pay his expenses.

When first expressing an interest in studying theology, Henry “consulted the ministers about going to college. They advised him not to go, on account of his age, 28.” Henry ignored this advice, and next studied theology with Reverend M. Thompson, of Oak Hill, and then for a year with Reverend Samuel Fuller, of Rensselaerville. Henry was licensed to preach on June 3, 1802 by the Northern Associate Presbytery at the house of Reverend Stephen Fenn, in Harpersfield, after a “full and thorough examination.” His preaching license was signed by Beriah Hotchkin, as moderator, and John Morse, as scribe.

Reverend Stimson was then ordained on September 14, 1803 at the Windham meeting-house. “The several parts [of the ordination] were performed by the following gentlemen: Rev. David Harrowar of Walton, Delaware County, made the introductory prayer; Rev. Samuel Fuller of Rensselaerville, Albany County, preached the sermon from 1 Cor. 1: 21; Rev. David Porter, late of Spencertown, and now preaching at Catskill, made the prayer during the imposition of hands; Rev. Beriah Hotchkin of Greenfield, gave the charge; Rev. Jesse Townsend of New Durham, gave the right hand of fellowship, and Rev. Ezekiel Chafman, late Missionary of New Connecticut, and now preaching at Canton [Cairo], made the concluding prayer. It is pleasing to remark that a large concourse of people were present on the occasion., and appeared especially attentive and solemn during the whole transaction.” (Dodd, p. 14.).

After being ordained, he took charge of the First Presbyterian Church of Windham. While there, Reverend Stimson “admitted between six and seven hundred to its communion, baptized about the same number of children, and married nearly two hundred couples. His mountain diocese embraced what are now five or six townships, and he often attended four or five religious services, several miles distant from each other, on a single Sabbath. All honor to such hardy and hard-working pioneers, who laid broad and deep the foundations of religious truth and order, to enlighten and guide all who should come after them.” (Rockwell, pp. 269-270.)

In addition to serving the First Presbyterian Church of Windham, Reverend Stimson also preached at the Jewett Presbyterian Church, and the area around. The region covered by Reverend Stimson extended for over 20 miles, “but he was used to hardships, and often preached nine times a week. Three extensive revivals prevailed during his ministry, and tradition says he received into the church more than 500 souls.” (Dodd, p. 19.)

Reverend Stimson “wielded a potent influence over the mature and rising generation, in the church and congregation, among whom he lived as a man among men. His appearance was commanding even in extreme age, fully six feet in height, erect, spare and muscular. He had strongly marked features, nose, brow, chin, cheekbones, all prominent; the whole contour of the face expressing intelligence, strength of will, and decision of character. He was sincere, devoted, and self-denying . . .” (Beers, p. 198.)

Reverend Stimson remained at the First Presbyterian Church for 24 years until 1826. “By this time (1824), there seems to have arisen a state of things tending to bring to an end this long and useful pastorate. Mr. Stimson did not favor the “new measures” in revival work, and tradition says that some wearied of the frequency with which he preached the distinctive points of his strongly Calvinistic system. After several meetings it was finally decided that his pastorate should be dissolved.” (Dodd, p. 18.)

“His farewell sermon, the text of which was taken from the passage, 1 Sam. 12: 1-5, “Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded?” & c., was a vigorous and characteristic effort, suited to the situation, and talked about for many years afterward.” (Dodd, pp. 18-19.)

Upon his removal, the Presbytery offered the following strong testimonial. “This may certify that the Rev. Henry B. Stimson has been dismissed from his pastoral relation to the first church of Christ in Windham by the Eastern section of the Northern Associated Presbytery without any allegation brought against his moral or ministerial character by church or society, but merely on account of their being unable to raise his support, and he is hereby cheerfully recommended to be further employed in the Gospel ministry as an orthodox and faithful minister of our Lord Jesus Christ. David Baldwin, Scribe. Seth Williston, Moderator.” (Dodd, p. 19.)

Despite the vote of removal in January 1825, Reverend Stimson seems to have continued preaching at the church until around 1826. He was then succeeded by Revered Clark H. Goodrich, who served for nine years from 1826 to 1835.

Reverend Stimson continued to reside at Windham for the remainder of his life. From 1825 to 1829, Reverend Stimson worked for the Bible Society. From 1829 to 1832, Reverend Stimson was in charge of the Reformed Dutch Church at Prattsville, New York. He then joined the Classis, where he continued to work until his health failed.

Reverend Henry Stimson married, in October 1803, Rebecca “Becca” Pond (1779-1856), the daughter of Edward Pond and Mary (Judson) Pond. Henry and Rebecca had 11 children together. Their son, Edward Pond (b. 1806), became a Dutch Reformed Minister.

In his later years, Reverend Stimson faced a number of medical issues. One publication noted that he was “deranged” for the last eight years of life. Reverend Henry Bowen Stimson passed away at 80 years of age on April 28, 1851. Both Henry and his wife Rebecca are buried at Ashland Cemetery in Ashland, New York.

Reverend Josiah Judson Buck

Reverend Josiah Judson Buck was the pastor of the Jewett Presbyterian Church when the current building was constructed. He served the church for over 23 years from October 1843 to April 1867.

Josiah Buck was born on March 13, 1794. He was the son of Asaph Buck (1762-1848) and Phebe (Wainright) Buck (1768-1855). Asaph was a farmer at New Milford, and later at New Lisbon in Otsego County, New York. He served the United States during the War of 1812. Josiah’s grandfather, James Buck, served during the American Revolution as a captain in the Connecticut militia. Captain Buck participated in several battles and skirmishes, including the Battle of Horse Neck.

Josiah Buck was married twice, first to Amelia Augusta Duryee (1803-1838), and second to Margaret Maria Wells (1811-1901). Josiah had 11 children by his wives Amelia and Margaret. Two of his sons, Charles Duryee Buck and Edward Henry Buck, also became preachers.

During his early life, Josiah worked on his father’s farm, “but his tastes were literary, rather than agricultural. For a while he studied law; then he turned his attention towards the medical profession. But only for a season. On making a public profession of Christ, he henceforth gave himself wholly to the work of the ministry. He was 24 years of age when he took this step; though he always thought that he might have been converted when nine years old.” (Harvey, p. 141.)

Josiah Buck was licensed to preach in February 1820 by the Union Congregational Association at Exeter, New York. Two years later, in 1822, this association was dissolved, and he became connected with the Presbytery of Otsego. In a long and distinguished career, Reverend Buck served in a number of locations including Worcester, Knox and Hamilton Union (1825-1828), Cairo (1829-1835), Kaatsbaan, Hunter, Malden, Jewett (1843-1867) and Big Hollow (circa 1868). He received an honorary degree from Williams College in 1836.

While serving at Jewett Presbyterian Church, “early in his ministry, in 1847, occurred one of the most extensive and thorough-going revivals in the history of the Church – 40 being added that year, some of whom still survive and are now pillars in the Church. There were several other revivals in Mr. Buck’s time, notably in the years 1858, 1862, 1865. Discipline was faithfully attended to. Some dissatisfied members, who would not walk with the Church, were kindly dealt with. Mr. Buck preached and practiced the giving of a tenth, which he did in spite of his eight children, small salary and lack of capital. And he trained his people to give to . . . Mr. Buck was a good preacher, a diligent pastor, and lived a blameless life. He loved his people and was respected and loved by them. But unfortunately, in the latter part of his ministry, in the Civil War times, his silence on the issues of the war caused dissatisfaction which finally resulted in the his dismission, in 1867.” (Dodd, pp. 33-34.)

In 1855, the sermon preached by Reverend Buck at the funeral of Amos Peck, the ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church at Jewett was published. The title was Dying in Faith – A Sermon Preached at Jewett, Feb. 28^th, 1854, at the Funeral of Mr. Amos Peck, Ruling Elder in the Church at that place. At the conclusion of the sermon, Reverend Buck spoke to the family, saying “May they live in the faith in which he lived, die in the faith in which he died, and which, in the hour of his departure, afforded him the richest consolation and joy.”

After Reverend Buck was dismissed from the Jewett Presbyterian Church in 1867, he continued to live at Jewett. One year he supplied the church at Big Hollow. “His friends in Jewett provided for his needs as long as he lived by an annual subscription. Finally, they bought for him, for $600, a place near Glasco, to which he removed . . .” (Dodd, p. 34.)

In his last diary entry, Reverend Buck wrote that “My full assurance of hope still continues, absent from the body, I shall be present with the Lord.” Reverend Josiah Judson Buck died at 76 years of age at Glasco, New York on April 26, 1870. He is buried at Jewett Heights Cemetery in Jewett, New York, “and sleeps among the people he loved and served.”

Historic Pastors

The Jewett Presbyterian Church was served by a long line of distinguished pastors during its first 100 years.

Henry B. Stimson, 1803-1812
Daniel Beers, 1813-1819
Henry B. Stimson, 1819-1821
David Harrowar, 1821-1826
Asahel Nettleton, 1827
William Johnson, 1828-1832
Charles Jones, 1832-1833
Augustus L. Chapin, 1833-1841
Seth Williston, 1841-1843
Josiah Judson Buck, 1843-1867
Silas McKinney, supply pastor, circa 1868, for 3 months
Andrew Montgomery, 1869-1871
Timothy Williston, 1871
Nathan Leighton, 1872-1878
Frederick F. Judd, 1878-1882
William S. Long, 1882-1900
Seneca McNeil Keeler, installed 1900

Selected Sources

Beers, J. B. History of Green County, New York. New York: J. B. Beers & Co., 1884.

Buck, Josiah Judson. Dying in Faith – A Sermon Preached at Jewett, Feb. 28^th, 1854, at the Funeral of Mr. Amos Peck, Ruling Elder in the Church at that place. Catskill: Trowbridge & Gunn, 1855.

Dodd, Rev. Henry Martyn. 1803-1903 Centennial of the Old First Congregational Church, Windham, New York. Windham, NY: Windham Journal Print, 1903.

Greene County Historical Society. Historic Places in Greene County, New York. Coxsackie, New York: Flint Mine Press, 2009.

Harvey, Cornelius B. Origin, History and Genealogy of the Buck Family. Jersey City, NJ: J. J. Griffiths, 1889.

Pond, Daniel Streator. A Genealogical Record of Samuel Pond and His Descendants. New London, Ohio: Geo. W. Runyan, 1875.

Rockwell, Rev. Charles. The Catskill Mountains and the Region Around. New York: Taintor Brothers & Co., 1869.

Christian Church at Fitch’s Bridge

(American Catskills) — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Christian Church, also known as Fitch’s Bridge Church, is located adjacent to the West Branch of the Delaware River in the hamlet of East Delhi, New York. The church is located close to the picturesque Fitch’s Covered Bridge and just east of the Judge Gideon Frisbee House, the late 18th century home of one of the area’s earliest settlers.

Church History

The congregation of the church was formed in 1822. The land for the church building and cemetery were leased from Gideon Frisbee, an early settler of Delaware County and prominent local farmer.

Gideon Frisbee (1758-1828) was a man of many talents that through an industrious career included pioneer, farmer, justice of the peace, county treasurer, revolutionary war veteran, militia captain, tavern keeper, and vestryman. His Federal-style, two-story house, located two miles north of Delhi, was built in 1797 along the West Branch of the Delaware River. The house is sometimes referred to as the “Birthplace of Delaware County” as the first meeting of the county board of supervisors was held here in 1797. The house remained in the Frisbee family for much of its history until it was acquired in 1960 by the Delaware County Historical Association, for which it now serves as their headquarters. The property is home to several other historic structures including a one-room schoolhouse, a gun shop, a blacksmith shop, a tollgate house, a corn crib and the family barn. The property and buildings are open to the public for tours. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The first trustees of the Christian Church were all prominent members of the community, including Putnam Farrington, Daniel Frisbee, John Hammond, Clarke Sloot and Newell Dodge. Reverend William Cummings was the first pastor at the Christian Church, and was followed by Reverend D. Call; Reverend J. M. Westcott; Reverend Southwick; and Reverend Daniel Grant.

In 1859 the church society was reorganized and the current church was built one year later in 1860 by James Adams, a regional carpenter from nearby Hamden. The building replaced the original 1820s church that had been razed circa 1859. The church was dedicated on Saturday, September 1, 1860.

“The Christian meeting-house near Fitch’s Bridge, in this town, was dedicated last Saturday. As the weather was fine, and the roads good, the attendance was large. The church was filled to overflowing. The new building is a very neat and pretty one for the purpose, and is fitted up in simple but comfortable style. It is a little smaller than the old one, but is large enough to accommodate the congregation. The contract for the repairs, or rather the rebuilding of the edifice, was entrusted to our friend, Mr. James Adams, of this village, who executed the work in a very satisfactory and acceptable manner.” (Delaware Republican. September 8, 1860.)

In January 1862, efforts were made by the trustees of the church to pay off the remaining debts that were incurred in constructing the church.

“Donation. The Christian Church in East Delhi being embarrassed with debt, incurred in erecting their new house of worship, have resolved to put forth a vigorous effort to liquidate the same.

For the purpose of consummating the above named object, the church and congregation would earnestly invite all the friends of religion to attend a donation party at the chapel, on Wednesday evening, the 12^th day of February, at 6 o’clock.

All the churches in this community having been erected by united effort, and this house being free to all religious denominations, the committee feel justified in extending this invitation to all the friends of religion of every name and order. Refreshments will be prepared for the occasion.

The committee intend to secure the attendance of a good speaker, and to have the exercises enlivened by music, both vocal and instrument. By order of the trustees.” (Delaware Republican. January 25, 1862.)

In 1875, the church was improved with the addition of a new interior chandelier and lamps and exterior painting. The work was completed by J. L. Meeker. “When the work on the house was completed, it was thought best to see if the hearts of the people could not be renovated, as well as the church. Accordingly, a series of meetings was commenced, which has been running for about two weeks which has resulted in the conversion of ten or twelve happy son’s – and still they come. Christians of all denominations in the place work with heart and zeal becoming their profession. The preaching is done by Rev. Thomas Taylor, of New Paltz, Columbia Co., N.Y., assisted by the Pastor, D. Grant, who has proved himself a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. The meetings will continue through this week and over the coming Sabbath.” (Delaware Republican. November 13, 1875.)

In 1880, “sheds and other conveniences have been added to the property this year.” In 1888, the church was significantly renovated, “making decided improvement in the interior as well as the exterior of the church.” The church was repainted on the outside and new wallpaper was hung on the inside. A new “pulpit suite” was purchased from the firm of Jackson & Mason of Delhi. Funding was also being raised for a new carpet and the purchase of “opera folding chairs” for the congregation.

The church congregation continued to operate under the Christian Church denomination for over 100 years until 1925, when there were only two members left. The church building then remained vacant for 15 years. In 1940, Emily Dannheimer, a 1937 graduate and valedictorian of the Delaware Academy at Delhi, began to organize services at the church. Mrs. Alfred Carey, the only surviving member of the old church, granted permission for services each Sunday during the summer. “The Gospel of Christ” was the subject of the first sermon at the reopened church. The Christian Church had a short revival from 1940 to 1948, with the congregation reaching nearly one hundred members, but a significant decline in membership then prompted its closing.

From 1950 to 1990 the Christian Scientist denomination utilized the building. In 1990 the Delaware County Historical Association assumed ownership of the property. The Delaware County Historical Association makes the church available to rent for private functions.

Cemetery

The Christian Church Cemetery is located adjacent to the church to both the east and the west. Gravestones at the church date from 1820 to the 1970s. There are approximately 25 graves marked with simple fieldstones without inscription.

National Register of Historic Places

The Christian Church and its adjacent cemetery were officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The church was noted “for its distinctive blend of Greek Revival and Gothic Revival styles and for its long association with the history of the hamlet of East Delhi.”

The application for the Christian Church to be included on the National Register of Historic Places described the architecture of the church in great detail. “The core of the building represents a typical mid-nineteenth century church design in the region, embodying forms and embellishments typical of the Greek Revival style; however, its overlay of assertive Gothic Revival decoration creates the dominant visual image of the building today. The small wood-frame building is of post and beam construction and sits on a dry-laid stone foundation. It is rectangular in shape, three bays wide by four bays deep, and surmounted by a gable roof clad with asphalt shingles. An interior brick chimney pierces the gable at the rear of the building. The church features clapboard siding, a wide water table and a raking cornice.

The most dramatic exterior decorative elements are the twelve narrow, engaged towers with pinnacles that mark the corners of the building, define the entrance bay and serve as the primary decorative components of the tower. The towers are of wood-frame construction and the pinnacles, originally sheet iron, are now aluminum.

Each of the corner towers rests on a separate stone base, which is not connected to and extends beyond the stone building foundation. The two towers that define the entrance by rise into a two-stage square tower, which interrupts the front gable of the roof. The raking cornice extends across the tower, either intentionally designed or replicated for the flat roofline at the apex. Each of the two tower stages is defined by corner towers and the whole is surmounted by a tall spire. Each stage of the tower originally featured louvered openings on all sides; however, the louvered elements that survive today are replacements without openings. Towers on each state were originally connected by decorative balustrades; only those on the upper stage survive.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

The Christian Church

The Christian Church, also known as Christian Connection, was a New England sect that broke away from the prevailing 16th and 17th century Calvinist theology. The Christian Church is often considered the first uniquely American religious movement. Elias Smith (1769-1846), founder of the Christian Church denomination, wrote of his ideas in the Herald of Gospel Liberty, which was first published in 1808 and is considered the first religious newspaper in the United States.

“The Christian Church was a religious denomination of its own, such as the Presbyterian or Baptist denominations. Early immigrants to Delaware County were generally from New England states, where the Christian denomination was popular. The sect was founded by Elias Smith, who had been raised near Woodstock, Vermont in the 1780s. Smith had been raised as a Calvinist Baptist.

The new denomination was a reaction against the old Calvinist doctrine of predestination, and, like other new sects of this period, believed in shifting the responsibility for salvation to men and women. The Christian Church held that the New Testament, accessible to all, was the only authority and could be used without divine assistance. By the early nineteenth century Smith had broken with the Baptists altogether and, with others of like mind, formed the loosely-knit Christian Church, or Christian Connection . . . The name “Christian” reflects the believers’ focus on the New Testament and their commitment to a more active role in their own salvation.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

Reverend William Cummings

Reverend William Cummings, the first pastor at the Christian Church, was born at Plymouth, New Hampshire on September 24, 1786. William was the youngest of ten children born to Captain Jotham Cummings (1741-1808) and Anna (Brown) Cummings (1744-1829). Jotham Cummings moved to Plymouth, New Hampshire in 1764 and was among the original grantees of Plymouth. Captain Cummings served in Colonel Goffe’s regiment during the march on Crown Point in the expedition to Canada in 1760. During the American Revolution, Captain Cummings served as a lieutenant in a company of New Hampshire Rangers, and subsequently as a captain of the Plymouth company in Colonel Hobart’s regiment.

William married Sarah Hazeltine on March 12, 1809. Sarah was born at Concord, New Hampshire on February 28, 1790. She was the daughter of John and Hanna Hazeltine. “Before 18 years of age she gave herself up to the service of the Lord, and found precious joy in believing in Him.” She had worked as a school teacher prior to her marriage in 1809. During the spring of 1809, months after their marriage, William and Sally moved to Plymouth, New Hampshire, where they remained for a few years.

William and Sarah had seven children together, including Dorcas, Peter, Damaris, Moses, Aaron, Marion and Lydia. Moses (1816-1867), like his father, would become a preacher in the Christian denomination; and served as publisher and editor of the Christian Messenger and the Christian Palladium. Amos Cummings (1841-1902), son of Moses, grandson of William, won the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Civil War and would later serve in the United States Congress for several terms.

William Cummings was converted in 1806 and began preaching in 1810. He would become a preacher in the Christian Church denomination, serving in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. Cummings was ordained at Bradford, Vermont in 1815. He helped establish and organize churches for his denomination.

Reverend Cummings and his wife moved from Rumney, New Hampshire to Roxbury, and later to Kortright, and then Stamford, all in Delaware County, New York. Reverend Cummings then came to the Delhi area and began preaching the doctrines of the Christian church. He helped establish the Christian Church at Fitch’s Bridge in 1822. For six years they lived at Delhi, and then moved to Lansingville, which was later known as Delancey. He served at the Christian Church of Delancey from 1842 to 1847.

After a long and distinguished career, Reverend William Cummings passed away from “inflammation of the lungs” at Hamden, New York on Sunday, December 12, 1847. He is buried at Chesire Cemetery in Chesire, Massachusetts. Upon his passing it was written that “The Elder was a prominent man in the church. He was also a man of more than ordinary consecration to the great work. His letters, of which he wrote many to the different periodicals of the day, are full of cheerfulness, faith, hope, and confidence in God. When he first embraced religion, he was so full of joy that some of the older members told him he was going on borrowed capital, and that the sorrows of life would have to pay back etc. The Elder, mentioning this in his days, said, ‘They were mistaken; I have been full of glory all the time.’”

Sarah Cummings passed away from “congestion of the lungs” at Lansingville on the morning of January 29, 1868. Upon her passing it was written that “those who knew Mrs. Cummings well, also knew her to be a very superior and excellent woman. She was especially gifted in prayer. In glancing over her diary, one is struck with admiration of the spirit of sincere piety throughout. So much refinement and delicacy of thought, so much humility and earnestness in the cause of the Lord and Savior – such an anxiety for the welfare of immortal souls – such gratitude for daily mercies, even in the midst of feebleness – such entire submission to the will of God – all show the elevation of her character.” (Delaware Republican. February 1, 1868.)

Reverend Daniel Grant

Reverend Daniel Grant (1812-1879) was the pastor at the Christian Church in 1860 when the new building was constructed.

Daniel Grant was born on October 3, 1812, the son of John Grant and Jane (Stillwell) Grant. In 1882, at 20 years of age,

“Brother Grant confessed faith in Jesus Christe as the Son of God and his only Savior . . . His conversion to Christianity was one of thoughtful deliberation, at a time when there was no unusual interest in the community on the subject, and, indeed, when the opposite interest pervaded society.

He came to the crisis of deciding the great question that changed the whole current of his life and destiny in a ball-room. He carried out his purpose as deliberately as he made it, going from the ball-room in the small hours of the morning to the grove where, in meditation and prayer, he dedicated himself forever to the service of God, and with the dawn of that morning came the light of life upon his moral and spiritual being.” (Delaware Republican. December 27, 1879.)

Grant was baptized by Elder Joshua Howard in September 1837, and began to preach that same year. He was admitted in 1837 to the New York Eastern Christian Conference. In 1839 he became a member of the Christian Church in Delhi and in 1842 he was ordained and chosen pastor of the church. He was selected by the ordaining council comprised of Elders John Spoor, William Cummings and Wright Butler, “a trio of strength, for there were giants in those days.”

Reverend Grant continued his pastorate of the Delhi church for 34 years until 1876. Besides the Delhi church, he also preached for the churches at Otego, Portlandville, North Harpersfield, Summit, Delancey, South Franklin and Roxbury. “None but God knows the weary miles he traveled over the hills of Delaware and Otsego counties and the anxious heart he carried for the cause of the blessed Master, weeping between the porch and the altar. He was often cheered by seeing men led to Christ, to taste his love and share his great salvation.” (Delaware Republican. December 27, 1879.)

Reverend Grant was married to Sally Frisbee, a granddaughter of Gideon Frisbee, at Delhi in 1837. David and Sally had five children, including Naomi, Huldah, Darius, George and John. Sally was “a faithful wife, an affectionate mother, and a devoted Christian all these years. Happy is that minister who has, in his wife, a help-meet indeed . . .”

Reverend Grant resigned from his pastorate in 1876 due to failing health. He died three years later at his home in Delhi at 67 years of age on October 30, 1879. He is buried at the Frisbee Family Cemetery in Delhi, New York. Upon his passing it was written that he “was a man of strong convictions; and we believe he ever tried to do right and to follow in the strict path of duty. . . In his death, the cause of religion, as well as all moral interests, particularly that of Temperance, loses a fast friend and sincere and efficient co-laborer.” (Delaware Republican. November 15, 1879.)

Blue Mountain Reformed Church

(American Catskills) — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Blue Mountain Reformed Church is located on Blue Mountain Church Road in Saugerties, New York. The first movement to found a church at Blue Mountain occurred in 1832, however, this came to nothing. Nineteen years later, in 1851, the Blue Mountain Reformed Church was officially organized.

The founding date of the Blue Mountain Reformed Church is recorded as March 20, 1851. On that date a group of residents from the Blue Mountain area met at the local schoolhouse, Saugerties School District #2, in order to establish a community church.

In May 1851, 52 organizational members of the church presented a petition to the Classis of Ulster to establish the Blue Mountain Church. The Classis investigated the petition, meeting with the new organization in the woods where the new church was to be constructed and holding the first service, officiated by the Reverend V. M. Hulbert. On August 20, 1851, the Blue Mountain Reformed Church was formally recognized.

Reverend Alexander C. Hillman (1811-1876) served as the first pastor of the Blue Mountain Reformed Church. He graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1832 and was licensed by the Classis of New York in 1836. Reverend Hillman served at a variety of locations throughout his career including Stonehouse Plains, New Jersey, 1837-1841; Vanderveer, Illinois, 1841-1842; Roxbury and Moresville, New York, 1843-1845; and Wurtsboro, New York; 1846-1849. Reverend Hillman was called to be the pastor at Blue Mountain in November 1851, and served the Blue Mountain congregation for six years from 1852 to 1858.

Reverend Hillman married Anna Cochran Magennis (1820-1888), daughter of George Magennis (1775-1853) and Catherine (Reynolds) Magennis. George was an Irish immigrant, from County Down, who came to the United States with his parents in 1790 at the age of 15. James Wilson Hillman, the son of Alexander and Anna, was born at the hamlet of Blue Mountain and became a prominent chaplain in the United States Army, reaching the rank of major while serving in the Philippines, Mexico, California and Alaska.

Reverend Alexander Hillman passed away in Brooklyn on November 20, 1875 “after protracted sufferings.” Funeral services were held on November 22, 1875 at his residence at 214 Division Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Anna Hillman, his wife, passed away in Brooklyn on April 28, 1888 after a brief illness.

The first elders of the Blue Mountain Reformed Church included George Young, Simeon P. Myer, Jeremiah Snyder and Peter Becker. The first deacons of the church included John H. Freligh, Nelson Myer, Abram Wolven and Cornelius Minkler.

Jeremiah Snyder, chairman of the organizational group, donated the land for the church building. The cornerstone for the church building was laid by Reverend Henry Ostrander of Kaatsbaan and the dedication sermon was preached by Reverend C. Van Santvoord of Saugerties. The church building was constructed at a cost of $2,500 and was dedicated in 1852.

Three years later, in 1855, a new parsonage was completed for the minister, and included a barn where the minister kept his cow. In 1855, under the leadership of Reverend Hillman, the Blue Mountain Reformed Church had a membership of 100 families and approximately 400 people in the total congregation. Nine adults were baptized in the prior year.

By 1856, the church had paid all debts associated with constructing the church building and parsonage. In 1875, “the church enjoyed a very extensive and powerful revival, when more than 140 members were added to the church, thus greatly increasing its strength.”

In 1880 the church had around 253 members and offered two Sunday schools, one in the church at Blue Mountain, led by David W. Hommel, and the other at West Saugerties, led by James W. Cole. Officers of the church in 1880 included elders John H. Freligh, William S. Myer, Jacob Carn and Washington Myer; and deacons William Schoonmaker, Jacob Spellman, Peter T. Minkler and James W. Cole.

The church building was remodeled around the year 1884, with the lecture room likely being added at that time. In 1886, the last Dutch sermon on the town of Saugerties was preached at the Blue Mountain Reformed Church by Reverend Abram G. Lansing. The sermon “was thoroughly enjoyed by his many parishioners who were able to understand it, as well as by many from surrounding congregations.” In 1945 the Blue Mountain Reformed Church joined with the Reformed Church of Katsbaan.

In 1951 the Blue Mountain Reformed Church marked the 100th anniversary of its founding with a series of special services and community events. “The church at Blue Mountain has been marked by real interest and activity throughout its hundred years of organized existence. While there have been periods in which no full-time pastor was available, there has always been a loyal and faithful group to carry on the established tradition of fellowship and service in the community.” (Catskill Mountain Star. August 17, 1951.)

During the first 100 years of its existence, from 1851 to 1951, the Blue Mountain Reformed Church was served by 13 pastors and 12 supply pastors. The history of pastors at the Blue Mountain Reformed Church for the first 130 years of its existence from its founding in 1851 to 1980 includes:

Alexander Hillman, 1851-1858
Cornelius J. Blauvelt, 1859-1862
William D. Buckelew, 1863-1870
A. P. Freese, 1872-1874
George W. Labaw, 1874-1882
John F. Hooper, 1883-1884
Abram G. Lansing, 1885-1887
Peter Q. Wilson, 1888-1891
John Van der Meulen, 1898-1901
Garret D. De Graff, 1901-1905
Mugerdich N. Kalemjian, 1905-1910
Nicholas Hess, 1913-1915
F. W. Moot, 1922-1930
W. E. Mack, 1931-1934
Eugene C. Duryee, 1934-1943
Chris J. Westhoff, 1945-1949
August Pfaus, 1953-1968
Raymond E. Hendershot, 1970-1972
Thomas C. Wray, 1973-1980

Shandaken Reformed Church

(American Catskills) — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Shandaken Reformed Church is located in Mount Tremper, New York. The church is situated on Route 212, across the road from the Esopus Creek, and just off Route 28.

The original church was located west of Mount Tremper at a place that was then known as The Corner. Research conducted by Reverend Harvey Todd in 1954 placed the church near “the former Goldman estate on the Onteora Trail further to the west.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. December 7, 1954.)

On April 3, 1854, a committee chosen by the Classis Ulster organized the current Shandaken Reformed Church. Trustees of the original church included James A. Simpson, Benjamin D. Longyear, A. D. Ladew, John R. Devall, Davis Winne and Solomon Hudler.

The Shandaken Reformed Church was officially established on May 13, 1854 with 33 members. The legal certificate to establish the church was executed on June 19, 1853. Many of the original members had previously worshiped at the church at Shokan. Original elders of the church included Christian Winne, William C. Longyear, Abram D. Ladew and Christian Happy. Original deacons of the church included Benjamin D. Longyear, James Delamater, Abram J. Longyear and Davis Winne.

Reverend John W. Hammond (1819-1876) was the first pastor at the Shandaken Reformed Church. Reverend Hammond was serving at the Shokan Reformed Church at the time of the founding of the Shandaken Reformed Church, and thereafter served both locations. Reverend Hammond was born at Esopus, New York in 1819. In 1848 he was licensed as a pastor by the Classis of Ulster and would go on to a distinguished career in the priesthood. He served at Shokan (1848-1849); Grahamsville (1849-1852); Shokan (1852-1856); Mohawk (1856-1859); Queens (1859-1863); Grahamsville and Stated Supply, Upper Neversink (1863-1867); Shokan and Shandaken (1867-1873); and Roxbury (1873-1875). Reverend Hammond passed away on November 23, 1876 “after a useful and faithful ministry.” He is buried at Wiltwyck Cemetery in Kingston, New York.

In June 1856, while under the leadership of Reverend Hammond, and according to reports from the Reformed Church in America, the Shandaken Reformed Church had 35 member families and 100 total members in the congregation. There were four infants that were baptized in the prior year.

By November 1856, the Shandaken Reformed Church was under the leadership of its second pastor, the Reverend William R. S. Betts (1800-1883). Reverend Betts was born at Troy, New York on October 23, 1800. On November 12, 1856, Reverend Betts was installed by the Classis of Ulster to serve as the pastor of the Shokan and Shandaken churches. Reverend Betts would serve the Shandaken Reformed Church for approximately five years from November 12, 1856 to May 29, 1861. In June 1857, the church reported 25 member families and 80 total members of the congregation. Reverend Betts, “a man of prayer, and sound in the faith,” died on September 28, 1883. He is buried at Manalapan Presbyterian Cemetery in Manalapan, New Jersey.

The history of pastors at the Shandaken Reformed Church includes:

John W. Hammond, 1854-1856
William R. S. Betts, 1856-1861
Alonzo P. Peeke, 1862-1865
Alfred H. Brush, 1865-1867
John W. Hammond, 1867-1873
Adrian Westveer, 1874-1876
Abraham J. Beekman, 1876-1882
W. McGibbon, 1884-1886
John T. Bergen, 1886-1889
Irving P. Emerick, 1889-1890
Charles W. Kinney, 1891-1893
George Niemeyer, 1893-1899
Charles L. Palmer, 1899-1902
Clinton W. Clough (Clowe), 1903-1905
Henry W. Brink, 1906-1914
George W. Gulick, 1915-1916
Frank D. Blanchard, 1917-1920
Benjamin C. Ross, 1924-1926
August Pfaus, 1929-1940
Harvey I. Todd, 1940-1958
Osterhoudt Phillips, 1957-1968
Vacant, 1968-1976
John Van Reyendam, 1982-1987
Debra L. Jameson, 1984-1987

Special services were held on December 11, 1954 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the church. The service was followed by a reception and a cafeteria supper. Reverend Harvey I. Todd (1890-1977) presided at the church in 1954, as he had for the previous 14 years. The special service was conducted by Reverend Daniel Y. Brink, pastor of the First Reformed Church of Scotia and vice president of the Reformed Church Synod of America. Reverend Brink’s father, Reverend Henry Brink, was pastor of the Shandaken Reformed Church from 1906 to 1914.

The Shandaken Reformed Church was disbanded in 2023 by the Reformed Church in America (RCA). The building and property were sold in early 2024.

North Settlement Methodist Church

(American Catskills) — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic North Settlement Methodist Church is located in the town of Ashland, Greene County in the northern Catskills. It is situated on County Route 10, east of the junction with County Route 32C.

The Methodist Society that later built the North Settlement Methodist Church was originally formed in 1805 at a time when Ashland was part of the town of Windham. “During these early years, the congregation [at North Settlement] was serviced by a circuit rider on what was known as the Albany Circuit and later as the Coeymans Circuit. In 1824 the society began a subscription campaign to raise sufficient funds to erect a church.”

The North Settlement Methodist Church was constructed in 1826, 21 years after the founding of the Methodist Society. The church was designed in the Greek Revival architectural style as a single-story building on a four by three bay plan.

Reverend Seth Crowell

“It was said that the first human sound in the wilderness was the ring of the frontiersman’s axe; the second was the “hello” of the Circuit Rider who rode into his clearing.”

The Methodist Society at North Settlement was formed in 1805 under the leadership of Reverend Seth Crowell (1781-1826), a circuit rider minister who preached on the Albany Circuit. Crowell was born in Tolland, Connecticut in 1781, but his family moved to Chatham, Connecticut when he was two years old. By the time Crowell was around 16 years old, “the time of my conversion to God,” “he engaged with great avidity in promoting the cause of Christ, by every means in his power. It was quickly inferred, from the tone of his exhortations, that he possessed a more than ordinary adeptness to the duties of the ministry.” (Springer, p. 349.)

In the spring of 1797, Crowell went to study under a Methodist class-leader, at which time Crowell “believed the Lord graciously converted my soul, Glory to his holy name.” (Crowell, 10.) After studying for two years, Crowell went his own way. In a fortuitous moment in his life, a local circuit preacher “was taken unwell” and asked young Crowell to take his horse, go around his circuit and fulfill his appointments. Crowell agreed, and then traveled the New London circuit as a preacher.

In 1801, at 20 years of age, Crowell was admitted on trial in the New York Conference of the Methodist church. Being “uncommonly mature for his years” and with an “ardency of zeal,” he was then assigned a circuit in “the wilds of Upper Canada.” He remained in Canada for two years, serving on the Niagara circuit in 1801 and on the Oswegatchie and Ottawa circuit in 1802.

Reverend Crowell would go on to a much-traveled career as an itinerant preacher, serving at times in Canada, Vermont, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. While serving on the Albany circuit in New York in 1805, Rev. Crowell preached at Albany, Greenfield, Scott’s Patent, New Durham, Windham and Rensselaerville, among other places.

In 1805 the Albany circuit was part of the Albany District, which was overseen by Elijah Woolsey, the presiding elder. The Albany District included 18 reverends working across 11 different regions including Black River, Western, Herkimer, Saratoga, Montgomery, Delaware, Ulster, Newburgh, Haverstraw, Albany circuit and Albany City. Reverend Crowell was joined on the 1805 Albany circuit by Reverend Henry Stead (1774-1854). Rev. Stead, who was born in England and immigrated to the United States in 1802, would go on to a long, distinguished career of over 50 years as Methodist minister.

While making his circuit at Windham, Reverend Crowell created a Methodist Society, which quickly had over 50 members. At one church service in the Windham area, Crowell “preached in the presbyterian meeting-house. Two of their preachers being present, I strove to convince them of the absurdity of absolute predestination. I met with no opposition.” (Crowell, 33.)

Methodist circuit riders, such as Rev. Crowell, were noted for their “self-sacrificing spirit” for they faced many challenges. The circuit rider position was noted for its constant travel, low pay and many physical hardships. Constant road travel was expensive and the preacher’s salary rarely covered a year’s expenses. Itinerant preachers were transferred almost every year; and Bishops could station a preacher on any circuit within a conference. Family life suffered while the circuit-rider preached, through financial difficulties and the constant moving.

Circuit riders traveled long distances between locations, often through woodlands that were little populated. Danger lurked on their journeys in the form of storms, swollen streams, wild beasts, desperadoes and hunger. Comfortable lodging was seldom available. Circuit preachers held services wherever there was an audience, including homes, schools, inns, taverns, local courthouses, small chapels, churches and, if more space was required, outside in barns, fields, under trees and outside stores. The circuit riders preached almost every day, and usually several times on Sunday.

Beginning in 1813, due to poor health, Rev. Crowell stopped his ministry for several years. During this time, Rev. Crowell published in 1813 The Journal of Seth Crowell; Containing an Account of His Travels as a Methodist Preacher for Twelve Years. The autobiography, albeit with periodic gaps, covers Crowell’s work between the years of 1801 and 1812. Rev. Crowell’s 12 years as an itinerant preacher included:

1801 – Niagara circuit, Canada; served with Rev. Joseph Sawyer
1802 – Oswegatchie and Ottawa circuit, Canada
1803 – Returned to the United States, appointed to the Fletcher circuit, Vermont
1804 – Brandon circuit, Vermont
1805 – Albany circuit, New York
1806 – New York City, St. John Methodist Episcopal Church
1807 – Conference Missionary
1808 – Schenectady, New York
1809 – Newburgh, New York
1810 – Pittsfield circuit, Massachusetts
1811 – Chatham, Connecticut
1812 – Redding, Connecticut

Perhaps influenced by his failing health, Crowell closed his 12-year journal at the end of 1812 with a fatalistic view of the future. “I took my circuit at Danbury; I continued about six months, when my health had got so bad that I was under the necessity to desist from travelling. How I shall I spend the rest of my short life, God only knows; if my health should ever be sufficient, I calculate to travel again; but be this as it may, I hope to be resigned to all the will of heaven, and close my days in peace. Amen.” (Crowell, 108.)

By 1816 Rev. Crowell’s health had recovered enough that he returned to work, being appointed a missionary within the bounds of the New York Conference. In 1817 and 1818, Crowell worked in New York City at the John Street Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1819, Reverend Crowell was “located,” a term used in Methodism meaning a church-sanctioned retirement.

The “location” of Reverend Crowell was not unusual. According to Elmer T. Clark in his book titled An Album of Methodist History, many of the early circuit riders faced health issues and died at a young age. “Of the first 650 preachers, 500 had to “locate.” Of the first 737 who died, 203 were under thirty-five years old, and 121 were between thirty-five and forty-five. Nearly half died before they were thirty. Two-thirds of those whose records are known died before they preached twelve years, and 199 died within the first five years.” (Clark, 198.)

Beginning around 1824, Reverend Crowell began to suffer from another long period of poor health. He suffered “under a slowly wasting disease, during which patience and resignation were exemplified in an eminent degree, and his soul was buoyed up with the blissful prospect of entering into life eternal.” (Bangs, 377.)

Reverend Crowell was placed “on the list of superannuated and worn-out members, that he might have a claim on their funds as long as he lived.” (Sprague, 350.) Reverend Crowell suffered for about two years from “nervous disease,” passing away at the age of 45 in New York City on July 6, 1826. He is buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York. The quote on his gravesite reads “Why seek ye the living among the dead.”

Reverend Seth Crowell holds a distinguished place in the history of Methodism during the early 19th century. Numerous historical accounts highlight his powerful, and often very serious, style of preaching. Several testimonies from Methodist preachers described how Reverend Crowell had influenced them to join the church. “Rev. Seth Crowell deserves an honorable place among the heroes of our early history . . . He combined distinguished argumentative powers with great hortatory ability. God was with him, and his appeals were sometimes overwhelming. Amid great bodily infirmity and severe mental conflicts, he labored with uncommon zeal until utter prostration laid him aside. He died honored and beloved.” (Parks, 63.)

1856 Renovation

By 1856 the North Settlement Methodist Church had fallen into serious disrepair. The congregation was called to a meeting to determine whether the old church should be repaired or whether a new church should be constructed.

“In the latter part of the year 1856, the inhabitants thought the old edifice must be re-erected or else they could not have service in it, on account of its old and decaying condition. Upon this conclusion, and by the suggestion of the preacher in charge, the inhabitants in the vicinity of the church called a meeting, to get the expression of the people as to whether they should build a new one, or repair the old one, and also to ascertain how much money they could raise for the purpose of the same.

Whereupon they resolved to re-erect the old one, and appointed a building committee of three, to transact business, in relation to the erection of the Church and to circulate among the inhabitants a subscription paper, to raise money for the same. The result was that something over nine hundred dollars was subscribed and paid in the immediate vicinity of the church. It is now finished, and is a very nice comfortable edifice. It was dedicated last September, and I understand is paid for.

The subscription money was all paid without reluctance by the subscribers, with the exceptions of one or two individuals, and we must think they will soon pay theirs, as the committee have paid the defaulters subscriptions, and as they attend church regularly, and occupy as commodious seats as any in the church.” (Windham Journal. March 4, 1858.)

The building committee was comprised of several church members, including Brandow, Doolittle and Bronson. The committee “was prompt in the erection of the building, and paid liberally towards its completion.” (Windham Journal. March 4, 1858.)

National Register of Historic Places

The North Settlement Methodist Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as an exceptionally intact representative example of traditional frame meeting house architecture in Greene County.”

As per the application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, the church “is characterized by rectangular gable massing, heavily molded trim, full entablature and double door entrance with paneled door framed by a distinctive Greek door surround. The sanctuary remains substantially intact from the mid-nineteenth century and the overall structure retains a remarkably high degree of integrity. The North Settlement Methodist Church is an excellent example of a settlement era rural church that evolved reflecting the changing tastes and prosperity of its congregation and the community. It is an outstanding example of its period and style in the Catskill Region, as well as a rare survivor.”

The church “featured a heavy timber frame set atop a rubblestone foundation. The building was sheathed with narrow clapboards and covered by a medium pitched gable roof. The stone foundation, heavy timber frame, roof structure, some clapboards and some interior wall finishes survive from this period. In addition, based on structural evidence that survives in the church today, it can be determined that the original edifice featured three windows on the first floor and three at the balcony level, on both side elevations. Also typical of early nineteenth century meeting houses, there is evidence that the church originally featured paired entrances. These separate entrances would have been located where the current windows are situated.”

Bishop Francis Burns

“No one can doubt of the genuine conversion of Francis Burns. His name and memory will live for ages. His good deeds, his christian virtue and his true godliness have been engraved in the hearts of many people in Windham, a more lasting impression than could ever be cut in a tablet of stone.”

The North Settlement Methodist Church is where Francis Burns (1809-1863), the first African American Bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, received his early religious training.

Burns was born on December 5, 1809 in the city of Albany, New York. His parents were extremely poor, so at the age of four he was brought to the home of a Methodist farmer named Bennett Atwood in the North Settlement section of the town of Windham. At the age of 8, “satisfied that the experiment will prove a success, and, fearing lest the boy should be enticed from his home, just as he may be of some service to himself,” Atwood executed legal indentures with Francis’ parents that would have Burns bound to Atwood until his majority, “to learn the art, trade, and mystery of an agriculturist.” (Trafton, p. 377.)

From an early age, Burns attended school along with the other children of the neighborhood, typically during the winter term when there was less work on the farm. At the age of 15, Burns, “who had sought God in solitude and silence, now shouted aloud his praise.” Around this time,

“a camp meeting was being held on the farm of Arad Lewis, near, or a little west of the North Settlement M. E. Church. It was at this camp meeting that young Burns experienced religion. He earnestly sought Christ at this place, and as Burns himself told it, he knelt down by an old stump and earnestly plead with the Savior to speak peace to his soul. The glad message came down from heaven and Francis Burns was made happy in a Savior’s love . . .

After the conversion of young Burns, he seemed to change wonderfully. He would continually exhort and pray, and it could not be erased from his mind, for he was destined to preach the gospel; a thought then even some laughed at; however, those that loved the Savior began to hold counsel together, as the conversion of young Burns was the all-absorbing topic. His conversion was genuine; it showed for itself that the power of God was wonderfully displayed in Burns. People talked about it far and near. He seemed to feel a great interest that all his school boys, and everybody should seek Christ. Without a doubt it was a remarkable conversion and showed the wonderful work of Providence.

Burns took great delight in attending the prayer meetings and the class meetings. He always had something to say, and people were struck with amazement to hear the words that he spoke. He took great delight in attending prayer meetings that were held at the house of Perez Steele. Whenever the prayer meetings were there, Burns was there. The distance from Bennett Atwood’s to Mr. Perez Steele’s never kept Burns away. He was never absent; cold or heat made no difference with him; rain or stormy weather were never a hindrance. It made no difference how hard the wind blowed, or how many snow drifts to encounter, young Burns was never absent from the prayer meetings unless prevented by sickness. We can hardly say this of many today. A snow squall or a slight rain or a little muddy walking is generally in the way.” (Windham Journal. September 16, 1886; September 23, 1886.)

At the age of 17, Burns was baptized and received into the Methodist Episcopal Church, and thereafter he began to express an interest in preaching. He attended high school at Lexington Heights in Greene County, New York under the tutorship of William McLauren.

In 1830, at around the age of 20, and at the end of his indenture, Burns received a local preacher’s license at the quarterly conference of the Windham circuit held at Durham. Burns threw himself into his new work, and was “not idle, his license was no mere compliment, but authority by the Church to call sinners to repentance, and he enters every open door, aided and encouraged by the circuit preachers.”

In addition to his religious work, Burns also worked as a teacher in the local schools. “The estimation in which Mr. Burns was held by those among whom he had grown up, is well attested by the fact that he was employed to teach their school, and actually became the teacher of the white children in the neighborhood.”

Around the year 1831, Reverend David Terry, an itinerant preacher who traveled the Windham Circuit of the northern Catskills, took an interest in young Burns as he attended local church services. After church services one Sunday, Reverend Terry talked with Burns and came away very impressed with his “manly bearing” and “the fervor and intelligence of his testimony for Jesus Christ.” Reverend Terry recommended to Burns that he turn his attention to theological reading, in the hopes that his further studies would allow for future opportunity within the church.

This advice was taken, and Burns began with a study of “Clarke’s Commentary on the Holy Bible.” Thereafter, “the custom of brother Burns was always to have in one pocket some book of instruction, and in the other a dictionary, so he might be, when in the harvest field or in any other place at leisure for a moment, or at rest, improving his mind.” (The Ladies’ Repository. p. 130.)

By 1833 Burns received an introduction to Bishop Elijah Hedding at the New York Annual Conference held at Poughkeepsie, New York. Bishop Hedding came away “very much taken up with him,” and was impressed by Burns’ “manner of conversation,” “general deportment” and “deep piety.” (Windham Journal. September 30, 1886.) This meeting with Bishop Hedding would forever change the course of Burns’ life.

In 1834, Burns joined Reverend John Seys (1799-1872) for a Methodist mission to the country of Liberia in Africa, and this was to become his life’s work. Burns at first worked as a teacher in the Monrovia Seminary, but would in time take on more work and far greater responsibilities. He labored as an itinerant preacher over the course of many years. Burns edited, “with marked ability,” Africa’s Luminary, a paper sponsored by the mission. He was elected to the office of deacon and then elder. He was appointed principal of the Monrovia Conference Seminary; served as the presiding elder of the Cape Palmas district, and preacher in charge of the Cape Palmas station; and for six years he served as the appointed president of the Liberia Annual Conference.

Burns “visited Windham twice after he had become a missionary and everybody in Windham and surroundings was rejoiced to see him. He preached to large congregations powerful and eloquent sermons. When it was announced that Burns was to preach, there was a general rush; everybody went for miles around.” (Windham Journal. September 30, 1886.)

In the autumn of 1857 Reverend Burns, on one of his trips back to the United States, returned to the town of his youth, and visited the North Settlement Methodist Church for its rededication.

“In the autumn of 1857 it was my good fortune to be present at a love-feast on North Settlement, Greene County, N.Y. A new church had been dedicated to God the day before, and now the society was assembled for their first love-feast in their new and beautiful temple. It was a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The aged members wept for joy, and gave thanks to God that the time had come when they had a comfortable church in which to worship in their declining years. There were many present from different parts of the circuit.

There were also present some eight or ten preachers, among whom was Francis Burns, late from Africa. This town was the place of his childhood; here he was reared, and here converted to God. In this vicinity he had been spending a few weeks among his old friends, recruiting his exhausted energies preparatory to his return to Africa.

He arose in the love-feast and said: “I have just visited the spot where I was converted more than thirty years ago. I sung the doxology, kneeled down and prayed, and then took my leave for the last time. The next month I shall spend on the Atlantic. You, my brethren, (referring to the ministers present,) will die in America; I will die in Africa. You will be buried in your beautiful cemeteries; I shall be buried by the foot of the palm. Over your grave will stand the cenotaph pointing to the heavens; but over mine the rose and the oleander will wave and bloom, and send forth their fragrance. Brethren, pray for me, for I mean that no man shall take my crown.”

Brother Burns sat down to weep amid deep emotion. The congregation was bathed in tears. All hearts melted. The audience was moved with sensation. The scene was solemn beyond description, and ranks with those never to be forgotten.” (Smith, pp. 156-157.)

At the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church of 1856, a provision was made for the election and ordination of a Missionary Bishop. Two years later, in January 1858, and after nearly a quarter century of “toiling and suffering on the western coast of Africa,” Burns was chosen for the position and became the first African American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Burns returned to the United States for his ordination, which took place on October 14, 1858 at the session of the Genesee Annual Conference at Perry, New York. The ordination service was conducted by Bishop Janes and Bishop Baker.

After his consecration as Bishop, Burns “gave himself brief repose, but at once sailed for his distant field of labor, where he threw himself again into his loved work with a zeal which knew no abatement, and a heart that never grew cold; he would not spare himself. He had the care of the schools, of the printing press, and of the Churches and ministers; he must be everywhere in the supervision of these interests, and this not for a few weeks, as in the case of a visiting bishop, and then off for home, but this strain was unremitting; the close of the year only introducing another of increasing care as the good work spread.” (Trafton, 387.)

After continuing his work in Liberia for five more years after being appointed Bishop, Burns returned to the United States in 1863 due to poor health. “His long exposure to that terrible climate, the frequent attacks of malarial fever he had suffered, and his herculean labors, had about exhausted a constitution not naturally strong, and he broke down. His physician commanded instant cessation from labor, and a return the States.” (Trafton, p. 387.)

Bishop Francis Burns died on April 18, 1863, only three days after his arrival at Baltimore, Maryland. Funeral services were held at Sharp Street Church in Baltimore, officiated by Rev. Dr. Durbin, with several other ministers offering their own remarks. The service was attended by hundreds of people, including over 70 ministers. At his request, Bishop Burns’ body was returned to Liberia, accompanied by his wife, who planned to return to Africa to make her home. Bishop Francis Burns is buried at Palm Grove Cemetery in Monrovia, Liberia.

Sources

Bangs, Nathan. A History of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Volume 3. New York: G. Lane and C. B. Tippett, 1845.

Clark, Elmer T. An Album of Methodist History. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1952.

Crowell, Seth. The Journal of Seth Crowell; Containing an Account of His Travels as a Methodist Preacher for Twelve Years. New York: J. C. Totten, 1813.

“Francis Burns. History of Windham, And Reminiscences of its People, Past and Present.” Windham Journal. Issues of September 16, 1886 (Part 37); September 23, 1886 (Part 38); September 30, 1886 (Part 39); and October 7, 1886 (Part 40).

“Funeral of Bishop Burns.” Buffalo Christian Advocate (Buffalo, New York). May 7, 1863.

North Settlement Methodist Church. Application for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. 1996.

Parks, Rev. Stephen. Troy Conference Miscellany. Albany: J. Lord, 1854.

Powell, William A. Jr. Methodist Circuit-riders in America, 1766-1844. Master’s Theses. 1977.

“Rev. Francis Burns.” The Ladies’ Repository. Volume 19. New York: Carlton & Porter, 1859. pp. 129-132.

Simpson, Matthew. Cyclopaedia of Methodism. Philadelphia: Everts & Stewart. 1878. pp. 147-148.

Smith, William C. “Francis Burns in a Love-Feast.” Sketch Book. New York: Carlton & Porter, 1860. pp. 156-157.

Sprague, William B. Annals of the American Methodist Pulpit. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1873. pp. 349-350.

Trafton, Rev. Mark. “Francis Burns.” In John W. Hamilton, Lives of Methodist Bishops. New York: Phillips & Hunt, 1882. pp. 373-390.

Mitchell Hollow Union Chapel

(American Catskills) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Mitchell Hollow Union Chapel, also known as Union Chapel, is located in the town of Windham in the northern Catskills. The church is situated on the north side of Mill Road at its intersection with Mitchell Hollow Road (County Route 21).

The church was constructed through community donations of labor, lumber and cash as well as the donation of 1/8 acre of land by Edgar Brockett. The church was built in 1897 and dedicated on April 21, 1898, with the dedicatory sermon provided by Reverend Henry M. Dodd. The church remains active in the community today.

As for the Mitchell Hollow name of the church, an article published in 1887 in the Windham Journal talked of the early history of the location.

“Mitchell Hollow was first settled about the year 1760 by a Mitchell family. They built a log house on the flats lying just east of the farm now owned by Frank Finch. These flats were afterward owned by my father, Sylvester Andrus. This was then in the heart of a howling wilderness, abounding with deer, panthers and wolves.

There is very little known of the history of the Mitchell family, from the fact that they either died or scattered before Mitchell Hollow was settled to any considerable extent. . . I remember, when a small boy, of seeing a daughter of the original Mitchell. She was then an old woman. She told me that when she was a little girl, she would help her father boil sap, and on one occasion, when returning from the bush after nightfall, she was compelled to carry a brand of fire to protect herself from the wolves, as they were howling around her in some numbers.

The Mitchells were about the only settlers in Mitchell Hollow until about the beginning of this century [19th], when, about that time, there came in old Deacon Finch with his sons, Elam, Wells, Willis and Clark. His other two sons, Justus and William, I believe were born in the Hollow.” (Andrus, Enos C. “Early History of Mitchell Hollow.” The Windham Journal. Windham, NY. June 11, 1925.)

Mitchell Hollow Union Chapel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a representative example of late nineteenth century classically inspired ecclesiastic architecture in the community of Windham. The building, albeit simple in plan, is an important surviving example of church architecture constructed to service the year-round population of the upper Catskill region.” The church stands virtually intact from its construction more than a century ago.

St. Francis de Sales Church at Elka Park, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic St. Francis de Sales Church is located in a peaceful setting in the northern Catskills along Platte Clove Road in Greene County, New York. The church is located north of the hamlet of Elka Park and south of the village of Tannersville.

The first St. Francis de Sales Church building at this location was constructed in 1891 through the leadership of Father Hugh O’Neil. Given its proximity, the church was long associated with the Elka Park community, which was established two years prior in 1889. The original members of the Elka Park community were all native-born Germans, many of whom had come to the United States in the 1840s and 1850s. The founders of Elka Park were all members of the Liederkranz Club of New York City, a social club of prominent German Americans. Elka Park was designed as a seasonal resort, with a theme of comfort and recreation among families of like social standing and cultural heritage.

Father O’Neil, the first pastor of the original St. Francis de Sales Church, was born in Dungarvan, County Waterford in Ireland on May 18, 1838, the son of Patrick and Ellen (McSweeney) O’Neil. His father Patrick was a farmer in early life, but later engaged in the bakery business at Dungarvan. Patrick also worked as a spirits merchant and, before the advent of railroads, ran a line of carriages known as post coaches. Patrick was regarded as “a highly respected citizen and an able supporter of the church.” Father O’Neil’s mother Ellen was born in Tipperary in 1796. During the Rebellion of 1798, her family took refuge in the County of Waterford. Hugh was one of eight children.

For his education, Father O’Neil attended a classical school and prepared for college with private tutors, and in 1858 attended All Hallows College in Dublin, where he graduated in 1860. His theological studies were completed at Waterford and at St. Mary’s College at Oscott, England. He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church on February 9, 1867. After 15 years of service in England at several different parishes, Father O’Neil came to the United States in 1882.

After several assignments at Philadelphia and at Indianapolis, in 1887 Father O’Neil came to St. Mary’s Church at Hunter, New York in the northern Catskills. He replaced Father Patrick H. Delehanty (1852-1888), who had served St. Mary’s Church from the spring of 1883 until September 1887.

Father O’Neil’s obligations at Hunter, New York included “the arduous duties of a widely distributed district, which included villages and settlements within a radius of fifty miles.” His duties “were zealously and energetically performed by him for five years, or until his circuit was divided, since which time the concentration of his labors has enabled him to accomplish results far more visible in their effects. Besides effecting the enlargement and improvement of St. Mary’s Church, he erected St. Franis de Sales Church in Platerkill [Elka Park] in 1891. At both these churches he officiates the year round, celebrating two masses each Sunday during the summer season, besides holding week-day services whenever occasion demands.” For a time, he conducted regular services at the Hotel Kaaterskill during the tourist season, “but these he was obliged to relinquish on account of his increasing labors elsewhere.”

Father O’Neil was well regarded in the community. “He has earnestly endeavored to promote the spiritual welfare of his widely-scattered flock, and the zeal he displays in conducting the affairs of his pastorate has gained for him the good will of the entire community. He organized the Sacred Heart and Rosary societies, and he takes a lively interest in the work of the town improvement society, of which he is a member. At the earnest request of the people of Lexington he aided in securing the erection of a church in that village; and he has also repaired St. Henry’s Church, located between Ashland and Prattsville.” (Biographical Review: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Schoharie, Schenectady and Greene Counties, New York. pp. 192-193.)

In November 1900 Father O’Neil retired from parish work due to failing eyesight and a complication of diseases. Upon retiring, Father O’Neil left the United States to return to his home country of Ireland. He died less than a year later in September 1901 at his birthplace of Dungarvan, County Waterford in Ireland. Upon his passing it was written that Father O’Neil “was well known in this city [Troy], where he had many friends. He was especially popular in Troy and Hunter, and his death will be lamented generally by the people in both places.” (The Argus. September 13, 1901.)

In time, the first St. Francis de Sales Church, once described as “a little shed-like church building,” outlived its usefulness, and it was decided to construct a new church in order to accommodate the growing congregation. Money for the construction of the church was provided by Francis H. Lewis, supplemented by money raised by the congregation. The design of the church was based on Father Keefe’s remembrances of a church he had seen in France. The old church building was moved across the road, where it was used for several years as a parochial school for the parish.

The new St. Francis de Sales Church was dedicated on May 20, 1913 by Bishop Thomas Burke of Albany. Upon the church’s dedication, the building was described as “a very pretty frame edifice and will afford ample accommodation for all the Catholics of that district having a seating capacity of 400.”

The church was built under the leadership of Father William E. Keefe, who served at the Immaculate Conception Church at Haines Falls. Father Keefe’s “territory in the mountains was extensive owing to the fact of it being a popular vacationing section, and comprised all of Greene County on top of the Catskill Mountains. It covered three townships and included many small villages and hamlets. During the summer three priests have worked under Father Keefe in that section. All the well known mountain parks, including Onteora, Elka, Twilight, Sunset and Santa Cruz are within the territory which was comprised in his working section. These parks are private reserves and enclose the summer homes of many wealthy New York, Philadelphia and Washington people.” (The Columbian Republican. June 27, 1916.)

Father Keefe was born in Cohoes, New York on August 24, 1870. He was educated in the public schools of Cohoes, the old Christian Brother Academy and at Niagara University. He was prepared for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary at Troy, New York. He was ordained into the priesthood on September 19, 1896 at the chapel of the Sacred Heart Convent at Kenwood, New York. After ordination he was sent to Catholic University at Washington D. C. for post-graduate studies, where he remained until June 1897.

Father Keefe was next assigned to a summer mission at Lexington in the Catskills, where he remained until September, 1897. He was then appointed chaplain for the Christian Brothers, who then had a novitiate at the Old Troy Seminary in Troy, New York. Later he was made assistant pastor of St. Bernard’s Church at Cohoes, and remained there for six years. He was then appointed pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church at Haines Falls. In 1916 he was appointed pastor of St. Mary’s Church at Hudson, New York, where he remained for 24 years until his passing in 1940. Father Keefe is buried at Saint Agnes Cemetery at Menands, New York.

St. Francis de Sales Church is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The mission church falls under the auspices of the Sacred Heart-Immaculate Conception Parish that includes the communities of Palenville, Haines Falls, Tannersville, Elka Park, East Jewett, Hunter and Lexington. Adjacent to the church is the St. Francis de Sales Cemetery, which contains over 1,100 grave sites.

In addition to the St. Francis de Sales Church at Elka Park, there were two other nearby churches of the same name in the hamlets of Phoenicia and at Lexington. The church building at Lexington no longer serves its original religious purpose, as it is now the home to the Lexington Historical Society.

St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) is a recognized saint in the Roman Catholic faith. He served as the Bishop of Geneva and authored in 1609 the highly influential Introduction to the Devout Life. He was canonized in 1665 and was further honored in 1877 with the title of Doctor of the Church, a title bestowed on those who have advanced the Catholic Church’s knowledge of faith through their research, study and writing. His feast day is celebrated on January 24. He has been honored as the patron saint of Catholic writers, Catholic journalists and the deaf.

Murder at the Stone Arch Bridge

(American Catskills) — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Stone Arch Bridge at Kenoza Lake in Sullivan County, New York is locally famous for its role in one of the most prominent murder cases in Catskills history. The dramatic story involves supposed witchcraft, a hex that lasted for over 20 years, a gruesome murder, mental insanity and a lasting legacy of family tragedy and suicide.

The story begins with George Markert, a local farmer, who had eaten supper with his family on the evening of Tuesday, January 19, 1892, and after went to the nearby Halfway House establishment of Philip Hembdt. The Halfway House, “a respectable roadside inn,” was located about one-half mile from Markert’s home along the main road. Markert arrived at the Halfway House between 6 and 7 p.m., remaining for several hours while having a few glasses of beer with his neighbors and friends. Markert left the hotel around 10 or 11 in the evening. Markert headed in the direction of his home, while the others headed to their own homes in different directions.

On his return home, Markert was viciously murdered as he crossed over the Stone Arch Bridge. He was shot five times in the back and side of his head and beaten with a heavy walking stick, resulting in several severe scalp wounds and a badly fractured skull. At least one of the pistol shots was from close range, as blackened powder marks were found around one of the wounds. The body was then dumped over the side of the stone bridge into the cold creek below, a drop of approximately 27 feet.

Markert’s house was located about 125 yards from the stone bridge. Markert was living with his second wife and her grandson named John Sanders, but was better known as Johnny Markert. In physical appearance, George Markert was described as 5 foot, 9 inches in height and weighed about 165 pounds. Markert was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States in the 1860s. When he was about 20 years old, he worked in a tannery near Turners. Later he worked for Gideon Wales at Pike Pond, now Kenoza Lake, and while there married Caroline Heidt, the sister of Adam Heidt. After Caroline had died at Rockville, Connecticut, Markert married Katherine Zehner, circa October 1884. She was a widow with three children.

Markert eventually saved enough money to purchase a small farm in Kenoza Lake near the Halfway House of Philip Hembdt. His farm was only 15 acres, most of which “was just a niche chopped out of a larger one.” One newspaper article referred to Markert as “probably the poorest man in the community.” Given the relatively small size of the farm, Markert also worked as a laborer for other farms in the area as a means of earning extra money.

Markert was regarded as “honest and respected by nearly all his neighbors.” He was also described as “an inoffensive man. Like the rest of the Germans, who make up the population of that vicinity, he enjoyed a glass of beer, and minded his own business.” (Port Jervis Daily Union. January 25, 1892.) Another report noted that Markert “was an honest, good-hearted man, and no enemies, except the Heidts.” (Hancock Herald. January 28, 1892.)

The well-attended funeral of George Markert took place at the Halfway House in Kenoza Lake five days after his murder at one o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, January 24, 1892. He was survived by his second wife; three daughters, Mrs. A. Gerlich and Mrs. Wohlebe of Rockville, Connecticut; and Mary Markert of Kenoza Lake; by four step-children, and a little grandson who was living with him. George Markert is buried at the Kenoza Lake Cemetery in Kenoza Lake, New York.

George Markert

The Murder Scene

The murder scene was discovered about nine o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, January 20, the day after the murder. Mrs. Markert, realizing that her husband had not come home the night prior, had instructed their grandson Johnny to go to the Halfway House to inquire of Philip Hembdt as to his whereabouts. Along the way to the Halfway House, Johnny came upon neighbors John N. Kohler, who was a farmer and mail carrier, and Casper VonBerger, both of whom were on their way to cut fuel in the woods.

The three of them, coming upon the bridge, at the scene of the crime, found large blood stains in the newly fallen snow and tracks were found where the body was dragged and thrown over the side of the bridge. A shattered chair leg, an open jack-knife and a blood-soaked folding cap, all belonging to Markert, were found. The chair leg, about three feet in length, was frequently used by Markert as a walking stick. The walking stick was instantly recognized by Johnny for he had found it the summer before and gifted it to Markert. Footprints were found in the snow that were made by a size 11 rubber boot or shoe, which were later found to match those of the suspected murderer. An imprint of a right knee was found near an imprint of a head, and both spots were saturated with blood.

At the scene of the crime, and given the well-known animosity that Adam Heidt had for Markert, Mr. Kohler exclaimed, “Well, if Markert is dead, Heidt killed him.” Mr. Kohler instructed Johnny to go back to the house to tell his mother what they found. Johnny, upon arriving at his house, said to his mom that “Pa is murdered and thrown over the bridge.” Philip Hembdt arrived quickly and was one of the first people to investigate the scene of the murder.

After the initial evidence of the murder was discovered, a group of approximately 80 people was organized, and they began to thoroughly search the Callicoon Creek for the body. They poled boats up and down the river, raking the soft, underflowing ice. Other parties walked along the banks of the creek with hooks, poles, grapnels and rakes. For over 48 hours on Wednesday, January 20, and Thursday, January 21, the search continued without success.

On Friday, January 22, at around 11:30am, Charlie Heidt, the local constable, who was in a boat with Henry Wagner, noticed something in the water that looked like a coat. It was at a point in the river opposite Joseph Welch’s house. Charlie hooked the unknown object that had been snagged under three feet of water. Upon realizing that it was the body of George Markert, Charlie pulled the stiff body, which was covered with soft ice, to the surface. The body was found about a half-mile downstream from the stone arch bridge. Markert’s body was dragged to the shore, placed on a sled and then taken to the Halfway House, where it was examined by Coroner John Dycker, of Callicoon Depot and Dr. Simeon Kemp, a practicing physician and surgeon of Callicoon Depot for the prior 25 years, and assisted by Dr. Brand, of Jeffersonville.

The autopsy revealed “eight lacerations of the scalp as though made by some blunt instrument like a club; also five pistol-shot wounds. After a crucial incision of the scalp an extravasation of blood was found and a fracture of the skull eight inches in length extending from the frontal bone across the parietal bone to the occipital bone in an oblique direction. The first shot wound was four inches behind left ear, bullet imbedded in the lower part of the occipital bone; second shot wound two inches behind left ear, bullet penetrating occipital bone to the dura mater; third shot wound just below the second, bullet glanced off the skull and found imbedded in the muscles of the neck fourth bullet glanced off skull and lodged under the muscles of the neck at back; fifth shot wound passing through the angle of left lower jaw, bullet found in the sphenoidal bone; all the bullets were found.” (Sullivan County Record. January 29, 1892.)

There was also “a black-and-blue welt across the knuckles of one hand as though received in warding off a blow from a heavy stick.” (Middletown Daily Press. January 26, 1892.) Robbery was determined to not be the motive, as the little money that Markert had in his pockets was undisturbed. It was also felt that “nobody would have committed the deed for money, as the man was poor.” (Republican Watchman. January 29, 1892.)

Suspects

Adam Heidt and his son Joseph, the brother-in-law and nephew of Markert, respectively, were both quickly suspected of having committed the crime, for they had not been on good terms with Markert and had long wished him dead. The suspected motive for the murder was that both the Heidts believed Markert was a “hexenmeister,” or sorcerer, who possessed supernatural powers, and that he practiced the “black art” of witchcraft. The Heidts believed that Markert was a “principal midnight visitor to the “hexenkanzel,” or witch pulpit, a spot in the neighborhood where the adepts in the black art were said to meet to say their incantations against those whom they sought to harm or destroy.” Both Adam and Joseph believed that Markert had placed a hex on Adam Heidt and his family which had led to personal illness, prevented their cows from giving cream, the death of several their cattle, the death of a horse, killed their crops and frustrated business plans. The Heidts also believed that Markert’s hex had led to the death of several family members.

Adam Heidt

Joseph Heidt

Adam Heidt believed the hex began about 22 years before the murder, around 1870, when Markert patted him on the back three times and said, “You are a good brother-in-law, a good brother-in-law, a right good brother-in-law.” This supposed hex took place at the Halfway House, then owned and operated by the Bietz family. Heidt claimed “from that time on I was ailing, more or less all the time; I didn’t know and no doctor could tell what ailed me; medicine done me no good. My trouble never hindered me from work, but I was always ailing.”

Heidt complained of headaches, face pain and stomach issues, all ailments for which medicine did no good. In 1879, Adam went to Dr. Bennitt, who told him that he was healthy, “and he could not tell me what made me ailing. He gave me medicine which did me no good, but made me much worse. I took half of it and stopped. Another year, I went to Dr. Kemp. His medicine did me no good, but hurt me. I lived then in the Beech Wood. I had pains all over. Nothing would cure or help them, and my stomach beat like my heart. Gradually I grew worse, and in March, twelve years ago [1880], I went to Jefferson to see Dr. Wolfreen. He gave me medicine, and said he knew what ailed me. At first, I thought it did me good, but after taking a bottle of it I got down sick. Markert then lived in the Gannpler place. Dr. Wolfreen came to my house and was surprised to see how bad I was. It was reported around then that I would die – starve to death. I had pains like filling teeth. All at once I got better.” (The Sun. January 28, 1892.)

Heidt then claimed that his health improved greatly during the several years that Markert had lived in Connecticut, but that the pains had started again as soon as Markert returned. At an early inquest in to the murder in late January, 1892, Adam Heidt talked openly about his beliefs that Markert had cursed him, his resulting ailments and the steps he took to cure himself.

“I first saw him at our house, and there we shook hands. After that I had worse pains than I ever had before. They were in my head and legs and in my side. If I bought patent medicine the first bottle did me good, but the next made me worst than I had been. Then I let go of that and took the pills, with no better luck. Markert visited me two or three times a year till a year ago last spring. A year ago last spring he came to my house and we shook hands, and I took him in the cellar and treated him to cider. I got at once strange feelings in my eyes. We went upstairs and sat down, he opposite me. He stroked his whiskers.

He stroked his whiskers and twisted his hand at the end of each stroke as if he was throwing something from them at me. He saw that I noticed it and stopped. When I turned my head, he did the same thing again. I went and looked in the glass. My face was yellow, with a blue rim around my eyes. He then went home. I told my wife to look at my face, and that Markert was a witch and had cast a spell upon me. She told me she couldn’t believe that he would do such a thing because he talked so much religion. I told her I thought he had done it.

The next Sunday he came again and did the same thing. Again, my face turned yellow and blue and I had pains all over. Then he came the third Sunday and I wasn’t home. I had been to church in the morning and had walked to Jeffersonville. At just the time Markert called at the house and stroked his beard the thing came upon me in Jeffersonville, and when I got home, I said to my wife that Markert had been here. She asked my why, and I told her. She didn’t believe it. From that time, I had pain three days in the week, Friday Saturday, and Sunday, until in July, when he came to my place again and asked me how I was. I asked how a man who was sick all the time would be. He came the next Sunday and wanted a satisfaction piece on the judgment. I have it to him. From that time my trouble changed, and the pains would begin any day in the week and last three successive days. It was in my eyes and brain, and when it went off I had a peculiar feeling in my breast.

The last time Markert came to my house was in December, 1890. A month later he wanted me to file a saw for him. I wouldn’t do it, for to look at it gave me pain. I went to Dr. Hazie after that. He prescribed vapor baths. I took the baths, and then he prescribed medicine. I took it, and it made me a great deal worse. I had pains in my face every day and all the time. Then I went to a hospital [St. Francis Hospital in New York.] I was there two weeks and got no relief. They gave me medicine three times daily, which I couldn’t take, and they said they didn’t know what ailed me. The professor examined my and found me sound, but he shook his head afraid like, and seemed glad when I went away.

I couldn’t eat or sleep then. I came out of the hospital then and I had a conversation with a woman. She asked my why I went to the hospital. I told her it was to get relief from my troubles. She said medicine would not help me. She said I should not shake hands with any man. She wrote something for me on a piece of paper. She said I should not look at it, but I should carry it all the time and that if I did, I would get better. I saw her again six weeks later, in March, 1891. Before I saw her, I got pains in my stomach. After the second visit the pain left my stomach and went to my limbs.

After seeing Mrs. Stein the second time I came back home, and then I went to see Markert. We were alone. I told him he was the man who had patted me on the shoulder and said, “You are a good, a right good brother-in law,” and I tried to make him take the words back, but he only laughed. At that time, I had a feeling in my legs as if ants were crawling up and down This continued until November, 1891.

Then I went to see my brother in Bradford, Pennsylvania. I stayed there five weeks, and he took me to see the travelling Dr. Clark in Towanda. That doctor gave me two glass bulbs, with a glass tube connecting, and told me to hold them in my hands. The liquid in one was forced over to the other. He told me this indicated heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, and some other diseases. He was going to fix medicines, but I said I didn’t want any. I did not tell him I was bewitched.

I left Bradford and went to Pittsburgh, and saw Father Mollinger. He gave me a blessing, and said that I needed no medicine. I did not tell him what ailed me. I expected the blessing would me off. It didn’t. I was there eight days, and I came directly home to Callicoon. I walked from Callicoon depot, and under the railroad bridge I found a revolver and a box of cartridges. I brought it home. The next morning, I wrapped it up in rags and hid it away in the haymow. I did not tell anyone I had found it. The last time I saw Markert alive was the night of the first Saturday in January. I was down by his house, and saw him through a window at his table.” (The Sun. January 28, 1892.)

Mrs. Stein, the witch Adam visited at Eighty-fifth Street in New York, offered advice on how to break the spell. She said that Adam must get Markert’s hat and boil it, and then he must with his own hand take the brain from the skull of a dead man and boil it.

At one point during his afflictions, perhaps following Mrs. Stein’s instructions, Adam hoped to acquire a hat from Markert, in the belief that if he got one it would relieve him of Markert’s witchery. Johnny Markert testified at an early inquest that Joseph had approached him one day as Johnny came out of a store in Kenoza Lake one day and asked if his father George had an old hat at home, and that Joseph had offered to pay Johnny a quarter if he would bring the hat to the second hill in the woods the next night. Joseph had stated that he wanted it for the Swiss Hill concert that was going to take place in the schoolhouse. Johnny agreed, but after he went home and told his mother, she said he could wait a long time till he got the hat. No one from the Heidt family ever mentioned the hat again to Johnny.

When Markert’s body was found, two letters written from Adam Heidt to Markert were discovered in his coat pocket. One letter contained the warning that if Markert was caught on the Heidt property again he would be killed. The second letter stated that if Markert did not stop “moonshining” the family, he would be killed anyway.

One letter written by Adam Heidt to George Markert, dated March 19, 1891, stated “You seeming friend and sly enemy. Nothing done so fine but what it will appear in the daytime. God had opened my eyes. You should take your witchcraft back. You know I have a judgment against you. You came to me on a Sunday and got a receipt. If you do not take the torture back, I will sell the judgment and pay the doctor bill which you have caused. You came to my house and stroked your beard. I was sick all the time. I forbid you my house and my barn, my flesh and blood. In the name of God. A Heidt.” (Middletown Daily Press. August 19, 1892.)

Two years before his murder, when Markert received several threatening letters from Adam Heidt, he went to Judge Potts and showed the letters to him. Mr. Potts advised Markert to prosecute Heidt, but he never did it, as he felt kindly towards Heidt based on their relationship and family connection.

In the fall of 1891, only months prior to Markert’s murder, Adam Heidt had visited Conrad Metzger, a friend, to request to borrow $10 to go to the city of New York in the hopes of getting cured. While in New York Adam visited a clairvoyant who, when he entered the room, told him that “some one has put a spell on you.” When Adam saw Conrad again that fall, he talked of being bewitched. Conrad questioned him, saying “You don’t believe in it?” But Adam did seem to believe in it, but “did not express any angry feeling, but I [Conrad] noticed his manner was angry.” (Middletown Times-Press. August 19, 1892.)

In deliberating on the hex placed by Markert, Adam thought of the many tragedies that had afflicted the Heidt family in the years before the murder. In 1874, Nicholas Heidt, Adam’s brother, died from his injuries after being hit by a train of the Erie Railroad. Nicholas was working as brakeman for the railroad and had been coupling railroad cars at Lackawaxen. Adam claimed that Markert had possessed Nicholas to go on the track in front of the train and be killed.

On July 11, 1882, Anton Ulrich, Barbara Heidt’s father and Adam Heidt’s father-in-law, died instantly after falling from a wagon, striking his head and fracturing the bones of his neck. A team of horses were pulling a wagon full of a load of hay, and the horsed became frightened and started to run. Within a short distance Anton was thrown from the wagon to his death. This too was blamed on Markert.

In 1887, Ursula Ulrich, Barbara Heidt’s mother, was brutally murdered by a drunken ex-sailor named Abel John Allen, more commonly known as ‘Sailor Jack’. Allen shot Ulrich with a shot gun and then stabbed her in several places. Her house “bore every evidence of having been ransacked for plunder.” Allen was convicted of murder and would become the last man ever hanged in Sullivan County, New York. Heidt blamed the tragic event on Markert. It was believed that Jack Allen was no witch, but that he must have been possessed by one.

It was rumored that there were probably 20 people, in addition to Adam, in the Kenoza Lake community of 200 people that believed in witchcraft. “When a neighbor’s barn burns, they say that he has incurred the anger of the witches. When a neighbor’s child falls sick, they resort to mysterious devices and incantations to get it out of the power of the witch. They cut out of the mud the footprints of the suspected one and roast them and break them up and strew the ashes to the four winds. They put chalk marks on the doors to keep the evil spirits away, and carry charms about their necks. They hang stove pokers up for protection, and do many other strange things that have been handed down as means of preventing evil.” (The Sun. January 28, 1892.)

In the days following the murder, and upon several searches of the Heidt home, a number of pieces of incriminating evidence were found, including a blood-soaked .38-caliber revolver which had recently been fired, a .32 caliber pistol, a bloody handkerchief in a closet and an overcoat with blood spots. Bullets from the revolver matched those found in the head of George Markert. Joseph had two scratches on the back of his left hand. On Joseph’s undergarments, blood stains were found on the right knee. A pair of felt boots, belonging to Joseph, had rubber bottoms on them, the tracks of which matched the footprints in the snow at the scene of the murder.

At the inquest held in the weeks following the murder, Adam claimed that he knew nothing of the murder and that the first he heard of it was when the officers came to his house the following day. Adam also stated that he did not feel relieved of his troubles when he heard of Markert’s death, or at any time thereafter. The lawyers and the jury at the inquest specifically asked Adam “Are you better than before Markert was killed?” Markert responded, “Not a bit. There is pain in me now. I saw Markert dead, and saw Dr. Kemp extract the bullets from his head. The sight of him dead gave me no relief.” (The Sun. January 28, 1892.)

Adam Heidt was a 42-year-old farmer who lived at a place called Swiss Hill, which was south of Jeffersonville, about one-half mile from the Halfway House, and about one mile from Markert’s home. He was four years old in 1853 when he immigrated with his family to the United States from Germany. In 1869, Adam married Barbara Ulrich, the son of Anton and Ursula Urich. Barbara was described as being “possessed of considerably more sense than her husband.” At the time of the murder he was married, with a family of three sons and two daughters. The children included Joseph, 22 years old; John, 18 years old; Rosie, 14 years old; Anthony, 12 years old; and Mary, 3 years old. Adam was commonly known as “old man Heidt,” even though he was only 42 years old.

Heidt’s farm covered 133 acres, most of which was cultivated. His farm was one of the largest in the community, his stock was considered among the best and “their place is finely kept up.” (Hancock Herald. January 28, 1892.) In physical appearance, Adam was of medium height and weighed about 165 pounds.

Adam was described very differently in the press, depending on the account. One article described Adam as “a hard-working man, and though considered honest, he is said to harbor a very keen desire for gain; and to gratify this desire he has on different occasions endeavored to influence the division of legacies of relatives. He is Roman Catholic.” On the contrary, an article in the New York Times stated that Adam “has been long known in the community as of a low order of intellect and extremely ignorant and superstitious.” (New York Times. January 28, 1892.) Another article reported that Heidt “is somewhat demented, but has been known for many years as a quiet, peaceable citizen by his neighbors.” (Port Jervis Daily Union. January 21, 1892.)

Joseph Heidt, Adam’s son, was 22 years old at the time of the murder. He had lived with his family on Swiss Hill at Kenoza Lake for 13 years. He had two brothers and two sisters, of whom he was the oldest. He was educated until he was 16 years old, attending school at Buckwoods, Kenoza Lake and Swiss Hill. He attended school during the winter and worked on the home farm during the summer. He regularly attended the Catholic Church at Jeffersonville. In physical appearance, Joseph was about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighed about 190 pounds. Prior to being suspected in Markert’s murder, Joseph was regarded as “having a good reputation. He has had no quarrels with anyone, and was universally regarded as a good citizen.” (Hancock Herald. January 28, 1892.)

John Heidt, Adam’s son and Joseph’s brother, was also initially suspected of having been involved in the murder. At the time, John, 18 years of age, and described as “a pimple-faced, nervous youth,” was working as a school teacher at Birch settlement. In physical appearance he was of short stature and weighed about 140 pounds. He provided a solid alibi and was released.

Although John was not implicated in the crime, John was thought to know something about it. On the evening following the murder, he had made a memorandum titled “Testimony,” written with pencil on paper, of the time he came home from school Tuesday evening and of his movements from then on. He would later testify at trial that Joseph had returned home the night of the murder at a late hour, approximately between twelve and two in the morning.

The day after the murder, and while attending to his teaching duties, John “suddenly and to the amazement of his scholars, broke down weeping violently. A scholar asked him what was the matter, and he said he was worried because he didn’t know what was going on at home.” (Hancock Herald. January 28, 1892.)

Grand Jury

In February 1892 a Grand Jury was convened at Monticello, New York to determine whether the case against Adam Heidt and Joseph Heidt should proceed to trial. District Attorney Melvin Couch presented the case to the Grand Jury and an indictment was secured.

The trial was originally scheduled to take place in May 1892 at the Oyer and Terminer court at Monticello. However, the trial was delayed until August as neither the prosecution nor the defense was ready to proceed by May. In July 1892 a special term of the Supreme Court at Monticello was scheduled for August, specifically for the trial of Adam Heidt and Joseph Heidt.

While awaiting trial both Adam and Joseph “seem to be very much cast down. The elder is especially lachrymose and melancholy and has frequent fits of weeping. Neither shows any disposition to talk, evidently preferring to be left alone.” (Middletown Daily Press. February 13, 1892.)

Trial of Joseph Heidt

The trials of Adam Heidt and Joseph Heidt were held separately in August 1892, seven months after the murder. District Attorney Melvin Couch opted to try Joseph first, and his trial began on Tuesday, August 16, 1892. Joseph was defended by lawyer George McLaughlin, of Monticello. The trial was overseen by Judge Edgar L. Fursman (1838-1910), of Troy, New York. John E. Kelly served as court stenographer.

Judge Edgar L. Fursman

For his defense, Joseph was well represented by his lawyer George McLaughlin (1841-1920), who was highly respected in the legal field. McLaughlin attended Alleghany College, at Alleghany Pennsylvania, and upon graduation was admitted to the bar in Ohio. In 1868, due to failing health, McLaughlin moved from Ohio to Sullivan County, New York to work for his uncle. He came to Monticello in 1872 and opened his own law practice. He remained in Monticello for 26 years until 1898, when he moved to Albany, New York upon being appointed secretary of the State Prison Commission.

The prosecution was also well represented by District Attorney Melvin Couch (1848-1913), “a very capable and astute lawyer.” Couch was born at Glen Wild, New York and was educated in the common schools followed by the Monticello Academy. After having gone west to teach for a few years, he returned east to study law, and was admitted to the bar in 1878. He began practicing law in Liberty, but after one year he moved to Monticello to open a law office. He continued to practice at Monticello for the remainder of his life. Upon his passing in 1913 it was written that “he was a man of rare genius” and that “there never was in the village and probably never will be again such a type of man.” (Sullivan County Republican. December 26, 1913.)

District Attorney Melvin Couch

Upon being escorted into the courtroom by officers of the law for his trial at 10am on the morning of August 16, Joseph was “sprucely dressed in black clothes, and wore linen of immaculate whiteness.” He “presented a downcast appearance,” but was “cleanly shaved and neatly dressed.” Joseph “sat with his legs crossed and his right hand shading his eyes. Through the whole day he did not for one moment allow his eyes to be seen but once, and that was when the jurors were being sworn and he was required to stand up.” (Middletown Times-Press. August 17, 1892.) At times during the trial, Joseph had “spells of weeping.”

The case began with jury selection. The 12 jurors selected for the trial represented a cross-section of Sullivan County citizens. They included William C. Allan, sash and blind maker, Monticello; Mr. Hornbeck, ex-school commissioner, now farmer, Neversink; Joel C. Blackman, farmer, Liberty; Charles Hall, farmer, Neversink; Gilbert DuBois, merchant, Livingston Manor; William T. Daved, farmer, Phillipsport; Richard Gray, miller and farmer, Parksville; Charles Atwell, farmer, Fallsburgh; John W. Curry, farmer, Neversink; Riley Grant, farmer, Liberty; Manasseh Ingraham, farmer, Neversink; A. E. Rudolph, harness maker and bowling alley proprietor, Monticello. Manasseh Ingraham was chosen as jury foreman.

With the jury selected, the trial began at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on August 16. Catherine Markert, George’s widow, was the first witness, and testified that she thought she heard footsteps around the house on the night of the murder, but did not hear the shots from the revolver. She was followed by her grandson Johnny Markert, who testified that his mother had sent him to find his father, had met Mr. Kohler and they found evidence of the killing. John Kohler testified about finding the scene of the crime on the morning after the murder. Philip Hembdt, owner of the Halfway House, testified about the timing of Markert’s visit to the Halfway House on the night of the murder. Charles Heidt testified about finding the body of George Markert in the Callicoon Creek. William Schott, constable for the town of Delaware, testified about searching the Heidt home and finding several pieces of incriminating evidence. Conrad Metzger testified to the sale of rubber over-shoes to Joseph and that Joseph “has always had the best reputation in our town.”

At 9am on Wednesday, August 17, 1892, Dr. Simeon Kemp continued his testimony from the prior evening, describing his autopsy of the body of George Markert. Dr. Kemp presented photographs of Markert’s skull where the abrasions occurred. The photographs were shown to the jury. William Wilson, a member of the searching party, testified on finding a bloody overcoat at the Heidt home. Wirt Moulthrop testified about seeing Joseph at Kenoza Lake at 8:30 in the evening on the night of the murder and testified as to Joseph’s good character. John Bosley, a constable in the town of Delaware, testified about the Heidts belief that Markert had bewitched them. Oliver Hofer, Justice of the Peace for the town of Callicoon, testified about the crime scene, the autopsy and the search of the Heidt home. He presented a diagram of the murder scene that he had made as evidence.

Curtis Alley, a hotel owner at Kenoza Lake, testified that Joseph had left his house around 9:15pm on the night of the murder and that Joseph didn’t drink anything while there. John Heidt, Joseph’s brother, testified about the time that Joseph had returned home on the night of the murder. Judge Thornton, of Monticello, testified of the confession given by Joseph when the Judge had visited Joseph in jail in May 1892. Smith Benedict, a blacksmith at Kenoza Lake, testified to having seen Joseph on the night of the murder, as Joseph had inquired about shoeing his horses the next day.

After the prosecution rested, Joseph’s lawyer, George McLauglin, opened the case for the defense by summarizing “the history of this [Heidt] family, and of the character, standing and habits of Joseph Heidt; his peaceable character, his industrious habits; that he was a young man living there at the home farm, temperate, honest and hardworking.” (Sullivan County Record. August 26, 1892.) McLaughlin stated that it would be shown that the killing was committed in self-defense.

Joseph then took the stand to present his version of the story, his testimony being “given in a voice hardly audible even to the persons nearest to him.” (Republican Watchman. August 19, 1892.) For his actions, Joseph had already confessed to having committed the crime, but claimed that he had acted in self-defense. The story presented at Joseph’s trial was that he believed that Markert had placed a curse on his father, and that he wished to help his father in having Markert remove the curse. On the night of January 19, Joseph went to Markert’s house to talk to him, looked in the windows, but did not see him. Joseph assumed that Markert was at the Halfway House, and went to wait for Markert at the stone arch bridge. When Markert arrived, Joseph asked “Uncle, won’t you please take that spell from father?” Markert responded by saying “I didn’t put any spell on him and cannot take it off.”

Joseph asked again, “Dear Uncle, won’t you please take off the spell.” Markert again responded that he could not. Joseph became angry and threatened to have his uncle arrested, at which Markert became enraged, clinched Joseph and hit him. Markert then took out his jack-knife, at which point, Joseph believed that Markert was going to kill him. Joseph tried to escape, but slipped and fell to the ground, grabbing hold of Markert as he fell. Joseph drew his revolver and fired, with the first shot killing Markert. Joseph did not recollect having fired five times, did not recollect having beaten him with the club, but did recollect throwing him into the creek. Markert’s knife was found at the bridge the day after his death. Joseph testified that he was alone when he killed Markert, and that his father Adam had nothing to do with it. He also testified that the cuts on his hand were from Markert’s knife.

Joseph then testified that after killing Markert, he went home, and that he “was afraid to tell of the deed for fear of being lynched; after I was arrested and put in jail, I concluded to tell all.” He spoke of having serious headaches for several days after the murder.

McLaughlin began closing arguments for the defense at 1:40pm, going “over the evidence from beginning to end and dwelt strongly upon the former irreproachable character of the defendant. In his plea, which was a strong one, he stated that Heidt was purely a simple, misled boy.” His summation lasted for approximately 1 1/2 hours, concluding at 3:10pm. District Attorney then closed with his version of the case over 30 minutes. The judge then began his charge to the jury. At 4:20pm, the jury retired for deliberations, and were escorted by constable John Masten.

The jury deliberations in Joseph’s case took approximately three hours and twenty minutes, with four ballots taking place. The first three ballots were nine to three in favor of a guilty verdict, and on the fourth ballot the vote was unanimous. The jury did not believe Joseph’s story of self-defense and he was found guilty of second-degree murder.

At 7:40pm the bell in the court house rang out, which proclaimed that the jury’s decision had been reached. Crowds quickly assembled until the court room was filled to overflowing. Judge Thornton, the acting county clerk, addressed the jury, saying “Gentlemen of the jury, look upon the prisoner, prisoner look upon the jury; how find you this man, guilty or not guilty?” Manasseh Ingraham, the jury foreman, rose and stated that they had agreed on a verdict of murder in the second degree.

With the reading of the verdict, the crowds responded with “a ripple of applause.” Surprisingly, Joseph “manifested his delight by a brightening of the face, such as had not been observed during the trial.” The judge complimented the jury on their verdict and stated that they had performed their duty with fidelity and intelligence. The judge announced that Joseph would be sentenced at the close of the court term, which was two days later.

On August 19, 1892, the judge sentenced Joseph Heidt, saying “the sentence which the law imposes for the crime, for which are justly found guilty is fixed, and there is no discretion in the court to modify it in any degree. I am not disposed to add to your grief or misery, or to the grief and misery of your friends, by saying anything in particular to you concerning what you have done, and certainly it would be vain to make any suggestions as to your future life because that is determined. If, however, in the progress of time you should through executive mercy be set free, it is to be hoped that the experience you have already undergone, and the still more terrible experience which you must for many years hereafter continue to undergo, will serve to induce you, from that time on to lead an orderly, peaceable and quiet life, and however much you may be excited with the outward circumstances, to stay your hand from all manner of violence. The sentence of the court in your case is, that you be confined at hard labor in the state prison at Dannemora for the term of your natural life.”

After the court adjourned at the conclusion of the trial, several newspaper reporters visited the jail cell of Joseph Heidt. They reported that Joseph talked freely of his crime and that he expressed his joy at the thought of his father returning home a free and innocent man. Joseph noted that he weighed 189 pounds when he was taken to prison, but now only weighed about 140 or 150 pounds. He put on a vest which he said fit tightly when he came to prison, but there was now nearly enough room in it for another good-sized person. Joseph noted that his weight loss was not due to any mistreatment in prison as Sheriff Beecher had treated him fairly.

On Monday, August 22, 1892, Sherriff Beecher escorted Joseph Heidt to Dannemora Prison, then also known as Clinton Prison. They traveled by way of the O. & W. from Fallsburgh to Middletown, where they boarded the Erie Railroad train. It was the first time that Joseph had been on a railroad car even though he lived within 10 miles of the Erie Railroad all his life. The prison physician examined Joseph upon his arrival, and thought an asylum would be a better place for him as he thought Joseph was insane. Sherriff Beecher returned to Sullivan County on Wednesday morning, August 24.

Sherriff Beecher

The judge’s words at the time of sentencing seem prophetic for, despite the life sentence, Joseph was released from prison after having served about 20 years. While serving his time, Joseph had been “regarded by the prison authorities as a model convict, one who never makes any trouble.” After his release on parole, Joseph was employed on a farm near Malone, New York, “where he has proved an exemplary hand.” He was described as having “developed into an honest, hard working man, much respected by the people who know him.”

Joseph was pardoned in 1914 with the rationale that he “was the unfortunate victim of superstition, drilled into him by his father, who instigated the crime.” (Sullivan County Record. September 3, 1914.) He worked at the Malone Bronze Powder Works in Malone for 16 years in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1925 he married Emma Martin (1895-1963), with whom he had one daughter.

In 1939 Joseph Heidt committed suicide by hanging himself in the garage at his home. His body was found suspended from a cross beam by a clothesline rope. Funeral services were held at Notre Dame Church. Joseph Heidt is buried at Saint Francis of Assisi Cemetery in Constable, New York.

Trial of Adam Heidt

The trial of Adam Heidt began at 10am on Thursday, August 18, 1892 at the Court House in Monticello, New York. Upon entering the courtroom, Adam “looked unconcerned at first, although very pale.” (Sullivan County Record. August 26, 1892.)

From an original panel of 60 potential jurors, the 12 jurors selected for the trial included Frank Osterhout, farmer, Neversink; Henry Eastman, farmer, Burlingham; George Dearstyne, merchant, Claryville; Benjamin Gillett, hotel keeper, Grahamsville; Hiram Adams, farmer, Glen Wild; Peter Pomeroy, farmer, Neversink; George Wood, farmer, Rockland; Eugene VanKeuren, farmer, Bethel; George W. Budd, farmer, Phillipsport; Asa Wilson, farmer, Fallsburgh; Homer Travis, farmer Neversink; and Martin Day, farmer, Bridgeville.

Much of the evidence presented at the trial of Adam Heidt had been previously presented at the trial of Joseph Heidt. Oliver Hofer testified about the murder scene at the stone arch bridge and the letters found on Markert’s body written by Adam Heidt to Markert. Several witnesses, including William Pfeifer, Henry Chelius, Adam Barnhart, Conrad Metzger and Philip Hembdt, testified to Adam’s belief that he was bewitched by Markert. Joseph Heidt testified as to the history of his father Adam not feeling well, the supposed curse place on Adam by Markert and the steps that Adam had taken to heal himself; and he also testified as to the events on the night of the murder, much as he had presented at his own trial during the prior days. At 7:30pm on August 18, the prosecution rested their case.

At the conclusion of witness testimony, Mr. McLaughlin, Adam’s lawyer, motioned the court to acquit Adam on the grounds that there had not been sufficient evidence to hold him either as a participant or having in any way abetted or encouraged the commission of the crime for which Joseph had been found guilty. District Attorney Couch responded that he thought the case should go to the jury. The judge responded to the motion by generally saying: “This man is on trial for his life. He is either guilty of murder in the first degree or nothing. It won’t do to convict a man on suspicion. Human justice rests on a foundation of law.” The judge then adjourned the court till the following morning.

When the court reconvened at 9am the following morning, Friday, August 19, 1892, the judge addressed the jury, advising them to render a verdict of not guilty on the grounds that there was not enough evidence that Adam had incited another person, his son Joseph, to have committed the crime. The jury agreed with the judge’s direction, and without leaving their seats, rendered a verdict of not guilty. Heidt’s eyes filled with tears and he nodded an expression of thanks. Lawyer McLaughlin seemed exceedingly pleased over the victory he had won in clearing his client.

In the weeks after the trial, rumors began to circulate that Adam Heidt had run off to Ohio or was in hiding at his home. John Heidt, Adam’s son, wrote to the local newspaper to address the rumors.

“It is evident that those lies are only circulated to torment the remainder of the family and cause more sorrow than there is. Would people only consider one moment, and a feeling of remorse would cover their faces.

The people who talked nothing but witchcraft to A. Heidt are the ones, it is evident, who are circulating those rumors, and they also are the ones who are to blame for our affliction. Adam Heidt neither believed or talked witchcraft until some persons filled his mind with some of the most absurd witch stories obtainable. And those people will some time, earlier or later, receive their punishment.

On the other hand, it would be impolite not to say word of praise on behalf of those who tried to take the delusion from Adam Heidt’s mind. Let me say that those people deserve a blessing, and they will receive it.

The neighbors who so kindly offered their hand of assistance in the hour of affliction, we wish to thank, and home to return the favor, but we hope not in like emergency. John Heidt.” (Middletown Daily Press. September 3, 1892.)

On the day of his acquittal, Adam after went to the village of Monticello and saw Judge Fursman on the steps of the Mansion House. Adam “stepped briskly up to shake hands with him. The Judge waived him aside, refusing the proffered courtesy, which was a proper thing to do.” (Middletown Daily Press. August 27, 1892.) It was reported that “Adam, now that Markert is gone, and his son’s life has been saved by the jury, thinks that he is getting better and the “spell” is leaving him.”

Upon Adam’s acquittal, several local newspapers made their opinions known that they still viewed Adam as a danger to society. One such editorial noted that “proceedings ought to at once be taken to have the man examined as to his mental condition. It would seem that all the evidence of insanity necessary had been obtained at the trial, and that the mere formality of the signature of two physicians to a certificate is all that is necessary for him commitment to an asylum. No sane man could believe, as does Adam Heidt, that poor old George Markert possessed the power of witchcraft, and by stroking his beard three times, and then spitting upon the ground three times could put a spell upon him that would impair his health and cause the death of his cattle. One capable of entertaining such a delusion is not a safe man to be at large. Now that Markert is out of the way, Heidt may select another victim unless put under restraint.” (Jeffersonville Record. Republished by Tri-States Union. 1892.)

Adam Heidt, upon his acquittal, was set free and after went to Pennsylvania to spend time with his brother Edward. In May of 1893 Adam returned to Kenoza Lake, but was almost immediately considered “a menace to the peace and safety of the people of that neighborhood.” It was rumored that he made threats against one of the witnesses who testified against him at trial. Local citizens were reported to be afraid of him and they hoped “that some means will be devised for permanently ridding the country of his blighting presence. The very least that ought to be done would be to secure his incarceration in a lunatic asylum, before another life is offered up on the altar of witchcraft.” His wife Barbara filed a complaint against him for ill treatment and sought to have him adjudged a lunatic.

Adam was again arrested in May 1893 with plans to bring him to the State Hospital at Middletown. Many thought that Adam would resist, but he consented to go when officers told him that his disease could be cured at the hospital. Adam was examined by several state doctors who judged him to be insane and he was officially committed on June 1, 1893. He was to remain at the hospital until such time as doctors could certify that he was mentally sound. That time never came. Adam’s family never came to visit him at the hospital.

Adam Heidt died at the hospital four years later on July 22, 1897 at 48 years of age from chronic melancholia and chronic myelitis, or inflammation of the spine. Attempts were made hospital officials to notify Adam’s relatives of his passing, but no response was received. He was buried at Phillipsburg, Orange County, New York.

Legacy

While the supposed hex placed on the Heidt family was disregarded as medieval and superstitious, there is no doubt the Heidt family continued to suffer tragedy in the years after the murder. Adam Heidt had three sons, two of whom committed suicide, and the other was committed to a mental hospital. Adam’s two daughters, Rose and Mary, both died relatively young, at age 40 and at age 60, respectively.

Following the death of Adam Heidt in 1897 at the insane asylum, his wife, Barbara Heidt, i.e. Joseph’s mother, died four years later in 1901. She died at 51 years of age after a year-long illness during which she was confined to her bed and “suffered not a little.” She was “a mild-mannered woman, respected, and seemingly undeserving of so troublous a life as was hers.”

In 1911, John Heidt, son of Adam and brother of Joseph, was committed to the state hospital at Middletown on the recommendation of Dr. Archibald and Dr. Schonger. John formerly worked as a school teacher, but had more recently been involved in house painting at Kenoza Lake and in Pennsylvania. It was reported that John “showed signs of mental derangement” and was hallucinating that people were trying to covert him from the Catholic religion to the Protestant faith. John believed “that even his own relatives are designing evil against him.”

In 1942, Anthony Heidt, son of Adam and brother of Joseph, committed suicide, just like his brother Joseph had done three years prior. Anthony shot himself in the head with a shotgun in the woodshed on the same Heidt family homestead where he had grown up, and where his father Adam had suffered his delusions of witchcraft all those years earlier. Anthony had suffered a nervous breakdown around nine years earlier, recovered to normal health, but then suffered a second and more severe breakdown in the weeks before his death. Anthony worked as a farmer and summer boarding house keeper.

Although the brutal murder of George Markert took place well over a century ago, it has long continued on in the memories of those living in Sullivan County, New York. Since that infamous cold, snowy night in January 1892, there have many rumored ghostly sightings of the murdered George Markert around the stone arch bridge. The story is chillingly retold each year in all its detail on a spooky Halloween evening.

Stone Arch Bridge at Kenoza Lake, New York: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The simply named Stone Arch Bridge is located in the small hamlet of Kenoza Lake, New York, near the junction of Route 52 and Route 52A. The bridge, one of the most recognizable sites in Sullivan County, spans the East Branch Callicoon Creek, a major tributary of the Delaware River.

The Stone Arch Bridge was constructed circa 1873 by Henry and Philip Hembdt, brothers and recent German immigrants, in order to support the growing commercial needs of the county, particularly the farming, timbering and tanning industries. The bridge replaced an earlier wooden bridge that collapsed under a load of hemlock bark that was on its way to a nearby tannery.

“The bridge is a solid masonry structure with an arched roadway supported by three arches made of hand-cut native stone. The arches and the ice breakers on the upstream side are built of mortared stone while the rest of the bridge is constructed of dry masonry. Formed concrete bases have been installed at the base of the arch supporters for stabilization purposes. Otherwise, the bridge is in its original condition . . . The construction technique incorporated the use of wooden forms to support the stones for the arches. Once all stones had been mortared and set, the forms were removed. This procedure eliminated the need for a specially cut keystone.”

The bridge remained open to vehicular traffic until 1955, after which it has since been open to pedestrian traffic only. Today, the bridge serves as the focal point of a 20-acre county park that features a woodland walk, fishing rights and a kid’s playground. The historic bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a fine surviving example of vernacular bridge construction.”

Philip Hembdt (1844-1917)

Philip Hembdt, one of the bridge builders, was born at Hueffelsheim, Germany on March 17, 1844. In 1864, at 20 years old, Hembdt immigrated to the United States. He worked as a carpenter for several years in New York City, after which he moved to the western United States for four years. Hembdt then moved back east to Beechwoods in Sullivan County, New York, where he operated a farm. While at Beechwoods, Hembdt married Emma Baum on September 20, 1868. Philip and Emma had ten children together.

Hembdt then moved to Kenoza Lake where he purchased the boarding house known as the Halfway House from Andrew Bietz, who had built the establishment and conducted it for 18 years. Hembdt owned and operated the Half Way House from 1876 to 1903. After selling the Half Way House in 1903 to Abe Feinberg, a photographer in New York City, Hembdt moved to Jeffersonville, where he lived his retired life.

Hembdt was an active member of the community. For nine years Hembdt served as the road commissioner for the Delaware township. He was an active member of the First Lutheran Church at Jeffersonville and served as president of the church for 17 years. He was a member of the Gustave Adolph Lodge, No. 274, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Philip Hembdt passed away at 73 years of age at his home on April 2, 1917. He had suffered from heart trouble for about a year prior to his passing. Philip and his wife Emma are both buried at Jeffersonville Lutheran Cemetery in Jeffersonville, New York.

Henry Hembdt (1847-1920)

Henry Hembdt, one of the bridge builders, was born in Germany in 1847. In 1873, at the age of 26, Henry immigrated to the United States. In 1875 Henry was married to Margaret Gottschalk. Henry and Margaret had six children together.

Henry was a highly skilled mason. In addition to building the Stone Arch Bridge at Kenoza Lake, Henry also constructed the stone bridge at Hortonville. For many years he operated a farm at Fremont until about 1916, when he moved to Hortonville on account of his failing health. He remained at Hortonville for his retired years until his passing. Henry was a charter member of the Gustave Adolph Lodge, No. 274, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Henry Hembdt passed away at 73 years of age at his home on December 9, 1920. Funeral services were held at the Hortonville Church, officiated by Reverend Charles Nietzer. He is buried at Hortonville Cemetery in Hortonville, New York.

Kenoza Lake

Kenoza Lake is located in the town of Delaware in Sullivan County, New York. The small hamlet is situated on the lake of the same name, about 4 miles south from the hamlet of Jeffersonville.

In 1873, around the time the stone arch bridge was built, the small hamlet consisted of one church, one store, one tannery, one grist mill, one wagon shop, one blacksmith shop, one shoe shop, two saw mills, one hotel, twenty-five dwellings and about 125 inhabitants. The tannery was owned by Gideon Wales, and employed thirty men.

As for the natural environment in 1873, “much of the surface is still covered with forests, especially the margin of Delaware [township]. But these are gradually disappearing as new accensions to its population are made. The soil is mostly a gravelly loam, and best adapted to pasturage. Lumbering and tanning form the leading branches of the industry.”

Kenoza Lake was previously known as Pike Pond, “from the abundance of pike which its waters contained at an early day, and which the early settlers were wont to substitute for pork, when the latter article in their larder became exhausted.” The name was changed from Pike Pond to Kenoza lake in 1890 in honor of John Greenleaf Whittier’s poem title Kenoza Lake. It was hoped that the change in name would increase the summer tourism trade, which at the time was a growing industry in Sullivan County.

Hankins Stone Arch Bridge: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Hankins Stone Arch Bridge is located along Route 94 in the hamlet of Hankins, New York in the Upper Delaware River region. The single arch bridge crosses Hankins Creek just north of its confluence with the Delaware River. The hamlet of Hankins is located approximately 45 miles northwest from Port Jervis, New York, 19 miles southeast of Hancock, New York and 24 miles west from Liberty, New York.

Settlement at Hankins

The Hankins area was first settled in 1780 by Isaac Simmons, who “soon after sold his right of possession to Joseph Brown. Brown sold to Aaron Pierce, who, in 1792, built a saw-mill and small grist-mill . . . About the year 1800, Jonas Lakin came to the place, and subsequently became the owner of a considerable tract of land. In 1821, Lakin sold his tract of land to Elizabeth Pierce, who, with her family, lived on it until about 1833, when she died. In 1834, John Hankins and Luther Appley bought the property, for which they paid $1,451. In 1835, Hankins bought an additional tract of Lucas Elmendorf, and in May, 1839, moved to Fremont with his family.” (Quinlan, James Eldridge. History of Sullivan County. p. 292.)

The Hankins area was considered a good location for farming, with soil well adapted to the production of grass and grain, and for lumbering, with “a great store of valuable timber in its forests.” The location allowed hardy raftsman to run their timber rafts down the Delaware River. It offered good mill sites on its streams and was home to plentiful bluestone quarries.

Hankins Stone Arch Bridge

By the early part of 1900s there was a need for a stretch of river road to link the hamlet of Hankins to the river community of Long Eddy. Previously this connecting road had not been built due to the topography of the Hankins region and the presence of the Erie Railroad. The contract to construct a three-mile road with stone arch bridges over the Hankins Creek and the Basket Creek was given to John Inman. The road, the Hankins Stone Arch Bridge, and the Basket Creek Stone Arch Bridge were constructed in 1905 at a cost of $150.

“Everyone thought Mr. Inman would go broke on that job, but he was an old quarry man and had sized up the rocky point he had to cut through and knew what he was doing. The greater part of the three miles, down past the McDowell farm, was easy grading as roads went in those days. Cutting through the rocks just above Hankins was the main problem, blasting between train times and keeping the track clear. Mr. Inman, it will be recalled, was an expert at blasting and had at the Basket some years previously shot a big rock out of a quarry on this hillside and knocked the end off a house down near McDuffie’s.

On the road job he picked out a block of stone the right distance above the railroad and shot it into the river, and they said they couldn’t find a stone the size of a hen’s egg on the railroad track when he had finished. He left the overhang above the block he shot out, and until Route 97 came along forty years later and widened the road, this place was always called “Hanging Rock.” When Mr. Inman made the cut there he hit a colony of wild bees in a crevice and took out a lot of honey. When the road was finished, the bees came back and stayed there in the deep crevice until Route 97 wrecked them permanently.” (LaValley, Leslie D. “John Inman. Basket Letters – A History of the Basket Brook.” The Hancock Herald. April 25, 1957.)

The Hankins Stone Arch Bridge is approximately 40 feet long, 15 feet wide and is made of local bluestone and Rosendale cement. “The bridge consists of a single round arch springing from the banks of the rock creek. The arch is built of mortared and partially dressed voussoirs approximately two feet in depth. The spandrels and parapets rest directly upon the arch and are built of fieldstone. Cut, bluestone coping stones dress the top of the two parapet walls guarding the roadway. The roadway above the bridge is closed to traffic and largely unpaved. Although maintained for pedestrian use across the bridge, the former East Ridge Road remains only a trace south of the bridge. Wingwalls lining the creek banks downstream of the bridge were rebuilt in 1999 in order to stabilize the bridge and its erosion prone banks. The bridge and its immediate surroundings are currently maintained for passive recreation by Sullivan County and the Town of Fremont.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

With the completion of Route 97 connecting Port Jervis and Hancock in 1939, the Basket Creek Stone Arch Bridge was bypassed, and the Hankins to Long Eddy road began to see less traffic. The Hankins bridge remained in use, connecting Hankins with East Ridge Road (TR 26). The bridge remained a vital creek crossing for local traffic until 1973, when East Ridge Road was rerouted and the bridge was abandoned.

Through the efforts of local citizens, the Hankins Stone Arch Bridge has been restored and is home to a small roadside park. The bridge is now open to pedestrian traffic only. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “a rare and intact example of traditional stone arch bridge construction within the context of Upper Delaware River transportation resources.”

John B. Inman

The Hankins Stone Arch Bridge was constructed by John B. Inman (1845-1907), a local mason, quarryman and carpenter. According to federal and state census records Inman was listed with a range of occupations over the years, including carpenter (1870), farmer (1875, 1880), mill proprietor (1900) and lumberman (1905).

In the 1870s Inman and his family lived in Rock Valley and in 1877 Inman served as the trustee for the local district school. At this time Inman was employed as a wood worker. In the 1880s Inman was “running the old McDuffie sawmill,” and later went into the quarry business, leasing the “Shooting Rock” quarry from Horace McKoon on the hill west of the lower Basket. By the late 1890s Inman “lived in the Lathrop house and opened a quarry near the falls, and around 1900, he moved back to Rock Valley in what was always known as the John Inman house after the Lobdell estate sold it.”

Inman constructed a second stone arch bridge along the road from Hankins to Long Eddy, this one over the Basket Creek. The Basket Creek Stone Arch Bridge was also constructed in 1905. The Basket bridge was put to good use for several decades, “battered by floods, rammed by skidding cars and trucks . . . through the years, all the wood, stone and chemical products of the Basket valleys and hills were hauled over this bridge to the stone dock, or McKoon’s dock, as it was sometimes called.” The Basket Creek Stone Arch Bridge was destroyed around 1942 after a big flood, with most of the stones being washed down into the river.

Inman also constructed the classic, one-story, wood frame Rock Valley School, located in an area known as the Upper Basket in the small hamlet of Rock Valley in the town of Hancock, Delaware County. The school was established in 1885 in order to meet the needs of the growing population associated with local businesses such as logging, milling, bluestone quarrying, agriculture and the wood chemical industry. The historic school remained in continuous operation until 1940s, when it closed due to school district consolidation. In 1953 the school building was deeded to the Rock Valley Cemetery Association, which has maintained the school ever since. The Rock Valley School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

John Inman died suddenly at Rock Valley, New York at 61 years of age on February 2, 1907. Funeral services were held at the Rock Valley Church, with Reverend Regnal officiating. He was survived by his widow Margaret (Garrison) Inman; four sons, Clarence, James, John and Frank; and one daughter, Mrs. Bloom.

John Hankins

The historic Hankins Stone Arch Bridge and the creek it spans are named in honor of John Hankins (1803-1847), who established the first permanent settlement here in 1835 with a home, store, sawmill and blacksmith’s shop. As part of his business, he rafted large amounts of lumber down the Delaware River. Hankins later served as a Justice of Peace and then Supervisor of the town of Callicoon from 1844 to 1847. In 1851 the Erie Railroad named the local stop as Hankins Station. Hankins was a descendant of a soldier who served under General George Washington in the American Revolution, and was notably with the Continental Army when they crossed the Delaware.

John Hankins constructed the Hankins District No. 1 Schoolhouse in 1845. The school is located on County Highway 132, which continues downhill toward the commercial center of the hamlet, Route 97, the railroad tracks and the river. “He [Hankins] built the schoolhouse for the community and later donated the land and building to be used as a church for all denominations. After the local religious groups built their own churches, it continued to be used as a school. A new school was later built and this schoolhouse became the Hankins Fire House. The Fire Department has recently sold the building to a private owner with the stipulation that the bell shall remain with the building.” The school building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

John Hankins was born on September 2, 1803, the son of Ralph Hankins (1776-1863) and Mary (Dougherty) Hankins. He was born and raised in Pike County, Pennsylvania. James Eldridge Quinlan in his History of Sullivan County wrote in detail of John Hankins and the hamlet named for him. “Previous to 1839, Mr. Hankins had resided in the town of Damascus, in the State of Pennsylvania, where he married Susan, a daughter of Moses Thomas, 3d. Then he removed to Fremont, he passed over the “State-road,” on the west side of the river. The New York and Erie Railroad Company had accomplished considerable in grading their road; but had suspended work in 1837. Mr. Hankins attempted to make a highway of their track, but after rendering about three miles passable, gave up the job.

For several years ingress and egress were difficult. To attend town-meeting and vote at the fall-elections, he was obliged to follow a line of marked trees to Liberty, or travel over the State-road to the bridge at Cochecton, and from thence to Liberty by the way of Bethel. Sometimes, however, when the water was low, he followed the beach of the river on horseback as far as Cochecton. As the ford near his residence was occasionally impracticable, he built a scow, and crossed the river in it; but when there was a flood, it was not safe to cross in any manner, and he was practically cut off from the outside world.

It was been represented that John Hankins was the pioneer setter at Hankins Depot;* [See French’s Gazetteer] yet, when he came, he found on his place an old frame-house, a saw-mill, and land which had been occupied and tilled many years. He also found a sycamore tree which was nine feet in diameter. The latter was hollow, and the cavity was larger than some bed-rooms. It is said that a man could ride into it astride of a horse. Until about 1865, this tree was used as a substitute for a smoke-house.

Mr. Hankins was a man of action. Exclusive of those who lived in Pennsylvania, his only neighbors were at Long Eddy and Long pond; yet during the first year of his residence, he started a store and built a blacksmith-shop. He also built a handsome residence for his family, and in 1847, the second saw-mill erected on his land. He also became prominent as a local politician, and, notwithstanding his isolated position, was one of the first Justices of the Peace, and the second Supervisor of the town of Callicoon. He was elected to the latter office repeatedly, and at one time, in conjunction with Matthew Brown, controlled the Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Hankins did not live until the railroad was completed as far as Hankins creek. He was a man of forcible and energetic character – a warm friend and an ardent enemy – exalted in prosperity and depressed when his surroundings were unfavorable. In the summer of 1847, he suffered from a variety of small annoyances, and on the 17th of September was found dead on the road to Callicoon, about a quarter mile from his house, under circumstances which led to the belief that his life was cut short by his own hand.” (Quinlan, James Eldridge. History of Sullivan County. pp. 292-293.)

After Hankins’ death on September 17, 1847, rumors started that he had been shot and murdered by a contractor and engineer from the railroad. However, this proved false, as a coroner’s jury was organized, and they “spent all the afternoon and evening in a thorough and careful examination of the facts in relation to his death.” After the investigation, the jury offered their own findings. “The jury unanimously rendered a verdict that he [Hankins] killed himself by cutting his throat on the right side, having severed a jugular vein and an artery, it is supposed with a razor. There does not appear to have been any particular cause for his committing the rash deed, but a variety of small causes which had a tendency to render him unhappy, and which prompted him to suddenly commit the rash act. It is thought the resolution to do it had not long been taken before it was put in execution. He was found about one-fourth of a mile up the road leading from his house to the Callicoon Settlement. He committed the act in the afternoon of Friday. The finding of the jury was perfectly satisfactory to the family.” (“Suicide of John Hankins.” Republican Watchman. September 21, 1847.)

Although it is unclear if it is related to his passing, beginning in February 1847 Hankins advertised weekly in the local newspaper that much of his property was for sale. There does not seem to have been much interest in the property as the advertisements continued throughout the year. Even if the sale of his home and property was unrelated to his suicide, the advertisements still provide great insight to his land and possessions.

“Highly interesting to lumbermen, tanners, farmers, & c. A RARE OPPORTUNITY! 1173 Acres of Valuable Land For Sale! Situated in the Hardenbergh patent, great lot 2, in division 23, 24 and 25, containing about 1173 acres of land, with a good farm house well finished from cellar to garret, three small frame houses which are comfortable dwellings for small families, 2 saw mills, a grist mill, store house, a blacksmith shop with tools, a large frame barn, with a shed or cow house 64 b 24 ft., 16 ft. posts, all well finished, a good cider mill with screws, and three first rate orchards. On the lot, there is an abundance of timber – hemlock, maple, white ash, beech, birch, chestnut and some cherry. As a lumbering establishment it is one of the best of the kind in Sullivan County. The N. Y. & Erie Railroad will run through it, and 2 public roads lead to it, one from the town of Rockland and the other from Callicoon settlement. A railroad depot will probably be established on it, as it is 13 miles from Cochecton. It is well calculated for the tanning business, and has an abundance of water power. Any person wishing to purchase such a property will do well to call and examine for themselves. A liberal time for payment will be given. John Hankins, Callicoon, Feb. 18, 1847.” (Republican Watchman. March 16, 1847.)

John Hankins married Susan Thomas (1811-1885) on March 4, 1830 at her parents’ homestead, two miles south of Damascus, Pennsylvania. Susan was the daughter of Moses Thomas III (1777-1857) and Rebecca Thomas (1782-1841), and a granddaughter of Moses Thomas II, who was killed in 1779 during the American Revolution at the Battle of Minisink Ford. John and Susan had eight children together, including Lucas Wurtz (1831-1910), Mary (1833-1907), Rebecca Thomas (1835-1918), Angeline Elizabeth (1838-1903), Susan Abigail (1841-1917), John Ralph (1843-1905), William Thomas (1845-1847) and Samuel Howard (1848-1917).

After the death of her husband in 1947, Susan continued to raise her children at the village of Hankins. The Commemorative Biographical Record of Northeastern Pennsylvania, published in 1900, offered many details about the children of John and Susan Hankins.

(1) Lucas W. . . . Owner and proprietor of a beautiful summer resort in Manchester township, Wayne County.

(2) Mary, born in Sullivan County, N.Y., in October, 1833, married Col. Zalman Main, of Sullivan County, N.Y., who during the Civil war raised a company in Indiana, and for bravery and valor on the field was promoted to the rank of colonel, having command of an Indiana regiment. He died in 1866, leaving a wife and one child, Florence E., who now resides in Binghamton, N.Y.

(3) Rebecca T., born in Sullivan County, N.Y., is a well-educated woman, was for a number of years a successfully teacher in the public schools, and is now a resident of Binghamton.

(4) Angie E., born in Damascus township, Wayne County, married Capt. C. A. Johnson, of the regular army, who died in 1894, at Washington, D. C., and she now makes her home at Binghamton.

(5) Susan A., born in Hankins, N. Y., in 1841, married David Bush, of California, born in Sullivan County, and they located in Susquehanna, Penn., where he was connected with the Adams Express Company for a number of years, or until his health failed. He died at his home in that place in 1889, leaving a wife, now a resident of Binghamton; one son, Edward, a civil engineer residing in Rome, N. Y., and one daughter, Jessie, who died at the age of sixteen years.

(6) John R., born in Hankins, was educated in the New York schools, and when a young man engaged in mercantile business at Little Equinunk, Wayne County. Subsequently he carried on business near Owego, N. Y., for a number of years, but now has charge of his brother’s wholesale tobacco trade, in Binghamton, where he makes his home. He married Emma Buckley, of Fremont Center, Sullivan County, N. Y., and had two daughters – Susan, now the wife of Dr. W. Leonard, of Tully, N. Y.; and Bertha, who died in childhood.

(7) Willie died when a child.

(8) Samuel H., born in Hankins, has a large wholesale tobacco establishment in Binghamton, and is one of the leading business men of that place. He married Lillian Wait, of Hollisterville, Wayne Co., Penn., and has two children, Walter and Winifred.” (Commemorative Biographical Record of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1900. pp. 466-467.)

Hankins and his wife Susan, along with two of their sons, John and William, are all buried at Overlook Cemetery at Damascus, Pennsylvania.

Ten Mile River Baptist Church at Tusten, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The historic Ten Mile River Baptist Church, also known as the Tusten Baptist Church, is located just off Route 97 in the Upper Delaware River Valley town of Tusten, New York. It is approximately five miles south of the village of Narrowsburg, New York. The church prominently stands on a wooded hill, east of the Ten Mile River, which flows approximately one-half mile south to its junction with the Delaware River. Downriver from the church, near the mouth of the Ten Mile River at its junction with the Delaware River, the Tusten Stone Arch Bridge also pays testament to the former village of Tusten, which was known as Ten Mile River Village on some historic maps. The church property encompasses approximately six acres of land, including the church building, the adjacent cemetery and several stone walls.

Enoch Owen – Preaching the Word at Ten Mile River

As the village of Ten Mile River grew in the 1800s the Baptist faith reached the people of the village through the works of Elder Enoch Owen (1767-1836). Owen came to the village of Damascus, Pennsylvania about the year 1790, and settled above Cochecton. He married Lois Tyler (1772-1814), the daughter of Silas Tyler. By trade Owen worked as a local lumberman, farmer and mason. He “built the old-fashioned stone chimneys of the valley before brick and lime were seen there” and also constructed several miles of the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike.

In June of 1806 Enoch Owen was ordained as an Evangelist. Being of the Free Will Baptist faith, he preached every Sunday at a small Baptist meeting-house in Damascus, Pennsylvania, but also “held religious meetings in the Delaware river towns wherever there was a settlement.” He was the first missionary at Callicoon and “among the pioneer preachers of Cochecton,” and he occasionally visited the village of Ten Mile River. Owen was sometimes accompanied on his trips up and down the Delaware River valley by Deacon William Dunn, a member of Owen’s church. Where a church was not available, Owen would preach in people’s homes, in barns and sometimes at popular establishments such as the Raftman’s Hotel in the town of Tusten.

At Callicoon, “hearing that a few families were living here far from Christian privileges, he found his way to them through the woods in 1820, and preached to them. The three households received him gladly, and as a token of their satisfaction, presented him with a half-bushel of rye, which he carried home on his shoulders. It is said that he continued to preach at [Edward] Wood’s once a month; that to reach the settlement he followed blazed trees when the snow was deep and the thermometer below zero; and that he was paid fifteen dollars per annum for his services!” (Quinlan, James Eldridge. History of Sullivan County. p. 159.)

Elder Owen “was a man of but little education; but his mind and body and zeal were robust. It cannot be said that he was mercenary; for he received little or no compensation for his labors in his Master’s vineyard . . . He was always ready to visit the sick and afflicted, and to discourse at funerals on mortality and immortality – the ineffable and everlasting bliss of the redeemed, and the fearful fate of the doomed. His unpretending and homely discourses impressed Christian morality upon many souls of this neglected region . . . In his old age he joined the Close Communion Baptists. He was an honest old soul, whose good deeds and good name survived his mortal body, and are yet held in grateful remembrance.” (Quinlan, James Eldridge. History of Sullivan County. pp. 217-218.) Enoch Owen passed away on November 14, 1836 and is buried at Overlook Cemetery in Damascus, Pennsylvania.

Founding of the Ten Mile River Baptist Church

The official congregation of the Ten Mile River Baptist Church was organized in the spring of 1840 by local citizens, including E. Tyler, A. F. Bush and Thompson Parsons. The group commenced holding prayer meetings, with the first meetings taking place in the homes of its congregants. Soon after founding of the congregation, Reverend Henry Curtis, of the Damascus society, was invited to preach and to aid in conducting the church meetings.

In the early days of the church, “the Word preached was attended with convincing and converting power, leading Christians to pray and labor, and sinners to cry “men and brethren what shall we do to be saved?” Soon a number of the anxious were indulging hope in an all-sufficient Savior. The meetings were continued with increasing interest and power. The subject of believers’ baptism and church membership now began to claim attention and elicit discussion. As usual, candid inquiry resulted in a sense of obligation to make a public profession of Christ by baptism, and become identified with his people. A number of persons manifested a desire to unite with a Baptist church.

This desire being made known to the Damascus Church, situated some fourteen miles above, on the Delaware River, a special meeting was appointed by that church and held at Ten Mile River, to hear experiences and receive candidates for baptism and membership. A number of the converts presenting themselves at this meeting, were cordially received and baptized on a profession of faith, by Mr. Curtis, and became a branch of Damascus Church.” (Bailey, Edward L. History of the Abington Baptist Association, From 1807 to 1857. pp. 185-188.)

Given its lengthy distance from the Damascus church, the Ten Mile River congregation soon requested “letters of dismission” in order to organize themselves as an independent body. The Ten Mile River Church was officially established through a council of recognition on August 18, 1840. At the time of its organization the congregation consisted of 29 people, including 16 males and 13 females. The first dedicated pastor of the church was Rev. Daniel F. Leach (1840-1845), who was then followed by Rev. James P. Stalbird (1845-1848), Rev. M. M. Everet (1848-1852) and Rev. J. R. Ross (1852-1854). In October 1840 William Hawks and Tobias Fox were chosen Deacons of the church and were ordained into that office the following year. Services continued at the church for circa 80 years until around 1920.

The Church Building and Cemetery

Sixteen years after the congregation’s founding, the church building was constructed in 1856 at a cost of $1,500. Although there is little evidence, several newspaper articles from around the time the church was being restored in 1969 have noted that “according to tradition, this church replaced a still older one.” (“Resort Tusten Church – Service Sunday.” The Evening News. August 21, 1969.) The church had seating available for 200 people. The “layout and construction of this building was typical of smaller Protestant meetinghouses of the period and illustrated simple, but finely crafted furnishings and joinery. The rectangular lines of the building, and use of period moldings and trim profiles imbue the vernacular church with some of the characteristics of the Greek Revival style, popular in the Delaware Valley between 1840 and 1860.” (National Register of Historic Places.)

The Ten Mile River Baptist Church has also been known as the Tusten Baptist Church. However, not all local residents appreciated the alternative name. In 1894, a local newspaper noted that “some are mistaken by calling this church the Tusten church. It always has been the Ten Mile River Baptist church and it is hoped it always will be.” (Tri-States Union. October 11, 1894.)

The cemetery adjacent to the church was opened in 1840 or earlier. The cemetery, enclosed by stone walls on the east and south sides, contains approximately 100 burials. William H. Hankins (1846-1922), builder of the nearby Tusten Stone Arch Bridge, is buried here. William Hawks (1813-1906), reported to be “the last constituent member of the Ten Mile River Baptist Church,” passed away “on the old homestead” in September 1906 and is buried at the church “beside those of his family, who have passed on before.” Hawks had been chosen to be a Deacon at the church in the year of its founding in 1840.

The church was largely unused for over 50 years from 1920 to 1969, but continued to receive basic maintenance. In 1969, the Tusten Settlement Association was established in order to restore and maintain the church and the adjacent cemetery, and over 50 years later they continue with that notable historic mission. After the church’s restoration was completed in August 1969, a community service was held for the first time in nearly five decades. The services were attended by nearly 150 people, with the sermon being given by Reverend Robert L. Kohler, Jr., the senior chaplain at the nearby Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp.

Today, the church continues to serve the Tusten area, and is made available for special services, including Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances. In 1995 the church belfry and spire were reconstructed through the analysis of historic photographs. The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 “for its historical significance in representing the lost nineteenth century river community of Tusten.”

Reverend Daniel Fowler Leach

Reverend Daniel Fowler Leach (1817-1889), the first pastor at the church, was born at Corbettsville, New York on June 27, 1817. He was a direct descendent of Lawrence Leach who arrived at Salem, Massachusetts in 1629. Daniel’s father, Major Daniel Leach (1777-1831) was a lumberman and farmer, served as a Justice of the Peace, and served as a Major in the New York State Militia. Daniel’s grandfather, Captain Hezekiah Leach (d. 1823) served during the American Revolution as a private in the Connecticut Line of the Revolutionary Army.

Daniel felt the call of the ministry early in life, and was baptized at the age of 15. In 1838 he was attending the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution, and in 1840 he began preaching in Pennsylvania at Bethany, Damascus and Jackson Summit. At Pennsylvania, “revivals soon broke out under his labors, and he became, without any preconceived purpose, by force of circumstances, an itinerant evangelist along the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers. Long walks, often on mere footpaths, and sometimes with no path, became necessary. He was ordained at Ten Mile River, N.Y., September 10, 1840.” (Brooks, Charles Wesley. A Century of Missions in the Empire State. pp. 174-175)

Reverend Leach remained as pastor of the Ten Mile River Baptist Church for four years until 1845, during which time “he performed missionary labors. . . preaching six times a week; only one other Baptist minister within forty miles.” Reverend Leach divided his time between Ten Mile River and the Paupack Eddy Church (now Hawley, Pennsylvania). The Ten Mile River Baptist church grew to a membership of 43 in 1841 and t0 46 in 1842. Reverend Leach was married to Levantia Guy on May 11, 1841 at Middlefield, New York. Daniel and Levontia had six children together.

After his time at Ten Mile River, Reverend Leach went on to serve in a number of locations, including Port Jervis, New York for five years from 1845 to 1850; followed by time at Colesville, New York; Unadilla, New York; Newark Valley, New York; and the state of Virginia. Reverend Daniel Fowler Leach passed away at Virginia on September 10, 1889. Upon his passing it was written that “few men in the State ever gave a half-century of more self-sacrificing, disinterested service to the cause of Christ than did the dear brother whose life-work is here so briefly and imperfectly sketched. The half has not been told of his efficiency and consecration, even in outline. A multitude of souls won to Christ was waiting to welcome him on the other shore, and throngs will be welcomed by him, whom he had led to the Savior’s feet.” (Brooks, Charles Wesley. A Century of Missions in the Empire State. pp. 176-177.)

Reverend James Perkins Stalbird

Reverend James P. Stalbird (1813-1900), the second pastor at the Ten Mile River Baptist Church, was born in Canada in 1813. That same year he moved with his family to New Hampshire, where he spent most of his time until 1837, when he then came to Pennsylvania.

Reverend Stalbird was licensed to preach the gospel at the Blakely Baptist Church in 1843, and in 1845 he was ordained at the Ten Mile River Baptist Church. He remained at Ten Mile River for three years until 1848. During his time at Ten Mile River church membership including 40 people in 1846, and “congregations had been comparatively large and covenant meetings quite interesting. Three weekly prayer meetings had been sustained by a few as in former years. The Sabbath School, however, had been somewhat neglected. In 1847, the church was measurably revived and the cause strengthened. They report to the Association of that year, 11 received by baptism and 51 as their total membership.” (Bailey, Edward L. History of the Abington Baptist Association, From 1807 to 1857. p. 187.)

In 1854 Reverend Stalbird returned to the Ten Mile River Baptist Church. During his second tenancy, “little has occurred during his ministry worthy of particular notice. The church report in 1856, two received by baptism, and 53 as their total membership, but complain of their scattered condition and want of activity and earnestness in the cause of the Master. In 1857, they report 50 communicants, and say that they cannot tell of prosperity and progress in the service of Christ. They, however, still cling to the Word and promise of God, and hope for brighter and better days.” (Bailey, Edward L. History of the Abington Baptist Association, From 1807 to 1857. p. 188.)

After leaving Ten Mile River, Reverend Stalbird served a number of churches, including those at Ashland, Berlin, Hawley, Purdytown, Lebanon, Lackawaxen and Barryville, as well as many mission churches. He often traveled 20 miles a day, and preached three times on Sunday.

In the fall of 1868 Reverend Stalbird sold his house at Beaver Brook, New York and settled on a farm at Freytown, Pennsylvania. He remained there on the farm for nearly thirty years until the fall of 1897, when he moved to Moosic, Pennsylvania to live with his son.

Reverend James Perkins Stalbird passed away at 87 years of age on November 6, 1900 at the home of his son Howell G. Stalbird in Moosic, Pennsylvania. His passing was caused by a fall a few days prior, from which he received a broken hip and suffered internal injuries. Funeral services were conducted by Reverend H. F. Hardell, of Daleville, Pennsylvania. Reverend Stalbird is buried at Freytown Cemetery in Pennsylvania. Upon his passing it was written that “he was a kind husband and father, and much respected wherever he lived.”

Reverend M. M. Everet

Reverend M. M. Everet, the third pastor at the Ten Mile River Baptist Church, took charge of the church in 1848 and remained for four years until 1852. During this period, Reverend Everet divided his time between Ten Mile River and Paupack Eddy, Pennsylvania (now Hawley, Pennsylvania). In 1852 he resigned from the church and the Baptist association.

During his time at Ten Mile River, “under his faithful labors, the church enjoyed a degree of prosperity and received some accessions by baptism. Two were baptized in 1848, the same number in the following year, and one in 1850. In 1852, the church report four received by baptism and 64 as their total membership – the culminating point in their numerical prosperity – and say in their letter to the Association, which met with them that year, that they are grateful for the mercies of the past year; had tokens of a deep and solemn work of grace, but the enemy of all righteousness, by weakening the faith of the brethren, disappointed their hopes. A few, however, were hopefully converted.” (Bailey, Edward L. History of the Abington Baptist Association, From 1807 to 1857. pp. 187-188.)

Reverend J. R. Ross

Reverend J. R. Ross, the fourth pastor at the Ten Mile River Baptist Church, accepted the invitation of the church to be the pastor while teaching at an academy in Narrowsburg. Reverend Ross took charge of the church in the autumn of 1852 and remained until May of 1854, when he resigned from the church and the Baptist association. During his time at Ten Mile River “his labors were faithful, but without any marked results.” Reverend Ross was followed as pastor by the return of Reverend James P. Stalbird.

Tusten Stone Arch Bridge: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Tusten Stone Arch Bridge was designed and constructed in 1896 by William H. Hankins, a local timber raftsman, stone mason and occasional postmaster. The bridge crosses the Ten Mile River just northeast of its confluence with the Delaware River. The two-arch bridge, constructed of native bluestone, is approximately 52 feet long and 15 feet wide.

The stone arch bridge was located at the heart of the former village of Tusten, adjacent to a mill located on the west bank of the Ten Mile River. It is believed that the Tusten Stone Arch Bridge replaced an earlier, less permanent timber structure. Tusten was sometimes referred to as Ten Mile River Village on historic maps.

The first settlement on the Delaware River at the mouth of the Ten Mile River originated in the 1750s, about the year 1757, under the authority of the Connecticut-based Delaware Company. A sawmill was established at the site by Elijah Reeves before 1762. In October 1763, the settlement was wiped out during an Indian raid led by Captain Bull, the son of an elderly sachem named Teedyuscung. All 22 settlers were killed in the raid known as the Ten Mile River Massacre. “Not a person escaped. The houses, barns, etc. were burned, and everything valuable was destroyed, except the bare fields.” (Quinlan, 106.) Following the American Revolution, the community was re-established at the same location.

As the village of Tusten grew, a post office was established there in 1838, and operated intermittently until 1913. From 1838 to 1842, the post office operated under the name Ten Mile River, and was staffed by Samuel Hankins, the father of William H. Hankins. From 1849 to 1863, the post office operated under the name Delaware Bridge, and was operated at various times by Paul A. Tyler, Sylvester Mapes and William Hawks. From 1884 to 1913, the post office operated with the name Tusten. When the Tusten post office was not in service, residents would cross the Delaware River to pick up their mail at Mast Hope, Pennsylvania.

In addition to the Tusten Stone Arch Bridge, the Ten Mile River Baptist Church, also known as the Tusten Baptist Church, also still stands in remembrance of the former village of Tusten. The church is prominently located on a wooded hill north of the bridge and east of the Ten Mile River, and just off Route 97. The congregation was organized in the spring of 1840 by Reverend Henry Curtis, of the Damascus society, with the first meetings taking place in the homes of its congregants. The church was officially organized through the council of recognition on August 18, 1840. Sixteen years after the church’s founding, the church building was constructed in 1856 at a cost of $1,500. The first dedicated pastor of the church was Rev. Daniel F. Leach (1840-1845), who was then followed by Rev. James P. Stalbird (1845-1848), Rev. M. M. Everet (1848-1852) and Rev. J. R. Ross (1852-1854). Services continued at the church until around 1920. The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 “for its historical significance in representing the lost nineteenth century river community of Tusten.”

During the 1870s the village of Tusten was home to a sawmill, a gristmill, a blacksmith shop, a store, a church with an adjacent parsonage, a schoolhouse, a cable ferry across the Delaware River to Mast Hope, Pennsylvania, a “flag stop” railroad station on the Erie Railroad and a number of homes. In addition to Hankins, the names of other families that lived in the area in 1875 included W. Davis, J. Crawford, W. Robinson, H. Bross, W. D. Bross, W. Hawks and J. H. Barlow.

Tusten’s fortunes began to fade with the decline of the area’s leading industries such as rafting, lumbering and bluestone quarrying. In 1911, in an effort to revive the town, the Minisink Company, of New York City, sought to create “a nicely laid out community” at Tusten, and then sell the lots to city people who wanted to have a summer home along the Delaware River. The 4,000-acre community, set along two miles of river frontage on the Delaware River, would be complete with new roads, water works, electric lights and over 325 building lots for new homes. The lands around Davis Lake were to be sold as a single parcel for a club or hotel. However, these well-intentioned plans never materialized, and by the 1920s the company had dissolved. Most of Tusten’s remaining buildings were abandoned and left to deteriorate. All that now remains of the once thriving village of Tusten is the stone arch bridge and the Ten Mile River Baptist Church.

The bridge and the surrounding land have been owned by the Boy Scouts of America since 1927 for their use an educational camp. Fortunately, through an agreement with the National Park Service, the bridge is publicly accessible along the beginning section of the 3-mile Tusten Mountain Trail, an interesting hike with outstanding Upper Delaware Valley scenery. The bridge continues to operate as a single lane vehicle bridge for local traffic. The Tusten Stone Arch Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as a rare and intact example of traditional stone arch bridge construction within the context of Upper Delaware River transportation resources.”

William H. Hankins, the bridge builder, was born at Tusten, New York on March 12, 1846, the son of Samuel Hankins (1798-1877) and Catherine (Reeves) Hankins (1803-1882). Samuel Hankins was a farmer and a merchant, and served as postmaster from 1838 to 1842. The Hankins family were prominent members of the Tusten community, being associated with virtually every public office and business. William Hankins was “one of the last of the old Delaware River raftsmen who ran through the tidewater.” In 1883 it was reported that “many more rafts are offered to him every year than he can take under his charge.” In 1902, perhaps for old times’ sake, and for the first time in 15 years, Hankins started down the Delaware River from Narrowsburg, but noted that “he did not find many changes in the river.” In 1905, Hankins purchased a scow in order to accommodate those who wished to cross the Delaware River.

The William H. Hankins & Company worked three or four quarries in the region, employing approximately 30 men as quarrymen, stone cutters, teamsters and laborers. For a time, he was associated with Charles W. Martin and C. R. Underwood in the stone business. In the early 1900s, as the tourism business began to grow in the region, Hankins operated a boarding house.

Upon his passing, it was written that William H. Hankins “was devoted to his home and family and was held in high esteem in the community where he had always resided.” Hankins passed away at 76 years of age after a long illness on October 24, 1922 at Tusten. Funeral services, officiated by Reverend R. D. Minch, were held at Ten Mile River Baptist Church. Hankins is buried at Tusten Cemetery in Narrowsburg, New York.

The bridge, and the town of Tusten, New York, is named in honor of Dr. Benjamin Tusten (1743-1779), an American militia volunteer and physician who was killed as he ministered to the wounded at the Battle of Minisink on July 22, 1779.

Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 25 May 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct, located at Minisink Ford, New York, is the oldest existing wire suspension bridge in the United States. The 535-foot aqueduct bridge, spanning the Delaware River, opened in 1849 as a vital transportation link between the coal mines of Pennsylvania and the thriving marketplace in New York. It was one of four suspension aqueducts on the former Delaware & Hudson Canal. John A. Roebling (1806-1869), future engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, designed each of the four bridges.

The Delaware Aqueduct operated for nearly 50 years, closing in 1898 with the end of the canal. The aqueduct was then drained and the bridge converted to accommodate vehicle traffic, often operating as a private toll road. The bridge continued to operate until 1979 when, after substantial deterioration through years of neglect, it was threatened with closure. Fortunately, however, in 1980 the National Park Service purchased the bridge and began its restoration using Roebling’s original plans and specifications.

Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1968. Today, the bridge accommodates single lane vehicle traffic where barges once flowed, and accommodates foot traffic on each side of the road where the path was once trod by canal workers and their mules. Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct is a wonderful example of the historic and modern blended together in the Upper Delaware River area.

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The Wayne County Herald issue of May 9, 1849 announced the opening of the aqueduct in an article titled “Del. & Hud. Canal Company.”

“The water was let into the Delaware and Hudson Canal on the 25th ult., and the navigation resumed for the season. The wire Suspension Aqueducts over the Delaware and Lackawaxen rivers, which were commenced in 1846, are now completed and opened for the passage of boats. These works have been erected for the purpose of avoiding the delay formerly experienced in crossing the Delaware river, and will materially improved the navigation. They are constructed on the plan of the Pittsburg Suspension Aqueduct; a structure designed and executed by Mr. John A. Roebling, civil Engineer of the city of Pittsburg, and which has proved eminently successful, and was the first of the kind in the world. After an examination of this work by Mr. R. F. Lord, Chief Engineer of the Del. & Hud. Canal Co., a contract was entered into with Mr. Roebling for the erection of the superstructure of the Delaware and Lackawaxen Aqueducts. The following description will convey a tolerably accurate idea of the extent and magnificence of this work.

The trunks are composed of timber and plank well joined and caulked, and suspended to two wire cables, one on each side. The Cables rest in heavy cast iron saddles, which are placed on top of small towers of 4 by 6 feet base, rising 4 feet above the towpath. There is a towpath on each side of the trunk, which is wide enough for two boats of the present capacity to pass. The towers are each composed of 3 blocks of a white quartz pudding-stone, of great hardness and durability, obtained from the quarries in Ulster Co., N.Y. The masonry of the piers and abutments, which support the little towers has been executed in the most substantial manner of a durable and compact gray-wacke, which constitutes the principal foundation of the valley of the upper Delaware. The beds of the face-stone are all cut, the backing is large and well bonded, and the whole laid in hydraulic cement. Nothing has been spared to ensure the safety of the foundations, and by the construction of good ice-breakers to guard the piers against the heavy ice floods, which in this river prove sometimes very violent and destructive.

The Cables are made in one length across the river from abutment to abutment, and connected at their ends with anchor chains, manufactured of solid wrought iron, in bars of from 5 ft. to 10 feet long, and 5 to 6 inches wide by 1 1/4 inch thick. The lower end of each chain is secured to a heavy cast iron anchor-plate of 6 feet square, which supports the foundation of a large body of masonry, whose weight resists the strain of the chain and cable. As the cables are protected against oxidation by a copious varnish and paint and closely encased by a tight wire wrapping, which gives them the appearance of solid cylinders, they may be considered indestructible.

The wood-work is subject to decay, however it will last longer in these works than in common timber structures, and can be renewed at any time.

The following table exhibits the principal dimensions and quantities of the Delaware Aqueduct:

Hydraulic cement masonry in abutments, piers and anchorage, 7,688 cubic yards.

Length of Aqueduct with extensions, 600 feet.

Number of Spans, 4.

Length of Span varies from 131 to 142 feet.

Width of Trunk at water line, 19 ft.

Depth of water, 6 ft. 6 inches.

Weight of water between abutments, 1,950 tons.

Weight of water in one span, 487 1/2 tons.

Diameter of wire cables, 8 1/2 inches.

Length of wire weighing 1 lb., 17 1/2 feet.

Number of wires in each cable, 2,150.

Total weight of Cables and anchor chains, 190,000 lbs.

Ultimate strength of each cable, 1,900 tons.

The new Aqueducts over the Neversink at Cuddebackville and the Rondout at High Falls, will be constructed on the same plan in the course of this season. There will then be on the line of the Del. And Hudson Canal, four Wire Suspension Aqueducts, most perfect and complete, as far as durability and economy is concerned.

The general enlargement of the Canal has been prosecuted vigorously during the last winter. Fifty-seven of the enlarged Locks, being 100 feet long between quoins, and 15 feet width of chamber, are brought into use this spring, and the whole are to be completed by the opening of the Canal in the spring of 1850, making the canal then competent for the passage of Boats loaded with 130 to 140 tons of Coal.”

Kadampa World Peace Temple, Glen Spey, New York: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 18 May 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Kadampa World Peace Temple is located in the hamlet of Glen Spey in the Sullivan County region of the southern Catskills. It is one of six Kadampa World Peace temples in the world. The temple, which opened in 2006, is set on 82 landscaped and woodland acres, which includes gardens, nature trails, a lake and streams.

The Temple was designed by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso as part of the International Temples Project. According to the website for the Temple, its “unique design is based on the celestial palace of Heruka, the Buddha of Compassion. The design also represents all the stages of the spiritual path.” The Temple is also home to a bookstore, a gift shop and the World Peace Cafe.

The Kadampa World Peace Temple is located at 47 Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, New York. Visit their website at www.kadampanewyork.org for more information.

Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Glen Spey, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 11 May 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The beautiful Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church is located only a few miles from the Delaware River at the hamlet of Glen Spey in Sullivan County, New York. The church was built in order to meet the religious needs of the growing population of Ukrainians living in the area. The church is part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of America.

The ground for the church was consecrated on July 11, 1971. The dedication service was performed by Very Reverend Vitaly Kowalenko, Very Reverend Philimon Kulchinsky and the Very Reverend Serhij Nepril. Construction on the church was completed in 1972. The property for the church was donated by the Ukrainian Fraternal Association, which at the time owned and operated the nearby Verkhovyna resort.

The church was built in the Kozak-Baroque architectural style, which emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries in Ukraine as the country struggled for national independence. This style of architecture was a combination of European baroque styles and local architectural styles, and was noted for its moderate ornamentation, a local style that was simpler in form from its western European counterparts and a style softened by traditional naturalistic images. It was also noted for gilded or azure domes.

The church was designed by Ivan Zhukovsky (1901-1980), who was born on March 4, 1901 in Kitsman, Bukovyna. He studied in Prague in 1926 and graduated from Moscow Polytechnic, while at the same time studying conducting and composition at the Moscow Conservatory. He operated his own architectural firm at Chernivtsi, Ukraine from 1930 to 1941 and was the head of the Society of Ukrainian Engineers from 1931 to 1941. He emigrated to Germany and then to the United States in 1949, where he was active in Ukrainian community life. He was a professor and dean of the architectural department at the Ukrainian Technical Institute in New York from 1957 to 1961. He served as president of the Ukrainian Engineers’ Society of America from 1954 to 1980 and served as chairman at the Center for the Association of Bukovinian Ukrainians in the United States from 1954 to 1973. Zhukovsky published a number of books, including several versions of Ukrainian-German dictionaries. He also designed the Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Hunter, New York.

The hamlet of Glen Spey, where the church is located, takes its name from the Scottish word “glen” for valley, and “spey” for the clear water springs found throughout the area. In the 1940s the area became a popular destination for second home owners of Ukrainian descent, eventually becoming known as “Little Ukraine.” The area is said to have reminded the homeowners of their native homeland, and allowed them to celebrate their faith and heritage without the fear of persecution. The popular Ukrainian Youth Festival for many years attracted thousands of visitors to the small Glen Spey hamlet in Sullivan County. The equally beautiful St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Church, founded in 1967, can also be found at Glen Spey.

Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church is located at 329 High Road (County Route 41) in Glen Spey, New York.

Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church

(American Catskills) — Sat, 04 May 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is located in Hunter/Jewett Center, New York in the northern Catskills of Greene County. The beautiful church was built in 1962 using the traditional construction methods of the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountain highlanders. The church, constructed on lands donated by Dr. Ivan Makarewycz, was designed by sculptor Jaroslaw Paladij and architect Ivan Zhukovsky, and was built by master carpenter Jurij Kostiw. The interior of the church was decorated by two prominent Ukrainian artists, iconographer Petro Cholodny, Jr., and wood-carver/sculptor Mykhailo Chereshnovsky.

The tri-partite (three-frame) church, which measures 61 feet in height, was constructed using building techniques involving solid timber or logs. The logs were laid horizontally one on top of the other and secured with wooden pegs and various other systems of corner-joinings. There were no nails used in the church’s construction. The redwood cedar logs, measuring 7 1/2 feet by 12 inches, were imported from British Columbia. The roof shingles were hand split from the imported red cedar and were expected to last for 60 years before repairs were needed.

The interior of the church is adorned with hand-carved wood items including the altar, pulpit, tabernacle and processional cross, as well as a variety of artistic religious icons including the four Evangelists (symbolizing the Catholic church’s roots in the Gospel), the Virgin Mary with Jesus, the scene of the Last Supper and St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the church. The crosses inside the church were designed after those used in Ukraine 300-400 years ago. Carvings on the various tables in the church show sun rays, wheat, grapes, even dishes and utensils used in every day life by the Ukrainian ancestors of the church’s founders. The wooden chandelier, at 65 feet high, is suspended from the ceiling, and signifies the earth wherein the crops are grown. According to old traditions it is customary to stand during the service and while praying or meditating; and therefore there are no pews in the church, and only a few benches along the walls which can be used by the elderly, the sick and pregnant or nursing mothers.

As per the church website, construction of the church “was financed by Ukrainian post-World War II refugees and immigrants who realized the need for a tangible expression of their heritage and in the context of Soviet control of their country were constantly vigilant in the preservation and propagation of Ukrainian culture.” With this historic goal for the landmark church, it has certainly met its objective for over 60 years, remaining a distinctive example of Ukrainian culture and heritage.

The idea for the church began to form on August 14, 1960 at a meeting held at the home John Kobziar which was well attended by local Ukrainian-American residents. The group called themselves the “Temporary Committee for the construction of the Ukrainian Catholic Chapel in the Vicinity of Hunter, N.Y.” The church design was approved at the group’s May 21, 1961 meeting, and the group raised the money required. Construction of the church began in 1961 and was completed the following year in 1962.

The consecration service at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church was officiated by Right Reverend Joseph Schmondiuk (1912-1978), who would later become the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in America. Twenty-four priests assisted in the service that was attended by over 2,000 people from across the country. Following the service, John Kobziar hosted a dinner for 270 people at his nearby Xenia motel. The dinner included a number of speeches by prominent Ukrainian officials, followed by a presentation of Ukrainian folk songs and entertainment by Ukrainian folk dancers.

John (Ivan Volodymyr) Kobziar (1909-1977), organizer of the original group responsible for building the church, was born in the city of Lviv, Ukraine on January 19, 1909. He would begin playing professional soccer at the young age of 14 for the Lviv “Ukraina”, and became widely known for his “uncanny skills as a soccer player, including a booming shot that eventually became the nemesis of some of the best goalkeepers in Eastern Europe.” He played professionally through 1949, including from circa 1923 to 1931 for Lviv “Ukraina”, then the Ukrainian “Rus” team from Uzhhorod, Carpatho-Ukraine, followed by a second stint at Lviv “Ukraina”, and then for several years at the Regensburg “Sich” team in west Germany. He is regarded as one of the best soccer players in Ukrainian history, and was elected to the Ukrainian Sport Hall of Fame in 2017. With the arrival of communism, he was eventually forced to move to West Germany, and then moved to the United States in 1949. Soon after his arrival, in 1950, he became one of the first Ukrainian settlers in the mountaintop area of Hunter, New York. John and his wife Olga operated the Xenia tourist house at the intersection of Route 23A and Route 17 in Jewett Center for many years. John Kobziar was tragically killed in a car collision along Route 23A on August 15, 1977. He is buried at Saint Francis de Sales Cemetery in Elka Park, New York.

Dr. Ivan Makarewycz (1914-1999), who donated the land for the church, worked as a physician and surgeon for over 30 years in New York City. He owned a summer home not far from the church. Makarewycz, who also helped supervise the construction of the church, noted in 1969 what the church meant to him. “We constructed the church as a memorial to all the Ukrainians killed by the Communists in Russia and to preserve this special style of church architecture. We welcome visitors to stop so they can see what an old mountainside church looked like years ago in the western part of Ukraine.” (Times-Union. August 3, 1969.) Dr. Makarewycz passed away at 85 years of age on July 10, 1999 and is buried at Saint Andrew Cemetery in South Bound Brook, New Jersey.

Jaroslaw Paladij (1910-1977), who made the preliminary scale model of the church, was born on April 21, 1910 at Bukovyna, Ukraine, the son of Jurig and Maria (Smereshanska) Paladij. He graduated from the Academy of Art in Bucharest, Romania and taught sculpture for several years. He immigrated to the United States in 1949, where he worked as draftsman for the New York City Water District until his retirement in 1959. He had a summer weekend summer home in the Jewett area, and after his retirement he made his permanent residence there. Several of his works are featured at the Bukovina Museum of Diaspora in the Ukraine and three of his pyrographs are housed in the Vatican Museum in Rome. He illustrated the book “Abetka,” first published in 1973 by the Ukrainian Academy of Art and Science, which featured 33 illustrated letters of the Ukrainian alphabet, with each letter highlighting famous patriots and historic events from his Ukrainian homeland. Several of his paintings were used for Ukrainian Christmas and Easter greeting cards. One review of his works noted that “his perfect techniques of accomplishment are evident in his works “Zadumany” (“Meditating), “Portret druzhyny” (Wife’s Portrait”), “Avtoportret” (Selfportrait”), and his memorial project honoring Hetman I. Mazepa.” Jaroslaw Paladij passed away in 1977 and is buried at Saint Andrew Cemetery in South Bound Brook, New Jersey.

Ivan Zhukovsky (1901-1980), the church architect, was born on March 4, 1901 in Kitsman, Bukovyna. He studied in Prague in 1926 and graduated from Moscow Polytechnic, while at the same time studying conducting and composition at the Moscow Conservatory. He operated his own architectural firm at Chernivtsi, Ukraine from 1930 to 1941 and was the head of the Society of Ukrainian Engineers from 1931 to 1941. He emigrated to Germany and then to the United States in 1949, where he was active in Ukrainian community life. He was a professor and dean of the architectural department at the Ukrainian Technical Institute in New York from 1957 to 1961. He served as president of the Ukrainian Engineers’ Society of America from 1954 to 1980 and served as chairman at the Center for the Association of Bukovinian Ukrainians in the United States from 1954 to 1973. Zhukovsky published a number of books, including several versions of Ukrainian-German dictionaries. He also designed the Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Glen Spey, New York.

George (Jurij) Kostiw, the church master builder, was born at the city of Skole in the Ukraine on May 3, 1912, the son of Mykola and Maria (Palko) Kostiw. He was trained by experienced carpenters, including Komar, Koval and Mykhailiv, in his native Bojko mountain region of Ukraine. He served as an apprentice to church master builders and architects in Tseneva, Ukraine from 1927 to 1936. Kostiw came to the United States in 1950 and became a naturalized citizen in 1960. He married Daria Szczur on August 15, 1950. Kostiw also constructed the St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Church (1967) at Glen Spey, New York and the Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church (1977) at Johnson City, New York. Jurij passed away in 2005 and is buried at Saint Andrew Cemetery in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. An illustration of the Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is pictured on his gravestone.

Petro Cholodny, Jr. (1902-1990), the church artist, was born in Kyiv, Ukraine and would become a well-known Ukrainian icon painter and graphic artist. He received his art education from the Ukrainian Studio of Plastic Art in Prague and the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw, Poland from 1928 to 1934, and upon graduation worked at the Academy as an instructor. Before World War II Cholodny exhibited his work across Europe, including at Warsaw, Lviv, Berlin and Brussels. After the war, he immigrated to the United States and settled in New York. His artistic work can be found in numerous churches, including St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church (New York City), Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Volodimir (New York City), St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Memorial Church (South Bound Brook, New Jersey), St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church (Newark, New Jersey), and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Lourdes, France). In 2001, The Ukrainian Museum in New York City featured an exhibition titled "Three Generations of Cholodny Artists," which featured the paintings and icons of Petro Cholodny the Elder (1876–1930), those of his son, Petro Cholodny the Younger (1902–1990), and of Andrew Charyna (b. 1951), grandson of Petro Cholodny the Younger.

Mykhailo Chereshnovsky (1911-1994), the church wood-carver and sculptor, was born on March 5, 1911 in the village of Stezhyntsia in the Lemko region. He studied at the School of Applied Arts in Kolomyia and graduated from the School of Plastic Arts in Krakow in 1939. After the end of World War II, as a member of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, Mykhailo emigrated in 1947 to West Germany, and later to the United States, settling in New York City. He was described in 1958 as “one of the best sculptors of the younger generation.” In addition to his decorative wood carving, as seen at St. John the Baptist, he sculpted busts of a number of prominent Ukrainians and produced several monuments in bronze. He served from 1973 to 1994 as the president of the Ukrainian Artists Association, an organization founded in 1952 at New York.

Saint John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church is located on a small hillside along Route 23A, six miles west from the village of Hunter and two miles east from the hamlet of Lexington. Other buildings on the church complex include a bell tower, the parish hall (grazdha) and the parsonage. The Grazdha serves as the venue for the classical music concert series that is held each summer by the Music and Art Center of Greene County. The complex is also home to a Ukrainian gift shop, which offers a wide variety of Ukrainian artistic works and handcrafted items. For more information about the church, its history and current events, visit their website at www.ukrainianmountaintop.org.

Heller’s Fabulous Furniture, Boiceville

(American Catskills) — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Heller’s Fabulous Furniture, located along Route 28 in Boiceville, is home to a wide variety of interesting and eclectic metallic sculptures. One of the largest installations is a 25-foot rocket ship, detailed with Martians driving a spaceship while waving out the window, with a humorous motto of Roswell or Bust. The rocket ship weighs 11,000 pounds and interestingly utilizes a cement truck barrel mixer, bulldozer treads and old car parts. Other sculptures include all sorts of aliens and robots, as well as a metallic pig and a guitar.

Heller’s Fabulous Furniture is operated Steve Heller, a local artist, woodworker and sculptor. Heller, a man of many skills, makes one-of-a-kind wood furniture, creates metal art out of all sorts of odds and ends and even customizes old cars. Heller’s works have been featured in a variety of newspaper and magazine articles including Architectural Digest, Car & Travel, Hudson Valley Magazine and the New York Times. Heller’s store is certainly worth a stop on your way along Route 28. Visit the store website at www.fabulousfurnitureon28.com for more information.

Fill ‘Er Up

(American Catskills) — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT

This abandoned Gulf gas station can be found alongside a busy county highway in the central Catskills. I have driven past the station many times, but only recently decided to stop and photograph. It is not exactly clear when the station was abandoned, but it nonetheless has a few interesting elements that have stood still with time, such as the stacks of tires and hubcaps, an old 7UP soda machine, a pair of analog gas pumps, overgrown vegetation and a decaying building.

Fill 'Er Up

Open

Closed

24-Hour Towing

Used Tires

Out of Order

Long Time Gone

Full Serve

Full Serve at Your Local Gulf Station

Early Morning on the Esopus

(American Catskills) — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The Esopus Creek is one of the great waterways of the Catskills. Rising from its source at Winnisook Lake on the northwest slopes of Slide Mountain, the creek scenically flows through Ulster County as it makes its way to the Hudson River at Saugerties. The creek is impounded at Olive Bridge to create the Ashokan Reservoir, an important water source for residents of New York City. The creek above the Reservoir is commonly known as the Upper Esopus Creek, and the section below the Reservoir is commonly known as the Lower Esopus Creek. The Esopus Creek offers some of the best fly fishing in the Catskills and, with high water flow, is also popular with kayakers and tubers.

These pictures of the lower section of the Esopus Creek were taken on an early September morning. One of the amazing things about photographing along the Esopus Creek is to observe how the river changes so much from section to section, from narrow to wide, from shallow to deep, from slow-moving to swift currents, and so on.

Early Morning on the Esopus Creek

Morning Light on the Esopus Creek

First Light on the Esopus Creek

Esopus Creek, Ashokan Center

Ray of Light on the Esopus Creek

1817 Schoolhouse, Ashokan Center

(American Catskills) — Sat, 06 Apr 2024 12:00:00 GMT

The 1817 Stone Schoolhouse, a one-story, two-bay by two-bay stone building with a gable roof, is located on the property of the Ashokan Center. It was constructed in 1817 and operated as a school for the Shokan district from 1817 to 1842, after which it functioned as a cooper shop and a dwelling. It had been abandoned for most of the 20th century when it was given to the Ashokan Camp and staff dismantled it and reconstructed it on its present site in 1985.

The 1817 Schoolhouse is located on the grounds of the Ashokan Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to outdoor and environmental education. The center hosts school groups and hobby and community events such as concerts, blacksmithing, square dancing, guitar camp and the fall festival. The beautiful 374-acre property, being home to Winchell Falls, the 1885 Ashokan/Turnwood Covered Bridge, Cathedral Gorge, a large lake, a barnyard and a horse pasture, is like taking a step back in time. Although the Ashokan Center is private property, you can take advantage of one of its numerous public events to tour the scenic grounds. Visit their website at www.ashokancenter.org for more information.

Winchell’s Inn, Ashokan Center

(American Catskills) — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Winchell’s Inn, also known as the Winchell – Moehring House, was constructed in 1785, and reputedly includes the stone foundation of the early 18th-century dwelling of Jacobus Bush, the first landowner. The inn takes its name from Lemuel Winchell and the Winchell family who managed the lands along the Esopus Creek from 1785 to 1857. Lemuel Winchell also developed an industrial site on the waterfall named for him which, at its fullest extent in the early-19th century, had grist, saw and fulling mills, a forge and a store.

Winchell’s Inn, Ashokan Center

The early history of the property, located on the Esopus Creek at what had been known as Winchell’s Falls, has been traced back to a 1731 deed by which Jacobus Bush purchased the property from the Town of Marbletown. Portions of the stone basement of Bush’s homestead, or that of his son and namesake who inherited the property in 1754, are believed to survive in the extant house, which Lemuel Winchell erected after acquiring the farm in 1785. Whereas the Bush family was well-established in the region, Winchell was a newcomer arriving from Dutchess County, where his family had migrated from New England. He selected the site for the industrial potential of the falls, which is believed to have supported a mill as early as 1772, as well as its location at a fording place on the creek. In addition to constructing a dam on the falls and operating grist, saw and carding mills, as well as a forge, blacksmith shop and store, Lemuel Winchell accommodated travelers in his house and tavern.

The house was extensively restored and “improved” in the 1930s for use as a country retreat for an automobile industry executive with local ties. Following plans provided by Teller & Halverson, a Kingston architectural firm specializing in the restoration of historic houses for second homes, the house was renovated in the Colonial Revival sensibility of the period, featuring a regional “Dutch” taste emphasizing ceiling beams, wide-board floors in natural finish, and modest white-painted interiors and exteriors. A service wing was added to one end and a bluestone terrace, embellished with grind stones from an abandoned pulp mill on the property, distinguished a new front façade created on the uphill side. When the college created the camp in 1957, the house was used as a retreat for the president and a conference center; later it became a dormitory for camp staff. Few changes have been made to the 1937 plan and design.

Winchell’s Inn is located on the grounds of the Ashokan Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to outdoor and environmental education. The center hosts school groups and hobby and community events such as concerts, blacksmithing, square dancing, guitar camp and the fall festival. The beautiful 374-acre property, being home to Winchell Falls, the 1885 Ashokan/Turnwood Covered Bridge, Cathedral Gorge, an 1817 schoolhouse, a large lake, a barnyard and a horse pasture, is like taking a step back in time. Although the Ashokan Center is private property, you can take advantage of one of its numerous public events to tour the scenic grounds. Visit their website at www.ashokancenter.org for more information.

The house is the oldest building on the property and has been in continuous use since the 18th century. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Ashokan Field Campus Historic District.

Father John Nelson, Memento Mori

(American Catskills) — Sat, 23 Mar 2024 12:00:00 GMT

“I didn’t plan on any of this. In fact, I had a lot of other plans. But then I heard the word of God, and after that . . . your other plans become your other plans.” – Father John Nelson

In the fall of 2014, I found myself in the village of Woodstock to photograph the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount, a simple, but picturesque, one-room church located near the summit of Meads Mountain Road high above the village of Woodstock. The church, originally known as the Episcopalian Chapel of Ease, was constructed circa the mid-1890s to serve seasonal visitors at the neighboring Mead’s Mountain House and the nearby Overlook Mountain House.

George Mead (1834-1905), who built Mead’s Mountain House, was born at Ridgefield, Connecticut, the son of Sherwood Mead. At the young age of 15, Mead went to Newburgh to learn the silversmith business as an apprentice. After six years of learning the trade, he went to New York, then New Haven, before settling at Kingston for eight years between circa 1856 to 1864. On the recommendation of his doctor, who told him that he only had a few years to live, Mead moved to the country, buying a farm from a man named Henry Fuller on the side of Overlook Mountain.

Fuller had established himself at what was then known as Wide Clove around 1855, and “cleared a few acres and built a small and rough dwelling.” (Evers, 276). He would “take care of climbers’ horses and occasionally give climbers sleeping space on his floor. He did not act as a guide, however. When climbers asked him to help them keep to the rough trail up Overlook, Fuller would point in the general direction of the trail’s beginning and say, ‘Follow the plainest path.’” (Evers, 276.)

After purchasing Fuller’s farm, Mead would establish his popular boarding house in 1865, which was originally called the “Overlook Mountain House” (not to be confused with the Overlook Mountain House that was later constructed further up the mountain) on account of its location. In its early days it was also sometimes called the “Red House” on account of its color, or the “The Halfway House” on account of its location on the road to Overlook Mountain.

South View, Mead's Mountain House. Louis E. Jones. Author's collection

Upon opening the “Overlook Mountain House” on August 8, 1865, Mead advertised that the “house is new and commodious, fronting a view of more than seventy miles. Ample stable room for horses and vehicles. Persons wishing pure mountain air and mountain scenery in matchless grandeur, will find the location of this summer resort unsurpassed. Fine trout fishing and hunting in the immediate vicinity of the house. No pains will be spared to render the visits of guests both agreeable and pleasant.” (Rondout Freeman. September 6, 1865.) The first visitor names on the hotel register were Christopher Agar and H. B. Schoonmaker.

The location of Mead’s Mountain House in Wide Clove was considered one of the finest in Catskills. “It is located in one of the finest notches in the south end of the Catskills, two thousand feet above the Hudson River and fifteen hundred feet above the beautiful village of Woodstock. From the broad piazzas tine views of the mountains and valleys can be had in every direction and the whole range of the Shawangunk Mountains and the Esopus and Woodstock valleys in the south, while at the north the domes of the Catskills are seen as far as they eye can reach; the house is surrounded with all the attractions of the southern Catskills; is only two miles from Cooper and Echo lakes, two miles from Woodstock village and the immediate vicinity is replete with beautiful mountain walks, fine trout streams, etc.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. April 28, 1880.)

In those early days, visitors came to Rondout by day boats, then transferred to stages for the rest of the journey, sometimes not reaching the house till ten or eleven o’clock at night. Mead’s Mountain House grew in popularity over the next several decades, eventually reaching a capacity for 75 people by 1897. By that time, George Mead had noticed a change in his clientele. “In those [old] days . . . people were glad to get away from railroads and were content with mail three times a week; not they want a railroad station right in front of the house, mail every hour and a telegraph within reach of the bed. He deplores the “pace” at which the present generation lives, and loves to talk of the ‘old times.’” (Ferris, R. The Catskills: An Illustrated Handbook. P. 37.)

Mead’s Mountain House, in addition to being a destination itself, was often used as a way stop for refreshments for travelers making their way to the summit of Overlook Mountain and as a base for fishing at Shue’s Pond (what would become known as Echo Lake). The Mountain House entertained many prominent people over the years, including General Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, as well as Jervis McEntee, Sanford R. Gifford and Frederick Church, all notable painters of the Hudson River School.

Three generations of the Mead family would manage Mead’s Mountain House. Upon George Mead’s death in 1905, his son William and daughter-in-law Annie continued to operate the boarding house. When William passed away in 1913, Annie worked with her daughter Genevieve and son-in law Joseph Hutty to manage the place. The Mead family sold the boarding house to 1948 to Captain Sava J. Milo (1905-1982) and his wife Danka (1913-2002), who operated the place until 1978. It was then purchased by the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra monastery, who demolished the historic structure in 2011.

The Mead family were devout Episcopalians, and in response to the growing popularity of their boarding house, they built the Chapel of Ease circa 1894 so that their customers, and those of the Overlook Mountain House, did not have to travel all the way down the mountain to the village of Woodstock to attend religious services. Episcopal services were held every Sunday, with rotating ministers from the village of Woodstock or a minister who was staying at the adjacent boarding house. George Mead’s granddaughter Genevieve was married to Joseph Hutty at the chapel.

The church is beautifully situated at an elevation of 1,700 feet above sea level, between Mount Guardian to the west and the southwestern shoulder of Overlook Mountain to the east. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 “for its association with the seasonal tourist industry in Woodstock and the larger Catskill Mountain region during the nineteenth and early twentieth century.”

Chauncey Snyder, who lived in a nearby farmhouse, donated one acre of land to the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Albany to build the church. Despite this act of goodwill, several years later in 1902 Snyder would be evicted from his farm, with “tears running down his old bronzed cheeks,” by Bolton Brown as he acquired lands for the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony. (Bolton Brown. Early Days at Woodstock.) An article published in 1952 in the Kingston Daily Freeman attributed the construction of the church to William Mead (1862-1913), son of George Mead.

The chapel was “modestly built, constructed with a wood balloon frame above a well-laid fieldstone foundation with detailing reminiscent of the rustic aesthetic . . . the form of the chapel and the honesty of its construction and lines relate it to the parish-type model.” Furthermore, “the chapel was modestly scaled, built, and detailed, reflecting its original use as a seasonal place of worship. The choice of shingle sheathing and rustic detailing, particularly as seen on the original entrance canopy and rustic walkway, mark it as a seasonal building and effectively relate it to its immediate mountain surroundings. These elements likewise lend the building a considerable charm and romantic appeal.”

The chapel design was based on architectural designs of Richard Upjohn (1802-1878), who authored Upjohn’s Rural Architecture in 1852. The designs included in the book were aimed at small Episcopal congregations of modest means, and included “plans and elevations for a conveniently scaled and priced wood church and chapel.” Although the Christ-on-the-Mount Church was constructed 39 years after the book’s publication, some of Upjohn’s design elements found in the church include “its steeply pitched roof simple and unpretentious lines, self-contained form and open truss ceiling;” with “the form of the chapel and the honesty of its construction and lines [relating] it to the parish-type model.”

Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount

Most sources, including the National Register of Historic Places, put the construction of the church as 1891. However, two different sources place the construction as circa 1893 or 1894. In November 1893, the Stamford Mirror wrote that “Christ Chapel, in the town of Woodstock, is to be the most elevated church in Ulster County. It is 2,000 feet above tide water, being near Mead’s Mountain House.” The use of the term “to be” implies, as of November 1893, that the church had not been constructed yet, and that its construction was therefore likely in 1894. A second source, The Churchman issue of August 4, 1894, notes that the cornerstone for the church was laid “two summers ago.” This places the beginning of construction as circa the summer of 1893.

This same article from The Churchman seemingly described the opening of the church in the summer of 1894. “Woodstock, At Christ Church, in the Catskill Mountains, services were held on the Eighth Sunday after Trinity, July 15, and 5 children were baptized. The Rev. George W. Douglas, D. D., who was spending Sunday at Mead’s Mountain House, while on his way to the Adirondacks, conducted the services. The little church has been built mainly through the efforts of Mrs. Augusta Crabbe, of Rochester, N.Y., and the Misses Bolton, of Pelham, N.Y., who spent some time in this place three summers ago. Mr. Snyder presented an acre of ground, and since then $600 have been collected, and a simple shingled building, with rustic finish have been completed. Two summers ago, the Rev. Mr. Wattson, of Kingston, and the Rev. Charles Adams, of Rondout, directed by Archdeacon Thomas, laid the cornerstone. Among the gifts presented to the church, $50 was received from the Church Building Association, also Prayer Books and Hymnals, and an altar Prayer Book and a Bible from Miss Stewart Brown, of New York. A friend from Rochester presented a lectern and chancel chair, and Christ Church, Rochester, sent altar vases. About eighty guests are at Mead’s Mountain House from May to October, and, with the farmers and their children, they all make quite a Sunday-school and goodly congregation. Miss Elizabeth Crabbe, by her faithful visiting among the neighbors, built up a Sunday-school before the church was finished, and thus her summer holidays have laid a precious cornerstone of faith and love.”

No matter the specific date of construction, over the next 130 years after its founding, the church has been associated with some of the village’s most prominent residents. In 1902, Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead purchased 1,200 acres of land in the village of Woodstock, including the property on which the chapel was located, in order to found the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony, now the oldest-operating arts colony in the country. In the mid-1930s, Jane Whitehead, then Ralph’s widow, invited Father William Henry Francis, Archbishop of the Old Catholic Church in America, to Woodstock to help mentor her son Peter Whitehead (1901-1975).

William Henry Francis was born at Nottingham, England, and immigrated to the United States with his family as a young boy. The family settled at Waukegan, Illinois, on Lake Michigan, where his father established a mechanized lace-making factory. From an early age Francis had decided that he wanted to become a monk and in 1908 he joined a monastic community in Waukegan founded by Dom Augustine de Angelis Harding. Francis was ordained as a priest in 1910 by Joseph Rene Vilatte, was appointed prior of St. Dunstan’s Abbey at Waukegan in 1913, was consecrated as a bishop in the Old Catholic Church in America by Prince de Landas Berghes in 1916 and was ultimately elected Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Old Catholic Church in America in 1917. He would later in life also be known as William Henry Francis Brothers, after adding the name Brothers, his mother’s maiden name.

The Old Catholic Church in America, sometimes called the Western Orthodox Catholic Church, “believes in the ancient faith, as held by the undivided Catholic Church prior to the great schism of 1054 A. D.” The doctrine is essentially Catholic, but “the authority of the pope is rejected, as is also clerical celibacy. Communion is offered to the laity in both kinds and the liturgy is mainly in the vernacular. The great creeds are accepted, but the ‘filioque’ clause of the Nicene Creed is rejected. Apostolic succession as constituting the only valid ministry is insisted upon, but the typical Roman Catholic intolerance of other religious bodies is largely absent. In most other points of doctrine and practice there is agreement with the Roman position.” (Elmer T. Clark. The Small Sects in America. p. 205.) The church does not advocate compulsory confession and participation of the congregation in worship is emphasized.

With his new position of Archbishop of the Old Catholic Church in America, Father Francis moved around 1917 to Chicago, where he worked with the poor and disadvantaged, who were often “the uncared for, exploited immigrants working in the steel mills of the Middle-West. There in the midst of the despised “foreigners” his sympathetic understanding of their problems and his practical attempts to solve them made his mission bountiful in good works.” (Catskill Mountain Star. 1941.) In the early 1920s, Francis moved to New York City, and worked from St. Dunstan’s House on Stuyvesant Square, where he continued with his branch of the Old Catholic Church. From 1926 to 1936 Francis grew the Old Catholic Church in America from 9 to 24 parishes and from 1,888 members to 5,470 members.

In the early 1930s Father Francis moved to Cos Cob, Connecticut, located half-way between Greenwich and Stamford, in the hopes of establishing Saint Dunstan’s Abbey as “one of the truly great cloisters of the twentieth century.” However, the community was not successful, and Father Francis was ultimately forced to give up the 100-acre property. Around 1934 he moved to a small farmhouse at Bedford Village in New York, in the hopes that this new version of Saint Dunstan’s Abbey would become “The Mother Community of the Old Catholic Benedictines in North America.” Despite the lofty name and ambitions, this community “seldom mustered more than half a dozen monks, few of whom ever reached profession.” Francis remained at Bedford for only a couple of years.

With the invitation of Jane Whitehead, Father Francis moved to Woodstock in the mid-1930s, where he would remain for the rest of his life. Father Francis was often quoted as saying “I came here to convert Woodstock, but Woodstock has converted me.”

When Father Francis first arrived in the late 1930s at the Chapel of Ease, later renamed to the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount, it had been abandoned for 13 years, or since around 1926. As per Alf Evers, “The Overlook Mountain House, which was destroyed by fire in 1924 [should be 1923], never reached a point at which it could house fashionable church-going guests. Mead’s became somewhat less popular among churchgoers and the chapel languished. By 1931 the Board of Missions of the Episcopal Diocese of New York took it over, but did little to check the growing deterioration of the charming rustic building and its grounds or the dwindling of its congregation.

The Old Catholic Movement was usually on good terms with the Anglican Church and the American Protestant Episcopal Church. Yet problems developed when the chapel became the center of the Old Catholic Church in America. William Manning, bishop of New York and some said a man with a medieval mind, objected to the presence of the Old Catholics on his church’s property. Jane Whitehead bought the chapel from the board of the diocese and allowed Father Francis to remain in possession throughout the rest of his life.” (Evers, Woodstock: History of an American Town, pp. 582-583.)

Father Francis arrived in the summer of 1939 at the church, “which up until a few months ago seemed to be claimed only by the wilderness about it. (Kingston Daily Freeman. December 7, 1939.) Father Francis, with the help of three assistants, quickly went to work, clearing away the brush and making necessary repairs to the interior. The group, including Father Francis, Father Victor Boniface, Father Edwin and Brother Frank, lived in a house about a quarter mile down the road from the church. That house was owned by Mrs. C. Hinton, and “was known originally as the Snyder house, part of which still stands and which was one of the first two homes built in Woodstock.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. December 7, 1939.) The original intention of the group was to use the church as “nothing more than a monastic chapel,” but they quickly attracted an ever-growing attendance at Sunday services. The first service attracted 13 people, then 26 people a week later, and services soon had enough congregants that they were standing in the back of the church and even outside.

Since the arrival of Father Francis, the church has been affiliated with the Orthodox Church of the Western Rite. During the 1960s and 1970s Father Francis would gain a small degree of fame as the “hippie priest” for his kindness, understanding and service to the young people of the era. According to various sources, Father Francis spent time with Bob Dylan, a local resident of Woodstock in the mid-1960s, with the humble priest serving as the inspiration for Dylan’s song Father of Night. Folk singer Ramblin’ Jack Elliot was a frequent visitor at the chapel. Father Francis married famed sculptor Harvey Fite, creator of Opus 40, to Barbara Richards in 1944.

Father Francis lived a simple life during his time at Woodstock, once noting that “this may seem absurd but we are trying to be like the primitive Christians.” There was a small wood addition, now removed, that was added to the back of the Christ-on-the-Mount church to serve as a humble residence for Father Francis. In a 1941 profile, it was written that Father Francis did not receive a salary, but largely depended on donations of food from his flock. He did not own any property, and at the time was living in an abandoned corn crib which was given to him for free by the owner. There was no passing of a collection plate at church services, but a simple offertory box on the rear wall where donations could be made as one felt inclined. Donations at that time did not exceed $10 per week.

As it was then inconvenient in winter and impossible to hold year-round services at the Christ-on-the-Mount Church high up on the mountain, around 1940, Father Francis moved his church to the village of Woodstock along the Saugerties-Woodstock Road (what is now Route 212), where he converted a barn into what he would call St. Dunstan’s Church. The barn was originally constructed in the 1890s through a communal “raising bee,” where the men of the community came together to erect the structure. Under Father Francis, St. Dunstan’s Church quickly gained a small amount of popularity with both locals and tourists for its beautiful altar, wood carvings and decorative pieces, much of it handcrafted by Father Francis and his associates. When St. Dunstan’s Church was destroyed by fire in December 1945, Father Francis lost much of his worldly possessions, including the church organ, vestments, books, carvings and pictures, as well as all of his personal and household effects. Soon thereafter, Father Francis retreated to the Christ-on-the-Mount Church, where he would live and preach for the remainder of his life. Father Francis passed away on July 21, 1979.

On the morning of October 10, 2014, 35 years after the passing of Father Francis, I went to the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount only expecting to take some exterior shots of the building. Although churches have historically kept their doors open around the clock in order to serve the community at any time of day or night, the world has changed, and likely due to theft, vandalism, etc., most churches are now locked while not in active use. After getting my exterior shots, I walked to the front door in the secret hope that it would be open. And surprise, it was.

“As you step through the door,” one newspaper article noted in the 1950s, “you find you have gone back to the 15th century, for it is truly a reproduction of early times.” (Saugerties Daily Post. September 30, 1954.) The interior design of the church, including the ornate lattice and woodcarvings found at and near the altar, were constructed by Father Francis. A decorative, medieval-like rood screen with carved Gothic and floral motifs separates the worship space from the liturgical center, and was once described as being “a work of art which would be a credit to the masters of the Renaissance.” (Kingston Daily Freeman. December 7, 1939) The rood screen and the surrounding walls are decorated with paintings of historic religious figures. The floor is laid with medium-width pine plank, seemingly original, running in an east-west direction.

Interior, Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount

With the surprise of the church being open, and my additional wonder at the interior being so religiously striking and beautiful, I quickly began to photograph, focusing on the woodwork, close-ups of the religious artifacts, etc. I was inside taking photographs for about 15 minutes when I was startled by someone behind me walking through the front door. It was Father John Nelson.

Father Nelson and I would wind up talking for several hours. He told me a little bit about the church, and himself and asked about my photography. After some time, he then told me he wanted to show me a religious relic that was very important to him, which was located in his basic, monk-like dwelling not too far from the church building.

Although I do not remember some of the particulars, Father Nelson told me about the history of the relic, and how he had traveled years before to northwest US in search of the abandoned dwelling of an esteemed pastor of his church denomination who had died years before. This pastor had lived the life of solitude in a secluded monk-like environment, but had still managed to be known to others in the church. With only the most basic of information, Father Nelson searched the woods for this home for several days, but to no avail. As he was about to give up, Father Nelson found the home, perhaps with some divine intervention, and much to his happiness.

Although the dwelling was in relative ruins after years of abandonment, Father Nelson did find this historic religious artifact with the charcoal inscription “memento mori” arched over a skull and crossbones. The powerful Latin phrase “memento mori” can be translated to “remember death,” “remember that you have to die” or “remember that you are mortal.” Closely associated with Christianity, “memento mori” serves as a moral lesson, reminding believers to lead a meaningful and virtuous life as your time on earth is fleeting. As death is inevitable it was not something to fear, and by contemplating your own mortality it would lead you to reflect on your life and the emptiness of earthly possessions, pleasures and achievements; and lead you to focus on the afterlife and the eternal gift of God.

Father John Nelson, Memento Mori

Father John Nelson asked me to take a picture of him with the religious artifact, and also asked if I could send him some of the photographs of the church that I had taken. After getting home several days after taking the photographs, I processed the photos and sent him the best ones in an email. He responded to the email with much thanks. The photos were later used as part of a fundraising campaign for the church to help fund needed repairs.

In my photography of the Catskills, I do not take many photographs with people, and if there are people, they are usually small, often non-descript, and used only to offer a point of interest or offer a contrast in size to the surrounding landscape. That being said, this photograph of Father John Nelson continues to be one of my favorite photographs that I have ever taken in the Catskills. I fondly remember the brief time spent with the charismatic Father Nelson and the beauty of the small mountaintop church.

The combination of the portrait element of Father John Nelson, wearing a winter coat and hat in the chilly autumn weather, standing outside the most rustic of living quarters, while he holds an incredibly interesting religious artifact with a powerful and timeless meaning, and knowing the very personal story of how the religious artifact was obtained, provide multiple points of interest, which, when seamlessly united, seem to perfectly capture that moment in time.

After meeting Father Nelson that day I tried to learn a little bit more about him, who, as I found out, had led quite an interesting and varied life. John Nelson was born in 1950 in Maryland and was raised by his grandparents. He had found his way to the village of Woodstock by the late 1960s, and first attended Easter Sunday service with Father Francis in 1970. On his first visit to the mountain church, Nelson recalled, “I was immediately struck by the reverence being shown toward God, something that did not exist in typical American churches. It was something very old, and you could feel it.” (Woodstock Times. March 12, 2015.)

Intervening years found Nelson living in an intentional community in Stony Hollow, marrying several times, working as a woodworker and carpenter, studying the Celtic church in Ireland for several years, and ultimately studying in the early 1990s at the Western Rite Orthodox Monastery in New Jersey under the mentorship of Father Theodore, a Russian priest who had escaped the revolution. He would also lead a cover band called the Beagles, which was dedicated to the music of the Beatles and the Eagles.

By around 1995, Nelson would follow in the footsteps of Father Francis and personally lead the Church of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ-on-the-Mount. While serving the church, “he built a beautiful baptistry by closing in the old pavilion, creating a sleeping area, and lived there as a monk, under simple, primitive conditions. He also worked on the church structure, rebuilding the rood screen and shoring up areas that were decaying.” (Woodstock Times. August 10, 2017.)

For the next 22 years until his passing, Nelson served as a prominent local community leader. He helped found the Woodstock Council for World Peace, led the Woodstock March for Peace and was instrumental in getting the church listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Father John Nelson died from liver cancer at Northern Dutchess Hospital on August 1, 2017. He is buried on the grounds of his beloved mountaintop church.

Woodstock Artists Cemetery: A Photographic Study

(American Catskills) — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Encircled by the everlasting hills

They rest here who added to the beauty of the world

By art, creative thought and by life itself.

- Dr. James T. Shotwell

They Rest Here

RIP Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead

Woodstock’s reverence for artists and their craft is not limited to the living, as the Woodstock Artists Cemetery pays eternal homage to local residents who have made their mark on the arts. Buried here are many great artists, musicians, writers, painters, sculptors and poets.

Among the well-known buried here are Milton Avery and Philip Guston, noted painters; Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead, Bolton Brown and Hervey White, co-founders of the Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony, now the oldest-operating arts colony in the country; Milton Glaser, graphic designer and creator of the I ♥ NY logo; and Howard Koch, who won an Academy Award as one of the screenwriters of the movie “Casablanca.”

The idea of the Woodstock Artists Cemetery was initiated in 1934 by John Kingsbury following the tragic death of his 18-year-old son, who died in a car accident while attending school in Andover, Massachusetts. Kingsbury, who had originally purchased an 80 ft. by 100 ft. plot of land on which to bury his son, was soon joined by his close friends Carl Lindin, James Shotwell, Bruno Zimm and James Stagg, who together purchased additional land to expand the cemetery. The Woodstock Memorial Society was officially established on November 4, 1934 to manage the cemetery.

In the hopes of preserving the natural environment and the beauty of the landscape, the cemetery established bylaws which prohibited many of the traditional symbols of grief. With the exception of the memorial to Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead, the cemetery requires that all gravestones are level to the earth. Cemetery bylaws also prohibit signs and grave mounds and containers for flowers were not permitted to rise more than two inches above the ground.

In line with their artistic backgrounds, many of the gravestones of the deceased include beautiful visual images such as a piano, a violin, a sailboat, a peace symbol, doves, musical notes, a sword, an acorn, a colorful sunburst, among many others. Some of the gravestones carry messages that attempt to sum up life in a few words such as “From Rain to Sunshine,” “He Has Loved the Stars Too Fondly to Be Fearful of the Night,” “Many Blessings on Your Sacred Journey,” “May All Beings Be Happy and Free from Suffering,” or “He Was a Man, Take Him for All in All I Shall Not Look Upon His Like Again.”

At the top of the hill overlooking the cemetery, there is an imposing 10-ton bluestone monument set on a circular terrace that was created by sculptor Tomas Penning (1905-1982). The bluestone sculpture includes the inscription of Dr. James Shotwell’s words seen at the beginning of this blog post. Penning had settled in the hamlet of High Woods in Saugerties in the early 1930s and would become one of the leading sculptors in the village of Woodstock. He was an instructor for several years at the National Youth Administration Work Center in Woodstock. Penning honorably served during World War II from 1942 to 1946, including service in an army anti-aircraft unit in Tunis, North Africa.

The Woodstock Artists Cemetery is located at 12 Mountain View Avenue, just off Rock City Road, and only a short walk from the Village Green at the center of Woodstock. Visit the cemetery website at www.woodstockartistscemetery.org for more information.

RIP Clinton Woodbridge Parker

Poet + Painter + Philosopher

RIP Albert Graeser

RIP Alek

RIP Richard E. Tee

RIP Leonardo Cimino

Violinist

At the End

On the Horse

Many Blessings on Your Sacred Journey

Peace

He was a man

Seeds of Life

Cross of God

Art at Woodstock Artists Cemetery

Our Home

Crusader for Peace

RIP Jenne Magafan Chavez

The Song of Life

Two Acorns

Reaching Out

Bug

Manhattanville College 1841

All I Want

The Scenes of Life

Life

RIP Hans J. Cohn

John Kenneth Corbin: The First Aerial Photographs of Stamford, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 13:00:00 GMT

John Kenneth Corbin was born on September 5, 1902, the son of William and Mary Cowley Corbin. He was born in Stamford and graduated from the local high school. After high school he worked at the local railroad station for two years, before joining the National Bank of Stamford in 1923. He worked at the bank for over 40 years, from 1923 to his retirement in 1965. He was a veteran of the US Army during World War II, serving from December 1943 until his discharge in May 1945. He was an active member of the community, serving as a member of the Stamford Fire Department and the Methodist Church. He was a motorcycle enthusiast and an avid bowler, holding several local record high scores for many years.

Corbin was married to Eva Dederick on December 25, 1943 at Saugerties, New York. Eva worked as a teacher in the Stamford and South Kortright school systems for 23 years.

Mt. Utsayantha, Elev. 3365 Ft.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s Corbin took to the air, earning his pilots license. Combining his love of flight and photography, Corbin took the first aerial pictures of the Stamford area in 1931. The first pictures were taken unassisted from his Allison monoplane with an ordinary No. 3 Brownie camera. The simple Brownie camera, first manufactured by the Eastman Kodak company in 1900, was inexpensive and easy to use, making it accessible to the general public and the growing population of amateur photographers. The No. 3 Brownie camera used by Corbin was manufactured from 1908 to 1934.

The Stamford Mirror-Recorder, the local newspaper, reported on these first aerial pictures in an article titled "First Airplane Views of Town." “One of the pictures, taken from a height of 1300 feet, shows how conspicuous as an identification mark the new pool in Indian Trail Park really is to visiting aviators. It also reveals that the South Street garage building of Cook & Son and the Stamford Opera House are two conspicuous landmarks, having as they do, two of the largest roof-spreads in town. The Cook & Son building especially stands out clearly and from its location it would make an ideal direction indicator for visiting pilots. The Hoagland garage block which already carries a direction arrow and the name of the airport, is clearly discernible at 1300 feet and should be instantly located by a pilot new to these parts. Stamford Arms stands out clearly as do the Belvedere and the Maselyn.

Another picture, taken at considerably greater height, looks directly down upon the Tower on Mt. Utsayantha – a white dot against a dark background. This picture shows what an unusually dense forest growth covers this mountain top. The automobile road which leads through the woods to the mountain top is completely hidden.” (Stamford Mirror-Recorder. September 17, 1931.)

In 1934 Corbin took a series of aerial photographs of Stamford, Mount Utsayantha, the village hotels and the surrounding region, pictures that were then made available for sale as postcards. Local resident Dayton Griffin piloted the plane while Corbin took the pictures.

“Stamford people who haven’t the courage to view their village from the air will soon have an opportunity to see what it looks like from above, through post cards which will shortly go on sale here . . .

Stamford people had forgotten that the village has a huge airport direction arrow painted on the roof of one of its larger buildings until they saw a picture taken by Mr. Corbin showing in sharp detail the West End area of Stamford village of which the Hoagland garage block was the center. There were many other pictures of various sections of the village, all unusually sharp and clear and giving a new and very favorable impression of the beautiful village in which we live.

Two of the pictures of the village were especially interesting. One shows the buildings which comprise The Maselyn Hotel group and Stamford Arms, together with Main Street and other buildings in that immediate section. The other picture shows the municipal pool in Indian Trail Park to splendid advantage.

Two unusually fine pictures of the New Rexmere Club Hotel have been obtained from the air by Mr. Corbin. In one picture the hotel and its immediate surroundings are beautifully reproduced. In the other picture the acres of lawns which spread out in all directions from the hotel are interestingly caught from a higher elevation.

Another view of the village is taken from the air from Hobart way and is quite inclusive. One of the prettiest pictures is that of The Chateau in Granthurst Park. Here a natural setting aids the camera and with close-cropped lawns and encircling trees the effect is pleasing indeed.

The Stamford Country Club, located on a sharply sloping hillside, has heretofore been difficult to photograph to advantage and as a result pictures for booklets have for years been taken showing the rear of the building. Part of Stamford’s picture problem this year was solved when Mr. Corbin took a picture of the club house from his plane. The picture is used in this year’s Stamford booklet issued by the Chamber of Commerce. Since that picture was taken, Mr. Corbin, flying at a much lower altitude, has secured an unusually fine picture.

The tower on Mt. Utsayantha and the automobile parking space on the top of this 3,365-foot peak were beautifully caught in a hazardous flight in which the plane must have barely skimmed the flag staff. The gnarled trees surrounding the tower which always attract the interest of the visitor are faithfully reproduced in the picture which incidentally is the first to be taken of the tower from the air.

There are other fine pictures of various sections of the village showing The Terrace, The Madison, the Watson Greenhouses, etc.

There were two other pictures of unusual interest. One a “still,” taken on Main Street during the flood of last March when West End residents in Stamford worked desperately nearly all day Sunday, March 4th, to truck away or break up the ice jams that formed constantly at the rear of Main Street business places on the upstream side. When the trucks proved too slow to handle the ice a double line of men extending across the street was formed and the cakes were broken up into small pieces and shoved through a manhole on the opposite side of the street, below the plugged culvert. The picture shows the string of men in action, with cakes of ice which they couldn’t for the moment handle spreading out upon the street.

The other picture, taken from the air, gives an impressive close-up of the mighty torrent that pours over Gilboa dam when the Old Schoharie Creek goes on a rampage. The camera caught it – mist and all.

The pictures, particularly those of Stamford, should provide something of interest for those who are ever seeking “something different” for their booklets.” (Stamford Mirror-Recorder. July 12, 1934.)

Upon his retirement from the National Bank of Stamford in 1965, Corbin and his wife moved to Bradenton, Florida. Corbin passed away a few years later after an extended illness on December 21, 1971 at the Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton, Florida. Funeral services were held at Hall Funeral Home in Stamford, with Reverend William R. Phinney, pastor of the Jefferson United Methodist Church, officiating. John Kenneth Corbin and his wife Eva are both buried at Stamford Cemetery in Stamford, New York.

Crispell Memorial French Church and Burying Ground

(American Catskills) — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The Crispell Memorial French Church, to the surprise of many, is actually a 1972 reconstructed interpretation of the first 1717 stone church in New Paltz. The original church, which was also used as a school, served the early settlement for 56 years when a larger church was built to accommodate the growing congregation. The church is named for Antoine Crispell, one of the twelve founders of New Paltz. The adjacent Burying Ground contains many graves of the original 12 founding families of New Paltz. The last burial took place here in 1864.

New Paltz was founded in 1678 by French Huguenots, Protestant followers of John Calvin who had escaped religious persecution in France and emigrated to religiously tolerant countries around the world, including the United States. With the purchase of nearly 40,000 acres of land from the Esopus Indians, the 12 founding families, referred to as the Patentees (as they held the legal patent to the land), quickly left their young Kingston and Hurley homes and established a permanent settlement and farming community along the Wallkill River.

Peaceful Huguenot Street in downtown New Paltz offers a step back in time to these early days of the village. Charming, Dutch-inspired stone houses, many now active museums, provide a glimpse of what life was like in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Visitors can admire the quality architecture at the Freer House, Abraham Hasbrouck House, Bevier-Elting House, DuBois Fort, Jean Hasbrouck House and the LeFevre House, as well as a reconstructed 1717 church. There is also an 18th century burial ground, a visitor center, educational exhibits and many of the homes are open for tours. Huguenot Street, marketing itself as “the oldest street in America with its original houses”, is listed on the register of National Historic Landmark Districts.

The Rondout Effect

(American Catskills) — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The Rondout Effect, located at the Riverport Wooden Boat School in Kingston, New York, is an impressive mural depicting scenes typical of the Rondout District including boating, the Rondout Lighthouse, and the buildings of the Strand. The mural was created in conjunction with the 2017 and 8th annual O+ festival. It is the first O+ mural in the downtown section of Kingston.

The Rondout Effect is the creation of local artist Matthew Pleva, a Kingston native and SUNY Purchase graduate. This is Pleva’s second work for the O+ festival. His first, titled Hobgoblin of Old Dutch Church, prominently overlooks Peace Park in the Stockade District of Kingston, New York. The Hobgoblin mural features several icons of the Kingston landscape including the Old Dutch Church and Jansen House as well as the famed hobgoblin of Kingston lore. Visit Matthew’s website at www.matthewpleva.com for more information about this amazing artist or visit him at his store, The Art Riot.

The O+ festival is a 3-day event where artists and musicians exchange their participation for basic health care, dental and wellness services. Billed as “The Art of Medicine for the Medicine of Art”, the growing Kingston event features many forms of art media including paint, sculpture, dance, performance art and music. The first Kingston O+ festival took place in 2010. The most visible aspect of the festival is the large-scale murals seen throughout the city.

Heading to Kingston Point

(American Catskills) — Sat, 17 Feb 2024 13:00:00 GMT

The non-profit Trolley Museum of New York, located in the Rondout waterfront section of Kingston, has on display trolley cars from around the world. Visitors can also hop on to take a 1 ½ mile trolley ride with stops at T. R. Gallo Park and out to Kingston Point, all while taking in great views of the Hudson River and the Rondout Lighthouse.

Trolley #358, seen here, is making its way towards Kingston Point. This trolley originally operated in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It was manufactured in 1925 by the St. Louis Car Co. for the Johnstown Traction Company. After Johnstown abandoned its street railway in June 1960 the car was sent to Stone Mountain, Georgia, where it operated as part of a tourist ride around the mountain. The Trolley Museum of New York then acquired trolley #358 in 1991 and undertook an extensive restoration. In 2000 trolley #358 began to carry its first Kingston passengers and continues this service today. The trolley weighs 38,380 pounds and originally had seating capacity for 44.

For more information about the Trolley Museum and the trolley rides, check out their website at www.tmny.com.

The Statues of Academy Green, Kingston, New York

(American Catskills) — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Academy Green holds a distinguished place in Kingston’s history. Governor Peter Stuyvesant negotiated a peace treaty here in 1660 between early settlers and the local Esopus Indians. Ulster County troops drilled on the site prior to entering the Civil War. From 1830 to 1916, Academy Green was the site of the Kingston Academy, the oldest preparatory school in New York State, which instructed students on mathematics, science, the arts and languages. After the Kingston Academy’s demolition in 1916, with students moving to a new location at the Kingston High School, Academy Green became a park in 1918.

Academy Green is home to three 11-foot bronze sculptures of Peter Stuyvesant, George Clinton and Henry Hudson, each of whom left a lasting impact on the Kingston region. The 1898 monuments are the work of noted sculptor John Massey Rhind (1860-1936) and were produced by the Gorham Manufacturing Company in New York. The statues were originally located Exchange Court building in Manhattan. When that building was being remodeled in the late 1940s, the sculptures, unbelievably, wound up in a junkyard as scrap. Fortunately, after seeing a newspaper article about the building remodeling, Emily Crane Chadbourne, president of Kingston’s Senate House Association, tracked down the junkyard and sought to rescue the statues. She purchased and donated the statues to the city of Kingston. The statues were installed on large pedestals of local bluestone at Academy Green, and a dedication ceremony led my Kingston Mayor Oscar Newkirk took place in June 1950.

George Clinton (1739-1812) led a remarkable career and left a lasting legacy on both his home state of New York and his country. He was the first Governor of New York and served for 21 years, the longest serving governor in state history. He was a delegate to the 2nd Continental Congress, served honorably as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army during the American Revolution and is considered by many to be one of the Founding Fathers of the country. Clinton served as Vice President of the United States under two different presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, one of only two men to hold that distinction. He is buried at the Old Dutch Church in the Stockade District of Kingston.

Peter Stuyvesant (1612-1672) was the Director General (i.e. Governor) of New Netherlands, a Dutch colony, from 1647 until 1664. In 1664, the English gained control of New Amsterdam, and thus all of the New Netherlands colony, and it was renamed New York. Stuyvesant left a lasting legacy on the colony with the introduction of strict new laws, establishment of a municipal government and the expansion of the colony beyond Manhattan.

Henry Hudson (c. 1570-1611) was an English sea explorer. In 1609, working on behalf of the Dutch East India Company, Hudson was the first European to sail up the Hudson River (obviously named in his honor). His explorations led to the Dutch colonization of the region, the establishment of New Netherland and the settlement of Kingston (then known as Wiltwyck).

George Clinton

Peter Stuyvesant

Henry Hudson

Billy Costello: The Pride of Kingston

(American Catskills) — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Billy Costello (1956-2011) was a native of Kingston, New York who became a boxing world champion. Costello took up boxing at the relatively late age of 19, but showed quickly that he was a natural fighter. He won the New York Golden Gloves championship in 1978 and turned professional a year later, winning his first 30 fights. In 1984 Costello became the undefeated WBC light welterweight champion with a technical knockout of Bruce Curry. He successfully defended his title three times against Ronnie Shields, Saoul Mamby and Leroy Haley, before losing his fourth title defense to the undefeated Lonnie Smith. He left boxing in 1986 with a loss to Alexis Arguello, but returned in 1992 for nine more fights, all victories, before retiring for good in 1999. After a 20-year career, Costello retired with an impressive record of 40 wins, 2 defeats, with both defeats coming at the hands of world champions.

Billy Costello is fondly remembered in his native Kingston, for his humble beginnings, for notably holding three of his championship fights in his hometown, for setting up the local boxing program with the Kingston Police Athletic League, and ultimately for his toughness and dedication to the sport. The statue of Costello is prominently located at a busy intersection in that city for all those who pass to remember his athletic greatness. The life-sized, white granite statue was dedicated in 2012, only a year after his passing. The dedication ceremony was well attended by family, local residents, boxing fans and local dignitaries.

Inspirational quotes by Billy Costello, Kingston native and WBC light welterweight boxing champion from January 29, 1984 to August 21, 1985.

“Everyone was always telling me, ‘Billy, you can’t do this’ and ‘Billy, you can’t do that.’ But all that ever did was make me more determined than before.”

“They had some boxing equipment in the gym, and I figured, why not try it? One day on the heavy bag and it was like God saying to me, this is what you’re supposed to do.”

“I looked across the ring and I said to myself, I’m here. People put me down all my life, but I’m here.” – Billy Costello talks of his mindset on January 29, 1984 as he entered the ring for his title fight with Bruce Curry in Beaumont, Texas. Costello knocked out Curry in the 10th round to win the WBC light welterweight title.