American Catskills: Blog https://www.americancatskills.com/blog en-us Copyright (C). All Rights Reserved. 2009-2023. Matthew Jarnich. dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:32:00 GMT Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:32:00 GMT https://www.americancatskills.com/img/s/v-12/u126062438-o922362058-50.jpg American Catskills: Blog https://www.americancatskills.com/blog 120 80 John N. Brengel – Kingston, New York Photographer https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/6/john-n-brengel-kingston-new-york-photographer Introduction

 

John N. Brengel was a popular photographer for over 20 years in the city of Kingston, New York. Prior to his arrival at Kingston Brengel operated a photographic gallery in New York City from the late-1860s through the mid-1880s.

 

Family Portrait, by J. N. Brengel, Rondout, NYFamily Portrait, by J. N. Brengel, Rondout, NY

Family portrait, by J. N. Brengel. Author's collection.

 

 

Biography

 

John N. Brengel was born in February 1833 in Manhattan, New York. He was married to Mary J. (Brown) Brengel. There is a conflict as to Mary’s correct year of birth, as the 1900 United States census shows her birthdate as July 1854 whereas her gravestone shows her birth year as 1855. John and Mary were married around the year 1875.

 

Brengel honorably served during the Civil War. At the age of 29, he enlisted for three years on August 12, 1862 at New York. He mustered in as a private in Company I, 6th New York Cavalry on August 13, 1862. Records show, somewhat amusingly, that he was “wounded in the canteen, October 11, 1863, at Brandy Station. Not disabled, but had to go thirsty until he procured another canteen.” He was promoted to sergeant on December 1, 1864. He was discharged on June 5, 1865 at Cloud’s Mills, Virginia.

 

The 6th New York Cavalry was involved in intense fighting for much of the Civil War. Notable battles and campaigns include the Battle of Chancellorsville (April 30 – May 6, 1863), Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863), Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign (August-November 1864) and the Appomattox Campaign (March 29-April 9, 1865). 

 

By the late 1860s Brengel was listed with the occupation of photographer in the business directories for New York City. His studio was listed as 391 Canal Street. In the mid-1870s his business was located at 291 6th Avenue. Advertisements later place his business at 55 East 13th Street. The year 1885 was the last one in which Brengel was listed as a photographer in New York City.

 

The logo imprint on the reverse side of a portrait taken by Brengel reads “J. N. Brengel, Ferrotype Gallery, New York. 4 for 25 cents.” The ferrotype, also known more popularly as tintype, was patented by Hamilton Smith in 1856 in the United States. The ferrotype process was used widely used in the 1860s and 1870s.

 

An 1884 advertisement in The Photographic Times stated: “J. N. Brengel, Solar Printer, Photo, Enlargements by Electric Light. Prints made, Rain or Shine. Address for Price List, 55 East Thirteenth Street, New York.”

 

In August 1884 tragedy struck when Brengel’s New York City gallery was destroyed by fire. The New York Times provided a summary of the incident.

 

“J. N. Brengel, a photographer, whose specialty is the enlargement of pictures for artists by electric light, had a gallery on the third floor of No. 55 East Thirteenth Street. Last evening he was developing some negatives in the dark room, and his boy, Albert Whitemore, was in the gallery, when there was a whizzing noise, followed by an outburst of flame. Mr. Brengel found the woodwork of his operating room on fire, and the heat caused bottles of ether and alcohol to burst and add fuel to the flames. The fire was fierce when the engines arrived, but it was subdued in half an hour, when the gallery was a complete wreck. Mr. Brengel used the Brush wires for the light he needed, and he says the fire was due to insulating material being stripped in some manner from the wires so that they set fire to the woodwork through which they passed. Mr. Brengel was insured for $1,300 in the Phenix Company, of Brooklyn, and his loss is more than $2,500. C. Z. Bates, locksmith and bellhanger, on the second floor, loses about $700 by water damage. John Church & Co., of Cincinnati, publishers of music, on the first floor, lose by water damage from $1,200 to $1,500. About $800 damage was done to the building, which is owned by the Roosevelt estate.”[1]

 

Perhaps due to the tragedy that destroyed his gallery, that same year, 1884, Brengel advertised that he was in the market to purchase a Photographic Gallery, giving his address as Rondout, New York.

 

The city of Kingston business directories first listed Brengel as operating at 9 Wall Street by around 1884. By 1894 he had moved locations and was then operating at 29 Strand. Following business directories listed Brengel at 31 East Strand, 27-29 East Strand and 29 East Strand.

 

Portrait, Old Woman, by J. N. Brengel, 9 Wall Street, Kingston, NYPortrait, Old Woman, by J. N. Brengel, 9 Wall Street, Kingston, NY

Portrait, Old Woman, by J. N. Brengel. Author's collection.

 

An 1888 newspaper advertisement had Brengel operating his business at 9 Wall Street in Kingston. He advertised cabinet photographs for sale at a cost of $1.50 per dozen. The advertisement also interestingly stated that “15,000 Negatives by Edward Lewis are in my possession.” Lewis had been a long-time photographer at Kingston through the early 1880s.

 

Advertisement for J. N. Brengel, Photographer, Kingston, New YorkAdvertisement for J. N. Brengel, Photographer, Kingston, New York

The Kingston Daily Freeman. October 13, 1888.

 

In October 1890 a fire broke out in the rear of the E. T. Dodge candy store on Wall Street, and quickly spread. As the fire engulfed the building, it did much damage to the rear of the Brengel’s photographic establishment. Damage was estimated at $500, and Brengel was not insured for the loss.

 

The 1892 book Kingston and Rondout: Their Representative Business Men and Points of Interest featured a profile of Brengel.

 

“J. N. Brengel, Photographer, No. 9 Wall Street, Kingston, N.Y. – If improved apparatus and reliable chemicals and unbounded self-confidence were all that is necessary to make a first-class photographer, the country would be full of such, for about every tenth man you see nowadays practices photography for fun or for money, and can talk to you by the hour about “negatives,” and “exposures” and developing, and many other things of which you know little or nothing; but when it comes to putting theories into practice the average photographer, amateur or professional, cannot seem to make a very excellent showing. The fact is long experience and considerable natural ability are absolutely essential to the attainment of thoroughly satisfactory results in photography, and an illustration of this may be had by comparing the work turned out by Mr. J. N. Brengel with that produced by other photographers who might be mentioned, for Mr. Brengel has been in the business for many years and is thoroughly familiar with it in every detail. He is a native of New York, and succeeded to the business founded by Mr. Edward Lewis in 1865. His rooms are located at No. 9 Wall Street, on the third and fourth floors, being very thoroughly fitted up in every way. Photography in all its branches is carried on, orders being filled at short notice and at uniformly moderate rates, while the results attained are such that it is perfectly safe to fully guarantee satisfaction to all who may place orders at this popular studio. This gentleman commanded Company I, 6th New York Cavalry, during the war, and for a time served on the staff of General Sheridan.”[2]

 

In 1896 Brengel achieved a certain amount of fame with the announcement that he, along with Chester B. Melott, had developed a process to produce static x-rays. News of this discovery was featured in newspapers in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska and other states.

 

“Static X-rays. A process differing from that of Roentgen. Everything goes now. These people made a wide departure. No vacuum was used. A series of experiments at Kingston which appear to be more startling than any yet performed with the Crookes tubes.

 

Kingston, N.Y., Feb. 18. – Chester B. Melott, manager of the Rondout Western Telegraph office, and J. N. Brengel, a local photographer, have made several successful experiments with X-rays, the manner of obtaining the pictures being altogether different from ordinary methods.

 

Not an inch of conducting wire, no battery, Crookes tubes, condensers, coils, or Leyden jars were used. The electric current used was transmitted through the body of the operators, and was conducted by them to the objects that were photographed and transmitted through the sensitized plate to the body of another person place on the opposite side of the sensitized plate, which was enclosed in a dark slide.

 

The current used was static, of high potential and high frequency, and the time of exposure required was about half a minute for each object. The experiment was conducted upon the principle and the theory that a lightning bolt will photograph objects on any sensitized bodies, when coming between them, as numerous accounts prove.

 

The pictures were taken through the cardboard cover of the slide, and through one thickness of a pane of glass, making about one-fourth of an inch. The whole operation is simple, and can be performed by anyone. The electricity for this experiment was obtained by holding an ordinary tin dusting pan under the rapidly moving leather driving belt of an engine in the power house of the Kingston City Electric line, with one hand, while the other hand touched the objects lying on top of the case containing the sensitized plate, another person holding the plate through the body of which the electricity passed off.

 

By other experiments tried with exhausted tubes and incandescent bulbs, lights of all the shades of the rainbow were secured, the light changing according to the condition of the atmosphere. In damp weather a very reddish light is produced, while in dry, clear atmosphere, the light assumes a bluish ting; also phantom rays of great brilliancy were obtained, but owing to the arrangement of the bulb and machinery, when sensitized plates were brought close to the bulbs, it destroyed their electrical effect, and in some cases extinguished the light altogether, the operation taking the current away by induction.

 

Mr. Melott contemplates making further experiments with the rays, and also with a very penetrating electric light, which consists of passing a current of dynamo electricity through a tube filled with a peculiar metallic gas. The current freely passes and produces and produces a very penetrating light.”[3]

 

The 1900 United States census listed Brengel as residing in district 107 of the city of Kingston. Also residing in the household was Mary J., his wife, born July 1854; Carrie A., born January 1880; Anna L., born February 1882; Frederick D., born January 1884; George A., born March 1886; and Mable V., born July 1888. The census reported that John and Mary Brengel had seven children, six of which were currently living. The census showed that Brengel’s parents had both been born in Germany. He was listed with an occupation of Photographer. Frederick, even at the young age of 16, was listed with an occupation of Assistant Photographer.

               

In 1903 Brengel began planning for retirement, putting his gallery up for sale. An industry publication carried the following advertisement. “FOR SALE – Having decided to retire from active business, will sell my studio at a bargain; fitted for 11 by 14; fine Dallmeyer lens; best light; price, $450, cash. J. N. BRENGEL, 27 Strand, Kingston, N.Y.”[4]

 

Brengel’s actual retirement from the photography business took place two years later in 1905 at 72 years of age. He sold his business in August of that year to Robert G. Sibley, of Port Ewen. After the sale Brengel moved back to New York City.

 

The address directories for Manhattan and the Bronx begin to list Brengel in 1902 with a home address at 204 West 114th Street. In some years he was listed with an occupation of photographer, however, there was no business address listed.

 

John N. Brengel passed away at 76 years of age at his home in New York City on September 26, 1909. He was survived by two sons, George and Fred, and four daughters, Mrs. Joseph Stillwell, Carrie, Mabel and Lulu. Mary J. Brengel passed away at her home on January 26, 1927 at her home on Glenwood Road, Brooklyn. John, along with his wife Mary, is buried at Montrepose Cemetery in Kingston, New York.

 

 

[1] “Fired By Electric Light.” New York Times (New York, New York). August 26, 1884.

[2] Bacon, George F. Kingston and Rondout: Their Representative Business Men and Points of Interest. Newark, N.J.: Mercantile Publishing Company, 1892. p. 33.

[3] “Static X-rays.” Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York). February 19, 1896.

[4] The Photo-Beacon. Vol. 15. Chicago: The Photo-Beacon Company, 1903.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) 6th New York Calvary 9 Wall Street biography Catskill Mountains Catskills Civil Edward Lewis John N. Brengel Kingston New York photographer photographs photography portraits Robert G. Sibley veteran War" x-rays https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/6/john-n-brengel-kingston-new-york-photographer Sat, 10 Jun 2023 12:00:00 GMT
B. E. Pudney – New Gallery of Delaware County, NY Postcards https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/6/b-e-pudney-new-gallery-of-delaware-county-ny-postcards B. E. Pudney was a prolific publisher of postcards depicting the scenes of Delaware County, New York and the surrounding region. Located at the village of Sidney, he was also a well-known businessman, at times operating a clothing store, a bicycle shop, a stationery store, an automobile garage and a famous music store.

 

I have recently acquired around 50 postcards that were published by B. E. Pudney. Although Pudney’s postcards depict scenes from all the counties and regions surrounding the village of Sidney, my collection focuses mostly on the Catskills portion of Delaware County. The postcards include scenes from Masonville, Sidney, East Sidney and Delhi. The postcards depict village scenes, buildings, churches, bridges, roads, waterfalls and landscapes Although not published by Pudney, there is also a postcard showing his store titled “B. E. Pudney’s Piano and Music Store.”

 

The gallery also includes 40 advertisements published in the local newspapers by Pudney from throughout his business career.

 

The complete collection of postcards can be found by navigating to Gallery >> Historic Catskills Photographers >> B. E. Pudney.

 

 

View N. W. From South Road, Masonville, N.Y.

Photograph titled "Masonville, N.Y., View N. W. From South Road" by B. E. Pudney.Masonville, N.Y., View N. W. From South RoadPhotographer: B. E. Pudney, Sidney, New York

 

The Mill Pond, Masonville, N.Y.

Photograph by B. E. Pudney titled "The Mill Pond, Masonville, N.Y."The Mill Pond, Masonville, N.Y.Photographer: B. E. Pudney, Sidney, New York

 

Birds-eye View, Sidney, N.Y.

Birds-eye View, Sidney, N.Y.Birds-eye View, Sidney, N.Y.Photographer: B. E. Pudney, Sidney, New York

 

New Iron Bridge, Sidney, N.Y.

New Iron Bridge, Sidney, N.Y.New Iron Bridge, Sidney, N.Y.Photographer: B. E. Pudney, Sidney, New York

 

Main Street, looking North, Sidney, N.Y.

Main Street, looking North, Sidney, N.Y.Main Street, looking North, Sidney, N.Y.

 

Mill Dam and Falls, East Sidney, N.Y.

Mill Dam and Falls, East Sidney, N.Y.Mill Dam and Falls, East Sidney, N.Y.Photographer: B. E. Pudney, Sidney, New York

 

Woolerton Street Bridge, Delhi, N.Y.

Photograph by B. E. Pudney titled "Woolerton Street Bridge, Delhi, N.Y."Woolerton Street Bridge, Delhi, N.Y.Photographer: B. E. Pudney, Sidney, New York

 

County House, Delhi, N.Y.

County House, Delhi, N.Y.County House, Delhi, N.Y.Photographer: B. E. Pudney, Sidney, New York

 

Watauga Falls, Delhi, N.Y.

Watauga Falls, Delhi, N.Y.Watauga Falls, Delhi, N.Y.Photographer: B. E. Pudney, Sidney, New York

 

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) B. E. Pudney biography Catskill Mountains Catskills Delaware County Herbert Eugene Pudney landscapes New York Oxford photographer photographs photography postcards publisher Sidney https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/6/b-e-pudney-new-gallery-of-delaware-county-ny-postcards Sat, 03 Jun 2023 12:00:00 GMT
John G. Stenger – Callicoon Depot, New York Photographer https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/5/john-g-stenger-callicoon-depot-new-york-photographer Introduction

 

John G. Stenger was a popular photographer at the hamlet of Callicoon Depot in the 1890s to the early 1900s. He was noted for both his landscape and portrait work. Anthony Stenger, John’s father, also worked as a photographer for many years at Callicoon Depot and at the hamlet of North Branch.

 

Country Scene, by J. G. StengerCountry Scene, by J. G. Stenger

Country Scene, by J. G. Stenger. Author's collection.

 

Biography

 

John G. Stenger was born in March 1865, the son of Anthony Stenger (1839-1915) and Fredericka (Weingartner) Stenger (1840-1919), both natives of Germany. Anthony was born on September 8, 1839 at Darmstadt, Germany and immigrated to the United States in 1852. He resided in New York City for four years and then settled at Mileses in the town of Fremont, Sullivan County, New York.

 

In May, 1863, Anthony married Fredericka Weingartner. She was a native of Stuttgart, Germany who immigrated to the United States in 1859. Together they had four children, including John; Mary Anna (Stenger) Schonger (1866-1928), wife of Dr. Adolph H. Schonger, the well-known physician at North Branch; Henry J. Stenger (1866-1935), a painter and well-regarded musician, and later a foreman in the paint shops of the Long Island Railroad Company; and Anthony Stenger (1873-1939), an optometrist with the firm of Stenger and Stenger at 398 Broadway in Brooklyn for 30 years. Mary Anna and Henry were twins.

 

Anthony was a house painter by trade, and combined that occupation with photography and musical work. He was prominent in the musical scene of the area, being a member of several bands and orchestras. “Mr. Stenger was a musician with exceptional talent and has furnished the music for the dances in that section of the county for the last fifty years and was known and beloved by all.”[1]

 

Anthony first established a photograph gallery at Callicoon Depot sometime in the 1870s. At Stenger’s gallery, you could “get your photograph taken, which will be better looking than you really are.”[2] In 1881 the local newspaper noted that “Mr. S. is a good photographer, and no doubt he will do a good trade in his line.”[3]

 

After moving from Callicoon Depot to the hamlet of North Branch in the late 1890s, Anthony established another gallery there. The local newspaper noted in 1898 that “Anthony Stenger, the North Branch artist and photographer, is established in his new quarters and I learn is doing a good business. Mr. Stenger has had a long experience of his profession, and gives satisfaction.”[4]

 

Anthony Stenger continued to operate his photograph gallery until poor health no longer allowed him to work. He was a member of the Free Masons, being one of the first members of the chapter at Callicoon Center. He was also a member of the Knights of Honor.

 

Anthony was well regarded in the community. Upon his passing it was written that “Mr. Stenger was the kind of man it does you good to meet. His greeting was always happy, hearty and sincere; there was not an artificial streak in him. He was the personification of good nature, a genial companion, a true friend. He has added his full share of happiness to the world with the sunshine and melody which came forth from his soul.”[5]

 

Upon the death of Mary Anna, John’s sister, in 1928, the local newspaper wrote of her parents Anthony and Fredericka Stenger.

 

“The Stengers were a musical family, which added to their social atmosphere. The old folks, Pop and Mom Stenger, spent their later years on the Dietrichsen place just below North Barnch, where Pop had a photograph gallery and where many musical gatherings were held. Pleasant memories of the Stengers will long linger in the minds of those who have been so fortunate as to partake of their hospitality and good cheer.”[6]

 

Anthony passed away on January 30, 1915 at the age of 75 from a cerebral hemorrhage at his home in North Branch. He had been in poor health for some time, having suffered three strokes, two of which were within 48 hours of his death. The funeral services were conducted by Reverend J. E. Straub. Fredericka passed away in 1919 from pneumonia. Anthony and his wife Fredericka are both buried at Grace Lutheran Cemetery in North Branch, New York.

 

John G. Stenger, our subject, spent his youth growing up in the town of Fremont. The 1875 New York State census listed 10-year-old John as living with his parents Anthony and Fredericka, along with his sister and two brothers. Anthony was listed with an occupation of Painter.

 

The 1880 United States census listed 14-year-old John as living with his parents Anthony and Fredericka, along with his sister and two brothers. He was listed as being “at school.” Anthony was listed with an occupation of Laborer.

 

After receiving his education, Stenger lived for four years living in New York City, but afterwards moved to Callicoon Depot, New York in his home county.

 

Callicoon Depot is beautifully situated along the Delaware River in Sullivan County, New York. The hamlet takes its name from the New York and Erie Railroad train depot which opened there in 1848. In 1906 the “Depot” part of the name was dropped by the U.S. Postal Service, and became simply Callicoon.

 

Stenger followed the several trades of his father, being a painter, photographer and musician. John was a noted house painter, with numerous mentions in the local newspapers of his work painting the houses of various community residents.

 

As a photographer, Stenger’s services included both landscape and portrait work. Advertisements noted that outdoor views and groups were a specialty. One 1895 advertisement from Stenger that was published in the Sullivan County Record stated “Don’t neglect the family, Come and Bring the children. All Work executed in good style and at moderate prices. Buildings, groups, scenery, schools and other outdoor work.” His gallery was located on South Street in Callicoon Depot.

 

Portrait, Young Man, by John G. StengerPortrait, Young Man, by John G. Stenger

Portrait, Young Man, by J. G. Stenger. Author's collection.

 

Portrait, Baby, by John G. Stenger, Callicoon Depot, New YorkPortrait, Baby, by John G. Stenger, Callicoon Depot, New York

Portrait, Baby, by J. G. Stenger. Author's collection.

 

The 1900 United States census listed Stenger as residing in the town of Delaware, Sullivan County. He was listed with an occupation of “House painter.”

 

In March 1900 Stenger erected and opened at Callicoon Depot “a new photograph gallery on his premises adjoining the school building. It will be equipped with the most up-to-date appliances for that line of business.”[7]

 

Advertisement for J. G. Stenger, PhotographerAdvertisement for J. G. Stenger, Photographer

 

Advertisement for John G. Stenger, PhotographerAdvertisement for John G. Stenger, Photographer

 

In 1895 Stenger was appointed coroner by New York State Governor Levi Morton to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Philip Metzger of Jeffersonville. In November 1895 he won the county election to serve a full term of three years as coroner. The local paper noted that Stenger had won his election despite spending very little. His expenses totaled only $8.25, of which $1.50 was to hire horses and $6.75 was for “treating at various hotels while introducing myself.” Of the four coroners elected, Stenger had received the highest number of votes.

 

Prior to his marriage John may have had a reputation as a ladies’ man. The Sullivan County Record wrote in 1895 that “I noticed J. G. Stenger, Callicoon Depot’s photographer, riding about town Tuesday on the laps of two dearies of the same place. Most fellows are satisfied with one at a time, but Johnnie don’t ’pear to be one of ’em.”

 

Portrait of John G. Stenger, PhotographerPortrait of John G. Stenger, Photographer

 

Stenger eventually settled down and married Mary Mitchell (1872-1938), daughter of Elias Mitchell of Callicoon Depot, on January 21, 1902. The service was held at the St. James Episcopal Church at Callicoon Depot and was officiated by Pastor H. C. Briggs. There were only a few relatives present at the ceremony, including John’s brother, Anthony Stenger Jr. of North Branch, and Mary’s sister, Ollie Mitchell. John and Mary had one son, Albert H. Stenger (1903-1973).

 

Elias Mitchell (1839-1912), Stenger’s father-in-law, was one of the oldest and most successful rivermen and raft pilots along the Delaware River. Both his father, Stephen Mitchell, and grandfather, Timothy Mitchell, were also well-known lumbermen and rivermen. Elias began his life as a lumberman and raft pilot at the age of 19, and continued with the trade until the spring of 1911. He was reported to have made as many as 21 trips down the river in a single year. He was affectionately referred to as “Deacon.”

 

Like his father Anthony, John was also an accomplished musician. He served as the musical conductor for the Callicoon dramatic society. In the early 1900s he served as leader of the Callicoon Depot orchestra while playing first violin. The reviews of Stenger’s leadership of the orchestra were very positive.

 

“A masquerade ball will be held in Harmonie Hall Feb. 22. All who attend will be given an opportunity to hear our new band, which, under the leadership of J. G. Stenger, has surpassed all expectations of its advancement.” – Tri-State Union (Port Jervis, New York). February 15, 1900.

 

“The new orchestra recently organized here deserves credit for the progress it has made for the short time it has been in existence. The members and instruments are as follows: J. G. Stenger, first violin; Ed Starck, second violin; Ed Robisch, cornet; Edward Gardner, trombone; William Kothe Jr., piano. Mr. Stenger is director. They have played in public a number of times, and the music is much appreciated.” – Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). March 29, 1900.

 

“Wednesday evening last found the upper grade room of the school building packed . . . Special mention should be made of the faithful and untiring work done by our orchestra, led by J. G. Stenger, for the entertainment of those attending the Wednesday night meetings.” – Tri-States Union (Port Jervis, New York). March 29, 1900.

 

John G. Stenger died suddenly at 43 years of age at his home in Callicoon in 1908. John and his wife Mary, along with their son Albert, are buried at Callicoon Cemetery Old in Callicoon, New York.

 

[1] “Anthony Stenger.” Sullivan County Republican (Monticello, New York). February 12, 1915.

[2] “Milesville Directory.” Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). October 10, 1879.

[3] “Callicoon Depot.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). March 18, 1881.

[4] Tri-States Union (Port Jervis, New York). July 28, 1898.

[5] “Anthony Stenger.” Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). February 4, 1915.

[6] “Apoplexy Takes Mrs. Dr. Schonger.” Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). May 3, 1928.

[7] Tri-States Union (Port Jervis, New York). February 15, 1900.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Anthony Stenger biography Callicoon Callicoon Depot Catskill Mountains Catskills coroner J. G. Stenger John G. Stenger landscapes Mary Mitchell New York photographer photographs photography portraits Sullivan County https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/5/john-g-stenger-callicoon-depot-new-york-photographer Sat, 27 May 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Clyde Fisher: Photographing John Burroughs https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/5/clyde-fisher-photographing-john-burroughs Introduction

 

Clyde Fisher was a well-known naturalist, scientist and lecturer who served as curator at the American Museum of Natural History and as head of the Hayden Planetarium. He was a close friend of famed author and naturalist John Burroughs. Being an avid photographer Fisher took many photographs of Burroughs, his home and the surrounding Catskills environment.

 

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

 

 

Background

 

“The modesty with which he [Fisher] carried his learning was engaging; the width of his study was remarkable. He walked with John Burroughs. He talked with Dr. Albert Einstein. He went to baseball games and track meets and enjoyed them hugely. He was the ideal companion for field trips, always in a merry mood, always carrying more than his share of the burdens. He was an inspiring teacher, an industrious student, a modest scholar, a delightful friend and a great gentleman. It was a wonderful privilege to have known him.”[1]

 

 

George Clyde Fisher, more commonly known as Clyde Fisher, was born on May 22, 1878 on the 1,500-acre family farm near Sidney, Ohio. He was the second of eight children born to Harrison Fisher (1851-1909), a farmer, and his wife Amanda (Rhinehart) Fisher (1848-1936). Harrison was a deeply religious man who was well respected in the community.

 

“He [Harrison] was a model husband, father and neighbor, a man of few words, but active in good deeds, proving his faith by his works. His one aim in life was to aid and comfort his family and educate his children to be useful men and women . . . We have felt the model life he lived from a child was such that parents, and brothers and sisters, and his family, certainly have reason to believe that he was guided by some power that was more than the work of man. I feel free to say this, because I knew him from infancy, he being my cousin; he was also my playmate in youth and faithful friend through life. I have often wished I were possessed with his quiet, peaceful and upright manner. His character all his life was without spot; I never knew any one who possessed a more gentle spirit, always esteeming others better than himself.”[2]

 

Amanda (Rhinehart) Fisher, Clyde’s mother, was born on December 4, 1848 to Noah Rhinehart (1821-1897) and Rebecca (Huddle) Rhinehart (1824-1907) near Melmore in Seneca County. Amanda moved with her parents to Shelby County in her childhood and resided there for the remainder of her life. She was married to Harrison J. Fisher on February 3, 1876. She was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church and for many years operated a market stand at the Sidney Saturday Market.[3] Amanda passed away on September 9, 1936 and is buried, along with her husband, at Graceland Cemetery in Sidney, Ohio.

 

From a very young age, having been born on a farm, Clyde Fisher spent much of his childhood outdoors, and expressed much interest in all aspects of nature, including rocks, plants, trees, stars and planets. Upon learning that the family farm was located on the glacial drift, he collected over one hundred varieties of rocks as evidence. Two uncles who had taken up astronomy as a hobby had taught Clyde, who in turn attempted to teach the subject to anyone who would listen.

 

“Farmers around Sidney, Ohio pitied Harrison Jay Fisher, a fellow farmer, on account of his son Clyde. Instead of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a good husbandman, the lad took to books and studies, which, from their practical point of view, meant that the boy was going to the dogs.

 

When his family was busy with the corn crop, Clyde would be preoccupied with the investigation of the life of a daisy or a dandelion. When he was expected to take care of the domestic animals populating the farm, he would likely be found somewhere in the woods ’possum hunting. Poor Harrison Jay!”[4]

 

Fisher received his early education at “a little red-brick schoolhouse” in the local schools of Orange township in Shelby County. Perhaps in a telling sign of his future, Fisher, at his 9th grade commencement ceremony, gave the valedictorian speech titled “Examples of Great Men.” In 2002 the Sidney school district honored Fisher by inducting him into their Hall of Honor as an accomplished scientist and “the father of astronomy in America.”

 

Upon graduation, and with a country schoolteacher’s certificate in hand, he began teaching at the young age of 16. During the summer months he attended the Ohio Normal University at Ada.

 

After teaching for approximately six years, and having saved enough money, Fisher returned to school full-time, ultimately receiving in 1905 his A. B. degree in geology from Miami University in Ohio. While attending the university from 1902 to 1905, he was also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, captain of the intercollegiate debate team, and editor-in-chief of the college magazine. In 1903 Fisher was awarded a gold medal during a contest of the newly established Miami Oratorical Association.

 

In 1905, with his degree in hand, Fisher married Bessie Wiley (1883-1964), his high school sweetheart. She was the daughter of Johnston Crozier Wiley and Anna M. (Wright) Wiley. Together Clyde and Bessie had four children, including Clyde Jr. (b. 1914, died at birth), Ruth (b. 1916), Beth (b. 1918) and Katherine (b. 1920). After a period of separation Clyde and Bessie divorced in 1933. Later that year, on September 28, 1933, Clyde remarried to Te Ata (1895-1995), also known as Mary Frances Thompson Fisher, a Native American storyteller, actress and citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. Clyde and Te Ata would remain together until his passing.

 

Upon graduation from Miami University in 1905, Fisher taught science in the local high school at Troy, Ohio for two years from 1905 to 1907. Fisher then moved to Florida where he served as the Principal of Palmer College Academy at Defuniak Springs, Florida from 1907 to 1909 and served as acting President from 1909 to 1910. After leaving Palmer College, Fisher taught at Cornell University, and then worked as an instructor at the University of Florida and in 1912 at the University of Tennessee.[5]

 

Having saved enough money from his work in Florida, Clyde returned to school for his graduate studies, attending the prestigious John Hopkins University in Baltimore. Fisher graduated in 1913, receiving his Ph.D. with a focus on botany, zoology and plant physiology. His dissertation was titled “Seed Development in the Genus Peperomia.”

 

Upon graduation Fisher joined the American Museum of Natural History in June of 1913, in time becoming the Curator of the Department of Public Education in 1928. In 1924 he was also named Curator for the Astronomy department and in 1935 he became the first Head of the Hayden Planetarium. In 1938 Fisher became the editor of The Sky, a magazine for amateur astronomers that was published from 1935 to 1941. (The Sky merged with The Telescope magazine in 1941, and remains in existence today as the Sky & Telescope publication.) In 1941 Fisher officially retired as Curator of Astronomy and the Hayden Planetarium, but was named Honorary Curator of the same department. Fisher remained connected with the museum, either as a staff member or lecturer, from 1913 until his passing.

 

Throughout his career Fisher displayed a remarkable interest in all aspects of scientific work. His breadth of knowledge was noted in a 1940 magazine article.

 

“Dr. Clyde Fisher, Curator-in-Chief of the Hayden Planetarium, may not be another Leonardo but he is surely a man of parts. In his time he has been a member of the Sioux Indian tribe, a college president, an astronomer, photographer, botanist, ornithologist, mammalogist, geologist, and paleontologist, and as a dabbler or specialist has been associated with every classification of scientific work conducted by the American Museum. . . .

 

As he looks back upon the years, Doctor Fisher does not regret that he took so long in settling upon a single specialization. Internationally famous as a great teacher and a pioneer in the broad field of visual instruction, he feels that his natural talent always has been that of the all-round naturalist. And though his contribution in weighty monographs are small, it can safely be said that he has brought the vast subject of Natural History in all its ramifications to the attention of a greater public than any research specialist could ever hope to do”[6]

 

As the head of the Department of Education at the American Museum of Natural History, Fisher was considered a “true scientist with a great respect for scientific truth.” Using his background as a teacher, he worked tirelessly to educate the public, with a guiding belief that science should be fun.

 

“By personal choice, Fisher was a teacher and truly loved people. He especially loved children due to their thirst for knowledge and inquisitive nature. His greatest interest was in presenting the wonder and beauty of science in such a way that others would also share the feeling of fascination that he had. His greatest strength as a teacher was exhibited in his enthusiasm, knowledge, and sincere interest in the individuals he taught.

 

Seemingly with infinite patience, Fisher would take great care in explaining the intricacies of science and in answering any and all questions that came his way. He never seemed too busy to respond to an inquiry or to chat with members of the public about astronomy, even for many hours at a time.

 

As an educator, he was very progressive, and quite ahead of his colleagues in the field of education. His main philosophy was that learning about science was fun. He never considered his duties as a teacher and science lecturer a labor, but a joy.”[7]

 

In the pursuit of science Fisher traveled extensively. He often visited the American Southwest to study the languages and customs of Native Americans. He has inspected meteor craters in Arizona, Kansas and Estonia. In 1922 he conducted an expedition to Arctic Lapland for the museum and visited Norway and Sweden, where he studied the educational systems of those countries and visited the Universities of Uppsala and Lund.[8] In 1924 he conducted a photographic expedition to Bermuda, where he captured many images of angel fish and other rare specimens of fish. Later in 1924 Fisher and Carveth Wells journeyed to the little-known Sweden and Norwegian Lapland, never before crossed by any American or Englishman.

 

In 1925 Fisher traveled to Europe to tour a variety of astronomical museums and observatories, including the facilities at the University of Upsala, the Zeiss Planetarium at Jena, Germany and the observatory connected with the Vatican. In 1927 Fisher, along with Ernest Thompson Seton, a noted naturalist, toured several Native American reservations from North Dakota to Arizona. In 1930 he traveled to Iceland as a representative of the New York Bird and Tree Club, with the goal of donating 1,000 trees “to inaugurate a reforestation project as a part of the millennial celebration of the founding of the first parliament in the world.”[9] After the Iceland portion of the trip, Fisher also visited Norway, Denmark and Sweden in order to take photographs on behalf of the American Museum for their educational work in the schools of New York City.

 

In 1936 he journeyed to the Ak-Bulak region of Siberia (modern day Kazakhstan) as a member of the joint Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology expedition to view the total eclipse of the sun. In 1937 Fisher served as the leader of the American Museum’s expedition to Peru to observe the total solar eclipse, the path of the Moon’s shadow and to record their scientific observations. In 1943 and 1944 he visited Mexico twice to study the volcano Paricutin from the ground and from the air.

 

Fisher was a friend and colleague of Albert Einstein, whom he believed to be one of the greatest astronomers and physicists of the word. Fisher often lectured about Einstein’s theory of relativity, stating in one such lecture that Einstein, who won the Nobel Prize in 1921, could have won the prestigious award for any one of three different accomplishments. Fisher wrote a book review of Einstein’s book The Meaning of Relativity, noting that “the only conception of the universe that can now be framed is a mathematical conception, and that after we have it, only a mathematician can understand it.”[10]

 

Fisher was a contributor to the popular Information Please radio program, a popular quiz show that aired from 1938 to 1951. During the show a panel of well-known experts would attempt to answer a diverse set of questions submitted by listeners. Fisher would also contribute to the book version of the show titled Information Please Almanac.

 

In addition to his scientific endeavors, Fisher was also widely known as an accomplished photographer. His photographs were featured in many magazines, scientific journals and books, including several books about John Burroughs. Subjects included just about anything, including flowers, trees, landscapes, people, wildlife, scientific instruments and natural events. Throughout his career he would use the photographs and motion pictures created during his journeys to illustrate his instructional classes and public lectures.

 

The annual report of the American Museum of Natural History in 1956 notes that in the early 1920s “Clyde Fisher began making educational motion pictures of local small mammals and birds. His first such venture for the department was a film of the life of a gray squirrel. This and other films Fisher made were added to the Museum’s growing library of films. It is quite possible that Fisher’s film “The Gray Squirrel” was the first educational motion picture produced by any museum.”[11]

 

Fisher would take many motion pictures as well as still photographs on many of his expeditions. He took 10,000 feet of motion pictures and some 500 still photographs during his 1924 expedition to Lapland.

 

“They made a valuable and most interesting record of the Lapps, with still and motion picture cameras, and their splendid observations upon the life of the nomadic tribes and the natural history of the beautiful northland were widely acclaimed on their return to civilization.

 

The expedition crossed the Arctic Circle into northern Scandinavia late in June, 1924, and remained in the Land of the Midnight Sun for a whole month. Dr. Fisher made 10,000 feet of motion pictures and some 500 still photographs, showing the summertime activities of the Lapps, including very unusual pictures of the snowy owl and other Arctic birds, of the midnight sun and of the lemmings in migration.

 

The explorers slept in the Lapp tents, ate rude fare of reindeer meat, fish and drank goats’ milk. They paid visits to the nomadic schools, and became friends with Turi, the only Lapp who has written a book.”[12]

 

Fisher’s photograph of the January 24, 1925 solar eclipse was featured on the cover of the July-August 1926 issue of Natural History magazine. The photograph was taken from Jumel Mansion, near 160th Street, in New York City. Viewers above 96th Street witnessed a total solar eclipse, while those below 96th Street witnessed a partial eclipse. The photograph was taken with a Graflex camera with a Cooke lens, f 4.5, focal length 7 inches, stop f. 16, Kodak Cut Film. The exposure time was two seconds.

 

In the summer of 1927 Fisher took part in a three-month expedition to the American Southwest with Ernest Thompson Seton, famed naturalist, author, founder of the Woodcraft League (1902) and founder of the Boy Scouts of America (1910). During this trip Fisher shot a motion picture titled Camping Among the Indians, which captured a variety of Native American dances, sign language and cultural practices, as well as an intertribal ceremony. The footage from Camping Among the Indians was used by the American Museum of Natural History in its public programs in 1927 and 1928.

 

In 1932 Fisher shot a motion film titled Pottery Making in the Village of San Ildefonso, New Mexico. The film shows Maria Poveka Martinez (1887-1980) and her husband Julian Martinez (1897-1943), well-known potters that are credited with the rediscovery and revival of the ancient pottery techniques of their Native American ancestors.

 

In 1932 Fisher took several photographs that had never been accomplished before that time. In a plane piloted by Casey Jones, they “flew up above the clouds and observed the eclipse and photographed the shadow of the moon on the clouds below.” During the flight he “made several successful still-photographs of the partial phases of the eclipse with panchromatic plates, using the special Eastman filter, which was said to admit about one one-thousandth of the visible light . . . The thing we set out most determined to do was to photograph the oncoming shadow of the moon, since this had never been done before . . . We had a perfect opportunity to observe the phenomenon, and to see a total eclipse of the sun from above a continuous blanket of clouds, with no earth visible below, is an unforgettable experience. This most impressive spectacle, seen under these conditions, makes one realize the inadequacy of words.”[13]

 

Fisher’s photograph of a flower from the Franklinia tree was featured on the cover of the October 1945 issue of Natural History magazine. The Franklinia tree, considered “one of those mysteries of botany in this country,”[14] was discovered in 1765 by botanist John Bartram in Georgia along the Altamaha River. The tree was named Franklinia alatamaha in honor of Benjamin Franklin. (Alatamaha is the old spelling of Altamaha.)

 

The cover of the May 1949 issue of Natural History, published several months after Fisher’s passing, featured Fisher’s photograph of Chief Hind Bull. The photograph was taken at a place called Belly Buttes in Alberta Canada during the annual Sun Dance. In the photograph Chief Hind Bull wears “a typical war bonnet of the Blood Tribe, made of eagle feathers and tipped with horsehair. This spectacular headdress originated in this area among the division of Indians known as the Plains Indians. Only since the coming of the white man has the feather bonnet become symbolic, in the popular mind, with Indians in general. Chief Hind Bull was dressed for his Medicine Pipe Dance, a part of the greater Sun Dance Ceremonial. It was said that he gave away 22 horses and many other gifts on this occasion.”[15]  

 

Fisher authored countless essays, articles and books about nature. Some of his published books include Exploring the Heavens (1939), Astronomy (with Marian Lockwood, 1940), The One Volume Nature Encyclopedia (first published under the title Nature’s Secrets, 1940), the well-illustrated The Story of the Moon (1943) and a biography of John James Audubon titled The Life of Audubon (1949). Partnering with Marion Langham, Fisher published a series of six books intended for elementary school age children with titles that included Our Pets (1st grade, 1936), On the Farm (2nd grade, 1936), World of Nature (3rd grade, 1934), Ways of the Wild Folk (4th grade, 1934), Our Wonder World (5th grade, 1934) and In Field and Gardens (6th grade, 1934).

 

Fisher served as president of the New York Bird and Tree Club and was a fellow the New York Academy of Sciences. He was a member of the Explorers Club, the American Ornithologists Union, the Torrey Botany Club, the American Astronomical Society, the Linnaean Society, The American Society of Mammologists, among many other organizations. He was a member of several honorary fraternities, including Phi Beta Kappa and Tau Kappa Alpha. In 1926 he was awarded an honorary LL.D. degree by his alma mater, Miami University.

 

Friendship

 

“I have played with a camera all my life – if any of my friends from western Ohio are here they will know that. When I got my camera I felt that if I could make one picture of John Burroughs I would be satisfied. I have made something like two hundred pictures of John Burroughs.”[16] – Clyde Fisher

 

John Burroughs Providing for the Chipmunks, Roxbury, N.Y.John Burroughs Providing for the Chipmunks, Roxbury, N.Y. John Burroughs Providing for the Chipmunks, Roxbury, N.Y.

 

 

Born and raised in Roxbury, 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 1/2 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 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.

 

Upon the passing of John Burroughs in 1921 Fisher wrote a touching tribute to his friend titled “Reminiscences of John Burroughs.” The article was published in the March-April 1921 issue of Natural History. In the beginning of the article Fisher talks of his early impressions of Burroughs through his writing, and the privilege of meeting the famed author for the first time many years later.

 

“Some twenty years ago there fell into my hands the first volume of Mr. Burroughs’ essays that I had ever seen. It happened to be Signs and Seasons. I am now sure that the result would have been the same, had it been any other volume. The interest and charms that this book held for me prompted me to secure and read the others that he had written up to that time, and to be on the look-out for those that have come from his pen since. One cannot read any book by Mr. Burroughs without a feeling of affection for the author. He has put his lovable self into his essays in a way that few men of letters have succeed in doing.

 

As my interest and admiration grew, I ventured to hope that I might sometime have the privilege of knowing him personally. On my first visit to New York, eighteen years ago, what I wanted to do more than anything else was to visit the Sage of Slabsides. So I went up to Riverby, his home, which is situated on the west bank of the Hudson about eighty miles north of New York City. It will not be difficult to imagine my disappointment when I was informed by Mrs. Burroughs, who came to the door, that her husband had gone to Slide Mountain, the highest peak in the Catskills, and would not return for several days. I could not wait, so had to leave without seeing him. Like a thoughtless schoolboy, I had neglected to find out beforehand whether he would be at home and whether it would be convenient to have me call. However, I saw Riverby, the stone house, the building of which he described in the essay “Roof-Tree,” which is included in the first book of his that I had read. Here he makes us feel the joy he felt and the enthusiasm he had in building his home by the river.

 

It was not until after I joined the staff of the American Museum eight years ago, that I actually had the privilege of meeting the poet-naturalist, and later of visiting him at Riverby. This first visit was on a bright November day in 1915, an ideal day for such a pilgrimage. Mrs. Fisher and I were to be the guests of Dr. Clara Barrus, Mr. Burroughs’ physician and friend, while we visited our hero. Mr. and Mrs. Burroughs were then living in the stone house at Riverby, but were taking their meals with Dr. Barrus, who lived in The Nest on adjoining grounds. This cottage, which Dr. Barrus on making her home there had rechristened The Nest, had been built for Mr. Burroughs’ son, Julian. It is one of the most attractive little houses I have ever seen.”[17]

 

Fisher also wrote of taking his first photograph of Burroughs at his Riverby estate.

 

“I had brought my camera hoping to get one picture of the great poet-naturalist. Before noon I started out to secure a few photographs about his home. First I undertook to make one of the Summer House on the banks of the Hudson just a few steps from the bark-covered Study between the stone house and the river. In this Summer House, which commands a wonderful view up and down the river, Mr. Burroughs used to sit by the hour during the warmer months of the year, reading or thinking out the essays he has given us. While focusing my camera on the Summer House, I was discovered by Mr. Burroughs, who appeared at the door of his Study, and after cordially greeting me, said, “I thought you might like to have me in the picture.” I was so delighted that I could hardly operate my Graflex camera. However, I made a picture of John of Birds examining a wren box on the big sugar maple by the Summer House, one of him standing in the door of the Study looking out over the Hudson, and one of him sitting by the fireplace in the Study. So, my wish was more than fulfilled on that first visit.”[18]

 

During this first visit Burroughs and Fisher talked of both having grown up on a farm and of Fisher’s training as a botanist. Burroughs talked of the rare plants that grew in the area. They walked from Riverby to Slabsides, at a distance of 1 3/4 miles, with Burroughs occasionally stopping to “pluck a gorgeous leaf from a young oak tree, and, holding it up between his eye and the sun, and would comment on its beauty.” Burroughs told of John Muir, the naturalist of the Sierras, being one of the first visitors at Slabsides in 1897; and of their journeys together in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado and Yosemite. Burroughs gave a lively account of President Roosevelt visiting Slabsides in July 1903, proclaiming of his active nature, “There is no dead wood in Roosevelt.” Together Burroughs and Fisher were delighted “to find a wild flower in bloom so late in the fall – a little reddish-purple flower, the herb-robert.” As Burroughs bade Fisher farewell at the station at West Park on the evening of their first meeting Burroughs proclaimed “Whenever you want to come to Slabsides the key is yours!”[19]

 

After this first meeting “Fisher was hooked not only because Burrough’s observations on flora and fauna always brought new knowledge and fresh insights but also because the author put so much of himself in his essays. In fact, Burroughs once told Fisher that literature is observation plus the man. That is why he replied to a friend who was urging him to write his autobiography ‘“My books are my autobiography.’”[20]

 

In the years between that first meeting in 1915, when Burroughs was 78 years of age, and the passing of Burroughs in 1921, the friendship blossomed. Fisher frequently visited Burroughs at his Riverby home in West Park, at Slabsides, his writing retreat located one mile from Riverby, and at Woodchuck Lodge in Roxbury. Fisher was often accompanied by his wife Bessie during these visits. Fisher once estimated that he visited the rustic Slabsides cabin for two or three days at a time about twice a year since their first meeting.

 

John Burroughs at his Study, Riverby, West Park, New YorkJohn Burroughs at his Study, Riverby, West Park, New York

John Burroughs at his Study, Riverby, West Park, New York

 

 

During one such visit to Slabsides, in November 1917, Fisher observed an interesting event involving the Dusky Salamander, an event that he afterwards summarized for a scientific magazine.

 

“After dark , on the night of November 25, 1917, I went to the spring to get a bucket of water, and when I returned to the light, I was surprised to find that I had dipped up two active immature salamanders. A few minutes later one of these was inadvertently poured out into a pan containing a little water, scarcely a half-inch deep, and allowed to remain in that all night. The next morning, the temperature having dropped to about 20 degrees F., the salamander was frozen solid in the ice – that is, the ice was apparently frozen solid all around it. But after we had started a fire in the fireplace and the room had warmed up a bit, the ice thawed out, and the salamander, as soon as it was free from its icy prison, was as lively as it was the evening before, seemingly unharmed by the experience. In fact, after the two specimens were again placed together in water, it was impossible to tell which had been encased in ice, as they were uniformly active and continued so during the several days that I kept them alive.”[21]

 

In addition to his visits to Riverby and Slabsides, Fisher also affectionately recalled his visits to Woodchuck Lodge, located about 1/2 mile from Burroughs’ birthplace. During these visits Burroughs recalled his amazement at having observed his first warbler, and early fishing trips with his grandfather in Montgomery Hollow. They spoke of making maple sugar, the only farm task which appealed to Burroughs as a youth. On one of his visits Fisher observed the record Hubbard squashes grown by Burroughs on his farm, one of which was given to Thomas Edison. They spoke of the numerous woodchucks shot by Burroughs, from which he made rugs for his home, a coverlet for his bed on the sleeping porch and coats for himself and Dr. Barrus. Fisher, to his surprise, even learned to appreciate eating woodchuck with Burroughs. They listened to the bark of the red fox. Fisher observed the very cradle in which a young Burroughs had been rocked to sleep 80 years prior. Burroughs talked of the large-flowered white wake-robin which, with the help of Walt Whitman, became the title of his first book Wake-Robin in 1871. In summary of these visits Fisher wrote that “the visits that have meant the most to me have been subsequent ones. Perhaps the most inspiring have been those at Woodchuck Lodge . . .”[22]

 

Fisher last visited with John Burroughs during the weekend of November 6-8, 1920, almost an exact anniversary of his first visit with Burroughs in 1915. During this visit

 

“We camped in Slabsides, and on the second day (November 7) Mr. Burroughs ate his midday meal and spent several hours with us. He cooked one of his favorite brigand steaks for luncheon – the last he ever cooked at Slabsides. While preparing the steak, we talked about his latest book, Accepting the Universe, which had appeared a little while before. He told me of a number of letters he had received concerning it, and that two or three preachers had thanked him warmly for writing such a book.

 

On the afternoon of that day, I made what proved to be the last photographs of him at Slabsides. In fact, he visited Slabsides only once after this date. We found the herb-robert in bloom near by, as we found it on my first visit. We also found the climbing fumitory or mountain fringe and the witchhazel in bloom.

 

When he left Slabsides toward evening, we walked with him to the bend of the road in the hemlocks, and there bade him good-bye. Little did we think that this would be the last time we would see him alive. While we shall not be able to talk with him again, or to shake his hand, or to look into his honest gray-blue eyes, he still lives in our hearts. The spirit of John Burroughs will live on.”[23]

 

John Burroughs would die less than five months later on March 29, 1921 during his return trip from spending the winter in California. Funeral services, conducted by Reverend Franklin D. Elmer, were held at Riverby on Saturday, April 2, 1921 and were attended by approximately 150 people including Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone. In his prayer for Burroughs, Elmer eloquently spoke “There are here to pay tribute those who come from the woodlands and the fields, the shop and office, the church and state and from shore to shore. This man, O Lord, has taught us the beauty of your creation, of the rivers, the valleys, the skies, the birds and the animals.”[24]

 

Burroughs was buried the following day on what would have been his 84th birthday. His grave is beautifully situated next to his beloved Boyhood Rock of his youth near Woodchuck Lodge at Roxbury, New York.

 

John Burroughs and "Cuff" at Burroughs Birthplace, Roxbury, N.Y.John Burroughs and "Cuff" at Burroughs Birthplace, Roxbury, N.Y.

John Burroughs and "Cuff" at Burroughs' Birthplace, Roxbury, N.Y.

 

 

Over the years Fisher took numerous photographs at Woodchuck Lodge, at Riverby and at Slabsides. The photographs included portraits and candid shots of Burroughs as well as architectural images of the buildings so closely associated with the writer. Some of the images were published as postcards that were sold to the public. One album of 94 gelatin silver prints is in the possession of the Library of Congress. This album includes photos of Burroughs, with some photos also including Fisher and his wife Bessie, at Riverby and at Slabsides.

 

Woodchuck Lodge was built in the early 1860s by Curtis Burroughs, John’s older brother, and is located on the southern slope of Old Clump Mountain near Roxbury on the property where Burroughs grew up as a child. Woodchuck Lodge was Burroughs summer home from 1910 until his death in 1921. Upon his passing, Burroughs’ close friend, Henry Ford, purchased the property, likely in order to help preserve it. Today, the lodge is owned by a nonprofit community preservation organization and is open to the public on select summer weekends. Located adjacent to the Woodchuck Lodge property is the John Burroughs Memorial Field State Historic Site, the final resting place for John Burroughs. Woodchuck Lodge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Riverby (pronounced River bee), a 9-acre property located in the community of West Park on the banks of the Hudson River, was purchased by Burroughs in 1873. Burroughs constructed a three-story house here that would remain his permanent residence for the remainder of his life. The property included a small separate building known as “The Study,” where Burroughs wrote extensively between 1881 and 1895. Books written here included Fresh Fields (1884), Signs and Seasons (1886), Indoor Studies (1889) and Riverby (1894). “The Study” at Riverby is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

The rustic cabin known as Slabsides was constructed by Burroughs in 1895 about one mile west of his home at Riverby in Ulster County, New York. Burroughs used Slabsides, named for its bark-covered siding, as a summer residence and as a retreat from the obligations that his fame called for. He wrote many books here, including Whitman: A Study (1896), Far and Near (1904) and The Way Nature (1905), as well as other articles and essays. Burroughs entertained many famous visitors at Slabsides, including John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt.

 

After the passing of Burroughs, Henry Ford, in 1923, purchased the nine acres surrounding Slabsides and donated them to the newly created John Burroughs Memorial Association. Additional lands were added to the property over time. Today Slabsides is located on the 170-acre John Burroughs Sanctuary which, in addition to the cabin, offers miles of quiet, scenic hiking trails. The Sanctuary grounds are open year-round while Slabsides is open twice a year for Slabsides Day. Visit the John Burroughs Association website at www.johnburroughsassociation.org for more information. The historic cabin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Boyhood Rock, located at the John Burroughs Memorial State Historic Site in Roxbury, is located on the family farm where Burroughs grew up. He would spend hours upon the sandstone rock gazing out over the farm, fields and mountains. It was perhaps his favorite place in the world. As per his last wishes Burroughs is buried in his final resting place only feet away from “the big rock in the pasture”: “Here I climbed at sundown when a boy to rest from work and play, and to listen to the vesper sparrow sing, and here I hope to rest when my work and play are over – when the sun goes down – here by boyhood rock.”[25]

 

The bronze plaque attached to Boyhood Rock includes a wonderful engraving of Burroughs sitting upon the rock gazing upon the beautiful scenery. The engraving is an interpretation of a nearly life size bronze statue of John Burroughs created in 1918 by well-known sculptor Cartaino di Sciarrino Pietro. The original bronze statue is located at the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio, having been dedicated on the officially proclaimed “Burroughs Day” in 1918 during a ceremony attended by thousands. The Boyhood Rock plaque also includes a brief excerpt from his famous “Waiting” poem: “I stand amid eternal ways, and what is mine shall know my face.”

 

Upon the passing of Burroughs, his dear friend Fisher reflected that “My privilege of knowing him has meant more to me than knowing any one else that I can think of. No one could know him without loving him. Like all great men, his outstanding characteristics were his simplicity, genuineness and naturalness. As an interpreter of nature, it is hard to estimate what he has meant to the people of this country.”[26]

 

In honor of his close friend Fisher frequently lectured about his life and work. Fisher traveled across the country with presentations titled “With John Burroughs at Slabsides,” “John Burroughs and His Birds,” and perhaps the most popular “With John Burroughs in his Favorite Haunts.” He lectured in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Missouri, South Carolina, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Texas, among many other states.

 

In October 1927, at the meeting of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, Fisher presented “With John Burroughs in his Favorite Haunts.” The presentation was illustrated with a large number of color lantern slides.

 

                “Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society:

 

It is a privilege and an honor to be welcomed back to my home State, and to speak before this Society this afternoon.

 

I do not intent to try to talk about the literature that John Burroughs produced; except casually. It was my privilege to know John Burroughs a great many years. In fact, I began correspondence with him when I was a boy on a farm in western Ohio more than twenty-five years ago. I later knew him personally, and had the privilege of visiting him, during his last years, in his various haunts.

 

It will be my plan to bring before you, if I can, John Burroughs the man, John Burroughs the very human man. To know John Burroughs was to love him. I have been told by his publishers, who also publish the works of other eminent naturalists, that many more copies of Burroughs’ books have been sold than of the others. I do not wish to make comparisons, and I do not mean to say that John Burroughs knew more about animals, birds, and nature than the others. John Burroughs was not an encyclopedia, a walking dictionary of facts. John Burroughs was, first, a man and, second, a naturalist. Mr. Burroughs said that man can have but one interest in nature – to see himself interpreted there. I think he might have extended that statement to literature and art, as well as nature. He is the great interpretive naturalist for us.

 

His friends urged him to write his autobiography, and he said “my books are my autobiography,” and I think that is true. Mr. Burroughs was better able to put himself into his books than most of our men of letters. He wrote with a simplicity of style that makes us forget the style. We read John Burroughs; his essays read so smoothly that we do not realize how much hard work has gone into the making of his books. One critic said, “John Burroughs writes with a style that we all feel we can go home and imitate, but we can’t.” I consider myself fortunate in the opportunity to know John Burroughs. His first book was written when Abraham Lincoln was President. He continued writing until 1921, the year of his death . . .”[27]

 

Fisher wrote of the impact that Burroughs had on conservation, “perhaps not much directly, for he was no preacher or propagandist,”[28] but through his observations and writings. Burroughs, as a “literary naturalist,” opened “the eyes of his readers to the beauty of nature, especially of nature near at hand.” Fisher observed that “the great conservationists of wild life in this and other countries have been naturalists, those who have really been interested in the wildflowers and the trees, the birds and other animals. And this was to be expected. How could it be otherwise?”[29]

 

Fisher also quoted a letter from Frank Chapman about the impact that Burroughs had on the public. “John Burroughs, as a widely read literary naturalist, did more to arouse an interest in nature than any other writer of his generation. Much of his work was based on original observation; his standards were high and were never sacrificed to popular demands.”[30]

 

Fisher, along with several associates, also quickly established the John Burroughs Memorial Association upon the death of their friend. The association, with its headquarters located at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, sought to preserve the places most closely associated with the writings of the poet-naturalist, including Slabsides, Woodchuck Lodge, Memorial Field and Riverby. Fisher served as president of the association, which also included noted dignitaries such as Mrs. Henry Ford; Mrs. Thomas Edison; Judge A. T. Clearwater; Hamlin Garland, noted writer; Carl E. Akeley, noted naturalist and explorer; W. Ormiston Roy; and Kermit Roosevelt, son of President Teddy Roosevelt. The association continues to operate today, the name having been changed in the 1960s to the John Burroughs Association (JBA) as it sought to expand its mission. More information about the society and its mission can be found at: www.johnburroughsassociation.org.

 

In 1931, ten years after his passing, the American Museum of Natural History held John Burroughs week, which included displays of manuscripts, portraits and other memorabilia. As part of the event Fisher discussed his high opinion of the poet-naturalist.

 

“Burroughs was no scientist, but he had an extraordinary gift for interpreting natural history, for conveying his own enthusiasm in such terms that it could not only be understood but shared by everybody, no matter how little the reader might know about the subject to begin with. He interested more people in the subject than Thoreau and Muir combined.

 

He maintained that man sought and saw Nature in terms of himself. And it was in those terms that he interpreted what he saw. He had a genius for the exact word, the word that would make you see with absolute vividness his picture of outdoor life.”[31]

 

As part of the John Burroughs Memorial Association or the Torrey Botanical Club Fisher would often lead trips to Slabsides and surrounding area. In 1930 a large group of 171 people journeyed to Slabsides. The group made pen holders out of the stalk of the cattail plant which grew along the edges of the Slabsides swamp (as Burroughs had so often done), dined on the celery grown on the property for lunch and heard from Julian Burroughs about how he had found the Slabsides location while hunting as a young boy and how important the location was to his father. Fisher talked about the group of 12 Burroughs’ lovers who had visited Slabsides on April 3, 1921 following the funeral services for Burroughs. Other speakers, including Clara Barrus, biographer of Burroughs, read from his writings and Reverend C. Hazeltine Osborne gave a speech titled “Religion of John Burroughs” which discussed “the permanence of Burroughs’ place in the literature of nature and the analysis of Burroughs’ philosophy of life.”[32]

 

In 1933 Fisher led a group of 25 people on a field trip to the cabin. The group visited Julian’s Point, walked in the woods and along Black Creek and, with the permission of Julian Burroughs, visited Riverby and the Study. In 1948, at the age of 70, and only a year before his passing, Fisher was still leading annual pilgrimages to the rustic cabin. In May of that year a group of 30 people identified over 150 species of plants in the area, while the October visit also included the reading of parts of John Burrough’s essays that related to Slabsides.

 

In 1937, 16 years after the death of Burroughs, Clyde Fisher, as president of the John Burroughs Memorial Association, was the guest speaker at a celebration held at Hartwick College to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of John Burroughs. Fisher talked of their time together and about the writings of Burroughs. A few of his anecdotal comments included:

 

“John Burroughs’ books are his own autobiography and in them he places his character and knowledge . . .

 

Take your first step in John Burroughs’ books and you will have a ticket to the whole shelf . . .

 

Burroughs was called John O’Birds because of his intense interest in them and his love for their habits. Read his books and you will have a complete picture of Burroughs the man and the poet.”[33]

 

As part of the ceremony Burroughs was honored as the first inductee into the Hall of Fame at Hartwick College. Events included a trip to Woodchuck Lodge at Roxbury, followed by an elaborate luncheon. Over 500 people attended the day’s events.

 

In a Natural History magazine profile of Fisher published in 1940 titled “He Brought the Stars to America” it was noted that Fisher “considers his long friendship with that beloved interpreter of Nature, John Burroughs, to be one of the most important influencers of his entire career.”[34]

 

Farida A. Wiley: Grand Birder of Central Park

 

“Miss Wiley taught people to make a connection with the world, to look up, and out, beyond themselves . . . She had led an extraordinary life, and was a woman of uncommon character, a product of the 19th century who seemed to have drawn her identity not from movies and magazines but from a clear sense of purpose, her calling as a teacher.”[35]

 

 

The deep admiration of John Burroughs and his writings spread from Clyde Fisher to his extended family. Farida A. Wiley, Clyde’s sister-in-law, compiled a book titled John Burroughs’ America, a book with a carefully curated selection of Burroughs’ most popular and enjoyable passages.

 

In the foreword of John Burroughs’ America, Julian Fisher, son of John Burroughs, writes: “The purpose of this present volume is to gather into one book selections from a variety of his works. Miss Wiley is well fitted for this task. She is not only an expert ornithologist and botanist herself but also has a wide knowledge of the literature of natural history, and knew Father [Burroughs] and much of the country he roamed. She was one of the few guests invited to attend his burial services and went with the group up to Slabsides afterwards, where the organization of a John Burroughs Association was discussed. This group was formed in 1921. Miss Wiley has been a director for many years and is Secretary-Treasurer at the present time.”[36]

 

In the introduction of John Burroughs’ America Wiley talks of her visits with Burroughs.

 

“It was my own good fortune to spend many delightful days at Slabsides, together with my sister [Bessie] and her family. We were with John Burroughs on one of the very last days he ever spent there. On this particular occasion he cooked a “brigand steak” for us over an outdoor fire. Here is how he did it: he would find a green twig of sugar maple or black birch, remove the bark, and sharpen one end so meat and onions could be easily pierced. He would alternate on the stick a piece of steak about one inch square with a piece of bacon and a slice of young onion, repeating the process. Resting the end of the stick on the rocks, back of the bed of coals, he would turn it slowly over the fire till done. Then he would serve it between slices of bread or in a roll. He would usually observe, as he slowly revolved the skewer, “It takes all the conceit out of the onion when you cook it.”

 

The brigand steak that John Burroughs cooked for us that day was his last at Slabsides. A few days later, in September 1920, he left for California. He passed away during the return journey on March 29, 1921.”[37]

 

Farida A. Wiley (1887-1986), like her brother-in-law Clyde Fisher, worked at the American Museum of Natural History, getting her start in 1919 as a part-time botany teacher for blind children. She would rise to become a well-respected teacher and director of various educational programs. In addition to teaching at the museum, she also taught at Pennsylvania State College, the Audubon Camp in Main and at a New York University branch on Long Island.

 

As a self-taught naturalist she would become a recognized expert about birds, plants, trees and wildlife. Wiley, as author or editor, had six books to her credit, including Ferns of the Camp Wigwam Region (1928), Ferns of Northeastern United States (1936), John Burroughs’ America (1951), The Story of Landscape (1952), Ernest Thompson Seton’s America (1954) and Theodore Roosevelt’s America (1962). She was perhaps most well-known for her early morning naturalist tours through Central Park. She worked at the museum as a full-time staff member for over 60 years.

 

Legacy

 

“To be learned is an accomplishment; to be lovable is a gift. When both characteristics are so combined in one man that all who even know about him admire and love him, surely greatness is nearly attained. Such a man undoubtedly was Dr. Clyde Fisher . . .”[38]

 

Before having met Burroughs in person Clyde Fisher stated that he felt that he knew John Burroughs through his writings. And although Fisher only had a personal connection with Burroughs in the twilight of his life for six years from 1915 to 1921, his photographs and reminiscences of his time spent with Burroughs adds much to the history of Catskills. Fisher’s photographs intimately capture the man and the places most associated with his naturalist writings.

 

George Clyde Fisher passed away at New York City on January 7, 1949 after a lengthy illness. Memorial services were held at the Little Church Around the Corner in New York. His body was cremated and is buried at Graceland Cemetery in Sidney, Ohio. He was survived by his wife Te Ata and several brothers and sisters. The engraving on Fisher’s gravestone reads “He has loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night,” which was written by Sarah Williams (1837-1868) as part of her popular poem “The Old Astronomer.”

 

Selected Sources

 

Barton, D. R. “He Brought the Stars to America.” Natural History. Vol. 46, no. 1. June, 1940. pp. 59-63.

 

Fisher, Clyde, and Clark Wissler. “Indian Pottery Making in the Village of San Ildefonso,

New Mexico.” New York: American Museum of Natural History, 1932.

 

Fisher, G. Clyde. “John Burroughs and Conservation.” Bird-Lore. Vol. 39, no. 2. March-April 1937. pp. 115-117.

 

Fisher, G. Clyde. “Reminiscences of John Burroughs.” Natural History. Vol. 21, no. 2. March-April 1921. pp. 113-125.

 

Fisher, G. Clyde. “The Optimistic Philosophy of a Naturalist.” Natural History. Vol. 20. New York: The American Museum of Natural History, 1920. pp. 572-573.

 

Fisher, Clyde. “Visits to John Burroughs at Slabsides.” The Slabsides Book of John Burroughs. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1931. pp. 103-119.

 

Fisher, G. Clyde. “With John Burroughs in His Favorite Haunts.” Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society Publications. Vol. 36. Columbus, Ohio: Fred J. Heer, 1927. pp. 676-683.

 

Green, Richard. Te Ata, Chickasaw Storyteller, American Treasure. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 2002.

 

Huddle, Rev. W. D. History of the Descendants of John Hottel. Strasburg, Virginia: Shenandoah Publishing House, Inc., 1930.

 

Wallace, Rich. “Sidney Man Touches the Last Frontier.” Shelby County Historical Society. www.shelbycountyhistory.org. July, 1999. Accessed February 19, 2023.

 

Zacharoff, Lucien. “Made Astronomy Popular.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York). November 4, 1928.

 

[1] Kieran, John. “Memorials. Dr. Clyde Fisher.” Proceedings of the Linnaean Society of New York. Nos. 58-62. 1945-1950. pp. 76-78.

[2] “Harrison Jay Fisher.” Signs of the Times. Vol. 78, no. 5. March 1, 1910. p. 156.

[3] “Aged Resident of County Dies After Illness.” Sidney Daily News (Sidney, Ohio). September 10, 1936.

[4] Zacharoff, Lucien. “Made Astronomy Popular.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York). November 4, 1928.

[5] Menke, David H. “Planetarium Lifeline.” The Planetarium. Vol. 16, no. 2. April 1987. pp. 54-58.

[6] Barton, D. R. “He Brought the Stars to America.” Natural History. Vol. 46, no. 1. June, 1940. pp. 59, 63.

[7] Menke, David H. “Planetarium Lifeline.” The Planetarium. Vol. 16, no. 2. April 1987. pp. 54-58.

[8] Johnson, Robert Leland. The Ancestry of Anthony Morris Johnson. Vol. 2. Denver: Robela Publishing Co., 1989.

[9] Barton, D. R. “He Brought the Stars to America.” Natural History. Vol. 46, no. 1. June, 1940. p. 63.

[10] Fisher, Clyde. “The Meaning of Relativity.” Natural History. September 1945. p. 296.

[11] The American Museum of Natural History. Eighty-seventh Annual Report July, 1955, Through June, 1956. The City of New York, 1956. p. 21.

[12] Zacharoff, Lucien. “Made Astronomy Popular.” The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York). November 4, 1928.

[13] Fisher, Clyde. “The Eclipse From Above the Clouds.” Popular Astronomy. Vol. 40. pp. 467-469.

[14] “The Cover This Month.” Natural History. Vol. 54, No. 8. October, 1945.

[15] “The Cover This Month.” Natural History. Vol. 58, No. 5. May, 1949.

[16] Fisher, G. Clyde. “With John Burroughs in His Favorite Haunts.” Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society Publications. Vol. 36. Columbus, Ohio: Fred J. Heer, 1927. p. 677.

 

[17] Fisher, G. Clyde. “Reminiscences of John Burroughs.” Natural History. Vol. 21, no. 2. March-April 1921. p. 113.

[18] Fisher, G. Clyde. “Reminiscences of John Burroughs.” Natural History. Vol. 21, no. 2. March-April 1921. p. 114.

[19] Fisher, Clyde. “Visits to John Burroughs at Slabsides.” The Slabsides Book of John Burroughs. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1931. p. 115.

[20] Green, Richard. Te Ata, Chickasaw Storyteller, American Treasure. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 2002. p. 115.

[21] Fisher, G. Clyde. “Notes on the Dusky Salamander.” Copeia. No. 58. June 18, 1918. p. 65.

[22] Fisher, G. Clyde. “Reminiscences of John Burroughs.” Natural History. Vol. 21, no. 2. March-April 1921. p. 121.

[23] Fisher, G. Clyde. “Reminiscences of John Burroughs.” Natural History. Vol. 21, no. 2. March-April 1921. p. 125.

[24] “Throng Honors Burroughs at Last Services.” New York Tribune. April 3, 1921.

[25] Barrus, Clara. John Burroughs: Boy and Man. Doubleday, Page & Company, New York, 1920. p. 47.

[26] “John Burroughs, Naturalist, Dead.” New York Evening Post. March 29, 1921. p. 7.

[27] Fisher, G. Clyde. “With John Burroughs in His Favorite Haunts.” Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society Publications. Vol. 36. Columbus, Ohio: Fred J. Heer, 1927. pp. 676-677.

[28] Fisher, G. Clyde. “John Burroughs and Conservation.” Bird-Lore. Vol. 39, no. 2. March-April 1937. p. 115.

[29] Fisher, G. Clyde. “John Burroughs and Conservation.” Bird-Lore. Vol. 39, no. 2. March-April 1937. p. 115.

[30] Fisher, G. Clyde. “John Burroughs and Conservation.” Bird-Lore. Vol. 39, no. 2. March-April 1937. p. 115.

[31] “Naturalists Honor Burroughs As Work Is Shown at Museum.” New York Evening Post. March 31, 1931. p. 3.

[32] “Pilgrimage to Burroughs’ Old Slabsides Camp.” Kingston Daily Freeman (Kingston, New York). October 20, 1930.

[33] “Burroughs Described as Man of Humor and Integrity by Hayden Planetarium Curator.” The Binghamton Press. April 3, 1937. p. 16.

[34] Barton, D. R. “He Brought the Stars to America.” Natural History. Vol. 46, no. 1. June, 1940. p. 63.

[35] Brown, Chip. “Miss Wiley, Grand Birder of Central Park.” The Washington Post. December 26, 1986.

[36] Wiley, Farida A. John Burroughs’ America. New York: Devin-Adair Company, 1967. pp. v-vi.

[37] Wiley, Farida A. John Burroughs’ America. New York: Devin-Adair Company, 1967. p. xiii.

[38] “Pruett, J. Hugh. “Dr. Fisher A Brilliant, Lovable Man.” Argus-Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota). March 13, 1949.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Albert Einstein American Museum of Natural History author biography Boyhood Rock Catskill Mountains Catskills Clyde Fisher conservation Delaware County Hayden Planetarium John Burroughs naturalist New York photographer photographs photography portraits postcards Riverby Roxbury scientist Slabsides Te Ata Ulster County West Park Woodchuck Lodge https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/5/clyde-fisher-photographing-john-burroughs Sat, 20 May 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Charles Carman – Andes, NY Photographer https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/5/charles-carman-andes-new-ny-photographer Introduction

 

Charles Carman was a popular photographer who operated a gallery at the village of Andes for over 30 years from around 1875 to 1908. He took a countless number of portraits of village residents and is believed to have taken some of the earliest photographs of the village of Andes.

 

Andes, New York. Main Street, from High Street to Delaware AvenueAndes, New York. Main Street, from High Street to Delaware AvenueAndes, New York. Main Street, from High Street to Delaware Avenue. Italiante style buildings built sometime after June 1878 fire which had destroyed entire block. Original buildings were Greek Revival structures. Photo by Andes photographer, Charles Carman. (Circa 1880).

Andes, New York. Main Street, from High Street to Delaware Avenue. Italiante style buildings built sometime after June 1878 fire which had destroyed entire block. Original buildings were Greek Revival structures. Photo by Andes photographer, Charles Carman. (Circa 1880). Author’s collection.

 

 

Life Story

 

Charles Carman was born on September 15, 1832 at Bovina, son of Joshua Carman (1787-1840) and Priscilla (Scutt) Carman (~1791-1876). Both Joshua and Priscilla are buried at Valley View Cemetery. Charles spent his boyhood days at Bovina. After being educated in the district schools, he became a teacher.

 

The 1855 New York State census lists Carman, age 23, as residing with his mother Priscilla in the town of Bovina and working as a farmer. Also in the household were his brothers John, Orrin and William, all listed with an occupation of farmer. His sister Emily was working as a teacher and his sister Caroline had no profession listed.

 

In 1858 he moved to the village of Downsville and opened a general store. An 1859 business directory for the village of Downsville printed in the local newspaper listed the firm of Dean & Carman as operating a Dry Goods and Groceries store. Phineas Dean was listed as Carman’s partner.

 

Map of Downsville in 1856Map of Downsville in 1856Map of Downsville in 1856, two years before the arrival of Charles Carman.

Source: Gould, Jay. Map of Delaware Co., New York. Philadelphia: Published by Collins G. Keeney, 1856. Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2012593655/>.

Map of Downsville in 1856, two years before the arrival of Charles Carman.

Source: Gould, Jay. Map of Delaware Co., New York. Philadelphia: Published by Collins G. Keeney, 1856. Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2012593655/>.

 

 

By December 1859 Carman had entered into a partnership at Downsville with Edward O’Conner. The following advertisement for the partnership was placed in the local newspaper.

 

“NEW CASH STORE. The subscribers, having located themselves in the Store lately occupies by Messrs. Dean & Carman in Downsville, would respectfully solicit from the citizens and vicinity, a share of their patronage. Their stock of Goods is entirely new, having been lately purchased in New York at the present unprecedented low prices, consisting in part of Broadcloths, Cassimeres, Satinets, Vestings, Cotton, Linen and Silk Warp, Alpaccas, French Tibet and striped Maddena; SHAWLS, and the largest and cheapest assortment of PRINTS ever offered for sale in Downsville. A splendid assortment of the newest patterns of

 

CROCKERY & GLASS WARE!

 

And a choice selection of the best Family Groceries. Believing that “a nimble sixpence is better than a slow shilling,” their Goods will be sold for ready pay only.

 

All kinds of country product taken in exchange for Goods. Bring your produce or money, and you shall have a good bargain.

 

O’CONNER & CARMAN.

 

Downsville, Dec. 21, 1859.”[1]

 

Carman’s partnership with Edward O’Conner did not last long, being dissolved in July 16, 1860. The following notice was placed in the local newspaper.

 

“DISSOLUTION – The partnership heretofore existing between O’Conner & Carman is this day dissolved by mutual consent. All those indebted to the above firm will please call and settle. The books will be left in the hands of O’Conner. O’CONNER & CARMAN. Downsville, July 16, 1860.

 

Business will be continued by E. O’Conner at the old stand of O’Conner and Carman. Reduced prices – cash or short credit. We take this opportunity to return our thanks for past patronage. EDWARD O’CONNER. Downsville, July 16, 1860.”[2]

 

In addition to operating the general store at Downsville, Carman was also offering his photographic services to the public. The local newspaper carried the following advertisement from Carman in 1858; and the 1859 business directory for the village of Downsville printed in the local newspaper listed Carman as selling “Ambrotypes.”

 

“Great Flood in Downsville. The rain having subsided, the subscriber is ready to furnish the people of Downsville and vicinity with superior SPHEROTYPES, AMBROTYPES, and MELAINOTYPES.

 

Those wishing true likenesses will do well to call immediately, as I intend to remain but a few days.

 

         Superior likenesses at reduced prices – satisfaction warranted.

 

        The public are respectfully invited to call, whether wanting pictures or not.

 

        Downsville, July 19, 1858.

 

        CHAS. CARMAN.”

 

Carman married Helen Johnson, of Downsville, on June 6, 1860. Together they had three children, including two daughters, Lulia (1861-1932) and Evelyn (1867-1934), and one son, Ward (1870-1938). Ward would follow in his father’s footsteps in becoming a photographer and operating his own gallery. Evelyn would marry Harvey Kinch (1868-1959), who with his brother Edgar Kinch (1877-1939), operated a successful photo studio at Walton and Hancock for over 40 years.

 

The 1860 United States census showed 28-year-old Charles living in the town of Colchester with his 18-year-old wife Helen. He was listed with a profession of “Merchant,” while she was listed as a “Lady of Leisure.”

 

During the Civil War Carman served as a recruiting officer. The 1865 New York State census lists Carman as residing in the first election district of Colchester with a profession as “Artist.” He may have reached a certain level of success by this point as there was 17-year-old from Germany, named Carrie Minor, who was residing in the household as a servant.

 

Carman moved to the village of Andes around 1867 where he operated a mercantile business with his brother for about two or three years. In June of 1867 the County Board of Excise approved a store license for the firm of “Carman and Brother.” The 1869 map of Andes published by F. W. Beers shows Carman operating along Main Street as a “Dealer in General Merchandise.” His building was located on the north side of Main Street, next to the Tremper Kill. The 1870 United States census lists Carman as living in the town of Andes with a profession of “Retail Grocer.” In addition to Carman, his wife and three children in the household, there was also Anna Bays, a 17-year-old “domestic servant.”

 

Map of the village of Andes in 1869Map of the village of Andes in 1869Map of the village of Andes in 1869, including the Charles Carman general merchandise business.

Source: "Andes [Village]; Union Grove [Village]; Andes [Township]; Andes Business Directory." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1869. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-67c0-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Map of the village of Andes in 1869, including the Charles Carman general merchandise business.

Source: "Andes [Village]; Union Grove [Village]; Andes [Township]; Andes Business Directory." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1869. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-67c0-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

 

 

After several years residing at Andes, Carman began a photography business, about 1875, which he operated continuously for the next 33 years. He operated a popular portrait gallery and is believed to have taken some of the earliest stereoviews of the village of Andes. It is also believed that Carman published scarce views of the Catskill Mountains, the Grand Hotel and Pine Hill. The 1875 United States census listed his profession as “Artist.”

 

The village of Andes of today is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “an embodiment of nineteenth and early twentieth century architectural styles as interpreted in a rural upstate New York community.” The historic district is comprised of 84 properties and 129 contributing structures. Some of the still standing structures of today can be seen in the photographs taken by Carman over 130 years ago.

 

In 1879 Carman occupied the upper floor of a new two-story building constructed by David Hyser. The building replaced a prior one that had burned in June, 1878 during a tragic event in which much of the business district of the village of Andes was destroyed, including fifteen buildings on the north side of Main Street between Delaware Avenue and High Street. The 1880 United States census, the 1892 New York State census and the 1900 United States census all listed Carman as residing in the village of Andes with a profession of “Photographer.” Carman’s home and studio were located at 62 Main Street.

 

Portrait, Well Dressed Young ManPortrait, Well Dressed Young ManPhotographer: Charles Carman, Andes, New York

 

Portrait, Well Dressed ManPortrait, Well Dressed ManPhotographer: Charles Carman, Andes, New York

 

Portrait, Well Dressed LadyPortrait, Well Dressed LadyPhotographer: Charles Carman, Andes, New York

 

Portrait, Young Boy, Sitting in ChairPortrait, Young Boy, Sitting in ChairPhotographer: Charles Carman, Andes, New York

 

Portrait, Young Girl, Sitting in ChairPortrait, Young Girl, Sitting in ChairPhotographer: Charles Carman, Andes, New York

 

Logo, Charles Carman, Photographer, Andes, N.Y.Logo, Charles Carman, Photographer, Andes, N.Y.

 

Carman opened a branch photography office in June 1889 at Margaretville, approximately 16 miles southeast from Andes. Ward, Carman’s son, at first operated the branch on behalf of his father, but eventually took over to manage it by himself. Ward operated the business for 49 years until his passing in 1938, doing business at the same location the entire time. It was noted that “this is an unusual record. There is no other firm in town with half that record of years.”

 

“The business has seen great changes in that time, as has the village. The taking of pictures in the studio was the important part of the business at its inception. In later years the amateur camera came into vogue and the finishing of the film for the public was more remunerative than the posing of the professional photographs.

 

Ward Carman has been a popular and successful member of the business community for all the years that mount up to the 49. He was of a genial nature, always a smile for everyone, attended strictly to his own affairs. While his business was not one of large volume in dollars he amassed a competence and his advice in financial matters was sought. He was of the old-fashioned school of honesty and integrity – exemplifying what America needs today – good citizens.”[3]

 

Ethel H. Bussy in her 1960 book titled History and Stories of Margaretville and Surrounding Area wrote of the Ward Carman gallery.

 

“The photography shop, or "Gallery" as it was called, was on Main Street in the building now remodeled and occupied by Mr. Shafer as a jewelry store. The Gallery was always run by the late Ward Carman as photographer and Miss Carrie Osborne as photo finisher and helper. A large glass enclosed case was on the front of the Gallery and the pictures of the best looking people displayed there. It was similar to a beauty contest of the present day. Everyone was interested to see if their picture made the glass case.”

 

Upon Ward’s passing in July 1938, the business continued operating for a brief time under the ownership of Carrie Osborn, Ward’s sister-in-law. Carrie had worked at the business for over 40 years. Upon closing in December 1938 Carrie talked to the local newspaper about the history of the business.

 

“Talking about the closing yesterday Miss Osborn recited many interesting events that have taken place in the half century. The first activity was the taking of “cabinet” photographs. These cost $3.00 per dozen 50 years ago. The photographic business ran through many cycles. Amateur work came many years after the opening. It brought rich contacts. A quarter of a century or more ago there were a large number of artists scattered through this section of the mountains. Most of them knew the photographer and firm friendships were formed. Mr. Carman photographed various folks of world renown and lesser fame. When the old negatives were carted to the village dump last week there were many instances of four generations of negatives, cataloged one against the other in the boxes of glass. During the war 20 years ago the glass was valuable and some of the useless negatives were sold for a fair price.

 

In the flush days of amateur work the studio did a rushing business. Mr. Carman and Miss Osborn often developed and printed 100 rolls of films per day during these times.

 

It was hard work, they who performed it knew how their money was obtained. A competence was saved and will take care of Mrs. Carman and Miss Osborn in the cottage on the hillside for those days of retirement so many look forward to and miss when they seem about to enter the threshold.”[4]

 

In addition to his business enterprises Charles Carman also faithfully served his community for many years. He served as Justice of the Peace for about 35 years and as the census marshal in 1870. He served as justice of sessions for one year. He also served as Overseer of the Poor for the town of Andes for several years.

 

Carman retired from the photography business in 1908. The 1910 United States census listed Carman as retired with a profession of “Own Income.”

 

In 2006 the Andes Society for History and Culture held an exhibit featuring the photographic works of Charles Carman. The Andes Society wrote a brochure for the event that included his biography and the history of the buildings photographed by Carman.

 

Legacy

 

Charles Carman was one of the oldest residents of Andes village when he passed away at his home on Main Street on January 3, 1911. The cause of death was a growth on his head that “caused him much suffering and he had been unable to lay down with it all winter. Complications hastened the end.”

 

His funeral was held at his residence with Reverend E. A. Bookout officiating. Carman was survived by his wife and three children, including Ward Carman, a photographer in Margaretville; Mrs. Harvey J. Kinch, of Walton; and Mrs. William D. Hilton, of Chicago. He is buried at the Andes Cemetery in Andes, New York. 

 

Helen Carman, wife of Charles Carman, passed away a few years later in 1914. She died at Delhi, New York while residing with her daughter Evelyn. She is also buried at the Andes Cemetery.

 

Ward W. Carman, son of Charles Carman, passed away at the family home in Margaretville on July 6, 1938. He had been sick for about two weeks with liver trouble. He is buried at the Margaretville Cemetery.

 

[1] “New Cash Store.” Bloomville Mirror (Bloomville, New York). December 27, 1859.

[2] “Dissolution.” Bloomville Mirror (Bloomville, New York). 1860.

[3] “W. W. Carman Dies, 49 Years In Local Business.” Catskill Mountain News (Margaretville, New York). July 8, 1938.

[4] “Aged Nearly 50, Carman Studio Closes Doors.” Catskill Mountain News (Margaretville, New York). December 16, 1938.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Andes biography Catskill Mountains Catskills Charles Carman Delaware County Downsville Margaretville New York photographer photographs photography portraits stereoviews Ward Carman https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/5/charles-carman-andes-new-ny-photographer Sat, 13 May 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Bob Wyer: 32 New Photographs https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/5/bob-wyer-32-new-photographs Bob Wyer is one of the most prolific photographers in the history of the Catskills. His photographic career included shooting just about everything, such as passport photos, chauffer licenses, hunting licenses, high school yearbooks, formal portraits, special occasions such as birthdays and weddings, young babies, local stores, hotels and businesses, accidents, insurance claims, crime scenes, landscapes, parades and local news events. There was nothing that Bob could not and would not photograph. Upon his retirement, Bob donated his extensive collection of over 150,000 photos to the Delaware County Historical Association. The collection is a virtual time capsule of the region from the late 1930s to the 1970s.

 

For a more detailed biography about this notable Catskills photographer please see my blog post titled “Bob Wyer: The Delhi Lensman” from February 22, 2020.

 

I have recently acquired 32 new photographs by Bob Wyer, all from the Catskills region. They have all been added to the Bob Wyer gallery, which now contains over 135 of his Catskills works. The gallery can be reached by navigating: Catskills Photograph Gallery >> Historic Catskills Photographers >> Bob Wyer – Catskills Photographer. Ten of the new photographs are shown here.

 

Engine #2 pulling the Rip Van Winkle Flier

Vintage postcard from photographer Bob Wyer of the “Rip Van Winkle Flier” train that operates as part of the Delaware and Ulster Railroad in the Catskills.Engine # 2 pulling the “Rip Van Winkle Flier”The inscription on the back of this Bob Wyer postcard reads: “Engine # 2 pulling the “Rip Van Winkle Flier.” Delaware and Otsego Railroad. Oneonta, New York. Excursions – May thru September – Daily except Monday. The DoLine runs thru the scenic foothills of the Catskill Mountains on tracks of the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad.”

 

Dry Fly in Fast Water (Greetings from Roscoe, N.Y.)

Vintage postcard titled “Dry Fly in Fast Water” by photographer Bob Wyer of Delhi, New York.Dry Fly in Fast Water (Greetings from Roscoe, N.Y.)A traditionally outfitted fisherman uses his dry fly under a flowing waterfall in this vintage postcard by photographer Bob Wyer of Delhi, New York.

 

Downsville Covered Bridge

Vintage postcard by Bob Wyer of the Downsville Covered Bridge.Downsville Covered BridgeWell-known photographer Bob Wyer took this photograph of the Downsville Covered Bridge as it spans the East Branch of the Delaware River at the hamlet of Downsville. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Greetings from Delhi, N.Y., At the Crossroads

Greetings from Delhi, N.Y., At the CrossroadsGreetings from Delhi, N.Y., At the Crossroads

 

Glenerie Falls on the famous Esopus Creek

Glenerie Falls on the famous Esopus CreekGlenerie Falls on the famous Esopus Creek

 

Greetings from Walton, N.Y., Hay Harvest

Greetings from Walton, N.Y., Hay HarvestGreetings from Walton, N.Y., Hay Harvest

 

East Sidney Dam

East Sidney DamEast Sidney Dam

 

Greetings from Walton, N.Y., Harvesting Hay

Greetings from Walton, N.Y., Harvesting HayGreetings from Walton, N.Y., Harvesting Hay

 

Lookout at East Windham, N.Y.

Lookout at East Windham, N.Y.Lookout at East Windham, N.Y.

 

Greetings from Prattsville, N.Y., Country Store

Greetings from Prattsville, N.Y., Country StoreGreetings from Prattsville, N.Y., Country Store

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Bob Wyer Bob Wyer Photo Cards Catskill Mountains Catskills Delaware County Delhi New York photographer photographs photography photos pictures postcards https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/5/bob-wyer-32-new-photographs Sat, 06 May 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Detroit Publishing Company: From Black-and-White to Color in the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/detroit-publishing-company-from-black-and-white-to-color-in-the-catskills In the blog posts of April 8 and April 15 the importance of the photochrom process was discussed as part of the history of the Detroit Publishing Company. As a brief recap the process was invented in the 1880s in Zurich, Switzerland. The exclusive American rights to use the photochrom process was acquired in the mid-1890s by the Photochrom Company, predecessor to the Detroit Publishing Company.

 

This revolutionary new process allowed for the conversion of black-and-white photographs into color images and for the mass production of prints, postcards, and albums. At the time color photography as we know it did not exist, therefore the exclusive rights to the “photochrom” process provided the Photochrom Company at Detroit a significant competitive advantage throughout the United States.

 

Using the black-and-white images of the Detroit Publishing Company held with the Library of Congress and my personal collection of colorized photochrom postcards, it is incredible to see the transformation in comparing the original black-and-white image to the resulting color image. Given my amazement in seeing this transformation brought to life with images from the Catskills I thought it would be interesting to share some of these before-and-after comparisons.

 

Rip Van Winkle House, Catskill Mountains

Rip Van Winkle House, Sleepy Hollow, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Rip Van Winkle House, Sleepy Hollow, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

6372, version 1_Rip Van Winkle House, Catskill Mountains6372, version 1_Rip Van Winkle House, Catskill Mountains

 

Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains

Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

10124_Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains10124_Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains

 

A Mountain Toll Gate

A Catskill Mountain toll gateA Catskill Mountain toll gate

6374_A Mountain Toll Gate6374_A Mountain Toll Gate

 

Old Studio of Artist Hall, Palenville, Catskill Mountains

Old studio of artist Hall, near Palenville, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Old studio of artist Hall, near Palenville, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

6373, version 1_Old Studio of Artist Hall, Palenville, Catskill Mountains6373, version 1_Old Studio of Artist Hall, Palenville, Catskill Mountains

 

Alligator Rock, Near South Lake, Catskill Mountains

Alligator Head near South Lake, Catskill Mts., N.Y.Alligator Head near South Lake, Catskill Mts., N.Y.

6367_Alligator Rock, Near South Lake, Catskill Mountains6367_Alligator Rock, Near South Lake, Catskill Mountains

 

Kaaterskill Falls, Catskill Mountains

Kaaterskill Falls from below, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Kaaterskill Falls from below, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

6365_Kaaterskill Falls, Catskill Mountains6365_Kaaterskill Falls, Catskill Mountains

 

Haines Falls, Catskill Mountains

Haines Falls, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Haines Falls, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

6368_Haines Falls, Catskill Mountains6368_Haines Falls, Catskill Mountains

 

Sunset Rock, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains

Sunset Rock, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Sunset Rock, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

 

6370_Sunset Rock, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains6370_Sunset Rock, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains

 

 

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills Detroit Detroit Photographic Company Detroit Publishing Company Edwin H. Husher Kingston Lake Minnewaska Lake Mohonk Library of Congress phostint photochrom Photocrhom Company photographs photography photos pictures postcards publisher William A. Livingstone William Henry Jackson https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/detroit-publishing-company-from-black-and-white-to-color-in-the-catskills Sat, 29 Apr 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Detroit Publishing Company: New Catskills Photo Gallery https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/detroit-publishing-company-new-catskills-photo-gallery The last two posts described the history of the Detroit Publishing Company, one of the largest American publishers of photographic prints and postcards in the early decades of the 20th century. Part of the company’s extensive inventory included beautiful black-and-white photographs and colorized photochrom postcards from the central and northern Catskills and from the city of Kingston, as well as the Mohonk Mountain House and Lake Minnewaska areas near New Paltz.

 

As part of my research into the company, I created a new photo gallery dedicated to their images from the Catskills. This gallery currently contains 385 images, which includes the entire collection of black-and-white photos from the Library of Congress, as well as my personal collection of 104 photochrom postcards. The gallery can be found at: Gallery > Historic Catskills Photographers > Detroit Publishing Company.

 

The Library of Congress collection contained several series of shots, comprised of between two and five photographs, which were to be stitched together later for its intended panoramic effect. In these cases, I have stitched the photos together using today’s technology to create the intended panoramic image, and have added those images to the gallery as well. In some cases, in addition to the publishing of the panoramic photograph, one individual photo from the series would also be published by the Detroit Publishing Company on its own merits.

 

The 104 photochrom images constitute a significant portion of the postcards issued by the Detroit Publishing Company for the Catskills region. There are 28 postcards from the northern Catskills, 50 from the Lake Mohonk vicinity, 4 from the city of Kingston and 22 from the Lake Minnewaska vicinity. There are a handful more from the catalog that I will need to acquire in order to complete the collection.

 

From the Library of Congress collection

Mr. H.E. Eder and family at Bowlder [i.e. Boulder] RockMr. H.E. Eder and family at Bowlder [i.e. Boulder] Rock

Old studio of artist Hall, near Palenville, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Old studio of artist Hall, near Palenville, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

Rip Van Winkle House, Sleepy Hollow, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Rip Van Winkle House, Sleepy Hollow, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

The Otis Elevating Railway and Catskill Mountain House, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.The Otis Elevating Railway and Catskill Mountain House, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

[Catskill Mountain railway station, Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.][Catskill Mountain railway station, Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.] [Kaaterskill Falls and Laurel House, Catskill Mts., N.Y.][Kaaterskill Falls and Laurel House, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]

 

The Gardens, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.The Gardens, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.

The Wildmere House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.The Wildmere House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.

 

From my personal collection of photochrom postcards

6362_Catskill Mountain House6362_Catskill Mountain House

10124_Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains10124_Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains

14960_Lake Mohonk House14960_Lake Mohonk House

80800_Swimming Place, Mohonk Lake, N.Y.80800_Swimming Place, Mohonk Lake, N.Y.

10753_Elmendorf Tavern, Kingston, N.Y. Erected 1723.10753_Elmendorf Tavern, Kingston, N.Y. Erected 1723.

80198, version 2_The Wildmere, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.80198, version 2_The Wildmere, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.

80201_Wildmere House From Mid-Cliff, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.80201_Wildmere House From Mid-Cliff, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills Detroit Detroit Photographic Company Detroit Publishing Company Edwin H. Husher Kingston Lake Minnewaska Lake Mohonk Library of Congress phostint photochrom Photocrhom Company photographs photography photos pictures postcards publisher William A. Livingstone William Henry Jackson https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/detroit-publishing-company-new-catskills-photo-gallery Sat, 22 Apr 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Detroit Publishing Company: Capturing the Beauty of the Catskills (Part 2) https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/detroit-publishing-company-capturing-the-beauty-of-the-catskills-part-2 The Catskills

 

“The Detroit Publishing Company of Michigan issued such a wide variety of views that one is awed by their prolific coverage of towns and cities and hamlets of the nation, along with the magnificent sights of the west and mid-west. These picture postcards form an important record of American historical and social life. Not only from the view point of their subjects, but also from the style of printing used by the Detroit firm – these issues have contributed to United States culture and to the American way of life.” - Lowe, James L.; Ben Papell. Detroit Publishing Company Collector’s Guide. Newton Square, PA: Deltiologists of America, 1975. p. 7.
 

 

The Detroit Photographic Company published an incredible collection of images from several regions within the Catskills, including Lake Mohonk, Lake Minnewaska, the city of Kingston and the central and northern Catskills.

 

From the northern Catskills, scenic locations include Kaaterskill Falls, Sunset Rock, Boulder Rock, Santa Cruz Falls, Buttermilk Falls, Alligator Rock, Moore’s Bridge Falls, Fawn’s Leap, among others.

 

Architectural photographs include the monumental Hotel Kaaterskill on the summit of South Mountain, the Laurel House located near the top of Kaaterskill Falls, the famed Catskill Mountain House at Pine Orchard overlooking the Hudson Valley, Churchill Hall at Stamford, the Grand Hotel at Highmount and some of the other great boarding houses of the region. Village scenes include Haines Corners and Fleischmanns. There are four photographs depicting the Otis Elevating Railway, an engineering marvel in its time.

 

Included within the Catskills collection are several series of shots, comprised of between two and five photographs, which were to be stitched together later for its intended panoramic effect. In some cases, in addition to the publishing of the panoramic photograph, one individual photo from the series would also be published on its own merits.

 

The black-and-white photographs, as with many of the company’s images, were used by the Detroit Photographic Company to produce colorful photochrom postcards. Many of the company stamps, in the shape of an artist’s palette and located on the Catskills black-and-white photographs and photochrom interpretations, show a copyright date of 1902.

 

Library of Congress Collection – Detroit Publishing Company – The Catskills

Catskill Mountain House and Hudson River Valley, Catskill Mountains, N.Y. (2)Catskill Mountain House and Hudson River Valley, Catskill Mountains, N.Y. (2)

Catskill Mountain House, Catskill Mountains, N.Y. Library of Congress.

 

Below is an inventory listing of the Detroit Publishing Company’s works of the Catskills now located in the Library of Congress.

 

  • A Catskill Mountain road
  • A Catskill Mountain toll gate
  • Alligator Head near South Lake, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Alligator Head near South Lake, Catskill Mts., N.Y.
  • Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Buttermilk Falls, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Camping in the woods]
  • Catskill Mountain House and Hudson River Valley, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Catskill Mountain House and Summit Station of Otis Elevating Railway, Catskill
  • [Catskill Mountain railway station, Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.]
  • [Catskill Mts., Catskill Mountain House, New York]
  • [Catskill Mts., N.Y., Hotel Kaaterskill]
  • [Catskill Mtns., Hudson River valley from Catskill Mountain House, New York]
  • [Catskill Mts., N.Y., trout fishing in the Catskills]
  • Central facade, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Churchill Hall, Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Churchill Park and the Rexmere, Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Cottage and grounds of Mr. Fleischmann, Fleischmann's, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Cottage of Mr. Fleischmann, Fleischmann's, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Down Kaaterskill Clove from Twilight Park, Catskill Mts., New York]
  • Driveway in Twilight Park, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Fawns Leap, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Fishing in the Catskill Mts., N.Y.
  • Fleischmann's and Hotel Switzerland, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Fleischmann's, Catskill Mountains, N.Y. (1)
  • Fleischmann's, Catskill Mountains, N.Y. (2)
  • [Garden path at Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • General view of Fleischmann's, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Gray Court Inn, Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Haines Corners from Sunset Park Inn, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Haines Falls, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Haine's Falls, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • Haines Falls House, Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Hamilton House, Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Hotel Kaaterskill from Boulder Rock, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Hotel Kaaterskill from golf links, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Hudson River Valley from Catskill Mountain House, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • Kaaterskill Clove from Palenville overlook, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Kaaterskill Clove from Santa Cruz Falls, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • [Kaaterskill Clove from Sunset Rock, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • [Kaaterskill Falls and Laurel House, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • Kaaterskill Falls, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Kaaterskill Falls from below, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Kaaterskill Falls from below, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • [Kaaterskill Falls from Prospect Rock, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • Kaaterskill Falls from Ulster and Delaware Railway, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Kaaterskill lakes and mountain, Catskill Mts., N.Y.
  • Kaaterskill Mountain and lakes, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Kaaterskill Mountain & the lakes, Catskill Mts., New York]
  • Kaaterskill Mountain wild flowers, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Kaaterskill Mountain with Otis Elevating Railway, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Laurel House, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Left wing, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Long level and Catskill Mountain House, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Mr. H.E. Eder and family at Bowlder [i.e. Boulder] Rock
  • New Grand Hotel and Monka Hill Mountain, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • New Grand Hotel, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • New Grand Hotel from Belle Ayr, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [New Grand Hotel, front veranda, Catskill Mtns., N.Y.]
  • New Grant House, Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • North veranda, Churchill Hall, Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Old log cabin and the Rexmere, Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Old studio of artist Hall, near Palenville, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Old studio of artist Hall, near Palenville, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • [Otis Elevating Railway, looking down, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • [Otis Elevating Railway, looking up, Catskill Mts.,N.Y.]
  • Palenville Hotel, Palenville, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Parlor, Kraterskill [i.e. Kaaterskill] Hotel, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Pine Hill from the Ulster and Delaware Ry., Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Pond lillies [i.e. lilies] in South Lake, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Rapids at the bridge, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Right wing, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Rip Van Winkle House, Pine Hill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Rip Van Winkle House, Pine Hill, Catskill Mts., N.Y.
  • Rip Van Winkle House, Sleepy Hollow, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Santa Cruz Falls, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle House, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • Stamford and Mt. Utsayantha, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Sunset Park from the golf links, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Sunset Rock, Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Alphine [i.e. Alpine], Pine Hill, Catskill Mts., N.Y.
  • The Annex, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Antlers, Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Ball room, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Barns, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Dining room, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Five cascades, Haines Falls, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Front entrance, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Lobby, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Otis Elevating Railway and Catskill Mountain House, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Otis Elevating Railway, looking down, Catskill Mts., N.Y.
  • The Piazza, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • [The Rapids in Kaaterskill Clove, Catskill Mts., N.Y.]
  • The Rexmere [i.e. Rexmore], Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Rexmere, Stamford, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • The Upper fall, Kaaterskill Falls, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Twilight Rest Club House, Twilight Park, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • Ulster and Delaware Railroad station, Fleischmann's, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • View in Sunset Park, Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.
  • View on South Lake, Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

 

Library of Congress Collection – Detroit Publishing Company – Mohonk Mountain House

[Lake Mohonk House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.][Lake Mohonk House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.]

[Lake Mohonk House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.] Library of Congress.

 

The Mohonk Mountain House is an historic hotel located on a cliff overlooking Lake Mohonk high in the Shawangunk Mountains. The famous hotel was constructed in 1870 by Albert and Alfred Smiley and remains in the Smiley family today.

 

Starting with a quaint 10 rooms, it now has over 250 rooms and the capacity for nearly 600 guests. Situated on 2,200 acres, the resort offers a wide variety of year-round activities such as hiking, bike riding, horseback riding, swimming, rock climbing, golfing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and ice skating.

 

A visit to the Mohonk Mountain House is like taking a step back in time – there are no TVs in the rooms, jackets are required for formal dinners, century-old carriage roads guide walkers to amazing viewpoints and signs throughout the property remind visitors “Slowly and Quietly Please.”

 

Nearly 150 years after its opening, the Mohonk Mountain House continues to meet its original mission of encouraging visitors to take a break from the outer world with peace and relaxation. The hotel and its surrounding property are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Below is an inventory listing of the Detroit Publishing Company’s works of Lake Mohonk and the Mohonk House now located in the Library of Congress.

 

  • A Driveway, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • A Driveway, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • A Garden driveway, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • A Pretty spot on Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • A Rustic bridge, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • Boating on Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • East entrance, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • Flowers along the lake, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • [Gazebo and lake, Mohonk Mountain House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.]
  • Glimpse of hotel and lake, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • Lake Mohonk from Eagle Cliff Road, N.Y.
  • Lake Mohonk from the driveway
  • Lake Mohonk House from Garden Drive, N.Y.
  • Lake Mohonk House from sky top path
  • Lake Mohonk House from the west
  • Lake Mohonk House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y. (1)
  • Lake Mohonk House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y. (2)
  • [Lake Mohonk House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.]
  • Lake Mohonk House [Mohonk Mountain House], N.Y.
  • [Lake Mohonk House, N.Y., the lilypond]
  • Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House
  • Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House from Sky Top path, N.Y.
  • [Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House from the west, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.]
  • Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House from trail to Eagle Cliff
  • Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • [Lake Mohonk Mountain House, N.Y., from near Sky Top]
  • [Lake Mohonk Mountain House, N.Y., from near trail to Sky Top]
  • [Lake Mohonk Mountain House, N.Y., Sky Top from under porte cochere]
  • [Lake Mohonk Mountain House, N.Y., rustic bridge]
  • [Lake Mohonk, New York]
  • [Lake Mohonk, N.Y., Skytop from rear of Lake Mohonk House]
  • Lake shore road, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • [Mohonk Mountain House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.]
  • [Mohonk Mountain House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.]
  • [Mohonk Mountain House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.]
  • Near view, Lake Mohonk House [i.e. Mohonk Mountain House], N.Y.
  • On the piazza, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • Porte cochere and balconies, Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House, N.Y.
  • Porte cochere and fountain, Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House, N.Y.
  • [Porte cochere, Mohonk Mountain House, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.]
  • Rondout Valley and Lake Mohonk from Skytop [i.e. Sky Top], N.Y.
  • [Rondout Valley from Sky Top, Mohonk Lake, N.Y.]
  • Sky top and Lake Mohonk
  • Sky Top and Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • Sky top and Washington's Profile, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • Sky top from Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • Sky top from the archway, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • The Bathing place, Lake Mohonk
  • The Bathing place, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.
  • The Bathing place, Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House, N.Y.
  • The Boat landing and main entrance, Lake Mohonk House
  • The Boat landing, Lake Mohonk [Mountain] House
  • The Driveway, Lake Mohonk [Mountain House], N.Y.
  • The Gardens, Lake Mohonk House
  • The Gardens, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • The Gardens, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • The Parlor, Lake Mohonk House, N.Y.
  • Upper Eagle Cliff Road, Lake Mohonk, N.Y.

 

Library of Congress Collection – Detroit Publishing Company – Lake Minnewaska

The Cliff House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.The Cliff House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.

The Cliff House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y. Library of Congress.

 

Lake Minnewaska, “which is fed by springs and is very deep and clear as crystal, is held in a strikingly picturesque, rocky and well-wooded bowl, rising one hundred and fifty feet above the lake on the eastern side and sixty feet on the western, and from either edge the rocks tumble precipitously down to the Wallkill and Hudson River Valleys on the one side, and to the Rondout Valley on the other.”

 

 

Lake Minnewaska is located on the Shawangunk Ridge in Ulster County, New York. It was once home to two grand resorts, the Cliff House and the Wildmere.

 

The Cliff House, also known as the Minnewaska Mountain House, on the eastern side of Lake Minnewaska was constructed in 1879. In its heyday the Cliff House was a fashionable resort that earned a reputation as one of the best in the region. It operated until 1972 when it was abandoned and ultimately burned down in 1978. The land around the former resort was eventually sold to New York State and incorporated into the Minnewaska State Park Preserve.

 

In order to accommodate the growing number of visitors at Lake Minnewaska, a second hotel, the Wildmere, was constructed in 1887, only eight years after the Cliff House opened on the opposite side of the lake. After an enlargement in 1911 the resort hotel could accommodate 350 guests. The Wildmere operated until 1979 and ultimately burned down in 1986. The land around the former resort was eventually sold to New York State and incorporated into the Minnewaska State Park Preserve.

 

Below is an inventory listing of the Detroit Publishing Company’s works of Lake Minnewaska now located in the Library of Congress.

 

  • Along the shore, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • Awosting Falls, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • Battlement Terrace, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • [Cliff House from across the lake, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.]
  • [Cliff House from Sunset Rock, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.]
  • Lake Minnewaska from the Wildmere House
  • Lake Minnewaska, N.Y. (1)
  • Lake Minnewaska, N.Y. (2)
  • Lake Minnewaska, N.Y., from Millbrook Mountain Road (1)
  • Lake Minnewaska, N.Y., from Millbrook Mountain Road (2)
  • [Looking north from Cliff House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.]
  • [Midcliff, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.]
  • Morning reflections at the Wildmere House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • Moss cliff and the Wildmere House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • On Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • Peterskill Falls, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y. (1)
  • Peterskill Falls, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y. (2)
  • Peterskill road, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • Sky Top from Pine Cliff, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • [Sunset Road, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.]
  • The Cliff House from the Wildmere House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • The Cliff House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • [The Wildmere House from the lake, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.]
  • The Wildmere House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y. (1)
  • The Wildmere House, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y. (2)
  • Undercliff and Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.
  • Undercliff, Lake Minnewaska, N.Y.

 

Library of Congress Collection – Detroit Publishing Company – Kingston, New York

Broadway, Kingston, N.Y.Broadway, Kingston, N.Y.

Broadway, Kingston, N.Y. Library of Congress.

 

The historic city of Kingston is located along the west bank of the Hudson River in Ulster County, New York. The city, sitting where the Hudson River and the Rondout Creek meet, has a long and distinguished history. An early trading post was built at the mouth of the Rondout Creek in 1614 and by 1652 the first permanent settlement was established. An official charter was granted in 1661 for the establishing of Wiltwyck, now Kingston. It was one of three Dutch colonies in New Netherland, Albany and New York City being the other two.

 

The lands of Kingston traded hands several times between the Dutch and the British, ultimately falling under the control of the British in 1674. Over a century later Kingston served as the first capital of New York State, but was burned by the British in 1777 during the American Revolution. With American victory over the British complete General George Washington visited the city in 1782 in recognition of the devotion of the city’s citizens to the patriot cause.

 

By the time the Detroit Photographic Company arrived at Kingston in the early 1900s the city had grown significantly. The city was a key point for trade along the Hudson River, serving as the terminus for the D&H Canal. Important local industries included bluestone, cement mining and brick manufacturing. In 1872 the village of Rondout and the hamlet of Wilbur merged with the village of Kingston to form what is today’s city.

 

The number of photographs taken by the Detroit Photographic Company at Kingston is not as numerous as those from the northern and central Catskills, the Mohonk Mountain House or Lake Minnewaska, yet they still offer a beautiful glimpse at the historic city at the turn of the century. Photographs of Kingston include several of the city’s notable and historic buildings and sites, including the Old Senate House, the Hoffman House, the Dutch Reformed Church and Kingston Point Park.

 

Below is an inventory listing of the Detroit Publishing Company’s works of the city of Kingston in Ulster County, New York now located in the Library of Congress.

 

  • Boat landing, Kingston, N.Y.
  • [Boat landing, Kingston Point, N.Y.]
  • Broadway, Kingston, N.Y.
  • Elmendorf Tavern, Kingston, N.Y.
  • Hoffman House, Kingston, N.Y.
  • Kingston Point Park, Kingston, N.Y. (1)
  • Kingston Point Park, Kingston, N.Y. (2)
  • [Kingston Point Park, Kingston, N.Y.] (1)
  • [Kingston Point Park, Kingston, N.Y.] (2)
  • Old Senate House, Kingston, N.Y.
  • Old Tappan house, Kingston, N.Y.
  • Protestant Dutch Reformed Church, Kingston, N.Y.
  • Wall St., Kingston, N.Y.

 

Detroit Publishing Company – Catalog Inventory

 

Over the years there have been several efforts to document the historic postcard catalog of the Detroit Publishing Company. Each of the efforts have built upon the work of the previous authors and collectors. In 1954 Jeff R. Burdick published an initial 84-page summary titled The Handbook of Detroit Publishing Co. Postcards. In 1975 James L. Lowe and Ben Papell published the 288-page Detroit Publishing Company Collectors’ Guide. And in 1994 Nancy Stickels Stechschulte published the 446-page The Detroit Publishing Company Postcards.

 

6372, version 1_Rip Van Winkle House, Catskill Mountains6372, version 1_Rip Van Winkle House, Catskill Mountains

 

Based on the works of these authors, coupled with a few changes and additions that have become known since their publication, below is an inventory listing of the postcards relating to the Catskills that were published by the Detroit Publishing Company.

 

Catskill Mountains

6359       Kaaterskill Hotel

6360       Kaaterskill Mountain and Lakes; hv

6361       Kaaterskill Lake; nc: South Lake, Mountain House Park

6362       Catskill Mountain House

6363       Long Level and Catskill Mountain House

6364       Otis Elevating Railway

6365       Kaaterskill Falls; comment: card with #9365 s/b 6365

6366       Laurel House and Kaaterskill Falls

6367       Alligator Rock Near South Lake; hv

6368       Haines Falls; dp

6369       The Five Cascades, Haines Falls

6370       Sunset Rock, Kaaterskill Clove

6371       Santa Cruz Falls, Kaaterskill Clove

6372       Rip Van Winkle House

6373       Old Studio of Artist Hall, Palenville

6374       A Catskill Mountain Toll Gate; nc

6375       New Grand Hotel; an: C596

6376       Monka Hill Mountain, From Pine Hill

6377       Fleischmann’s

6378       The Rexmere and Golf Links, Stamford

6379       Churchill Hall, Stamford

7761       Hotel Kaaterskill

8734       Leeds Bridge

10122    Ulster and Delaware R. R. Station, Fleischmanns

10124    Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill

10125    Grand Hotel; an C596

10126    Birds-Eye View, Margaretville

10127    View of High Mountain and Townsend Valley

11104    Stamford and Mt. Utsayantha, Catskill Mountains

11105    Fleischmanns, Catskill Mountains

11129    Trout Fishing in the; nc, dp

11130    Kaaterskill Clove, Fawn’s Leap, Catskill Mountains

11131    Otis Elevating Railway

11132    Haines Corners, Catskill Mountains

11133    Down Kaaterskill Clove From, Catskill Mountains

11134    Driveway in Twilight Park

54027    The Otis Elevating Railway, Catskill Mountains

54029    Home of Rip Van Winkle, Sleepy Hollow, Catskill Mountains

72117    Catskills From the Hudson River

79921    Catskill Mountain House (3-part panorama); an: C523a, pan58

C46 – 46f             The Kyle Camp and Summer School for Boys

C596 – 596a        New Grand Hotel; an: 6374, 10125

               

Kingston

10752    Kingston Point Park

10753    Elmendorf Tavern

10754    Boat Landing; ad: Central Hudson Line Steamers; New York, NY

10755    Senate House; comment: built 1676

10766    Kingston Point Park

               

Lake Mohonk / Mohonk Lake

6380       Lake Mohonk and Sky Top; an: C120v

6381       The Bathing Place; C120b

6382       The Gardens, Lake Mohonk House; an: C119c

6383       Lake Mohonk House, From Across the Lake; nc, an: C119d

6384       Washington’s Profile, Sky Top; rd, an: C120n

6385       Sky Top From Archway, Lake Mohonk House; an: C120l

7595       Lake Mohonk and Rondout Valley From Road to Sky Top

7733       Lake Mohonk House; rd, an: C119x, nc: Mohonk House From Pine Bluff

7734       Upper Eagle Cliff Road; an: C120y

7735       Flower Beds, Lake Mohonk House; an: C120c

7855       Boat Landing and Main Entrance, Lake Mohonk House; an: C120s

9757       Lake Shore Road; an: C120w

9758       A Pretty Spot On; an: C120x

9759       Lake Shore; an: C119g

9760       Glimpse of Hotel and Lake; an: C120t

9761       Along a Path; an: C120r

14951    Lake Mohonk House from Sky Top Path; an: C119e

14952    Glimpse of Hotel and Lake; an: C120e

14953    Main Entrance and Boat Landing, Lake Mohonk House; an: C120i

14954    A Rustic Bridge; an: C120k

14955    Flower Beds Along the Lake; an: C120d

14956    The Gardens, Lake Mohonk House; an: C120o

14957    The Gardens, Lake Mohonk House; an: C120p

14958    The Parlors, Lake Mohonk House; an: C120j

14959    Rondout Valley and Mohonk Lake, N.Y. From Sky Top; nc, an: C119o

14960    Lake Mohonk House; an: C120h

80653    Lake Mohonk House From Sky Top; an: C119e

80654    The Towers, Lake Mohonk House; an: C119t

80655    Lake Mohonk House From the Gardens; an: C119f

80656    The Putting Green; an: C119l

80657    Bathing at; an: C119a

80658    Sky Top from Approach To; an: C119p

80659    On the Road To: an: C119j

80660    Wallkill Valley From Approach To; an: C120q

80661    Testimonial Gateway; an: C119s

80662    Mohonk Farms; an: C119h

80794    House and Gardens From Sky Top Road; an: C120f

80795    House From Upper Garden; an: C120g

80799    Putting Green and Main Entrance; an: C119m

80800    Swimming Place; an: C120

80801    Tennis Courts; an: C119r

80802    Under Sky Top; an: C119u

80803    House and Gardens From Talman Seat; an: C120a

80808    June Laurel; an: C119z

80811    Tennis Courts; an: C119y

81133    Western View Mohonk House; an: C119w

81134    Mohonk House and Rondout Valley From Sky Top; an: c119i

81136    Corner of the Display Gardens; an: C119b

81137    The Gardens; an: C119c

81138    The Plunge; an: C119k

81139    Putting Green and Porte Cochere; an: C119n

81140    Lake and House From Sky Top Path; an: C119e

81142    House From Across the Lake; an: C119d

               

Lake Minnewaska

7419       The Cliff House

7420       The Wildmere House; an: C114j

7421       From the Wildmere House

7422       Undercliff; an: C120n

7423       Battlement Terrace; an: C114d

7424       Peterskill Road; an: C114r, 80182

7425       Peterskill Falls; an: C114i

7426       Awosting Falls; an: C114a

80191    Undercliff; an: C114n

80192    Peterskill Falls; an: C114i

80198    The Wildmere; an: C114j

80200    Laurel in June; an: C114h

80201    Wildmere House From Mid-Cliff; an: C114m

80773    Wildmere House From Cliff Path; an: C114l

81829    Wildmere House; an: C114p

81830    Wildmere House From Cliff Stairway; an: C114l

81831    Cliff House; an: C114e

81832    Awosting Lake; an: C114b

81833    Awosting Falls; an: C114a

81834    Battlement Terrace; an: C114d

81835    Cliff House From Road Near Wildmere; an: C114q

C114 – 114c        Ball Game at Cliff House

C114 – 114f         Cliff House (horizontal)

C114 – 114g        Lake Shore

C114 – 114k        The Wildmere House and Cliff House (2-part panorama); an: PAN63

C114 – 114o        Table Rock

               

Glossary

ad           Advertisement

an           Another number

dp           Different picture

hv           Printed both Horizontal and Vertical Views

nc           Name/Title change

rd            Reverse design

 

Changing Times

 

As World War I approached the company faced several challenges, including the war economy, with the government having deemed its line of business “non-essential,” and growing competition as more advanced printing methods were established. Adding to the company troubles, general interest in postcards was declining and the financial depression of 1920-1921 greatly impacted the US economy.

 

By 1923, according to manager William Henry Jackson, company debts had “reached such a volume that we knew receivership was inescapable, and the following year brought us to the end of our rope.”[1] The company survived until 1924, when it went into receivership.

 

In January 1924 a Receiver’s Sale was held at which the plant, property and business of the Photochrom Company was offered for sale to the public. Included in the sale was real estate with frontage on Vermont Avenue, Alexandrine Avenue West and Linden Street. Machinery and equipment for sale included printing presses, power cutters, cameras, lenses, photographic appliances and framing machinery. Also available was manufactured merchandise, publication rights and registered brands. Although somewhat dated by this time, the sale also included rights to the Photochrom Process, the very process that had practically given birth to the company 29 years prior.[2]

 

The company continued to operate on a small scale after 1924, mostly focused on selling the approximately 2 million postcards and photographic prints that were in inventory. All the remaining company assets, including nearly 40,000 negatives, were liquidated in 1932.

 

According to the Benson Ford Research Center, the negatives were then purchased by the Ohio Art Company and moved to Byron, Ohio. In 1934 Robert B. Livingstone then organized a group to re-purchase all the negatives and moved them back to Detroit.

 

In the late 1930s the negatives and prints of the Detroit Publishing Company were acquired by Henry Ford and donated to the Edison Institute (now known as the Henry Ford Museum) in Dearborn, Michigan. In 1949 the Edison Institute gave all the negatives and the many duplicate photographs to the Colorado Historical Society. The Colorado Historical Society transferred most of the negatives and prints for sites east of the Mississippi River to the Library of Congress later that year, keeping the negatives and prints for the western views.

 

Legacy

 

“What is a Photochrom? A photochrom is a photograph in the colors of nature. It is not a chromo, lithograph, nor is it a colored print. It combines the truthfulness of a photograph with the color and richness of an oil painting.”[3]

 

 

The photographic works of the Catskills by the Detroit Publishing Company provide an invaluable reference for both the photographer and historian. The photographer can appreciate the visual impact of the scenes, combined with the technical mastery that is clearly evident in the composition, tone and sharpness of all the photographs; while the historian can appreciate the architecture and village scenes as they once stood over a century ago.

 

The works of the Detroit Publishing Company can be found in numerous collections of historical societies, libraries and museums across the United States. Locations holding the works of the Detroit Publishing Company include the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the Yale University Library, the Henry Ford Museum and the Colorado Historical Society, among many others.

 

Select Sources

 

Beaumont, Newhall; Diana E. Edkins. William H. Jackson. Fort Worth, Texas: Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, 1974.

 

Benson Ford Research Center. Finding Aid for Detroit Publishing Company Collection. Dearborn, MI: Benson Ford Research Center, July 2013.

 

Burdick, Jefferson R. The Handbook of Detroit Publishing Co. Postcards. Essingston, PA: Hobby Publications, 1954.

 

Davis, Jack; Ryan, Dorothy. Samuel L. Schmucker: The Discovery of His Lost Art. Bozeman, Montana: Olde America Antiques, 2001.

 

Hannavy, John. Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. New York: Routledge, 2008.

 

Hughes, Jim. The Birth of a Century: Early Color Photographs of America. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1994.

 

Jackson, William Henry. Time Exposure: The Autobiography of William Henry Jackson. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1940.

 

Knauth, Kristin. “News from the National Digital Library Program: 25,000 Vintage Photos Made Available on the Internet.” Library of Congress Information Bulletin. Vol. 55, No. 2. February 5, 1996. pp. 33-35.

 

Lowe, James L.; Ben Papell. Detroit Publishing Company Collector’s Guide. Newton Square, PA: Deltiologists of America, 1975.

 

Ryan, Dorothy B. Picture Postcards in the United States 1893-1918. 1982.

 

Stechschulte, Nancy Stickels. The Detroit Publishing Company Postcards. Big Rapids, Michigan: N. S. Stechschulte, 1994.

 

Tinder, David V. Directory of Early Michigan Photographers. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan, 2013.

 

Waitley, Douglas. William Henry Jackson: Framing the Frontier. Missoula, Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company, 1998.

 

Weber, Bruno. “Around the World in Photochrom.” Germany Around the Turn of the Century. Zurich: Orell Fussli, 1990.

 

[1] Jackson, William Henry. Time Exposure: The Autobiography of William Henry Jackson. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1940. p. 330.

[2] “Receiver’s Sale.” Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). January 9, 1924.

[3] “What is a Photochrom.” The Akron Beacon and Republican (Akron, Ohio). March 23, 1895.

 

 

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills Detroit Detroit Photographic Company Detroit Publishing Company Edwin H. Husher Kingston Lake Minnewaska Lake Mohonk Library of Congress phostint photochrom Photocrhom Company photographs photography photos pictures postcards publisher William A. Livingstone William Henry Jackson https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/detroit-publishing-company-capturing-the-beauty-of-the-catskills-part-2 Sat, 15 Apr 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Detroit Publishing Company: Capturing the Beauty of the Catskills (Part 1) https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/detroit-publishing-company-capturing-the-beauty-of-the-catskills-part-1 Introduction

 

“One firm, the Detroit Publishing Company, a part of the Detroit Photographic Company, covered the length and breadth of America shortly after the turn of the century and chronicled as no other publisher attempted the diversity of people, activity, and industry found in the United States.”

 

 

The Detroit Publishing Company, earlier known as the Detroit Photographic Company and the Photochrom Company, was established in 1895 by William A. Livingstone, a Detroit businessman and publisher, and Edwin H. Husher, a photographer and photo-publisher. The company would grow to become one of the largest American publishers of photographic prints, postcards and lantern slides in the early decades of the 20th century. Part of the company’s extensive inventory included beautiful black-and-white photographs and colorized photochrom postcards from the central and northern Catskills and from the city of Kingston, as well as the Mohonk Mountain House and Lake Minnewaska areas near New Paltz.

 

Kaaterskill lakes and mountain, Catskill Mts., N.Y.Kaaterskill lakes and mountain, Catskill Mts., N.Y.

Kaaterskill lakes and mountain, Catskill Mts., N.Y. Library of Congress.

 

The Founders – William A. Livingstone

 

William Allan Livingstone (1867-1924), co-founder of the Detroit Publishing Company, was born on January 13, 1867, the son of William Livingstone (1844-1925), a prominent Detroit businessman in the shipping, banking and publishing industries. William was the eldest of eight children.

 

William Livingston, the father, moved with his family to Detroit at the age of five. His work career began at the age of 17 as a machinist, but he then entered a partnership with Robert Downie to operate a grocery store. Thereafter he opened his own business, expanding it greatly over time. Operations would eventually include a wholesale and resale grocery, flour and grain merchant, lumber dealer, operating a fleet of tugboats and founding his own steamship company. As he continued to prosper, he helped establish the Detroit Dime Savings Bank, serving as its president for many years, and purchased the Detroit Evening Journal. He helped found the still operating Lake Carriers Association, serving as its president for many years. The Livingstone Channel on the lower Detroit River near Grosse Ile and the Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse on Belle Isle are both named in his honor.

 

William, the son, was educated to become an engineer, having graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1889.

 

Livingstone served as an agent for the Anchor, Western and Union Steamboat lines for four years. He resigned his position in 1897, citing ill-health and “a desire to engage in a business that promised better returns.”[1] Upon his resignation he bought stock in the Photochrom Company, became the company manager and embarked upon a business trip to Europe.

 

The 1900 United States census listed Livingstone’s profession as “Manager – Photochrom Co.” The 1910 United States census listed his profession as “Publisher – Own Business.” The 1920 United States census listed his profession as “Manager – Publishing Co.”

 

As his career progressed, Livingstone was the first president of the Print Publishers’ Association of the United States, a prominent industry group comprised of picture and photographic publishers. He was a member of the public lighting company and, in efforts to support the local community, served as treasurer for the Detroit High School Scholarship Fund. Within the legal area he contributed to the development of copyright law on prints, photographs and music, as well as being instrumental in the development of tariff policies for the United States.

 

William Livingston, after being ill for several weeks, passed away at St. Mary’s Hospital in Detroit, Michigan on October 26, 1924. Funeral services were held on October 28 at the family residence at 76 Eliot Street. He is buried at Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit.

 

The Founders – Edwin H. Husher

 

Edwin Hector Husher (1863-1923), co-founder of the Detroit Publishing Company, was born in 1863 in the state of Indiana. He was the son of photographer Jacob W. Husher and his wife Mary M. Husher. Jacob Husher (1823-1879) operated his own photographic studio at Terre Haute, Indiana during the 1860s and early 1870s and later at Greencastle, Indiana from circa 1873 to 1879. He had attended Asbury University and worked for some time as a teacher. Jacob was active in the community, being a member of the Roberts Chapel, the International Order of Odd Fellows and the National Photographic Association.[2] He died in 1879 by suicide after contracting typhoid fever, which induced him to cut his own throat with a razor.[3] He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Terre Haute, Indiana.

 

Before establishing the Detroit Publishing Company, Edwin Husher had a varied career across multiple locations. With the passing of his father in 1879, he began to work as a photographer at Greencastle, Indiana. The United States census of 1880, taken when Edwin was only 17 years of age, already listed his profession as “photographer.” He then worked as a reporter and photographer for the Courier-Journal at Louisville, Kentucky.

 

By the mid-1880s Husher had moved to San Francisco, where he worked as the chief operator at the famous Taber Gallery, operated by Isaiah West Taber, who was “one of the most prominent and ambitious west coast photographers of the last third of the nineteenth century.”[4] Husher went on to become a photographer of some note in his own right, being described in 1887 as “one of the best photographers in the United States.”[5] Husher was a prominent member of the Olympic Club and was also a member of the California Camera Club.[6]

 

Husher is credited with taking the first aerial pictures in California when he ascended in a hot air balloon over the city of San Francisco on April 15, 1887. The first photo was taken from an altitude of 2,000 feet, with the flight eventually reaching the height of 7,200 feet. Below is a description of that first aerial photo in California.

 

“The first photograph was taken at a reasonable distance from the earth; in consulting the barometer, that faithful instrument registered an altitude of 2,000 feet. The city was no far away. There was just enough distance to lend enchantment to the view; the white breakers broken on the ocean beach, and the beautiful bay lay spread out before the view. We could hear the sounds of the people below, we could even hear the bell of the Market street cars, which looked toy-like as they crept down the long narrow track. As for the city itself, it looked like a ward and precinct map laid out in regular squares, and showing strange gaps among the crowded blocks. The City Hall was plainly discernible, and looked quite finished; such is the illusion of the skies. The Palace Hotel was strongly reminiscent of a child’s wooden house. Tall square buildings had the advantage over those which were turreted and spired. The churches were flattened out, and nothing of the Nob Hill residences were to be seen. Indeed, so small a hill as Nob Hill has no standing in high altitudes.”[7]

 

The resulting photos were published to much acclaim in the San Francisco Daily Examiner.

 

“Although the scheme of photographing San Francisco from the heavens had been conceived by the EXAMINER, the entire success of the experiment was largely owing to the courage and skill of young photographer, Mr. E. H. Husher, who risked his life for the purpose of adding something more to the knowledge of his fellow men; and the readers of the EXAMINER are very much indebted to him for their idea of the appearance of San Francisco a mile away from earth.”[8]  

 

W. K. Burton wrote in The Photographic News issue of July 8, 1887 about the technical aspects of Husher’s pioneering aerial work at San Francisco.

 

“The camera used was 10 x 8 size, and it was fixed on a swivel arrangement, over the edge of the car, which enabled it to be directed at any angle with the perpendicular. Twelve plates of American make were taken, a No. 3 euroscope lens was used – precise focus not known to me, but long for a 10 by 8 plate – and the exposures were made by the aid of a rapid double action shutter.

 

From the twelve plates, six good negatives resulted. Husher noted what has, I believe, been observed by all who have made attempt at balloon photography, that there is great difficulty in getting contrast in the negative. This is due probably to lack of any deep shadows (the under sides of all objects being of course hid from view, and every point seen being illuminated at least by the whole sky), and also to somewhat of land mist.”[9]

 

Several months later Husher also took the first aerial photos of the city of Los Angeles on June 26, 1887 from a hot-air balloon. The balloon reached heights of 14,400 feet over the city as it floated for nearly several hours. Husher, leaning over the side of the basket, took 13 photographs of scenes that included the city of Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Valley and the San Fernando Valley.

 

“The most curious one [photograph] was that of Santa Monica, taken through an opening in the clouds. A view of this character is believed to be the only one ever secured in the world. Taken all in all the trip will prove to have been one of the most notable balloon voyages in ballooning annals on this coast.”[10]

 

Husher also traveled extensively in his pursuit of photographic beauty. In 1886 he traveled to the Mount St. Elias region of Alaska in the summer of 1886 and to Montana in 1887.

 

In August 1888 through March 1889 Husher worked in the American southwest and in Mexico as a photographer for the Hemenway Southwestern Archaeological Expedition. Husher primarily worked from Camp Cibola near Zuni, New Mexico, one of several base camps for the expedition, but also took a trip to central Mexico and Teotihuacan in December 1888. Husher’s involvement with the Hemenway expedition was funded by Isaiah West Taber, his gallery manager at San Francisco, who agreed to pay all of Husher’s expenses in exchange for the right to photograph the expedition and to publish the pictures. According to Taber’s catalog, Husher produced at least 60 photographs of the expedition.[11] Husher left Camp Cibola in mid-March 1889, returning to San Francisco.

 

In 1889 Husher was again on the move, journeying to Alaska on behalf of the Taber gallery. The San Francisco Examiner noted in October 1889 that Husher, during his Alaska trip, was credited with “the first pictures ever taken along the Icy Coast from Mount St. Elias to Yakatat, from Dry Bay to the Great Davidson Glacier.”[12]

 

“Queer sights are to be seen from vicinity of Mount St. Elias at Icy Bay to the Indian village of Yakutat, down to Dry Bay past the Fairweather Range to the Davidson Glacier. When the traveler extends this trip to Disenchantment Bay and the Muir Glacier, and has also visited Sitka, he has made a trip of over 600 miles along a coast and through strange fiords that are new to the explorer.

 

Such a trip was recently made by E. H. Husher, the artist for Taber & Co., this city, who recently narrowly escaped being wrecked in the schooner Alpha. Much of his voyage was, however, made in an Indian canoe. He has succeeded in getting, for the first time in many instances, views of places destined henceforth to be noted in the history of Alaska.”[13]

 

Husher faced extremely challenging conditions at many points during his Alaskan adventure. At one point, he was presumed dead by reports in the local newspapers when the ship he was traveling on disappeared. The San Francisco Examiner in its September 28, 1889 issue even published the last letter that had been received from Husher.[14] Fortunately, Husher and the crew and passengers aboard the schooner Alpha were rescued, as described in The Record-Union of Sacramento.

 

“The steamship Corona arrived here [Port Townsend] this morning from Alaska. Among her passengers was Husher, the artist, who left San Francisco last spring on a trip to Alaska, and who was supposed to have been lost on the schooner Alpha, at Yukutat Bay. Mr. Husher left Sitka on the 4th of August, on the schooner Alpha, as the guest of her owner, Jeff Kuhn, for Yukutat, to procure some views of Mount St. Elias.

 

Returning, the Alpha sailed from Yukutat August 17th, when she encountered terrific southeasterly gales, and was driven back to Yukutat in a disabled condition. The wrecked crew and passenger were contemplating the alternative of passing the winter there or making an overland journey of 250 miles on foot and by canoe to Chilkat. To make this journey it would be necessary to wait until the snow fell and use snow shoes, the moss and undergrowth rendering the country otherwise impassable. Their rations were reduced to half a sack of beans.

 

Upon the arrival of the revenue cutter Rush at Sitka, the officers learning of the fears for the schooner’s safety, proceeded in search at once, and found her after about a thirty-six hour run at Yukutat Bay, and brought the crew and passengers to Sitka, where they were provided and cared for. The prompt action of Captain Shepherd, commander of the Rush, after arriving from a three months’ cruise in Behring Sea, is commended with feelings of gratitude by the rescued parties. The schooner was beached and abandoned at Yukutat Bay. She is a fifteen-ton vessel and was a fur-trader.”[15]

 

After moving circa 1892 to Detroit, Michigan Husher operated his own gallery, a long-standing enterprise that that was previously owned by photographer Frank N. Tomlinson, and before that by photographer Joseph E. Watson.

 

“Since taking possession of this studio he has greatly increased its facilities and developed a large additional and permanent trade. The premises comprise the second and third floors of the building. The second floor is devoted to the reception parlors and toilet rooms, and are elegantly furnished and arranged, while on the third floor are the operating rooms, which are also thoroughly provided, printing rooms and dark and finishing rooms. Mr. Husher executes photography in all its branches, and produces in all his work the best and most beautiful effects. It is perhaps needless to add that his patrons are of the refined and cultivated classes, who appreciate art at its true value.”[16]

 

Husher’s work was published in the 1893 book titled Picturesque Detroit and Environs. The book was published by the Picturesque Publishing Company of Northampton, Massachusetts, the same company that would publish Picturesque Catskills: Greene County in 1894. Husher served as a judge during the 15th Annual Convention of the Photographers’ Association of America that was held in Detroit from August 6 to 9, 1895.[17]

 

Husher’s collection of negatives was added to the inventory of the Photochrom Company when it was founded. The 1900 United States census listed his profession as “superintendent.” Husher would very effectively work as the company manager, helping lead the company to become one of the largest American publishers of the early 20th century.

 

Husher resigned from the Photochrom Company in 1903 and retired to California, where he became a farmer after purchasing an orange grove. The 1910 United States census listed Edwin’s profession as farmer, while the 1920 United States census listed his profession as real estate agent. Edwin Husher passed away from an “aneurism of ascending aorta” in 1923.

 

Rise to Prominence

 

“Photochroms combine photographic exactitude with the charm of a painting, and unite the color beauty of a picture with the advantages of photography.”[18]

 

 

The Photochrom Company was established in 1895 at Detroit, Michigan with the intended “purposes of the corporation are to erect a factory and to manufacture and sell photographs and art goods in colors, by the photochrom process owned by the Photochrom Co., of Switzerland; the operations of the concern to be confined to the United States and Canada.”[19]

 

The company was established with a common stock of $300,000, of which $100,000 was preferred stock. There were 20,000 shares of common stock, which were originally owned by Rudolphe A. Demme, 7,100 shares; Horace W. Avery, 7,000 shares; Edwin H. Husher, 4,800 shares; and Hans Rutishausen, 1,000 shares.

 

Rudolph Demme, one of the first shareholders, was quickly removed from the company for embezzlement, after stealing some of the money that had been raised to build the company’s first manufacturing plant.[20] In 1897 the Photochrom Company filed a lawsuit in the Wayne Circuit Court against Demme for $25,000 in damages. It was claimed that Demme owed over $10,000 to the company due to accounting irregularities. Demme was succeeded as manager of the company by William A. Livingstone.[21]

 

Demme, the son of a prominent physician, had arrived in the United States during the 1890s from Berne, Switzerland. In 1895 he married Flora A. Whitney, daughter of David Whitney, Jr., one of the most prominent citizens of the city of Detroit. In a newspaper description of their wedding, Demme was described as “a young man of brilliant mentality and excellent business qualifications, and a representative of one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Switzerland.”[22] In 1904 Demme and Whitney were divorced upon her claims of his desertion since 1901, during which time Demme had moved to Paris. Whitney then married Edward J. Schmidt, with the marriage only lasting several years and ending in divorce. Whitney, with the encouragement of her young daughter, then remarried Demme in 1910. Whitney passed away in 1915.

 

Horace W. Avery (1858-1932), another of the first shareholders, was born at Port Huron, son of Newell Avery (1817-1877), a prominent Michigan lumber baron and one of the founders of the Republican party at Jackson, Michigan in 1854. He went to school at Port Huron and at Detroit, graduating from Chester (PA) Military Academy. In addition to his early interests in the Photochrom Company, Avery served as secretary and treasurer of the Detroit, Belle Isle & Windsor Ferry Company. He was a charter member of the Detroit Athletic Club and played pitcher on the club’s first baseball team. Avery left Detroit around 1912, spending several years cruising the Mississippi River on his yacht with his family, eventually moving to New Orleans. With the death of his wife Avery moved in the home of his son at Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He passed away at Swarthmore in 1932 and is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Detroit.

 

The photochrom technique, “considered to constitute a significant achievement in printing technology,”[23] was invented in the 1880s by Hans Jakob Schmid (1856-1924). Schmid worked for the Swiss graphic arts publishing firm Orell Füssli, a printing firm whose history began in the 16th century. Schmid, from the Swiss town of Nurensdorf, was the son of a carpenter, but was orphaned at the young age of eleven. Having lost his father, he therefore had to grow up quickly, and therefore began his apprenticeship in 1868 with August Wilhelm Fehrenbach, a lithographer and stencil manufacturer. By 1875 or 1876 he was working as a machinist in Geneva, before joining the Orell Fussli company in November 1876. He first worked as a lithographer and then as a machinist.

 

After several years of detailed experimentation, the photochrom process was patented in Austria-Hungary on January 4, 1888. It was vaguely described by Orell Fussli as “a process for direct photographic transfer of the original for litho and chromographic printing plates by means of a single negative.”[24] The images were marketed as “nature color photographs.”

 

With the commercial promise of the invention Heinrich Wild-Wirth (1840-1896), a partner in the Orell Fussli company, established the Photochrom & Co. Zurich company in 1889. With its merger with Schroder & Co. in 1895 the company changed names to Photoglob & Co. Zurich, and since 1974 the company has been known as Photoglob AG. After its founding an extensive sales network was organized, including agencies in many major cities. The photochrom process was also licensed out beyond continental Europe to companies like the Photochrom Company Ltd. in London, England and the Photochrom Company (later the Detroit Publishing Company) in the United States.

 

The Photochrom Company at Detroit obtained the exclusive American rights to use the “photochrom” process from the Photoglob Company of Zurich, Switzerland. This revolutionary new process allowed for the conversion of black-and-white photographs into color images and for the mass production of prints, postcards, and albums. At the time color photography as we know it did not exist, therefore the exclusive rights to the “photochrom” process provided the Photochrom Company at Detroit a significant competitive advantage throughout the United States. From 1907 the company also used “Phostint” as a trade name for the improved photochrom process.

 

Once the Photochrom Company at Detroit had acquired the process rights, they recruited Albert Schuler and a small team of workers to move from Zurich to Detroit. Schuler was born in 1874 in Zurich, and “was known by his adopted name Albert Vollenwider during his youth. At the age of 14, he began his apprenticeship with Orell Fussly and, at the age of 19, he was commissioned to travel throughout the Middle East from 1893 to 1897. These travels produced the photographs that now belong to the University of Pennsylvania Museum.”[25]

 

Schuler immigrated to the United States in 1897, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1905. Having worked for Orell Fussli for many years, Schuler was an expert with the photochrom process, and would become foreman for manufacturing production at the Photochrom Company, a position that he held for the next 25 years.

 

After the Detroit Publishing Company went bankrupt in 1924 “Schuler set out to innovate the photomechanical and colorization processes, searching ‘for ways to produce color prints at only half the former price.’ Schuler’s innovation was a success – particularly for the advertisement industry. The ‘Schuler process’ spread throughout the United States, increasing the production of color advertisements. Schuler established ‘a plant of his own to exploit his invention profitably,’ but was unable to turn his technical success into financial success. After the venture failed, Schuler, along with his wife and daughters, moved to Royal Oak, a suburb of Detroit, where he lived until he died at the age of 80 years old.”[26]

 

Technically speaking, the “photochrom” process allowed for the production of colorized images from a single black-and-white photographic negative via the direct photographic transfer of the negative onto lithographic printing plates. The process is a photographic variant of chromolithography (color lithography). Because no color information was preserved in the photographic process, the photographer would make detailed notes on the colors within the scene and use the notes to hand paint the negative before transferring the image through colored gels onto the printing plates.

 

Mr. Norris C. Baker of the Orell Fussli Arts Graphiques Sa Zurich company described the “photochrom” process in a letter to Jeff R. Burdick, author of the 1954 The Handbook of Detroit Publishing Co. Postcards.

 

“Photochrom is a lithographic process based on photographic halftone copies on stone. It is characterized by the fact that it works without any screen. The stone is sensitized by Syrian asphalt and the negative has to be copied on as many stones as colors are needed. Then the copies are developed and retouched by specialists who also make the color-separation. The stones can be used either for direct lithographic printing or for offset (flat offset or normal offset by transfers). Although runs of 30,000-40,000 can be made from the same plate, photochrom is especially suitable for smaller runs of several thousand copies, for which it is generally cheaper than a reproduction by screen-photolith.”[27]

 

From the inception of the Photochrom Company at Detroit reviews of its new color photographs were very positive. The Detroit Free Press wrote in August, 1895 about the company’s display of work at the local art museum.

 

“At the entrance to the east and west wings of the addition, the Photochrom Co. has an excellent exhibit of photochroms, or views in color photography. For many years science has occupied itself with the solution of the color photography problem, and there are perhaps 500 craftsmen in the world engaged on the problem at the present time. A partial success has been achieved in producing natural colors by photographic process, but the difficulty has been to hold the colors. The Photochrom Co. claims that it has succeeded in effecting a faithful photographic reproduction of the colors a few subjects on a mat surface that run to a brown tone. The subjects are happily chosen and faultlessly executed, displaying the sympathy of the artist. The old man saying grace over a frugal meal is perhaps the most pathetic, and one of the most striking pictures in the collection. The expression of the old weather-beaten, time-worn features, the surroundings are all true to nature. An harmonious effect is produced by the mounting of those pictures on natural finished oak.[28]

 

10124_Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains10124_Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains

10124_Boulder Rock and Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mountains. Author's collection.

 

The company, in 1896, first established its operations at Wyandotte, Michigan, located just south of Detroit. The cost of constructing the plant was $50,000. It was estimated that the plant would first be staffed by 12 operators, although there was room to grow to 50 operators.

 

“As soon as the weather permits ground will be broken for the buildings, the plans for which will be a modification of those used in the erection of the plant of the Photoglobe Co., at Zurich, Switzerland. These plans call for a three-story brick building, 160x120, including wings. Besides this main building there will be several other smaller structures for various purposes. The building will be erected in the center of a three-acre lot, so as to obtain an unobstructed north and south exposure. Other buildings that may go up on adjoining property can therefore not obstruct the light. The second and third floor will be devoted exclusively to the photochrom process proper. There will be a very large skylight to the north on the third floor for the purpose of reproducing oil paintings, etc. The printing of photochroms will be done on the roof.”[29]

 

The company plant would later move to several other locations in Detroit, including 8 Witherall Street, the corner of 13th Street and Linden Street, a retail store at 281 Woodward Avenue, the corner of Vermont Avenue and Alexdrine Avenue, a retail store at 235 Woodward Avenue and 2373 17th Street.

 

In 1897 the Photochrom Company held an exhibition of its pictures at Leonard’s Furniture Store at 230 Woodward Avenue. The exhibition of photochrom pictures received very high praise.

 

The exhibition “is well worth the visit of all lovers of art and the curious. In the collection are 1,000 pictures, the first output of the Photochrom Co., of this city. This company bought from the Swiss company, which originated the process, the exclusive right to North and South America and Canada. Since July the Detroit concern has built at Thirteenth and Linden streets a large plant, which is now in full operation. The views on exhibition are reproductions from nature, in colors as nearly representing the natural hues as man can do it, of landscapes, scenic views, etc., the most striking of which is a reproduction of Niagara Falls in winter, as seen from Goat Island. The green water, the piles of ice and snow, rainbow effects in the spray and fall of water, are vividly brought out.

 

The company has 11,000 negatives from which to draw, representing scenes and types of people caught in Europe, from the north to the south, and from Liverpool to the east. By January 1 the company will have ready for exhibition a series of views of Belle Isle park, and, later, a series representing Yellowstone Park in all its beauty will be shown. The company will in time send expert photographers to all parts of the United States. City, country, mountain, river, hill, meadow, lake, coast – nothing likely to arouse human interest will be passed over in the search for subjects. And when this country is exhausted there are Canada and Central and South America to furnish an almost inexhaustible supply of material.

 

The pictures are made on plates, specially prepared for that purpose, and the highest type of photographic skill must be employed in order that reflection, refraction, the handling of the camera and the selection of the most fitting subjects, from the most advantageous positions, may be achieved.”[30]

 

As the company grew the Detroit Photographic Company, as it now called itself, increased its collection of photographs through the employment of its own photographers and by purchasing the collections of other photographers. Noteworthy photographers for the company included Lycurgus S. Glover (1858-1935), Henry Greenwood Peabody (1855-1951), John S. Johnston (c.1839-1899), Herbert R. Fitch (1868-1968), Clarence S. Jackson (1876-1961), Almon J. Tripp (c.1882-1962) and Edward H. Hart.

 

However, perhaps the most notable photographer to join the Detroit Photographic Company was William Henry Jackson (1843-1942). Jackson, a Civil War veteran, painter, and explorer, made a name for himself through his photography of the American West, including his work for the U.S. Geological and Geographic Survey of the Territories. He was the first person to photograph the scenes of what would become Yellowstone National Park, with his photographs playing an instrumental role in persuading Congress to establish Yellowstone as the country’s first national park.

 

In 1897 Jackson, facing mounting financial challenges, joined the Detroit firm as a partner, bringing with him his entire stock of glass plate negatives that then formed the core of the company’s visual offerings.

 

“During my few hours in New York I had run into an old acquaintance of mine, E. H. Husher, a well-known photographer of California scenes, who had recently returned from Switzerland, where he had been sent by a group of Detroit men to study a new photo-lithographic process for reproducing pictures in color. He told me that American rights to the process had been bought by his associates and that the Photochrom Company had been organized to exploit it. Most important (at least from my point of view), Husher, as superintendent, had recommended to his superior, William A. Livingstone, that the new company absorb the W. H. Jackson Company in order to acquire a stock of negatives. Furthermore, Husher had urged Mr. Livingstone to offer me a suitable position with the company.”[31]

 

For joining the company Jackson was offered $30,000, which included $5,000 in cash and $25,000 in company stock. Upon joining the company Jackson at first continued as a photographer, but eventually he and his family moved to Detroit, where he became the plant manager and company president. By 1903, at the age of 60, and with Husher’s retirement, Jackson had ended his work in the field to primarily focus on the plant operations, where he played an increasingly important role. He left the company when it went into receivership in 1924.

 

In 1905 the Detroit Photographic Company changed its name to the Detroit Publishing Company as it expanded its business beyond the publication of photographs, to include publishing catalogs, sales and promotional materials.

 

Throughout its history the Detroit Publishing Company sought opportunity to expand its business, often in reaction to public sentiment. In 1898, with the beginning of the Spanish-American War, there was huge public interest in the company’s photographs of Cuba and war-related scenes. There was also great interest in photographs of warships.

 

In the early 1900s the company signed a lucrative contract with the “Harvey House” chain of souvenir shops, restaurants and hotels to produce postcards to be sold at all their locations. The Harvey House chain of businesses operated alongside several busy railroads in the western United States. The postcards were used to promote the southwest as a travel destination, and to promote the Harvey businesses themselves.

 

In 1910 the Detroit Publishing Company expanded its line of images to include photographic replicas of artwork. This proved to be very popular, with the images being marketed as an educational tool, and being utilized as moderately priced home décor. Exhibits of the reproductions, with most of the public likely not ever being able to view the originals, were held throughout the country.

 

“Thistle Publications are the very beautiful reproductions of old and modern masters which are made by the Detroit Publishing Company of Detroit, Mich. These pictures are not only beautiful, they are almost perfect reproductions of their originals. Such critical artists as Winslow Homer, Henry W. Ranger and Gari Melchers have expressed their satisfaction in what this company has done with their pictures.”[32]

 

Starting in 1912 the company issued edited sets of 40 picture postcards titled Little “Phostint” Journeys, each set representing a specific region or subject. The 1912 Phostint catalog stated of the sets: “Tours through the Wonder Places of America illustrated in high grade Phostint post cards executed in nature’s coloring.” Advertisements stated that the sets were appropriate “for tourists, educators, fireside travelers, and users of projection lanterns.” There were 41 known volumes of Little “Phostint” Journeys, with some of the popular series including Historic Boston and Vicinity, New York City, The Quaker City (Philadelphia), Old Charleston, The Great Lakes, The Land of Sunshine, Yosemite and the Big Trees, Down the Mississippi, Missions of the Southwest and many more. Each journey was sold either in the form of a book with leather backs and titles in gold, advertised as “suitable for best library shelves,” or in cartons.

 

On the breadth of subjects published by the Detroit Publishing Company noted postcard historian Dorothy Ryan, in Picture Postcards in the United States: 1893-1918, wrote:

 

“One firm, the Detroit Publishing Company, a part of the Detroit Photographic Company, covered the length and breadth of America shortly after the turn of the century and chronicled as no other publisher attempted the diversity of people, activity, and industry found in the United States.

 

The hustle of large cities, the languor of small towns, farming and light industry, steel and other heavy manufacturing, harbors and shipping, the mansions of the wealthy and the tenements and ghettos of the poor, the varied social minorities; taken as a whole, a Detroit collection forms a rich and varied tapestry of what might be termed the “The American Scene.”[33]

 

At its height the Detroit Publishing Company had approximately 40,000 negatives in its inventory, from which it produced approximately seven million prints annually, and employed 40 artists and 12 traveling salesmen. The company maintained retail outlets in Detroit, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, London and Zurich, and controlled a worldwide distribution system that included mail-order and sales at prominent resorts and tourist attractions.

 

[1] “Agent Livingstone Resigns.” The Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). July 29, 1897.

[2] “Editor’s Table.” The Philadelphia Photographer. Vol. 16, No. 185. May 1879. p. 159.

[3] “Indiana.” Fort Wayne Daily Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana). April 11, 1879.

[4] Palmquist, Peter E.; Thomas R. Kailbourn. Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary 1840-1865. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2000. p. 538.

[5] “Mr. Husher, Who Goes Up.” Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, California). June 23, 1887.

[6] The American Amateur Photographer. Vol. 2, No. 5. May 1890.

[7] “Sky-High.” The Daily Examiner (San Francisco, California). April 17, 1887.

[8] “Sky-High.” The Daily Examiner (San Francisco, California). April 17, 1887.

[9] Burton, W. K. “Notes on Photography at San Francisco.” The Photographic News. Vol. 31, No. 1505. July 8, 1887.

[10] “Above the Clouds.” The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California). June 28, 1887.

[11] Husher, E. H. “The Hemenway Photography of E. H. Husher, 1888-1889: Three Images.” Journal of the Southwest 37, no. 4 (1995): 701-9. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40169951.

[12] “The Camera in Alaska.” The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California). October 20, 1889.

[13] “The Camera in Alaska.” The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California). October 20, 1889.

[14] “Lost in Wild Waters.” The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California). September 28, 1889.

[15] “Rescued by the Rush.” The Record-Union (Sacramento, California). October 3, 1889.

[16] Detroit of To-day, The City of the Strait. Detroit: Phoenix Publishing Co., 1893. p. 153.

[17] “Fifteenth Annual Convention, Photographers’ Association of America.” American Journal of Photography. Vol. 16, No. 190. October, 1895. p. 476.

[18] “The Photochrom Company.” The Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). December 30, 1896.

[19] “Photochrom Co. Incorporated.” The Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). December 13, 1895.

[20] Marks, Ben. “In Living Color: The Forgotten 19th-Century Photo Technology that Romanticized America.” Collectors Weekly. May 23, 2014.

[21] “News of the Courts.” The Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). August 11, 1897.

[22] “Demme-Whitney Wedding.” Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan.) June 26, 1895.

[23] Hannavy, John. Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. New York: Routledge, 2008. p. 1079.

[24] “Patents.” Photographic Correspondence. No. 330. 1888. p. 135.

[25] Kadish, Josh. “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Albert Schuler’s “Jaffa Gate” and the History of Holy Land Photography.” Kedma: Penn’s Journal on Jewish Thought, Jewish Culture, and Israel. Vol. 2, No. 5 Spring & Summer 2020.

[26] Kadish, Josh. “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Albert Schuler’s “Jaffa Gate” and the History of Holy Land Photography.” Kedma: Penn’s Journal on Jewish Thought, Jewish Culture, and Israel. Vol. 2, No. 5 Spring & Summer 2020.

[27] Burdick, Jefferson R. The Handbook of Detroit Publishing Co. Postcards. Essingston, PA: Hobby Publications, 1954. p. 54.

[28] “Preservative of Art.” The Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). August 8, 1895.

[29] “Located at Wyandotte.” The Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). December 18, 1895.

[30] “Photochrom Exhibition.” The Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan). December 19, 1897.

[31] Jackson, William Henry. Time Exposure: The Autobiography of William Henry Jackson. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1940. p. 321.

[32] Zug, George B. “Among the Art Galleries.” The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). May 18, 1913.

[33] Ryan, Dorothy B. Picture Postcards in the United States 1893-1918. 1982. p. 149.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills Detroit Detroit Photographic Company Detroit Publishing Company Edwin H. Husher Kingston Lake Minnewaska Lake Mohonk Library of Congress phostint photochrom Photocrhom Company photographs photography photos pictures postcards publisher William A. Livingstone William Henry Jackson https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/detroit-publishing-company-capturing-the-beauty-of-the-catskills-part-1 Sat, 08 Apr 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Merrill & Humphries, Delhi, NY Photographic Partnership: New Gallery https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/merrill-humphries-delhi-ny-photographic-partnership-new-gallery The partnership of Merrill and Humphries operated a drug store located at the village of Delhi in Delaware County, New York while also publishing scenic postcards of the western Catskills region from 1911 to 1928. After the partnership dissolved in 1928, Pierre B. Merrill continued to publish postcards under his own name.

 

See my blog post titled “Merrill & Humphries – Delhi, New York Photography Partnership” published on February 6, 2021 for an interesting biography of this famed photographic partnership.

 

I have recently acquired over 40 postcards that were published either by the partnership of Merrill & Humphries or by P. B. Merrill. All the postcards can be viewed on the Gallery page at: Gallery > Historic Catskills Photographers > Merrill & Humphries – Delhi, NY Photographers.

 

Below Sherwood’s Bridge, Delhi, N.Y.

Vintage postcard by Merrill and Humphries of the Delaware River below Sherwood’s Bridge in Delhi, New York.Below Sherwood’s Bridge, Delhi, N.Y.Sherwood’s Bridge crosses the West Branch of the Delaware River on Sherwood Road in the town of Delhi, New York. According to the history of the county “The first church in the town of Delhi stood just below Sherwood’s bridge on the opposite side of the river, and was built in 1811.”

The postcard was published by Merrill & Humphries of Delhi, New York. The postmark on the reverse side shows that it was mailed in 1919.

 

Delaware River and Boomhour Mountain, Delhi, N.Y.

Delaware River and Boomhour Mountain, Delhi, N.Y.Delaware River and Boomhour Mountain, Delhi, N.Y.

 

River Valley from Federal Hill, Delhi, N.Y.

River Valley from Federal Hill, Delhi, N.Y.River Valley from Federal Hill, Delhi, N.Y.

 

Scene on Delhi-Bloomville New York State Highway

Vintage postcard titled “Scene on Delhi-Bloomville New York State Highway” that was published by photographer P. B. Merrill.Scene on Delhi-Bloomville New York State HighwayThis vintage postcard titled “Scene on Delhi-Bloomville New York State Highway” was published by photographer P. B. Merrill. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Fitch's Bridge and Delaware River, Delhi, N.Y.
Fitch's Bridge and Delaware River, Delhi, N.Y.Fitch's Bridge and Delaware River, Delhi, N.Y.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills Delaware County Delhi drug store Merrill & Humphries Merrill and Humphries Merrill's Drug Store New York photographer photographs photography Pierre B. Merrill postcards shop store William A. Humphries https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/4/merrill-humphries-delhi-ny-photographic-partnership-new-gallery Sat, 01 Apr 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Schuyler S. Cornell: New Portraits and Stereoviews https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/3/schuyler-s-cornell-new-portraits-and-stereoviews Schuyler S. Cornell (1843-1927) was a popular photographer who operated out of the village of Stamford in Delaware County, New York for nearly 50 years. He operated a portrait studio on Main Street in the village and was also well known for his landscapes of the surrounding western Catskills.

 

I have recently acquired seven new stereoviews and three new portraits that were taken by Cornell. They have all been added to his gallery page.

 

Delaware Street, looking north

24_Delaware Street, looking north24_Delaware Street, looking north

 

Delaware Street, Residence of Judge I. H. Maynard

25_Delaware Street, Residence of Judge I. H. Maynard25_Delaware Street, Residence of Judge I. H. Maynard

 

Devasego Falls from North Bank

40_Devasego Falls from North Bank40_Devasego Falls from North Bank

 

View of Roadway to Mount Jefferson

45_View of Roadway to Mount Jefferson45_View of Roadway to Mount Jefferson

 

View North from Mount Jefferson

46_View North from Mount Jefferson46_View North from Mount Jefferson

 

Mountain View

Mountain ViewMountain View

 

Landscape View

Landscape ViewLandscape View

 

Portrait, Grandma Barlur

Portrait, Grandma BarlurPortrait, Grandma BarlurPhotographer: S. S. Cornell

Schuyler S. Cornell was a popular photographer who operated out of the village of Stamford in Delaware County, New York for nearly 50 years. He operated a portrait studio on Main Street in the village and was also well known for his landscapes of the surrounding western Catskills.

 

Portrait, Uncle Jeb Barlur

Portrait, Uncle Jeb BarlurPortrait, Uncle Jeb BarlurPhotographer: S. S. Cornell

Schuyler S. Cornell was a popular photographer who operated out of the village of Stamford in Delaware County, New York for nearly 50 years. He operated a portrait studio on Main Street in the village and was also well known for his landscapes of the surrounding western Catskills.

 

Portrait, R. L. Barlur and wife

Portrait, R. L. Barlur and wifePortrait, R. L. Barlur and wifePhotographer: S. S. Cornell

Schuyler S. Cornell was a popular photographer who operated out of the village of Stamford in Delaware County, New York for nearly 50 years. He operated a portrait studio on Main Street in the village and was also well known for his landscapes of the surrounding western Catskills.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills Delaware County gallery Jeb Barlur New York photographer photographs photography portraits R. L. Barlur S. S. Cornell Schuyler S. Cornell soldier Stamford stereoviews studio Views of Stamford & Vicinity village https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/3/schuyler-s-cornell-new-portraits-and-stereoviews Sat, 25 Mar 2023 12:00:00 GMT
Stereoviews of the Catskills by the E. & H. T. Anthony Co. https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/3/stereoviews-of-the-catskills-by-the-e-h-t-anthony-co The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest views of the Catskills of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including The Artistic Series, The Glens of the Catskills, and Winter in the Catskills. Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

I have recently acquired six new stereoviews of the Catskills that were published by the E. & H. T. Anthony & Company. Each of the stereoviews have all been added to the Anthony gallery, which now contains 134 of the company’s Catskills works.

 

Glen Cottage near Kauterskill Falls (# 8547)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. stereoview # 8547 titled “Glen Cottage near Kauterskill Falls” in the “The Glens of the Catskills” series.8547_Glen Cottage near Kauterskill FallsPublisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 8547
Title: Glen Cottage near Kauterskill Falls.

 

Bears Den, North Mountain (# 8550, version 2)

8550, version 2_Bears Den, North Mountain8550, version 2_Bears Den, North MountainPublisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 8550, version 2
Title: Bears Den, North Mountain.

 

Looking Down Kauterskill Notch (# 8553)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony stereoview # 8553 titled “Looking Down Kauterskill Notvch” in the “The Glens of the Catskills” series.8553_Looking Down Kauterskill NotchPublisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 8553
Title: Looking Down Kauterskill Notch.

 

Kauterskill Clove and Hain's Fall from Sunset Rock, Hunter Mountain in the distance (# 9066)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. stereoview # 9066 titled “Kauterskill Clove and Hain’s Fall from Sunset Rock, Hunter Mountain in the distance” from “The Glens of the Catskills” series.9066_Kauterskill Clove and Hain's Fall from Sunset Rock, Hunter Mountain in the distancePublisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 9066
Title: Kauterskill Clove and Hain’s Fall from Sunset Rock, Hunter Mountain in the distance.

 

The Valley of the Lake from North Mountain – High Peak and Round Top in the distance – High Peak 3800 ft. from level of the Hudson River (# 9075)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. stereoview # 9075 titled “The Valley of the Lake from North Mountain – High Peak and Round Top in the distance – High Peak 3800 ft. from level of the Hudson River” fro9075_The Valley of the Lake from North Mountain – High Peak and Round Top in the distance – High Peak 3800 ft. from level of the Hudson RiverPublisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 9075
Title: The Valley of the Lake from North Mountain – High Peak and Round Top in the distance – High Peak 3800 ft. from level of the Hudson River.

 

Icy Bridge (# 809)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Company stereoview # 809 from the “Winter in the Catskills” series depicting an ice-covered bridge.809_Icy Bridge.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: Winter in the Catskills
Stereoview #: 809
Title: None listed; Description: Icy Bridge

Reverse side: “These are some of the most remarkable Ice and Snow scenes in existence, and every assortment of stereoscopic views should contain a selection from them.”

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills E. & H. T. Anthony Edward Anthony Gems of American Scenery Glens of the Catskills Henry T. Anthony New York photographer photographs photography photos pictures stereo view stereograph stereoscopic stereoviews The Artistic Series Winter in the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/3/stereoviews-of-the-catskills-by-the-e-h-t-anthony-co Sat, 18 Mar 2023 12:00:00 GMT
The Foot Race, Loch Sheldrake, N.Y. https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/3/the-foot-race-loch-sheldrake-n-y For several years now I have been collecting postcards and photographs from throughout the four-county region of the Catskills. Most of my purchases have focused on specific requirements, perhaps a particular photographer, or a certain location, and some items for my Catskills: Then and Now series.

 

Every once in a while though I will come across a postcard or photograph that does not fit a particularly category, but will nonetheless capture my attention. That was certainly the case with this vintage postcard titled “The Foot Race, Loch Sheldrake, N.Y.”

 

In this vintage postcard five young men speedily take off at the beginning of an apparently very serious foot race at the hamlet of Loch Sheldrake in Sullivan County, New York. All the young men are well dressed, each wearing nice pants and dress shirts, and three of them wearing ties. Given the stylish clothes and the large cross that looms above them in the background, perhaps the race was taking place after a Sunday church service. Also in the background, just behind the young men, an older man gleefully jumps in the air, perhaps signaling the start of the race.

 

Each of the young men take off with sheer determination, as seen in their facial expressions, speeding their way down the dirt road to an unseen finish line. One can only imagine what the challenge was or what was at stake for these five young men to inspire such determination.

 

The postcard was published by L. G. Laidlaw as part of his Artino Series. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Vintage postcard published by L. G. Laidlaw depicting five young men beginning a very serious foot race at Loch Sheldrake, New York.The Foot Race, Loch Sheldrake, N.Y.In this vintage postcard five young men speedily take off at the beginning of an apparently very serious foot race at the hamlet of Loch Sheldrake in Sullivan County, New York. All the young men are well dressed, each wearing nice pants and dress shirts, and three of them wearing ties. Given the stylish clothes and the large cross that looms above them in the background, perhaps the race was taking place after a Sunday church service. Also in the background, just behind the young men, an older man gleefully jumps in the air, perhaps signaling the start of the race.

Each of the young men take off with sheer determination, as seen in their facial expressions, speeding their way down the dirt road to an unseen finish line. One can only imagine what the challenge was or what was at stake for these five young men to inspire such determination.

The postcard was published by L. G. Laidlaw as part of his Artino Series. The postcard was never mailed.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) boys Catskill Mountains Catskills foot race L. G. Laidlaw Loch Sheldrake men N.Y. photograph postcard race run running sport Sullivan County The Foot Race https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/3/the-foot-race-loch-sheldrake-n-y Sat, 11 Mar 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge – A Photographic Study https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/3/ashokan-turnwood-covered-bridge-a-photographic-study The historic Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is located at the Ashokan Center in the Catskills hamlet of Olivebridge, New York. The 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.”

 

Photograph of the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge, located at the Ashkokan Center in the Catskills hamlet of Olivebridge, New York.Ashokan-Turnwood Covered BridgeThe historic Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is located at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York.

The town lattice truss bridge, spanning 72 feet over the famed Esopus Creek, was originally built in 1885 by Nelson Tompkins to span the Beaver Kill in the small western Catskills hamlet of Turnwood. After being replaced by a modern steel bridge, the covered bridge was sold, and all bridge parts were numbered, dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its current location, then a private estate, in 1939. The Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of 24 covered bridges in New York State that has been identified as historic.

 

Photograph of the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge, located at the Ashkokan Center in the Catskills hamlet of Olivebridge, New York.Across the CreekThe historic Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is located at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York.

The town lattice truss bridge, spanning 72 feet over the famed Esopus Creek, was originally built in 1885 by Nelson Tompkins to span the Beaver Kill in the small western Catskills hamlet of Turnwood. After being replaced by a modern steel bridge, the covered bridge was sold, and all bridge parts were numbered, dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its current location, then a private estate, in 1939. The Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of 24 covered bridges in New York State that has been identified as historic.

 

Photograph of the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge, located at the Ashkokan Center in the Catskills hamlet of Olivebridge, New York.Morning at the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered BridgeThe historic Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is located at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York.

The town lattice truss bridge, spanning 72 feet over the famed Esopus Creek, was originally built in 1885 by Nelson Tompkins to span the Beaver Kill in the small western Catskills hamlet of Turnwood. After being replaced by a modern steel bridge, the covered bridge was sold, and all bridge parts were numbered, dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its current location, then a private estate, in 1939. The Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of 24 covered bridges in New York State that has been identified as historic.

 

The Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge was originally built in 1885 by Nelson Tompkins to span the Beaver Kill in the small western Catskills hamlet of Turnwood, town of Hardenbergh, Ulster County. The hamlet of Turnwood, and thus the bridge, took its name from the small hand turning mill owned by Hooper Tripp that was located there.

 

As the covered bridge approached 50 years of age it was becoming increasingly dangerous due to growing automobile and truck traffic, as well as limited sight lines and the sharp turns required at both portals. In 1934 the bridge was declared unsafe by the local government. In 1938 severe local flooding damaged the stone abutments. The following year, in 1939, after being replaced by a modern steel bridge, the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge was sold at auction for one dollar to prominent businessman Lester A. Moehring. All the bridge parts were numbered, dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its current location, then Moehring’s private estate.

 

In 1955 the Moehring property was sold to Frank V. Banks, who renamed the property Barrington Lodge. Banks only owned the property for two years, selling it in 1957 to the State University Teacher’s College at New Paltz, now SUNY New Paltz, for use as recreational camp for students and faculty. It was later used for the outdoor education of schoolchildren and for teacher training. In 2008 the property was sold to the Open Space Conservancy, who in turn sold a portion of the land to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to facilitate water supply operations and the rest of the land to the non-profit Ashokan Foundation.

 

At its current location the single span Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge crosses over the famed Esopus Creek, immediately east of Winchell Falls. The bridge portals are oriented north and south. The bridge measures 72 feet long and 16 feet wide. It is constructed using the town lattice truss design and is set upon on abutments of dry laid fieldstone capped with concrete.

 

Photograph of the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge, located at the Ashkokan Center in the Catskills hamlet of Olivebridge, New York.All's Quiet at the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered BridgeThe historic Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is located at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York.

The town lattice truss bridge, spanning 72 feet over the famed Esopus Creek, was originally built in 1885 by Nelson Tompkins to span the Beaver Kill in the small western Catskills hamlet of Turnwood. After being replaced by a modern steel bridge, the covered bridge was sold, and all bridge parts were numbered, dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its current location, then a private estate, in 1939. The Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of 24 covered bridges in New York State that has been identified as historic.

 

Photograph of the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge, located at the Ashkokan Center in the Catskills hamlet of Olivebridge, New York.Ten Dollars FineThe historic Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is located at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York.

The town lattice truss bridge, spanning 72 feet over the famed Esopus Creek, was originally built in 1885 by Nelson Tompkins to span the Beaver Kill in the small western Catskills hamlet of Turnwood. After being replaced by a modern steel bridge, the covered bridge was sold, and all bridge parts were numbered, dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its current location, then a private estate, in 1939. The Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of 24 covered bridges in New York State that has been identified as historic.

 

Photograph of the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge, located at the Ashkokan Center in the Catskills hamlet of Olivebridge, New York.Town Lattice, Ashokan-Turnwood Covered BridgeThe historic Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is located at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York.

The town lattice truss bridge, spanning 72 feet over the famed Esopus Creek, was originally built in 1885 by Nelson Tompkins to span the Beaver Kill in the small western Catskills hamlet of Turnwood. After being replaced by a modern steel bridge, the covered bridge was sold, and all bridge parts were numbered, dismantled, moved, and reconstructed at its current location, then a private estate, in 1939. The Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of 24 covered bridges in New York State that has been identified as historic.

 

The Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge is currently located on the property of the Ashokan Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to outdoor and environmental education. Located on over 370 acres, the Ashokan Center hosts school and hobby groups as well as community events such as blacksmithing, square dancing, guitar camp and a fall festival. The beautiful property is like taking a step back in time being home. In addition to the Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge, beautiful sites at the Ashokan Center include Winchell Falls, Cathedral Gorge, an 1817 schoolhouse, a large lake, a barnyard and a horse pasture. The Ashokan Center, historically known as The Ashokan Field Campus Historic District, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visit the Ashokan Center website at www.ashokancenter.org for more information.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) architecture Ashokan Center Ashokan Field Campus Ashokan-Turnwood Covered Bridge Beaverkill Beaverkill Road bridge Catskill Mountains Catskills covered bridge Esopus Creek Matthew Jarnich National Register of Historic Places Nelson Tompkins New York Olivebridge photographer photography photos pictures SUNY New Paltz tourism travel Turnwood https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/3/ashokan-turnwood-covered-bridge-a-photographic-study Sat, 04 Mar 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Beaverkill Covered Bridge – A Photographic Study https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/2/beaverkill-covered-bridge-a-photographic-study “If there is one stream more than another that deserves the title of a perfect trout-stream it is the Beaverkill.” – Benjamin Kent

 

 

The historic Beaverkill Covered Bridge is located north of the Catskills hamlet of Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, New York. The historic bridge provides a scenic background as part of the Beaverkill State Campground, one of the oldest campgrounds in the Catskills.

 

Photograph of the Beaverkill Covered Bridge, located north of the Catskills hamlet of Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, New York.Beaverkill Covered Bridge

 

Photograph of the Beaverkill Covered Bridge, located north of the Catskills hamlet of Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, New York.Crossing the Beaverkill

 

Photograph of the Beaverkill Covered Bridge, located north of the Catskills hamlet of Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, New York.Beautiful Morning at the Beaverkill Covered Bridge

 

The bridge was originally built in 1865 by John Davidson, a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. The town lattice truss bridge is 14.5 feet wide and spans 98 feet over the famed Beaverkill River. It is open to vehicular traffic and continues to this day as a key river crossing point for local communities. The Beaverkill Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Grave site for John Davidson, builder of the Bendo Covered Bridge, the Livingston Manor Covered Bridge and the Beaverkill Covered Bridge.RIP John, Amanda and Clara DavidsonLew Beach, Sullivan County

John Davidson (1815-1875) was a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman, sawmill owner and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. He constructed the Bendo Covered Bridge (1860), the Livingston Manor Covered Bridge (1860) and the Beaverkill Covered Bridge (1865).

John was born in 1815 in the Highlands of Scotland to shepherd William Davidson (1786-1876) and Rebecca Black (1786-1870). Along with his family, John Davidson immigrated to the United States in 1819. The family first moved to Andes where they spent 1 ½ years, before settling down at Campbell Mountain near Downsville in Delaware County, New York. The family owned 140 acres of forest that was improved in to a working family farm.

At some time in the 1840s John Davidson moved to a farm near the hamlet of Shin Creek (now known as Lew Beach) in the Beaverkill Valley in the Town of Rockland, Sullivan County. On February 27, 1845, John Davidson married Amanda Joscelyn (~1823-1902), daughter of Hon. G. S. Joscelyn. John and Amanda had 14 children together. John died in 1875 during an accident involving “falling logs” at the Voorhees mill. Both John and Amanda are buried at the Davidson Cemetery near Lew Beach.

 

The aging Beaverkill Covered Bridge was restored between 2015 and 2017. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the project’s completion in June 2017 with a press release that included a description of the work completed. “Extensive repairs were made to the one-lane bridge, including a full replacement of the timber decking, roofing and siding, and replacement of selected floor beams, roof rafters and support members as necessary. The abutment on the eastern side of the bridge was reconstructed to replicate the original stone approach ramp. The western abutment was resurfaced with stone from the eastern approach ramp in order to replicate the original stone wall appearance. As part of the project, a walkway underneath the bridge – located between the eastern pier and abutment – was widened. One of the bridge piers was repaired.” (www.governor.ny.gov. “Governor Cuomo Announces Completion of Historic Covered Bridge Rehabilitation Project.” Albany, NY. June 21, 2017.)

 

The Beaverkill Covered Bridge, seen here with exposed town lattice trusses due to the removed siding, underwent a major restoration project between 2015 and 2017.UncoveredLivingston Manor, Sullivan County

The historic Beaverkill Covered Bridge, also known as Conklin Bridge, was originally built in 1865 by John Davidson, a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. The town lattice truss bridge, located north of Livingston Manor, is 14.5 feet wide and spans 98 feet over the famed Beaverkill River. The historic bridge provides a scenic background as part of the Beaverkill State Campground, one of the oldest campgrounds in the Catskills. It is open to vehicular traffic and continues to this day as a key river crossing point for local communities. The Covered Bridge Pool, a scenic and popular fly-fishing location, is located adjacent and underneath the bridge. The Beaverkill Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The aging Beaverkill Covered Bridge was restored between 2015 and 2017. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the project’s completion in June 2017 with a press release that included a description of the work completed. “Extensive repairs were made to the one-lane bridge, including a full replacement of the timber decking, roofing and siding, and replacement of selected floor beams, roof rafters and support members as necessary. The abutment on the eastern side of the bridge was reconstructed to replicate the original stone approach ramp. The western abutment was resurfaced with stone from the eastern approach ramp in order to replicate the original stone wall appearance. As part of the project, a walkway underneath the bridge – located between the eastern pier and abutment – was widened. One of the bridge piers was repaired.” (www.governor.ny.gov. “Governor Cuomo Announces Completion of Historic Covered Bridge Rehabilitation Project.” Albany, NY. June 21, 2017.)

 

The Beaverkill Covered Bridge, seen here with exposed town lattice trusses due to the removed siding, underwent a major restoration project between 2015 and 2017.UncoveredLivingston Manor, Sullivan County

The historic Beaverkill Covered Bridge, also known as Conklin Bridge, was originally built in 1865 by John Davidson, a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. The town lattice truss bridge, located north of Livingston Manor, is 14.5 feet wide and spans 98 feet over the famed Beaverkill River. The historic bridge provides a scenic background as part of the Beaverkill State Campground, one of the oldest campgrounds in the Catskills. It is open to vehicular traffic and continues to this day as a key river crossing point for local communities. The Covered Bridge Pool, a scenic and popular fly-fishing location, is located adjacent and underneath the bridge. The Beaverkill Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The aging Beaverkill Covered Bridge was restored between 2015 and 2017. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the project’s completion in June 2017 with a press release that included a description of the work completed. “Extensive repairs were made to the one-lane bridge, including a full replacement of the timber decking, roofing and siding, and replacement of selected floor beams, roof rafters and support members as necessary. The abutment on the eastern side of the bridge was reconstructed to replicate the original stone approach ramp. The western abutment was resurfaced with stone from the eastern approach ramp in order to replicate the original stone wall appearance. As part of the project, a walkway underneath the bridge – located between the eastern pier and abutment – was widened. One of the bridge piers was repaired.” (www.governor.ny.gov. “Governor Cuomo Announces Completion of Historic Covered Bridge Rehabilitation Project.” Albany, NY. June 21, 2017.)

 

The Covered Bridge Pool, a scenic and popular fly-fishing location, is located adjacent and underneath the bridge. The historic plaque at the site reads: “Covered Bridge Pool. This stretch of the Beaverkill was a favorite of Theodore Gordon (1854-1915). Fly fisher, fly-tier and creator of the Quill Gordon, one of the first purely American dry flies. Erected by Theodore Gordon Flyfishers.”

 

Photograph of the sign for the Covered Bridge Pool, located at the Beaverkill Covered Bridge, north of the Catskills hamlet of Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, New York.Covered Bridge PoolThe Covered Bridge Pool, a scenic and popular fly-fishing location, is located adjacent and underneath the historic Beaverkill Covered Bridge. The bridge is located north of the Catskills hamlet of Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, New York.

The historic plaque at the site reads: “Covered Bridge Pool. This stretch of the Beaverkill was a favorite of Theodore Gordon (1854-1915). Fly fisher, fly-tier and creator of the Quill Gordon, one of the first purely American dry flies. Erected by Theodore Gordon Flyfishers.”

The historic Beaverkill Covered Bridge provides a scenic background as part of the Beaverkill State Campground, one of the oldest campgrounds in the Catskills. The bridge was originally built in 1865 by John Davidson, a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. The town lattice truss bridge is 14.5 feet wide and spans 98 feet over the famed Beaverkill River. It is open to vehicular traffic and continues to this day as a key river crossing point for local communities. The Beaverkill Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Photograph of the autumn colors on the Beaverkill, located north of the Catskills hamlet of Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, New York, near the Covered Bridge.Morning on the BeaverkillThe Beaverkill, or Beaver Kill, is a 44-mile tributary of the East Branch Delaware River. The reputation of the Beaverkill as an unparalleled trout fly-fishing destination is known far and wide. Seen here are the autumn colors of the Catskills at the Covered Bridge Pool, aptly named for the adjacent Beaverkill Covered Bridge.

The historic Beaverkill Covered Bridge is located north of the Catskills hamlet of Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, New York. The historic bridge provides a scenic background as part of the Beaverkill State Campground, one of the oldest campgrounds in the Catskills.

 

The Beaverkill, or Beaver Kill, is a 44-mile tributary of the East Branch Delaware River. It has its source near the col between Graham Mountain and Doubletop Mountain. The reputation of the Beaverkill as an unparalleled trout fly-fishing destination is known far and wide.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Beaverkill Camp Road Beaverkill Covered Bridge Beaverkill River Beaverkill State Campground Beaverkill State Park Beaverkill Valley bridge brook camp campground camping Catskill Mountains Catskills covered bridge Covered Bridge Pool creek fish fishing fly-fishing John Davidson Livingston Manor Matthew Jarnich National Register of Historic Places New York photographer photographs photos pool river Roscoe Theodore Gordon tourism travel https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/2/beaverkill-covered-bridge-a-photographic-study Sat, 25 Feb 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Tanbark Trail at Phoenicia https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/2/tanbark-trail-at-phoenicia The Tanbark Trail in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia offers a moderately challenging 2.1-mile route, with views from both Phoenicia Overlook and Grand View Ledge. Both wonderful viewpoints overlook the hamlet of Phoenicia, surrounded by the idyllic Esopus Valley landscape of Mount Pleasant (2,900 feet), Romer Mountain (2,160 feet), and Panther Mountain (3,730 feet, the 17th highest mountain in the Catskills). Route 28, Route 214 and the south ridge of Sheridan Mountain are all visible.

 

The woods and mountains surrounding Phoenicia were once home to two prominent industries, including the quarrying of local bluestone and the tanning of leather utilizing the abundant hemlock trees in the area. The Tanbark Trail follows some of the old roads that were constructed for these industries.

 

The Grand View Overlook and the Phoenicia Overlook provide wonderful mountain views overlooking the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia and the Esopus Valley landscape.Grand View Ledge, AutumnGrand View Ledge, and the nearby Phoenicia Overlook, provides a wonderful mountain view overlooking the hamlet of Phoenicia, surrounded by the idyllic Esopus Valley landscape of Mount Pleasant (2,900 feet), Romer Mountain (2,160 feet), and Panther Mountain (3,730 feet, the 17th highest mountain in the Catskills). Route 28, Route 214 and the south ridge of Sheridan Mountain are all visible. This is one of the best places I know of where you can see and feel the symbiotic relationship between man and nature that so epitomizes the Catskills.

 

The Grand View Overlook and the Phoenicia Overlook provide wonderful mountain views overlooking the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia and the Esopus Valley landscape.Grand View LedgeGrand View Ledge, and the nearby Phoenicia Overlook, provides a wonderful mountain view overlooking the hamlet of Phoenicia, surrounded by the idyllic Esopus Valley landscape of Mount Pleasant (2,900 feet), Romer Mountain (2,160 feet), and Panther Mountain (3,730 feet, the 17th highest mountain in the Catskills). Route 28, Route 214 and the south ridge of Sheridan Mountain are all visible. This is one of the best places I know of where you can see and feel the symbiotic relationship between man and nature that so epitomizes the Catskills.

 

The Grand View Overlook and the Phoenicia Overlook provide wonderful mountain views overlooking the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia and the Esopus Valley landscape.Grand view Overlook, Phoenicia, NYGrand View Ledge, and the nearby Phoenicia Overlook, provides a wonderful mountain view overlooking the hamlet of Phoenicia, surrounded by the idyllic Esopus Valley landscape of Mount Pleasant (2,900 feet), Romer Mountain (2,160 feet), and Panther Mountain (3,730 feet, the 17th highest mountain in the Catskills). Route 28, Route 214 and the south ridge of Sheridan Mountain are all visible. This is one of the best places I know of where you can see and feel the symbiotic relationship between man and nature that so epitomizes the Catskills.

 

The Grand View Overlook and the Phoenicia Overlook provide wonderful mountain views overlooking the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia and the Esopus Valley landscape.Phoenicia OverlookThe Phoenicia Overlook, at an elevation of 1,145 feet, provides a wonderful mountain view overlooking the hamlet of Phoenicia, surrounded by the idyllic Esopus Valley landscape of Mount Pleasant (2,900 feet), Romer Mountain (2,160 feet), and Panther Mountain (3,730 feet, the 17th highest mountain in the Catskills). Route 28, Route 214 and the south ridge of Sheridan Mountain are all visible. This is one of the best places I know of where you can see and feel the symbiotic relationship between man and nature that so epitomizes the Catskills.

 

The Grand View Overlook and the Phoenicia Overlook provide wonderful mountain views overlooking the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia and the Esopus Valley landscape.Phoenicia, From AboveThe Phoenicia Overlook, at an elevation of 1,145 feet, provides a wonderful mountain view overlooking the hamlet of Phoenicia, surrounded by the idyllic Esopus Valley landscape of Mount Pleasant (2,900 feet), Romer Mountain (2,160 feet), and Panther Mountain (3,730 feet, the 17th highest mountain in the Catskills). Route 28, Route 214 and the south ridge of Sheridan Mountain are all visible. This is one of the best places I know of where you can see and feel the symbiotic relationship between man and nature that so epitomizes the Catskills.

 

Photograph of a makeshift pile of bluestone, in the form of a shrine, located on the Tanbark Trail in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.Shrine to the Bluestone GodsThe Tanbark Trail in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia offers a moderately challenging 2.1-mile route, with views from both Phoenicia Overlook and Grand View Ledge. Both wonderful viewpoints overlook the hamlet of Phoenicia, surrounded by the idyllic Esopus Valley landscape of Mount Pleasant (2,900 feet), Romer Mountain (2,160 feet), and Panther Mountain (3,730 feet, the 17th highest mountain in the Catskills). Route 28, Route 214 and the south ridge of Sheridan Mountain are all visible.

The woods and mountains surrounding Phoenicia were once home to two prominent industries, including the quarrying of local bluestone and the tanning of leather utilizing the abundant hemlock trees in the area. The Tanbark Trail follows some of the old roads that were constructed for these industries. This quirky Shrine to the Bluestone Gods can be found along the Tanbark Trail.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) bluestone Catskill Mountains Catskills Grand View Ledge hemlock hike hiking Matthew Jarnich New York overlook Phoenicia Phoenicia Overlook photographer photographs photos Tanbark Trail tannery tanning tourism trail travel view https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/2/tanbark-trail-at-phoenicia Sat, 18 Feb 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Phoenicia Diner https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/2/phoenicia-diner The legendary Phoenicia Diner is located along Route 28 outside the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York. The diner structure was constructed in 1962 by the DeRaffele Manufacturing Company and was originally located on Long Island. The diner was then moved to its current location in the Catskills in the early 1980s. The first iteration of the diner, operated by owner Chris Raptis, served the public for nearly 30 years, closing its doors in 2011.

 

The following year, in 2012, the diner was bought by Mike Cioffi, a Brooklyn native who owned a cabin in the area. With no restaurant experience, he reinvigorated the establishment with a mix of diner favorites and trendy modern fare. Now operating for nearly a decade, the Phoenicia Diner remains a very popular establishment with visitors, weekenders and locals alike. Check out their website for more information including hours and menu: www.phoeniciadiner.com.

 

Photograph of the popular Phoenicia Diner, located along busy Route 28 outside the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.Phoenicia DinerThe legendary Phoenicia Diner is located along Route 28 outside the hamlet of Phoenicia. The diner structure was constructed in 1962 by the DeRaffele Manufacturing Company and was originally located on Long Island. The diner was then moved to its current location in the Catskills in the early 1980s. The first iteration of the diner, operated by owner Chris Raptis, served the public for nearly 30 years, closing its doors in 2011.

The following year, in 2012, the diner was bought by Mike Cioffi, a Brooklyn native who owned a cabin in the area. With no restaurant experience, he reinvigorated the establishment with a mix of diner favorites and trendy modern fare. Now operating for nearly a decade, the Phoenicia Diner remains a very popular establishment with visitors, weekenders and locals alike. Check out their website for more information including hours and menu: www.phoeniciadiner.com.

 

Photograph of the popular Phoenicia Diner, located along busy Route 28 outside the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.DinerThe legendary Phoenicia Diner is located along Route 28 outside the hamlet of Phoenicia. The diner structure was constructed in 1962 by the DeRaffele Manufacturing Company and was originally located on Long Island. The diner was then moved to its current location in the Catskills in the early 1980s. The first iteration of the diner, operated by owner Chris Raptis, served the public for nearly 30 years, closing its doors in 2011.

The following year, in 2012, the diner was bought by Mike Cioffi, a Brooklyn native who owned a cabin in the area. With no restaurant experience, he reinvigorated the establishment with a mix of diner favorites and trendy modern fare. Now operating for nearly a decade, the Phoenicia Diner remains a very popular establishment with visitors, weekenders and locals alike. Check out their website for more information including hours and menu: www.phoeniciadiner.com.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills diner food hickster hipster Matthew Jarnich Mike Cioffi New York Phoenicia Phoenicia Diner photographer photographs photos restaurant Route 28 tourism travel Ulster County https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/2/phoenicia-diner Sat, 11 Feb 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Davy Crockett, at Phoenicia https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/2/davy-crockett-at-phoenicia The imposing ten-foot-tall fiberglass statue of old Davy Crockett, standing proudly with a rifle over his shoulder and a coonskin cap on his head, can be found in front of the Sportsman’s Alamo Cantina in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York. The statue has been a prominent part of the Phoenicia’s Main Street since at least the 1970s. It has become the unofficial mascot of Phoenicia, even being prominently displayed on the town sign, which is located at the hamlet entrance along Route 28. For several years, Davy Crockett Day was celebrated in the town of Shandaken (which includes Phoenicia), with events including a dedication ceremony, a look-alike contest and a ukulele concert featuring “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.”

 

Photograph of the Davy Crockett statue located in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.Davy CrockettThe imposing ten-foot-tall fiberglass statue of old Davy Crockett, standing proudly with a rifle over his shoulder and a coonskin cap on his head, can be found in front of the Sportsman’s Alamo Cantina in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia. The statue has been a prominent part of the Phoenicia’s Main Street since at least the 1970s. It has become the unofficial mascot of Phoenicia, even being prominently displayed on the town sign, which is located at the hamlet entrance along Route 28. For several years, Davy Crockett Day was celebrated in the town of Shandaken (which includes Phoenicia), with events including a dedication ceremony, a look-alike contest and a ukulele concert featuring “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.”

Davy Crockett (1786-1836) was a frontiersman, soldier, politician and American folk hero. As a frontiersman, Crockett gained a widespread reputation as a fearless scout, sharpshooter and bear hunter. As a solider, Crockett was a veteran of both the Creek War and the War of 1812. As a politician, he served as a congressman representing Tennessee in the US House of Representatives. As an all-around American folk hero, Crockett’s life was popularized in “The Lion of the West,” a play that first appeared in 1831. In popular culture he is often referred to as the “King of the Wild Frontier.” Further burnishing his legendary reputation, Davy Crockett famously died at the historic Battle of the Alamo in Texas in 1836.

Photograph of the Davy Crockett statue located in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.Davy Crockett, Phoenicia, New YorkThe imposing ten-foot-tall fiberglass statue of old Davy Crockett, standing proudly with a rifle over his shoulder and a coonskin cap on his head, can be found in front of the Sportsman’s Alamo Cantina in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia. The statue has been a prominent part of the Phoenicia’s Main Street since at least the 1970s. It has become the unofficial mascot of Phoenicia, even being prominently displayed on the town sign, which is located at the hamlet entrance along Route 28. For several years, Davy Crockett Day was celebrated in the town of Shandaken (which includes Phoenicia), with events including a dedication ceremony, a look-alike contest and a ukulele concert featuring “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.”

Davy Crockett (1786-1836) was a frontiersman, soldier, politician and American folk hero. As a frontiersman, Crockett gained a widespread reputation as a fearless scout, sharpshooter and bear hunter. As a solider, Crockett was a veteran of both the Creek War and the War of 1812. As a politician, he served as a congressman representing Tennessee in the US House of Representatives. As an all-around American folk hero, Crockett’s life was popularized in “The Lion of the West,” a play that first appeared in 1831. In popular culture he is often referred to as the “King of the Wild Frontier.” Further burnishing his legendary reputation, Davy Crockett famously died at the historic Battle of the Alamo in Texas in 1836.

 

Davy Crockett (1786-1836) was a frontiersman, soldier, politician and American folk hero. As a frontiersman, Crockett gained a widespread reputation as a fearless scout, sharpshooter and bear hunter. As a solider, Crockett was a veteran of both the Creek War and the War of 1812. As a politician, he served as a congressman representing Tennessee in the US House of Representatives. As an all-around American folk hero, Crockett’s life was popularized in “The Lion of the West,” a play that first appeared in 1831. In popular culture he is often referred to as the “King of the Wild Frontier.” Further burnishing his legendary reputation, Davy Crockett famously died at the historic Battle of the Alamo in Texas in 1836.

 

Photograph of the Davy Crockett statue located in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.King of the Wild FrontierThe imposing ten-foot-tall fiberglass statue of old Davy Crockett, standing proudly with a rifle over his shoulder and a coonskin cap on his head, can be found in front of the Sportsman’s Alamo Cantina in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia. The statue has been a prominent part of the Phoenicia’s Main Street since at least the 1970s. It has become the unofficial mascot of Phoenicia, even being prominently displayed on the town sign, which is located at the hamlet entrance along Route 28. For several years, Davy Crockett Day was celebrated in the town of Shandaken (which includes Phoenicia), with events including a dedication ceremony, a look-alike contest and a ukulele concert featuring “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.”

Davy Crockett (1786-1836) was a frontiersman, soldier, politician and American folk hero. As a frontiersman, Crockett gained a widespread reputation as a fearless scout, sharpshooter and bear hunter. As a solider, Crockett was a veteran of both the Creek War and the War of 1812. As a politician, he served as a congressman representing Tennessee in the US House of Representatives. As an all-around American folk hero, Crockett’s life was popularized in “The Lion of the West,” a play that first appeared in 1831. In popular culture he is often referred to as the “King of the Wild Frontier.” Further burnishing his legendary reputation, Davy Crockett famously died at the historic Battle of the Alamo in Texas in 1836.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills Davy Crockett main street mascot Matthew Jarnich Mystery Spot New York Phoenicia photographer photographs photos sculpture Shandaken Sportsman's Alamo Cantina statue symbol tourism travel Ulster County https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/2/davy-crockett-at-phoenicia Sat, 04 Feb 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Phoenicia Railroad Station – A Photographic Study https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/1/phoenicia-railroad-station-a-photographic-study The Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. The station served the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad (UDRR).

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York.Phoenicia Railroad StationThe Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. The station served the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad (UDRR).

The Rondout and Oswego Railroad was chartered in 1866 by Thomas Cornell. 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 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. 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 was advertised as “The Only All-Rail Route to the Catskill Mountains.” At its peak, in 1913, the railroad carried 675,000 passengers.

Eventually the rise of the automobile and changing vacation patterns led to a slow decline in business, and by 1932 the Ulster and Railroad was acquired by New York Central. The line was then operated by New York Central until 1954, when it ceased operations.

The Phoenicia Railroad Station was constructed in 1899 to replace an earlier station following conversion of the narrow-gauge line to Hunter to standard gauge. The new station handled baggage, mail, express and passenger traffic to and from Phoenicia. The building remained in service until the cessation of passenger traffic in 1954. The station was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum, which was founded in 1960 and moved to Phoenicia in 1983. Visit the museum website at www.esrm.com for more information.

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York.Kingston Point to OneontaThe Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. The station served the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad (UDRR).

The Rondout and Oswego Railroad was chartered in 1866 by Thomas Cornell. 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 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. 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 was advertised as “The Only All-Rail Route to the Catskill Mountains.” At its peak, in 1913, the railroad carried 675,000 passengers.

Eventually the rise of the automobile and changing vacation patterns led to a slow decline in business, and by 1932 the Ulster and Railroad was acquired by New York Central. The line was then operated by New York Central until 1954, when it ceased operations.

The Phoenicia Railroad Station was constructed in 1899 to replace an earlier station following conversion of the narrow-gauge line to Hunter to standard gauge. The new station handled baggage, mail, express and passenger traffic to and from Phoenicia. The building remained in service until the cessation of passenger traffic in 1954. The station was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum, which was founded in 1960 and moved to Phoenicia in 1983. Visit the museum website at www.esrm.com for more information.

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York.Waiting RoomThe Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. The station served the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad (UDRR).

The Rondout and Oswego Railroad was chartered in 1866 by Thomas Cornell. 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 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. 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 was advertised as “The Only All-Rail Route to the Catskill Mountains.” At its peak, in 1913, the railroad carried 675,000 passengers.

Eventually the rise of the automobile and changing vacation patterns led to a slow decline in business, and by 1932 the Ulster and Railroad was acquired by New York Central. The line was then operated by New York Central until 1954, when it ceased operations.

The Phoenicia Railroad Station was constructed in 1899 to replace an earlier station following conversion of the narrow-gauge line to Hunter to standard gauge. The new station handled baggage, mail, express and passenger traffic to and from Phoenicia. The building remained in service until the cessation of passenger traffic in 1954. The station was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum, which was founded in 1960 and moved to Phoenicia in 1983. Visit the museum website at www.esrm.com for more information.

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York.BaggageThe Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. The station served the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad (UDRR).

The Rondout and Oswego Railroad was chartered in 1866 by Thomas Cornell. 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 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. 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 was advertised as “The Only All-Rail Route to the Catskill Mountains.” At its peak, in 1913, the railroad carried 675,000 passengers.

Eventually the rise of the automobile and changing vacation patterns led to a slow decline in business, and by 1932 the Ulster and Railroad was acquired by New York Central. The line was then operated by New York Central until 1954, when it ceased operations.

The Phoenicia Railroad Station was constructed in 1899 to replace an earlier station following conversion of the narrow-gauge line to Hunter to standard gauge. The new station handled baggage, mail, express and passenger traffic to and from Phoenicia. The building remained in service until the cessation of passenger traffic in 1954. The station was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum, which was founded in 1960 and moved to Phoenicia in 1983. Visit the museum website at www.esrm.com for more information.

 

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.

 

In 1904 the railroad published the following description of the Phoenicia station and its scenic locale.

 

“PHOENICIA. This is one of the most important stations on the line. You are now twenty-eight miles from the river and 794 feet above it, with lofty mountain peaks on every hand. It is the entrance of the famous Stony Clove Canyon, and the southern terminus of the Stony Clove and Kaaterskill Branch of the Ulster & Delaware system. You are now well into the mountains and the scenery is wild and picturesque. It is late in the day when the sun peers over the eastern skyline on Mount Tremper, and comparatively early in the afternoon when the western shadows begin to envelop the little hamlet. Meanwhile your engine, having taken afresh drink of mountain water, gets the signal and skips off up the valley with a business-like snort, winding now closely along the left bank of the Esopus, which lessens in volume as the region of its source is approached. But the little valley grows in wildness and beauty with every mile, and the Mountains become higher and grander.”

 

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. The branch line from Phoenicia to Kaaterskill was abandoned in 1940.

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station was constructed in 1899 to replace an earlier station following conversion of the narrow-gauge line to Hunter to standard gauge. The new station handled baggage, mail, express and passenger traffic to and from Phoenicia. The below describes the physical attributes of the station in detail.

 

“The station is a long, low, one-story building, rectangular in shape. The building is surmounted by a broad, deeply overhanging hipped roof, with decorative exposed rafters and oversized decorative wooden brackets. The roof, originally featuring slate shingles, is now sheathed in asphalt shingles. The building rests on a slightly raised, ashlar and bluestone foundation and is of wood-frame construction with shingle cladding. The walls are slightly flared just above the foundation. Continuous wooden moldings create horizontal divisions. Fenestrations is asymmetrical and corresponds to the station’s functional program. There are various passenger and baggage openings, a bay window on the track side for views up and down the track and other windows lighting interior spaces. Windows consist of double-hung wooden sash with six-over-one or eight-over-one lights. Doors are wooden with six panels. There is a deep wooden platform at the track side, sheltered by the deep overhang of the roof. The non-historic platform replaced the original and was constructed at an elevated height to permit direct access to the station without the use of dangerous boarding stools.

 

The interior of the station is divided into a waiting room with a vaulted ceiling extending to the roof, a station agent’s office, a baggage/express room, a closet and men’s and women’s bathrooms. Stairs provide access to the basement. Interior walls and ceilings are entirely finished in narrow beaded board siding of yellow pine. Siding is laid both vertically and horizontally, creating a patterned effect. Floors throughout have three-inch tongue and groove flooring. Interior surfaces have been recently refurbished.

 

Both the waiting room and the baggage room have the original ticket agent’s windows with brass window bars and milk glass windows. The main waiting area retains the original wooden benches, which line the three walls of the waiting room. Also present is the original water fountain and porcelain sink. The floor retains an original figured cast-metal heating grate and a central cast-iron air distribution pedestal. The pedestal has been moved to the side to permit installation of an electrical outlet. The furnace is extant but no currently operational. A single change to the floor place has been made to provide a closet for an electrical control panel. The closet is finished to match the rest of the interior.” (LaFrank, Kathleen, “Phoenicia Railroad Station,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 2005.)

 

In 1906 the Phoenicia Station and the nearby railroad line were featured in the 1906 drama film titled The Holdup of the Rocky Mountain Express. Although supposedly set in the Rocky Mountains, the film was actually made in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia. The film was produced by Frank Marion and the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. It was a one-reel film intended for the store shows and nickelodeons of the day. The film depicts a group of bandits as they block the train tracks, and then board the train to rob the well-dressed passengers. While attempting to make their escape using a four-wheeled pump car, the bandits are chased by the train and ultimately captured at a railroad crossing.

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station building remained in service until the cessation of passenger traffic in 1954. The station was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum, which was founded in 1960 and moved to Phoenicia in 1983.

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York.At the StationThe Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. The station served the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad (UDRR).

The Rondout and Oswego Railroad was chartered in 1866 by Thomas Cornell. 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 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. 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 was advertised as “The Only All-Rail Route to the Catskill Mountains.” At its peak, in 1913, the railroad carried 675,000 passengers.

Eventually the rise of the automobile and changing vacation patterns led to a slow decline in business, and by 1932 the Ulster and Railroad was acquired by New York Central. The line was then operated by New York Central until 1954, when it ceased operations.

The Phoenicia Railroad Station was constructed in 1899 to replace an earlier station following conversion of the narrow-gauge line to Hunter to standard gauge. The new station handled baggage, mail, express and passenger traffic to and from Phoenicia. The building remained in service until the cessation of passenger traffic in 1954. The station was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum, which was founded in 1960 and moved to Phoenicia in 1983. Visit the museum website at www.esrm.com for more information.

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York.Phoenicia Station CentennialThe Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. The station served the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad (UDRR).

The Rondout and Oswego Railroad was chartered in 1866 by Thomas Cornell. 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 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. 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 was advertised as “The Only All-Rail Route to the Catskill Mountains.” At its peak, in 1913, the railroad carried 675,000 passengers.

Eventually the rise of the automobile and changing vacation patterns led to a slow decline in business, and by 1932 the Ulster and Railroad was acquired by New York Central. The line was then operated by New York Central until 1954, when it ceased operations.

The Phoenicia Railroad Station was constructed in 1899 to replace an earlier station following conversion of the narrow-gauge line to Hunter to standard gauge. The new station handled baggage, mail, express and passenger traffic to and from Phoenicia. The building remained in service until the cessation of passenger traffic in 1954. The station was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum, which was founded in 1960 and moved to Phoenicia in 1983. Visit the museum website at www.esrm.com for more information.

 

The Catskill Mountain Railroad operated a tourist train ride in the Catskills from Phoenicia to Mount Tremper for many years.Catskill Mountain RailroadIn the early-to-mid 19th century visitors typically travelled to the Catskills area via ship on the Hudson River and then on to their ultimate destination, most likely one of the area mountain or boarding houses, via horseback or stage coach. The trips were long and physically tiring. The arrival of railroads changed all that, allowing quicker and easier access to the region while also opening it to the “mass market”.

In 1866, construction began on what was to become known as the Ulster and Delaware (U&D). The U&D followed much of what is today’s Route 28, ultimately connecting Kingston to Oneonta. In 1882, the Stony Clove and Catskill Mountain Railroad was completed, connecting Phoenicia to Hunter, much of it along today’s Route 214. Also in 1882, the Catskill Mountain Railway was completed, connecting the town of Catskill to Palenville.

All three companies are now defunct. However, the spirit of the region’s great railroad era lived on for many years with the Catskill Mountain Railroad (CMRR), based out of Phoenicia. Chartered in 1983, and operating along a section of what was the Ulster and Delaware line, the tourist-oriented CMRR was a wonderfully scenic photographic opportunity with trains, rails, and depot station all evoking memories of yester-year. Unfortunately, in 2016, the Catskill Mountain Railroad ended more than 30 years of service between Phoenicia and Mt. Tremper when their lease ended for that section of track.

The CMRR continues to offer scenic train rides out of Kingston, New York. Visit their website at www.catskillmountainrailroad.com for more information.

 

Now operating out of the former Phoenicia Railroad Station, the Empire State Railway Museum offers a step back in time to the railroad era of the Catskills. Self-guided tours of the building are available, and the gift shop offers items for all ages, including books, toys, t-shirts, hats and much more. The museum can be visited at 70 Lower High Street in Phoenicia. They are currently open weekends from 10am to 4pm. Visit the museum website at www.esrm.com for more information.

 

The Phoenicia Railroad Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places “as a distinctive and exceptionally intact example of a late nineteenth century passenger station in rural Ulster County.” The station “exemplifies the type of intermediate size railroad buildings built in small rural communities in this period.”

 

Phoenicia Railroad Station, National Register of Historic PlacesPhoenicia Railroad Station, National Register of Historic PlacesThe Phoenicia Railroad Station is located at the hamlet of Phoenicia in the town of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. The station served the former Ulster and Delaware Railroad (UDRR).

The Rondout and Oswego Railroad was chartered in 1866 by Thomas Cornell. 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 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. 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 was advertised as “The Only All-Rail Route to the Catskill Mountains.” At its peak, in 1913, the railroad carried 675,000 passengers.

Eventually the rise of the automobile and changing vacation patterns led to a slow decline in business, and by 1932 the Ulster and Railroad was acquired by New York Central. The line was then operated by New York Central until 1954, when it ceased operations.

The Phoenicia Railroad Station was constructed in 1899 to replace an earlier station following conversion of the narrow-gauge line to Hunter to standard gauge. The new station handled baggage, mail, express and passenger traffic to and from Phoenicia. The building remained in service until the cessation of passenger traffic in 1954. The station was acquired by the Empire State Railway Museum, which was founded in 1960 and moved to Phoenicia in 1983. Visit the museum website at www.esrm.com for more information.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) architecture building Catskill Mountains Catskills Empire State Railway Museum Holdup of the Rocky Mountain Express Matthew Jarnich museum New York Phoenicia Phoenicia Railroad Station photographer photographs photos Rondout and Oswego Railroad Shandaken station Thomas Cornell tourism trains travel Ulster and Delaware Railroad Ulster County https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/1/phoenicia-railroad-station-a-photographic-study Sat, 28 Jan 2023 13:00:00 GMT
St. Francis de Sales Church, Phoenicia – A History and Photographic Study https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/1/st-francis-de-sales-church-phoenicia-a-history-and-photographic-study The Roman Catholic parish of Saint Francis de Sales in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia was founded in 1902. Upon its founding, Archbishop Michael A. Corrigan entrusted care of the church to the Missionary Fathers of La Salette, a religious order that was founded in honor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

 

Photograph of the Saint Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.St. Francis de SalesThe Roman Catholic parish of Saint Francis de Sales in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia was founded in 1902. Upon its founding, Archbishop Michael A. Corrigan entrusted care of the church to the Missionary Fathers of La Salette, a religious order that was founded in honor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

At a cost of $9,000 the beautiful stone church building was thereafter constructed to serve the community, and was dedicated on August 21, 1904. The first pastor of the congregation, Reverend M. Julien Ginet, was also the architect and builder of the church.

The church namesake, Francis de Sales (1567-1622), was a prolific writer whose most famous work, Introduction to the Devout Life, has been a Christian classic for over 4 centuries. Saint Francis de Sales is honored within the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of journalists and writers. The Feast of St. Francis de Sales is celebrated on January 24 of each year.

Photograph of the Saint Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.Rising to GodThe Roman Catholic parish of Saint Francis de Sales in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia was founded in 1902. Upon its founding, Archbishop Michael A. Corrigan entrusted care of the church to the Missionary Fathers of La Salette, a religious order that was founded in honor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

At a cost of $9,000 the beautiful stone church building was thereafter constructed to serve the community, and was dedicated on August 21, 1904. The first pastor of the congregation, Reverend M. Julien Ginet, was also the architect and builder of the church.

The church namesake, Francis de Sales (1567-1622), was a prolific writer whose most famous work, Introduction to the Devout Life, has been a Christian classic for over 4 centuries. Saint Francis de Sales is honored within the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of journalists and writers. The Feast of St. Francis de Sales is celebrated on January 24 of each year.

Photograph of the Saint Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.St. Francis de Sales, Phoenicia, New YorkThe Roman Catholic parish of Saint Francis de Sales in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia was founded in 1902. Upon its founding, Archbishop Michael A. Corrigan entrusted care of the church to the Missionary Fathers of La Salette, a religious order that was founded in honor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

At a cost of $9,000 the beautiful stone church building was thereafter constructed to serve the community, and was dedicated on August 21, 1904. The first pastor of the congregation, Reverend M. Julien Ginet, was also the architect and builder of the church.

The church namesake, Francis de Sales (1567-1622), was a prolific writer whose most famous work, Introduction to the Devout Life, has been a Christian classic for over 4 centuries. Saint Francis de Sales is honored within the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of journalists and writers. The Feast of St. Francis de Sales is celebrated on January 24 of each year.

Photograph of the Saint Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.St. Francis de Sales, Gem of the CatskillsThe Roman Catholic parish of Saint Francis de Sales in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia was founded in 1902. Upon its founding, Archbishop Michael A. Corrigan entrusted care of the church to the Missionary Fathers of La Salette, a religious order that was founded in honor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

At a cost of $9,000 the beautiful stone church building was thereafter constructed to serve the community, and was dedicated on August 21, 1904. The first pastor of the congregation, Reverend M. Julien Ginet, was also the architect and builder of the church.

The church namesake, Francis de Sales (1567-1622), was a prolific writer whose most famous work, Introduction to the Devout Life, has been a Christian classic for over 4 centuries. Saint Francis de Sales is honored within the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of journalists and writers. The Feast of St. Francis de Sales is celebrated on January 24 of each year.

Photograph of the Saint Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.Three WindowsThe Roman Catholic parish of Saint Francis de Sales in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia was founded in 1902. Upon its founding, Archbishop Michael A. Corrigan entrusted care of the church to the Missionary Fathers of La Salette, a religious order that was founded in honor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

At a cost of $9,000 the beautiful stone church building was thereafter constructed to serve the community, and was dedicated on August 21, 1904. The first pastor of the congregation, Reverend M. Julien Ginet, was also the architect and builder of the church.

The church namesake, Francis de Sales (1567-1622), was a prolific writer whose most famous work, Introduction to the Devout Life, has been a Christian classic for over 4 centuries. Saint Francis de Sales is honored within the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of journalists and writers. The Feast of St. Francis de Sales is celebrated on January 24 of each year.

 

The beautiful stone church building at Phoenicia was thereafter constructed, at a cost of $9,000, to serve the community. The church was dedicated on the summer day of Sunday, August 21, 1904. The stone church is Gothic in style and seats approximately 180 people. The first pastor of the congregation, Reverend Julien M. Ginet, was also the architect and builder of the church. Reverend Ginet was succeeded by Reverend John M. Pilloix, who was ordained in 1902 in Hartford, Connecticut.

 

The below section of an article attributed to Maira Longyear, which can be found on the church website, details some of the church’s early history.

 

“Now it was time to establish Phoenicia as the center of his widely spread parish, to build his parish church and residence. Several attempts had been made in the past to construct a mission chapel but without success. Father Ginet with a zeal that thrived upon difficulties, set out on his task.

 

He took up residence in the Globe Hotel; it was known for its fine food; the men of the area after spending a day at the quarry or lumber camp were hungry enough and not at all reluctant to take a thirsty drink or two or three. Many a night as Father Ginet recited his vespers by gas light, was distracted by the gaiety down in the bar below. If his rectory was strange, his church was too. Of all odd places to use as a church was the Odd Fellows Hall. But Sunday after Sunday he would leave the bright lights of the Globe fore the shadowy halls of the Lodge. From the first, numbers who came were consoling. Many non-Catholics, eager for any approach to God came to greet Father Ginet. He entered the Lodge Hall and for a moment it was the gate of heaven; for he carried in his hand, his chaplain’s kit, in his heart, the word of God and in his anointed fingers the power to offer Holy Mass.

 

Father’s zeal was contagious; within a short time, his people were of one mind; they would have their parish church. One of the graces of his many talented personality was a hobby long cherished by Fr. Ginet. It was architecture; it had its impulse in the beautiful churches of his native France. So Pastor became architect and contractor too. He sent in plans for the church to his superiors, who found them too grandiose for the limited pocketbooks of the people. Undaunted he planned again. This time a smaller church evolved upon the blue print; it was to be made of quarried stone and the price of its building would astonish any builder.

 

After a laborious day at the quarry, the men lay down their hammers . . . but not for so long; after a few moments rest, they would take up their sledges and now the harsh crushing strokes became a symphony in the prayerful hearts of these men. Now they were quarrying stones for their own church. Other volunteers joined them and very soon indeed, the stone were piled near the site of the new St. Francis de Sales Parish Church. Hammers were laid aside for pick and shovel and the excavations soon deepened. On September 8, the digging began. On September 17, the foundations were laid and the wall structure began. Winter stopped the building for a while. Here we must honor the memory of Father John Hickey of Kingston, who personally and thru his friends contributed sufficient funds to purchase, bricks and cement for the inner walls of the church.

 

In the spring of 1904, the church was completed. And on July 12, 1904 the cornerstone was laid. Very Rev. Dr. Burtsell D. D., Auxiliary Bishop of New York performed the solemn ceremony of dedication. On this same occasion the first class was confirmed, consisting of 23 persons. The honor of the first baptism belongs to an infant, named Augustus Jay Simpson. Today that infant named Augustus is an august person of some two hundred pounds, and strong in the faith as he is in girth. This “Gem of the Catskills,” as the church is called, cost only nine thousand dollars. Its insured value today is one hundred and fifty thousand.”

 

The Saint Francis de Sales church at Phoenicia continues to serve the community faithful today, over 120 years after its founding. For more information about the church, including mass times and community outreach efforts, visit their website at www.stjohnstfrancis.org.

 

Photograph of the Saint Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York.St. Francis de Sales, PhoeniciaThe Roman Catholic parish of Saint Francis de Sales in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia was founded in 1902. Upon its founding, Archbishop Michael A. Corrigan entrusted care of the church to the Missionary Fathers of La Salette, a religious order that was founded in honor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

At a cost of $9,000 the beautiful stone church building was thereafter constructed to serve the community, and was dedicated on August 21, 1904. The first pastor of the congregation, Reverend M. Julien Ginet, was also the architect and builder of the church.

The church namesake, Francis de Sales (1567-1622), was a prolific writer whose most famous work, Introduction to the Devout Life, has been a Christian classic for over 4 centuries. Saint Francis de Sales is honored within the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of journalists and writers. The Feast of St. Francis de Sales is celebrated on January 24 of each year.

 

Father Ginet

 

Reverend Julien Marie Ginet (1872-1949), the first pastor at St. Francis de Sales, was born at Aillon-le-Jeune in southeast France in 1872. He was the son of Paul Marie and Josephine Garnier Ginet. Father Ginet was educated at Allevard-les-Baines and took his classical instruction at the School of the Missionaries of La Salette at Grenoble, France. In 1885 he was received by the Apostolique School of La Salette at St. Joseph at Isere, France. He entered the novitiate in 1888 at the Holy Mountain and made his profession there on August 2, 1889.

 

In 1892, at 20 years of age, he joined the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette. He left his family and his home country to study theology in the United States at the Hartford Seminary of the La Salette Fathers. Ginet was ordained at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield on March 25, 1897.

 

After his ordination Ginet worked on the faculty of St. Charles College in Maryland and then served two years as a professor at La Salette College. Father Ginet was then assigned to St. Francis de Sales in Phoenicia, New York, serving there from 1902 to 1910, before returning to La Salette College as the school treasurer. He remained at the college for 2 years, and then served from 1912 to 1921 as the pastor at St. James Church in Danielson, Connecticut.

 

Father Ginet left St. James Church in 1921 to become the assistant pastor at St. Joseph’s Church at Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He only remained a short time, then being named in 1922 as assistant pastor at the Immaculate Conception Church at Holyoke, Massachusetts. In 1923, with the passing of Father Jean Guinet, Father Ginet was elevated to pastor, and remained there for 26 years until his passing in 1949.

 

Father Ginet faithfully served as a Roman Catholic priest for 52 years. He passed away at 77 years of age on October 15, 1949 at the La Salette Novitiate in Bloomfield, Connecticut after several years of failing health. He is buried at Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Father Ginet was survived by one brother, Alcine Ginet of Savoie, France.

 

St. Francis de Sales

 

The church namesake, Francis de Sales (1567-1622), was a prolific writer whose most famous work, Introduction to the Devout Life, has been a Christian classic for over 4 centuries. Saint Francis de Sales is honored within the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of journalists and writers. The Feast of St. Francis de Sales is celebrated on January 24 of each year.

 

Quotes by St. Francis de Sales

 

“Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same loving Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either he will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.”

 

“It is a fact that people are always well aware of what is due them. Unfortunately, they remain oblivious of what they owe to others.”

 

“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them—every day begin the task anew.”

 

“Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.”

 

"Mere silence is not wisdom, for wisdom consists of knowing when and how to speak, and when and where to keep silent."

 

"If we say less than we should it is easy to add, but having said too much it is hard to take it back."

 

"When we aim at perfection, we must aim at the center, but we must not be troubled if we do not always hit it."

 

"If we really knew ourselves, instead of being astonished at finding ourselves on the ground, we should marvel how we sometimes manage to remain upright."

 

"God never permits anything to come upon us as a trial or test of our virtue without desiring that we should profit by it."

 

Our Lady of La Salette

 

Located across the street from the church is a beautiful shrine and grotto that serves in honor of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France in 1846.

 

Photograph of a shrine to Our Lady of La Salette at the St. Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia.Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, FranceLocated across the street from the St. Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia is a beautiful shrine and grotto that serves to honor the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

Photograph of a shrine to Our Lady of La Salette at the St. Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia.Our Lady of La Salette, PhoeniciaLocated across the street from the St. Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia is a beautiful shrine and grotto that serves to honor the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

Photograph of a shrine to Our Lady of La Salette at the St. Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia.Our Lady of La Salette, Phoenicia, NYLocated across the street from the St. Francis de Sales church in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia is a beautiful shrine and grotto that serves to honor the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at La Salette, France that took place in 1846.

 

On September 19 of that year the Blessed Mother appeared to two poor children, Maximin Giraud, 11 years old, and Melanie Calvat, 14 years old, in the small village of La Salette in the French Alps. The children, while tending a few cows, were drawn to a globe of light a short distance away. While under their gaze, the globe opened up and they saw a woman seated on some stones which surrounded the bed of a dried stream.

 

The two children called her “the Beautiful Lady” and listened intently as she spoke with them about conversion, a world reconciled to her Son and a deepening of their faith in their everyday lives. She mentioned the need to renounce the sins of blasphemy and not honoring Sundays as the day to rest and attend Holy Mass. Her prophetic last words to the two children were ‘Well, my children, you will make this well known to all my people.’” Soon thereafter there was a natural spring present where Mary had stood.

 

The Missionaries of La Salette was founded in 1852, six years after the apparition. This Missionaries of La Salette would become important in the history of St. Francis de Sales when the church was entrusted to the group’s care in 1902 with the assignment of Reverend M. Julien Ginet.

 

The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette is located at Attleboro, Massachusetts, however there are also a number of parishes, shrines and communities throughout the Americas that dedicate themselves to the apparition. Roman Catholics celebrate the Feast Day of Our Lady of La Salette on September 19 of each year.

 

Memorare to Our Lady of La Salette

 

“Remember, Our Lady of La Salette, true mother of Sorrows, the tears you shed for us on Calvary. Remember also the care you have taken to keep us faithful to Christ, your Son. Having done so much for your children, you will not now abandon us. Comforted by this consoling thought, we come to you pleading, despite our infidelities and ingratitude. Virgin of Reconciliation, do not reject our prayers, but intercede for us, obtain for us the grace to love Jesus above all else. May we console you by living a holy life and so come to share the eternal life Christ gained by His cross. Amen.”

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) architecture building catholic Catskill Mountains Catskills Christian church Introduction to the Devout Life La Salette M. Julien Ginet Main Street New York Our Lady of La Salette patron saint Phoenicia photographs photography photos pictures Roman Catholic Route 28 saint Saint Francis de Sales shrine St. Francis de Sales https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/1/st-francis-de-sales-church-phoenicia-a-history-and-photographic-study Sat, 21 Jan 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Shandaken Eagle – A Photographic Study https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/1/shandaken-eagle-a-photographic-study The beautiful Shandaken Eagle statue sits on a grassy knoll near the Esopus Creek, marking the entrance to the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York. It is located at the junction of Route 28 and Route 214.

 

The Shandaken Eagle, located along Route 28 in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, once stood high above Grand Central Station in New York City.Shandaken EagleThe beautiful Shandaken Eagle statue sits on a grassy knoll near the Esopus Creek, marking the entrance to the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York. It is located at the junction of Route 28 and Route 214.

The two-ton sculpture, with a wingspan of 13 feet, once stood atop one of the towers of Grand Central Depot at the intersection of Park Avenue and 42nd Street in New York City. The eagle was installed in 1871 at Grand Central, along with 10 others like it. With the remodeling of Grand Central in 1898 the statue was taken down and would spend the next eight decades in storage.

In 1975 the town of Shandaken adopted the eagle as its official town symbol. In 1980, David McLane, a photographer for the New York Daily News and then owner of the eagle, moved to Shandaken and agreed to donate the eagle to the town. Various fundraising efforts were undertaken to raise the funds to move, repair and erect the bird at Phoenicia. Dakin Morehouse, a metal sculptor in Woodland Valley, restored the sculpture at his Phoenicia Forge, replacing its original white cement coating with a protective bronze surface.

With much fanfare, the sculpture was dedicated at its current Phoenicia location on August 23, 1986. There is a time capsule buried near the eagle that will be opened in 2076, the tri-centennial of the nation’s founding.

The Shandaken Eagle, located along Route 28 in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, once stood high above Grand Central Station in New York City.On AlertThe beautiful Shandaken Eagle statue sits on a grassy knoll near the Esopus Creek, marking the entrance to the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York. It is located at the junction of Route 28 and Route 214.

The two-ton sculpture, with a wingspan of 13 feet, once stood atop one of the towers of Grand Central Depot at the intersection of Park Avenue and 42nd Street in New York City. The eagle was installed in 1871 at Grand Central, along with 10 others like it. With the remodeling of Grand Central in 1898 the statue was taken down and would spend the next eight decades in storage.

In 1975 the town of Shandaken adopted the eagle as its official town symbol. In 1980, David McLane, a photographer for the New York Daily News and then owner of the eagle, moved to Shandaken and agreed to donate the eagle to the town. Various fundraising efforts were undertaken to raise the funds to move, repair and erect the bird at Phoenicia. Dakin Morehouse, a metal sculptor in Woodland Valley, restored the sculpture at his Phoenicia Forge, replacing its original white cement coating with a protective bronze surface.

With much fanfare, the sculpture was dedicated at its current Phoenicia location on August 23, 1986. There is a time capsule buried near the eagle that will be opened in 2076, the tri-centennial of the nation’s founding.

The Shandaken Eagle, located along Route 28 in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, once stood high above Grand Central Station in New York City.Ready to FlyThe beautiful Shandaken Eagle statue sits on a grassy knoll near the Esopus Creek, marking the entrance to the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York. It is located at the junction of Route 28 and Route 214.

The two-ton sculpture, with a wingspan of 13 feet, once stood atop one of the towers of Grand Central Depot at the intersection of Park Avenue and 42nd Street in New York City. The eagle was installed in 1871 at Grand Central, along with 10 others like it. With the remodeling of Grand Central in 1898 the statue was taken down and would spend the next eight decades in storage.

In 1975 the town of Shandaken adopted the eagle as its official town symbol. In 1980, David McLane, a photographer for the New York Daily News and then owner of the eagle, moved to Shandaken and agreed to donate the eagle to the town. Various fundraising efforts were undertaken to raise the funds to move, repair and erect the bird at Phoenicia. Dakin Morehouse, a metal sculptor in Woodland Valley, restored the sculpture at his Phoenicia Forge, replacing its original white cement coating with a protective bronze surface.

With much fanfare, the sculpture was dedicated at its current Phoenicia location on August 23, 1986. There is a time capsule buried near the eagle that will be opened in 2076, the tri-centennial of the nation’s founding.
The Shandaken Eagle, located along Route 28 in the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, once stood high above Grand Central Station in New York City.Fly Eagle, FlyThe beautiful Shandaken Eagle statue sits on a grassy knoll near the Esopus Creek, marking the entrance to the Catskills hamlet of Phoenicia, New York. It is located at the junction of Route 28 and Route 214.

The two-ton sculpture, with a wingspan of 13 feet, once stood atop one of the towers of Grand Central Depot at the intersection of Park Avenue and 42nd Street in New York City. The eagle was installed in 1871 at Grand Central, along with 10 others like it. With the remodeling of Grand Central in 1898 the statue was taken down and would spend the next eight decades in storage.

In 1975 the town of Shandaken adopted the eagle as its official town symbol. In 1980, David McLane, a photographer for the New York Daily News and then owner of the eagle, moved to Shandaken and agreed to donate the eagle to the town. Various fundraising efforts were undertaken to raise the funds to move, repair and erect the bird at Phoenicia. Dakin Morehouse, a metal sculptor in Woodland Valley, restored the sculpture at his Phoenicia Forge, replacing its original white cement coating with a protective bronze surface.

With much fanfare, the sculpture was dedicated at its current Phoenicia location on August 23, 1986. There is a time capsule buried near the eagle that will be opened in 2076, the tri-centennial of the nation’s founding.

 

The two-ton sculpture, with a wingspan of 13 feet, once stood atop one of the towers of Grand Central Depot at the intersection of Park Avenue and 42nd Street in New York City. The eagle was installed in 1871 at Grand Central, along with 10 others like it. With the remodeling of Grand Central in 1898 the statue was taken down and would spend the next eight decades in storage.

 

In 1975 the town of Shandaken adopted the eagle as its official town symbol. In 1980, David McLane, a photographer for the New York Daily News and then owner of the eagle, moved to Shandaken and agreed to donate the eagle to the town. Various fundraising efforts were undertaken to raise the funds to move, repair and erect the bird at Phoenicia. Dakin Morehouse, a metal sculptor in Woodland Valley, restored the sculpture at his Phoenicia Forge, replacing its original white cement coating with a protective bronze surface.

 

With much fanfare, the sculpture was dedicated at its current Phoenicia location on August 23, 1986. There is a time capsule buried near the eagle that will be opened in 2076, the tri-centennial of the nation’s founding.

 

The Shandaken Eagle, located along Route 28 in Phoenicia, once stood high above Grand Central Station in New York City.On Alert, B&WThe beautiful Shandaken Eagle statue marks the entrance to the hamlet of Phoenicia, New York. According to the plaque on the statue, the eagle “originally stood atop one of the towers of Grand Central Station in N.Y.C. (New York City) at the turn of the century. Initially coated with which cement, the cast iron eagle was restored with a protective bronze surface at the Phoenicia forge.” The sculpture was dedicated at its current location on August 23, 1986.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) art artist Catskill Mountains Catskills Dakin eagle Grand Central Morehouse" New York New York City Phoenicia Phoenicia Eagle Phoenicia Forge photographs photography photos pictures Route 214 Route 28 sculpture Shandaken Eagle statue tourism tourist Ulster County https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/1/shandaken-eagle-a-photographic-study Sat, 14 Jan 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Big Indian, In the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/1/big-indian-in-the-catskills The uniquely named hamlet of Big Indian is located within the town of Shandaken in Ulster County, New York. The hamlet is located along scenic Route 28 as the road makes its way through the Catskill Park.

 

Statue of a Native American at the hamlet of Big Indian in the central Catskills of Shandaken, New York.Big IndianThe uniquely named hamlet of Big Indian is located within the town of Shandaken in Ulster County, New York. The hamlet is located along scenic Route 28 as the road makes its way through the Catskill Park. The hamlet of Big Indian takes its name from the legends surrounding an 18th century Native American named Winnisook who lived in the area.

 

Statue of a Native American at the hamlet of Big Indian in the central Catskills of Shandaken, New York.Winnisook, Big IndianThe uniquely named hamlet of Big Indian is located within the town of Shandaken in Ulster County, New York. The hamlet is located along scenic Route 28 as the road makes its way through the Catskill Park. The hamlet of Big Indian takes its name from the legends surrounding an 18th century Native American named Winnisook who lived in the area.

 

The historical marker at Big Indian Park provides the context behind the legendary naming of the hamlet.
 

“The hamlet of Big Indian takes its name from an 18th century Native American named "Winnisook," who was said to be over seven feet in height, strong, well-built, and fearless. Much of the legend surrounding Winnisook's activities in Ulster County were undoubtedly embellished over the years by local guides and lodging owners seeking to attract visitors to the area with an enticing, romantic tale. However, one fact is certain: the first reference to "Big Indian" as a location was recorded in surveys dating from 1786.

 

Winnisook, a member of the local tribe called the Munsees of the Lenape Nation, lived in the Marbletown area of Ulster County. There Winnisook fell in love with one Gertrude Molyneaux, the daughter of an early Huguenot settler in the area. However, Gertrude had been betrothed to a Dutch settler by the name of Joseph Bundy, a man said to be of questionable character.

 

After a brief, unhappy marriage to Bundy, Winnisook succeeded in getting Gertrude to elope with him back to his village and thereafter fathered several children with her.

 

Several years after this very public humiliation of Bundy, Winnisook led a livestock raiding party against the Dutch farmers in the area, which resulted in a number of their cattle and sheep being driven away by the Indians.

 

In response a posse was formed, including Bundy, to track down the raiding party. Allegedly, Bundy and company caught up with Winnisook in the area now named Big Indian. It was here that Bundy succeeded in finally getting his revenge by firing the bullet that killed Winnisook.

 

There are many versions of Winnisook's death, one more romantic than the next, including stories of a huge oak tree that stood at the crossroads with Winnisook's enormous outline carved into the bark. One version of the legend is likely true; that upon Winnisook's death Gertrude moved her family to the area we now call "Big Indian" to be near Winnisook's grave. Evidence of this can be found in old land title records that carry Gertrude Molyneaux's family name on land in the Lost Clove valley of Big Indian.”

 

Statue of a Native American at the hamlet of Big Indian in the central Catskills of Shandaken, New York.Big Indian, At the ValleyThe uniquely named hamlet of Big Indian is located within the town of Shandaken in Ulster County, New York. The hamlet is located along scenic Route 28 as the road makes its way through the Catskill Park. The hamlet of Big Indian takes its name from the legends surrounding an 18th century Native American named Winnisook who lived in the area.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Big Indian Catskill Mountains Catskills Gertrude Molyneaux Native American photographs photography photos pictures Route 28 Route 47 sculpture Shandaken statue tourism travel Ulster County Winnisook https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2023/1/big-indian-in-the-catskills Sat, 07 Jan 2023 13:00:00 GMT
Pine Hill Lake in the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/pine-hill-lake-in-the-catskills Pine Hill Lake, located at the base of Belleayre Mountain, offers plenty of summer time fun, with a white sand beach, lifeguard-supervised swimming, rowboat and kayak rentals, large picnic pavilions and much more. It was estimated in 2018 that over 21,000 people visited Pine Hill Lake for summer recreational purposes.

 

Pine Hill Lake, located at the base of Belleayre Mountain, offers a popular summer time destination with a white sand beach and swimming for the whole family.All's Quiet at Pine Hill LakePine Hill Lake, located at the base of Belleayre Mountain, offers plenty of summer time fun, with a white sand beach, lifeguard-supervised swimming, rowboat and kayak rentals, large picnic pavilions and much more. The lake is used in the winter months for snowmaking purposes at the ski resort at Belleayre Mountain.

Pine Hill Lake, located at the base of Belleayre Mountain, offers a popular summer time destination with a white sand beach and swimming for the whole family.Pine Hill Lake in SeptemberPine Hill Lake, located at the base of Belleayre Mountain, offers plenty of summer time fun, with a white sand beach, lifeguard-supervised swimming, rowboat and kayak rentals, large picnic pavilions and much more. The lake is used in the winter months for snowmaking purposes at the ski resort at Belleayre Mountain.

 

The lake has a surface area of approximately 5.62 acres, with a storage capacity of approximately 29.4 million gallons of water. The lake is located on an impounded National Wetland Inventory (NWI) freshwater wetland.

 

Pine Hill Lake is used in the winter months for snowmaking purposes at the ski resort at Belleayre Mountain. The historical sign at the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center offers additional information about its history.

 

“Belleayre Mountain is located off of State Route 28 in Highmount, NY, just hours from New York City. From Rt. 28 in Highmount, turn west on Rt. 49A (Galli Curci Rd.). Go about 1/2 mile, look for the signs.

 

Belleayre was declared “Forever Wild” by the New York State Forest Preserve in 1885. Early on, skiers would side-step or hike their way more than 3,000 feet to be the first to make tracks down unnamed and woody trails. Since the very beginning of the American skiing experience, skiers gazed at the steep, rugged inclines of Belleayre Mountain and dreamed of refining them. In the 1940s skiing enthusiasts pressured politicians to develop Belleayre as a safe and fun mountain for families and extreme skiers alike.

 

In 1947 bills were introduced allowing New York State to create Belleayre Mountain. Construction began in 1949, and Belleayre began its premier winter season with five trails, an electrically powered rope tow, New York's first chairlift, a summit lodge, a temporary base lodge with a cafeteria and dirt floors, and parking to accommodate 300 people. It would become the center for winter sports in the region and an economic catalyst for surrounding communities.”

 

Today the Belleayre Mountain Ski Center is home to 64 trails, parks and glades, eight chair lifts including a high-speed gondola and quad and several lodges. The longest run on the mountain measures 12,024 feet. It is estimated that over 175,000 skiers and snowboarders visit Belleayre Mountain every year.

 

As for the origins of the Pine Hill name, different sources provide various details and contexts.

 

  • “This is a pleasant rural village situated upon the eastern slope of the hill from which it derives its name.” – Sylvester, History of Ulster County, p. 308.

 

  • “Pine Hill received its name from the Indian word "Kauren sinck" meaning place of the pine trees.” –Bussy, “History and Stories of Margaretville and Surrounding Area.”

 

  • “Later Cockburn was more careful in recording so-called Indian names, and on his map of 1771 of the Hardenbergh Patent, which contains many Indian names, including “Kawiensinck,” (Kuwesing, place of pine trees) at Pine Hill, he says: “The Indian names I have put down from the information of John Cantin and Sapon, two Esopus Indians, to Thomas Nottingham their interpreter to me.” – Monroe, Chapters in the History of Delaware County New York, p. 30.

 

  • An article in a 1902 issue of Harper’s Weekly about prominent village resident Henry Morton gives a small bit of doubt about Pine Hill being “a place of pine trees.” “It is the jest of the place that Pine Hill is so called because there are no pines anywhere near it. Dr. Morton did not like that, so he planted a whole hill-side with pines, and they are prospering.” – “Personal Notes.” Harper’s Weekly. Vol. 46. Harper’s Magazine Company, 1902. p. 575.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) beach Belleayre Lake Belleayre Mountain Catskill Mountains Catskills lake mountain New York Pine Hill Pine Hill Lake Route 28 ski skiing swim swimming water https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/pine-hill-lake-in-the-catskills Sat, 31 Dec 2022 13:00:00 GMT
Spruce Creek in the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/spruce-creek-in-the-catskills Spruce Creek is a beautiful destination in the northern Catskills offering a wide range of photographic shooting opportunities. For the area, surely, Kaaterskill Falls gets most of the attention. Bastion Falls, located along Route 23A, used to get its fair bit of attention as well, but that is now in the past with the closing of the parking area that provided its primary access. Few people now make the hike down the clove from Kaaterskill Falls just to see Bastion Falls. Between the two waterfalls, however, the creek offers its own scenic rewards, albeit rewards that you have to look a little harder for.

 

There has been some debate as to the name of this section of the creek, other possible names being Lake Creek or the east branch of the Kaaterskill Creek. For an interesting article that details the debate as to the origins and history of the name, check out the article titled “South Lake Creek” on the Mountain Top Historical Society blog (https://www.mths.org/blog/58-south-lake-creek.html).

 

Photograph of Spruce Creek (also known as Lake Creek) in Kaaterskill Clove of the northern Catskills.Spruce Creek

Photograph of Spruce Creek (also known as Lake Creek) in Kaaterskill Clove of the northern Catskills.Flowing

Photograph of Spruce Creek (also known as Lake Creek) in Kaaterskill Clove of the northern Catskills.Through the Clove

Photograph of Spruce Creek (also known as Lake Creek) in Kaaterskill Clove of the northern Catskills.The Rocks of Spruce Creek

Photograph of Spruce Creek (also known as Lake Creek) in Kaaterskill Clove of the northern Catskills.After the Fall

Photograph of Spruce Creek (also known as Lake Creek) in Kaaterskill Clove of the northern Catskills.The Rocks of Spruce Creek

Photograph of Spruce Creek (also known as Lake Creek) in Kaaterskill Clove of the northern Catskills.Streaming

Photograph of Spruce Creek (also known as Lake Creek) in Kaaterskill Clove of the northern Catskills.The Rock, Spruce Creek

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Bastion Falls Catskill Mountains Catskills creek Greene County Kaaterskill Clove Kaaterskill Falls Lake Creek New York photographs photography photos pictures river Spruce Creek stream water waterfalls https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/spruce-creek-in-the-catskills Sat, 24 Dec 2022 13:00:00 GMT
Edwin Forrest Branning: New Photography Gallery https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/edwin-forrest-branning-new-photography-gallery Edwin Forrest Branning was a well-known merchant and citizen of the hamlet of Narrowsburg in Sullivan County, New York. He later moved to New York City. He was highly regarded as a businessman, eventually attaining great wealth through his general store, creamery, cigar manufacturing, wholesale, catalog, automobile, lumber and real estate dealings. As perhaps his most lasting legacy, Branning published a wide range of scenic postcards from throughout the southern Catskills of Sullivan County.

 

In last week’s post, I wrote a short biography of this notable citizen of Sullivan County. I have now added a new gallery of his photographic works. I have only recently started to collect his works, but there are still over 300 photographs in the gallery, each of which will allow the viewer to appreciate Branning’s technical skill as well as his eye for beauty.

 

Branning’s extensive focus on the sites of Sullivan County is remarkable. His collection of works, as a whole, offer a virtual time capsule of the county during the early years of the 20th century. And given his business acumen and attention to detail, each photograph is individually numbered, making it easy for deltiologists to track their collections. I hope to add additional photographs to the Branning gallery over the coming months and years.

 

792_Mill Falls, Roscoe, Rockland, N.Y.

792_Mill Falls, Roscoe, Rockland, N.Y.792_Mill Falls, Roscoe, Rockland, N.Y.

 

980_Stone Arch Bridge and Falls of the Neversink River, Sullivan Co., N.Y.

980_Stone Arch Bridge and Falls of the Neversink River, Sullivan Co., N.Y.980_Stone Arch Bridge and Falls of the Neversink River, Sullivan Co., N.Y.

 

1635_The Falls, Thompsonville, N.Y.

1635_The Falls, Thompsonville, N.Y.1635_The Falls, Thompsonville, N.Y.

 

1915_The Smallest Post Office in the State, Cooley, Sullivan Co., N.Y.

1915_The Smallest Post Office in the State, Cooley, Sullivan Co., N.Y.1915_The Smallest Post Office in the State, Cooley, Sullivan Co., N.Y.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Artino Catskill Mountains Catskills E. F. Branning Edwin Forrest Branning landscapes manufacturer Narrowsburg New York photographer photography photos pictures postcards Sullivan County https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/edwin-forrest-branning-new-photography-gallery Sat, 17 Dec 2022 13:00:00 GMT
Edwin Forrest Branning: Catskills Postcard Publisher https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/edwin-forrest-branning-catskills-postcard-publisher Introduction

 

Edwin Forrest Branning was a well-known merchant and citizen of the hamlet of Narrowsburg in Sullivan County, New York. He later moved to New York City. He was highly regarded as a businessman, eventually attaining great wealth through his general store, creamery, cigar manufacturing, wholesale, catalog, automobile, lumber and real estate dealings. As perhaps his most lasting legacy, Branning published a wide range of scenic postcards from throughout the southern Catskills of Sullivan County.

 

1602_Lake Ophelia, Liberty, N.Y.1602_Lake Ophelia, Liberty, N.Y.

 

936_Loch Sheldrake, N.Y.936_Loch Sheldrake, N.Y.

 

Biography

 

Edwin Forrest Branning was born on September 11, 1861 at Branningville, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, which is located on the opposite side of the Delaware River from the hamlet of Narrowsburg, New York. Edwin was the son of John Dexter Branning (1822-1876), a prominent lumberman “whose father furnished the sail mast for the gunboat Old Ironsides.”[1]

 

“His grandfather made the family famous by furnishing the tree from which the mast of the Old Ironsides was made. A tree was found at “Last Hope,” or Peggy Runway, as it was called in those days. It was cut and floated down the river to its destination on a raft and was pronounced the finest specimen of the forest. As a result of that history making occurrence, the place was rechristened Mast Hope, and Grandfather Branning became known the country over as the mast man of Old Ironsides.”[2]

 

The USS Constitution, affectionately known as Old Ironsides, was one of the first frigates built for the US Navy. The USS Constitution was launched in 1797, making it the world’s oldest commissioned warship still afloat. Never defeated in battle, she faithfully defended the United States through many decades of service, including against French privateers and during the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. The ship earned its name during the War of 1812 when during a battle with British frigate Guerriere, enemy cannonballs were seen bouncing off the ship’s wooden hull. In response to seeing this, an American sailor reportedly exclaimed "Huzzah! her sides are made of iron!" Through its history the USS Constitution destroyed or captured 33 enemy ships. Today the USS Constitution is berthed at Boston, Massachusetts and is open to the public for tours.

 

The hamlet of Branningville, Pennsylvania took its name from Edwin’s father.[3] In the 1880 history of Wayne County, Branningville was described as having a “good school, with a thickly settled neighborhood about it. It is a very pleasant place.”[4] John D. Branning built a mill there in 1860. John, with William Holbert, also constructed what is now known as the Joel Hill Saw Mill. Located at Duck Harbor, the mill was constructed in 1873 during the height of the lumber industry in Wayne County. It is the only water-powered mill remaining in northeastern Pennsylvania. The saw mill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hamlet of Branningville was later renamed Atco, for a town in New Jersey. Edwin’s parents moved to Narrowsburg in 1874 when Edwin was approximately 13 years old.

 

Edwin’s new home, the hamlet of Narrowsburg, is beautifully situated on the Delaware River in Sullivan County, New York. The hamlet was originally known as Homans’ Eddy, named for Benjamin Homans, an early settler. After he died, the place was called Big Eddy, “as it was located at the section of the Delaware River believed to be the widest spot upstream from the tidewater. The area was renamed Narrowsburg in 1810, again for its river location, that spot above the Big Eddy which was the narrowest and deepest section above the tidewater.”[5]

 

During Edwin’s youth in the 19th century Narrowsburg was a thriving village, with a large lumber industry and a prosperous main street with many stores and hotels.

 

“During the early history of the settlement, the river was the focus of economic activity. Grain was transported to grist mills and lumber was transported to market via the river. For nearly a century, lumber rafting was a major enterprise on the Upper Delaware, and Narrowsburg became a popular resting place for raftsmen. The demand for overnight accommodations encouraged the development of the hotel trade in Narrowsburg, an industry that contributed to the general prosperity of the village until the early twentieth century. The construction of the Mount Hope and Lumberland Turnpike during the second quarter of the nineteenth century also contributed to the success of the village’s hotel and boardinghouse industry. The turnpike ended at the river in Narrowsburg and was connected by bridge to a road to Honesdale, Pennsylvania, bringing additional travelers through the village.

 

The event which most greatly benefited Narrowsburg was the completion of the New York & Erie Railroad. The railroad was America’s first long line railroad, providing the first major link between the northwest railroad routes and the western frontier. Narrowsburg, located at the heart of the line’s Delaware Division, experienced a period of unprecedented commercial expansion and population growth. The village soon had three hotels, five stores, three blacksmith shops, a shoe shop, a funeral home, a harness shop and hop house and a half-mile trotting course. The business of the village, particularly the hotels and boardinghouses, were patronized by commercial travelers and holiday visitors from the city and continued to thrive into the early twentieth century.”[6]

 

Edwin Forrest Branning was one of nine children of John Dexter Branning and Christina (Staats) Branning (1827-1883). His siblings included John Wellington Branning (1847-1901); Matilda C. Branning (1849-1934); Martha D. Branning (1851-1927); Cecilia Branning (1853-1922); Winton W. Branning (1855-1861); Clarence E. Branning (1858-1901); Caroline Branning (1858-1940); and Franklyn Devine Branning (1865-1923).

 

Portrait, Edwin Forrest BranningPortrait, Edwin Forrest BranningPortrait of Edwin Forrest Branning, noted publisher of photographic postcards of Sullivan County, New York.

 

On February 20, 1884 Branning married Mary Etta Rockwell (1861-1950) at the residence of her father. The ceremony was officiated by Reverend C. W. Spencer. Together Edwin and Mary Etta would have eight children, including three sons and five daughters. Two of the children predeceased him. They were Anita, the youngest daughter, who died in October, 1918, and Edwin Forrest, the eldest son, who died in April 1928. Edwin and Mary’s children included:

 

  • Edwin Forrest Branning, Jr. (1884-1928). Edwin, Jr. worked with his father in the wholesale notions business and for many years traveled Sullivan County and the surrounding counties as the firm’s representative. He passed away in 1928 from an operation for the removal of an internal goiter. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.

 

  • Harry Rockwell Branning (1885-1971). Harry worked as president of the Branning Realty Corporation.[7] The 1910 US census listed Harry’s occupation as “bookkeeper, mercantile office”; the 1930 US census listed his occupation as “salesman, real estate”; and the 1940 US census listed his occupation as “manager, real estate.”

 

  • Carrie Marie Branning (b. March 1888). Carrie married William J. O’Connor (1884-1947) in 1910. The 1910 US census listed William’s occupation as “special mechanic clothing”; the 1920 US census listed his occupation as “mechanic.”; the 1930 US census listed his occupation as “machinist, US govt.”; and the 1940 US census listed his occupation as “plumber.”

 

  • Bernice A. Branning (b. October 1889). Bernice married George H. Seybold (1884-1955), a lieutenant of the constabulary service of the Philippine Islands.

 

  • Cora Abigail Branning (1891-1949). Cora married Charles Clinton Harding (1890-1982) in 1917. The 1930 US census listed Charles’ occupation as “buyer, hardware store”; and the 1940 US census similarly listed his profession as “purchasing agent, retail and wholesale, hardware store.” Cora is buried at Ashland Cemetery in Boyd County, Kentucky.

 

  • Winton Wellington Branning, Sr. (1893-1958). Winton began his career working at his father’s garage, later becoming president of the company, the W. and H. B. Garage in the Bronx. He was also engaged in the real estate business, serving as the vice president of the Branning Realty Corporation until his retirement in 1956.[8] In 1914 he married Elsie Hyden in the Bronx.

 

  • Lucille Rockwell Branning (1895-1953). Lucille married Cornelius W. Daniel, Sr. (1894-1975), a builder and contractor. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Belmar, the Daughters of the American Revolution and was an honorary member of the Apollo Club of Asbury Park.

 

  • Anita Delphine Branning (1901-1918). Anita died of the Spanish influenza.

 

Gone West

 

In his early manhood, around 1879, Branning went west to seek out his fortune. He first went to Kansas, intending to become a farmer and to purchase cattle to enter the stock business. The 1880 United States census showed Branning, age 19, residing in Ottawa County, Kansas, with an occupation of farmer.

 

This line of work did not last long, and by 1880 he had sold his interests in cattle to his brother and headed further west. Branning then moved to Colorado where he operated several mines with his brother Clarence and was “making money rapidly.” However, when Edwin found out that his mother was in very poor health, he left Colorado and returned to his home in Narrowsburg, New York.

 

Narrowsburg

 

After returning home Branning began work in 1882 as a clerk in the general store of George W. Rockwell, Sr., his future father-in-law. Working with him as clerks at the store were George W. Rockwell, Jr. and Edward A. H. Rockwell, both of whom became successful hotel businessmen, operating the Hotel Rockwell at Monticello until the 1909 fire that destroyed their property.

 

After less than two years Edwin bought the store in February 1883, taking full possession on May 1, 1883. Edwin greatly improved upon the operation, as noted in the local newspapers.

 

1886: “E. F. Branning has painted up his store and out-buildings a quiet quaker color, and looks very neat.”[9]

 

~1887: “A vast deal of repairing and repainting is going on, and among the latter the store of E. F. Branning, has been made to look in fine shape, and, if not the finest painted building in town, it is among them if we be the judge.”[10]

 

1888: “The enterprising merchant and obliging postmaster at Narrowsburg, Mr. E. F. Branning, still continues spreading his domain. He has connected the first and second floor of his store with a handsome staircase. On the second floor he has put in a large stock of clothing.”[11]

 

1891: “Mr. E. F. Branning is having his store enlarged in such a manner as will present a fine appearance when completed.”[12]

 

1891: “The extensive improvements now being made upon the store building of Mr. E. F. Branning will make it both attractive and commodious. When completed it will be the largest store in the village.”[13]

 

1891: “Ed. Branning has completed his new store at Narrowsburgh, which is quite an addition to the looks of the place.”[14]

 

The character and humorous side of Edwin Branning in running his store at Narrowsburg was noted in the newspaper.

 

“Ed Branning was resourceful and humorous. He enjoyed a joke whether it was on himself or the other fellow. An order came to his wholesale establishment for a dozen belts for men. The clerk reported to Ed that the stock of belts was exhausted. What shall we do, asked the clerk. Why, send them a dozen sets of suspenders, said Ed: they will hold up the pants just as well as the belts.

 

At the Narrowsburg store a woman came in for a half dozen lemons. I have no lemons, madam, said Branning, but I have some very fine sour oranges which I can recommend to you as excellent substitutes.”[15]

 

In 1893 a local newspaper provided this amusing anecdote about Branning and the lucky gift that he had received from his father.

 

“The Callicoon Echo tells the following story of Mr. Ed. Branning one of the most successfully merchants of Narrowsburg and the upper Delaware Valley: Our enterprising merchant, Ed. Branning, told the writer a few days ago that in 1880 he was reduced to a three-cent piece (with a hole in) given him years before by his father. Today his snug bank account, his fine brick block, and his elegant and enormous stock of goods are grand testimonials of what pluck, energy, perseverance and honesty, as exemplified in our “dealer in everything,” can accomplish. Mr. Branning still has and treasures that three-cent piece.”[16]

 

In 1894 the local newspaper noted Branning’s interest in collecting coins, indirectly demonstrating his relative prosperity by his ability to purchase such an expensive collection of coins.

 

“A short time ago E. F. Branning of Narrowsburg purchased of B. G. Wales of Kenoza Lake the second best collection of American and foreign coins in Sullivan County. It is valued at $2,000 and contains in silver one or more dollars, halves and smaller coin from nearly each and every year of coinage in this country, copper and other one cent pieces. The collection also contains some gold coins. – Honesdale Independent.”[17]

 

Edwin operated the store at Narrowsburg until 1895, when he would sell out to ex-Sherriff Frank Kinne and Louis C. W. Schneider. The new owners took possession of the store on June 1, 1895.

 

Branning diversified his Narrowsburg business operations by operating, under the name of Branning Brothers, a cigar manufacturing operation. At its peak the operation employed eight men. It was one of four cigar manufacturing businesses operating in Narrowsburg in the 1880s. These operations produced approximately 4,000 to 5,000 cigars on a daily basis. In 1886 Branning’s cigar business faced difficulty after he cut the workmen’s pay by $1 per thousand cigars, resulting with the workforce striking immediately. By 1888 Branning had shut down his cigar business.

 

Branning would also successfully enter the creamery business, acquiring the creamery at Narrowsburg in May 1889. “Our enterprising merchant and creamery man, E. F. Branning, is no less at home in his new business of dealing in the lacteal fluid and its concomitants than in general merchandise. He has been in possession of the creamery but two months but has built up a large business in that time. Tact and push have made his name and success synonymous in every venture. Butter making is his specialty, large quantities of which are used in Port Jervis and Erie stations east.”[18]

 

While residing at Narrowsburg Branning would serve the community in a number of different functions, including as school trustee, postmaster and as supervisor of the town of Tusten. Branning served as postmaster from April 14, 1886 to April 20, 1889, being succeeded by Edward O. Green.

 

In 1889 Branning was elected as trustee for the local school district, replacing Mr. Fred Botens, who had served as trustee for three consecutive years. Branning won the position in a landslide, receiving 48 of the 50 legal votes cast in the election.

 

In 1894 Branning (democrat) won the Tusten town supervisor position over Edward O. Green (republican) by 135 votes to 94 votes, a margin of 41 votes. He served two terms as Tusten supervisor.

 

Branning was a member of the Masons, originally being a member of the Monticello F. & A. M. He transferred his membership to New York City in later years.

 

In 1895 Branning was unanimously elected as the Democratic nominee for the New York State Assembly. The Sullivan County Record of Jeffersonville, New York heartily endorsed Branning for election.

 

“Edwin F. Branning. The Record is able this week to give its readers a good likeness of the plain, honest, alert and intelligent features of the Democratic nominee for Member of Assembly. Whatever may be said in favor of his popular opponent, we do not believe that a more upright, conscientious and intelligent man could be brought forward to represent Sullivan County in the state legislature than Edwin F. Branning of Tusten.

 

Mr. Branning is a man the first acquaintance of whom one cannot fail to become impressed with his frankness and unconcealed manner, his friendly and unhaughty ways, the shrewd business abilities he displays and his wisdom about things in general. He has not a word to say against his political enemies, but conducts his canvas in a clean, honorable way, and upon the theory that “may the best man win.”

 

The possessor of such instincts and characteristics as these is certainly worthy of being trusted with the interests of any community. Indeed, in his speech of acceptance, Mr. Branning says: “The interests of Sullivan County are my interests, and I promise, if elected, to serve the people of Sullivan County.”

 

And we believe him.”[19]

 

The Sullivan County Record again wrote of Branning’s character on October 18, 1895.

 

“E. F. Branning of Narrowsburg, the Democratic nominee for Member of Assembly, was in town Monday. Mr. Branning is one of the most pleasant, plain-spoken, every day fellows that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and he cannot but make friends wherever he goes. He says he is no politician and doesn’t know the first thing about politics. He is making a hustling canvas just the same, and if there is a man in Sullivan County who is capable of carrying the Democratic banner to victory this fall, that man would seem to be Ed Branning.”[20]

 

As the election approached the Sullivan County Record wrote of the dirty tricks that were being used in the campaign and the efforts to impinge upon Edwin Branning’s character.

 

“The Brannings Are Coming. Edwin F. Branning of Narrowsburg is making the most active canvas for member of assembly Sullivan County has had in a long time. Even his political enemies say he would make the best member the county has had in years. – Honesdale Independent.

 

No, Brother Independent; his political enemies may have conscience enough to think that, but they will not say it. On the contrary, some of them are resorting to the vilest means in their futile efforts to stay his steady march to victory. But Mr. Branning’s spotless character and noble spirit will withstand it all, and the good people of Sullivan County will condemn the libels that are being transmitted through the mails and from mouth to mouth, by electing him to the assembly with a substantial plurality.”[21]

 

The Republican Watchman also wrote of an “atrocious scheme” that was being put forth by Branning’s opponent in the election.

              

“Mr. Messiter Discloses His Cloven Foot and Shows a Willingness to Do Anything to Elect Himself to a Third Term.

 

Mr. Messiter has issued a card which he is circulating in a stealthy and surreptitious manner around the county among those whom he thinks are gullible enough to be deceived by it. He is endeavoring to inject the Monticello monument fight into the canvass to the disgust of many who have been engaged in the controversy on both sides.

 

This work of Messiter’s we happen to know is disavowed by many of the leading and clear headed men of his own party . . .

 

In sending out the card Mr. Messiter shows some of the meanest characteristics that can possibly belong to a depraved and dishonest politician. His mendacity is equaled only be his heartless disregard of the interests of his comrades who are running on the same ticket with him, and whom he is in honor bound not to injure in making his own canvass . . .

 

The unscrupulous methods resorted to by Messiter in conducting his campaign justify the criticism made by many of his former friends that he has deteriorated into a selfish politician, which has been further shown by the questionable manner in which he “sidetracked” poor Krenrich in his desperate attempt to obtain a third term in the State Legislature.”[22]

 

Despite his best efforts Branning lost the close election to Uriah S. Messiter of the village of Liberty. There were 6,826 votes cast, with Messiter receiving 3,588 votes, and Branning receiving 2,985 votes.

 

New York City and Other Business Ventures

 

In 1895, even prior to the state election, it seems Branning was contemplating a move away from Narrowsburg. He considered a variety of locations, including the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, writing to city officials there seeking additional information.

 

“Dealer in Everything. He is Desirous to Locate in This City. Yesterday a letter was received at the board of trade rooms from “E. F. Branning, dealer in everything, Narrowsburg, N. Y.,” stating “I have heard a great deal about your city nowadays and as I am looking for a place to move to, kindly send me such printed matter you may have bearing on your city.” Secretary Atherton remarked that a “dealer in everything” would have a valuable acquisition to the business community, and forwarded the desired information to Mr. Branning.”[23]

 

Edwin eventually settled on New York City and in February 1896 he moved there, where he began operations in the wholesale jobbing trade and the catalog wholesale business, advertising himself as a “dealer in everything.” The business started slowly: “His ambition was to conduct a catalogue wholesaling business. His ideas were all right, but the business did not go with a rush and he found it necessary to go out as a traveling salesman for the firm that he established. His itinerary covered the States of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania within a radius of two hundred miles or more and he made a splendid success as a man of the road.”[24]

 

In addition to his retail business, Branning would become very interested in real estate in the Bronx section of New York City. At the time of his death, he owned two apartment houses, a 60-car garage and a sub-station of the United States post office. His ownership of an automobile garage led to the following amusing anecdote.

 

“A good story is related of Mr. Branning. After he had attained to his position of money, which made no difference in his mode of living or his attitude to his friends, he was wont to go down to his big garage, in the Bronx, which was then being conducted by his son and a partner, don his overalls and enjoy himself around the place. His lawyer kept his cars there. One day his lawyer’s wife came in to take out the car. She was not an expert at manipulating a car and neither did she know Mr. Branning. When she was having some difficulty with the car Mr. Branning went to her assistance and gave her some pointers and helped her out of the garage. When she reached home that night, she told her husband that the garage had just employed one of the nicest and most polite old gentlemen she had ever seen and as he had been so nice to her, she wanted her husband to see that he got a tip. Good Lord, wifey, said the lawyer, that was Mr. Branning, who owns the garage.”[25]

 

Expanding his business enterprise Branning also extensively engaged in the lumber business. Likely partnering in some form with several of his brothers, he joined in operating several mills in the south. As a result of his endeavors, he “is now rated among the millionaire class.”[26]

 

As for Edwin’s association with the lumber industry, John Wellington Branning (1847-1901), better known as J. W., and Clarence Branning (1858-1901), Edwin’s brothers, established the Branning Manufacturing Company at Edenton, North Carolina in 1888. The company was established with the purpose of “buying and selling timber lands, standing timber and lumber and wood of all kinds, and cutting, sawing and manufacturing the said timber and wood into lumber of all kinds, dressed and undressed, and manufacturing shingles, staves, lathes, and other articles, selling such manufactured material, and such other business and operations as may be necessary and incidental to the accomplishment of the above mentioned objects.”

 

Portrait, John Wellington BranningPortrait, John Wellington Branning

 

The Branning Manufacturing Company would grow to become the largest timber operation in North Carolina, and possibly in all of the south. At its peak the Branning mills employed approximately 600-700 people. Upon the passing of John Wellington Branning in 1901, one newspaper referred to him as the “King of Lumbermen.”[27]

 

In support of their lumber operations, the Branning family also operated the Wellington and Powellsville Railroad, which ran approximately 22 miles, originally from Windsor, North Carolina to Powellsville, North Carolina, and later to Ahoskie, North Carolina. In an amusing anecdote, “there was a hill on the train’s route it often had trouble climbing. Passengers sometimes had to literally jump out and help push the cars to the top. That led people to jokingly refer to the W&P as the “Walk and Push.”” The railroad was acquired by the Carolina Southern Railway in 1926, and operated until 1961 when the line was abandoned.

 

The 1900 United States census listed Edwin Branning’s profession as “notions merchant.” In 1910 his profession was listed as “merchant souvenirs”; in 1920 as “none”; and in 1930 as “real estate proprietor.”

 

Postcard and Photography Business

 

While operating in New York City, Branning developed the idea of the souvenir picture postcard, an idea from which he became very wealthy. He is sometimes credited as being the first to “invent” the commercial picture postcard.

 

               “Made First Souvenir Card in U. S. A.

 

Mr. Branning has been in the mercantile business for many years. His company was the first to manufacture souvenir post cards in the United States.

 

“One of my friends showed me a card he had received from Germany. At once I saw the possibilities the bit of cardboard furnished and soon began turning them out. During the second year of our new business, we printed and sold 11,000,000 post cards, which increased in volume each year for 15 years.””[28]

 

1553_Mountain Rest House, Lake Huntington, N.Y.1553_Mountain Rest House, Lake Huntington, N.Y.

1575_Ye Olde Days, Livingston Manor, N.Y.1575_Ye Olde Days, Livingston Manor, N.Y.

 

The Republican Watchman newspaper of Monticello, New York wrote of Branning’s thriving post card business and the unfortunate history of his extensive archives.

 

“Eventually he saw the possibility of the post card business and engaged in the manufacture and sale of that product and soon every store and shop had Branning’s cards on their counters and the output became tremendous. At first the cards were printed from halftone cuts of fine quality. In 1909 he discarded the cuts and used the gelatin process. The halftones of Sullivan County discarded by Mr. Branning were bought by the Watchman owner. They filled two large boxes and were a fine collection, but were destroyed when the Watchman office was burned in 1909. He was one of the pioneers in the post card business.”[29]

 

During the 1905 season Branning reported “brisk business in the card line,” selling over 90,000 souvenir cards to dealers throughout Sullivan County. The Tri-States Union newspaper reported that one Port Jervis store sold over 48,000 cards in only eight months. It was also noted that “among the summer guests this season there seems to be an increasing demand for these clever souvenirs.”[30]

 

In 1903 Branning published a book of illustrations titled “Picturesque Sullivan County.” The book contained nearly 100 half-tone views of villages, lakes, landscapes and scenery from throughout Sullivan County. The book was well received.

 

“To all lovers of the beautiful, the author has respectfully dedicated this book which will be appreciated and enjoyed by summer tourists and friends of Mr. Branning.

 

The book is not hampered with glaring advertisements of any kind, but is strictly gotten up to please and to interest all who love to become familiar with the magnificent and healthful summer resorts, where so many from the metropolis have visited each season for many years.

 

Mr. Edwin Forrest Branning is well and favorably known throughout Sullivan and adjoining counties. For a number of years, he was a prosperous merchant at Narrowsburg. His place of business at the present time is 448 Broome St., New York City. It is a pleasure also to note that Mr. Branning is a stanch friend and admirer of the UNION and always finds time even in pursuit of his arduous duties to stop and peruse its pages.”[31]

 

The Republican Watchman newspaper of Monticello, New York also published a brief review of Branning’s “Picturesque Sullivan County.”

 

“One of the finest booklets coming into our hands this season is “Picturesque Sullivan County, N. Y.,” issued by Edward Forest Branning, of New York City, formerly of Narrowsburg, and at one time a candidate for Member of Assembly. The book is 6x9 inches and contains one hundred views. Among them are some of the most picturesque and historical scenes in Sullivan County. It is a work of art and must have cost Mr. Branning a pretty penny; the cuts alone are probably worth $300. The only improvement that we could suggest in the composition of Mr. Branning’s art gallery would be the author’s picture.”[32]

 

In 1907 the following advertisement for the production of postcards, using one’s own photographs, appeared in an industry publication.

 

“CHEAP SOUVENIR POST CARDS we do not make. But from your Photo we do make the very best black and white and 7 color work at a very Cheap price, prices and samples to dealers. Edwin Forrest Branning, Cedar Ave. & 177 st., N. Y. City.”[33]

 

Advertisement from E. F. BranningAdvertisement from E. F. BranningAdvertisement for Edwin Forrest Branning, noted publisher of photographic postcards of Sullivan County, New York.

 

Historic postcards published by Branning can readily be found for sale on various internet websites. As noted above, the majority of his postcards focused on the sites of Sullivan County, New York. However, postcards with sites from other nearby locations, such as Pennsylvania, Port Jervis, New York and Goshen, New York, can also be found. Average prices for an E. F. Branning postcard tend to be in $6 to $10 range.

 

1599_The Beaverkill at Rockland, N.Y.1599_The Beaverkill at Rockland, N.Y.

1606_Episcopal Church, Liberty, N.Y.1606_Episcopal Church, Liberty, N.Y.

 

Transcontinental Trip

 

In 1920 Branning and his wife completed a four-month, 7,500-mile trip from New York City to Long Beach, California. The trip was reported in a number of newspapers. The Brannings left their home on June 22 and reached Long Beach on October 14. The cross-country trip included stops in 18 states and three national parks, including Yellowstone, Yosemite and Mount Rainier. They stopped at Manhattan, Kansas in visit their nephew, K. W. Hofer. They camped out most nights until they reached San Francisco.

 

The car was a Chandler, Despatch model, which was “fitted for trip and camping purposes, being designed on the lines that facilitate arrangement for camping. The back of the forward seat tips to a horizontal position, the robe rail forming its support. The cushions reverse and the footrest is inverted and placed to fill the space between the end of the tilted front seat and the cushion of the rear seat. The footrest also contains room as a tool box.”[34]

 

After wintering in California, the Brannings motored back as far as Galveston, Texas, taking the boat there for New York.

 

Legacy

 

Edwin Forrest Branning passed away from heart failure in 1930 while walking on the boardwalk at Ocean Grove, New Jersey. According to newspaper reports he had “left New York at 10 o’clock in the morning with his daughter, Mrs. Harding and her family. He and his son-in-law were walking along the boardwalk about 6 o’clock when he cried out: “Oh, Charlie,” to his son-in-law and fell into the latter’s arms dead.”

 

His funeral was held at his residence in New York, with services organized by the Masonic order, of which he was an active member. Branning was survived by his wife, four daughters and two sons. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in New York, where “under the canopy of the sky, and surrounded by banks of roses and lilies, and baptized by the tears of his friends his body was given back to mother earth. Thus, friends and associates said good-bye.”[35]

 

[1] “E. F. Branning Drops Dead of Heart Failure.” Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). July 24, 1930.

[2] “Ed. Branning Drops Dead at Sea Shore.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). July 18, 1930.

[3] Goodrich, Phineas G. History of Wayne County, Pennsylvania. Honesdale, PA: Haines & Beardsley, 1880. p. 136.

[4] Goodrich, Phineas G. History of Wayne County, Pennsylvania. Honesdale, PA: Haines & Beardsley, 1880. p. 136.

[5] Larsen, Neil. “Arlington Hotel,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1983.

[6] Larsen, Neil. “Arlington Hotel,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1983.

[7] “Winton W. Branning. Ex-Realty, Garage Executive.” Herald-Statesman (Yonkers, New York). July 10, 1958.

[8] “Winton W. Branning. Ex-Realty, Garage Executive.” Herald-Statesman (Yonkers, New York). July 10, 1958.

[9] “Narrowsburg.” Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). July 23, 1886.

[10] “From Narrowsburg.” The Tri-States Union. 1885-1887.

[11] The Port Jervis Union (Port Jervis, New York). November 13, 1888.

[12] “Narrowsburgh.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). February 27, 1891.

[13] The Evening Gazette. April 8, 1891.

[14] Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). October 16, 1891.

[15] “Ed. Branning Drops Dead at Sea Shore.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). July 18, 1930.

[16] “A Luck Three-Cent Piece.” Middletown Times-Press (Middletown, New York). March 10, 1893.

[17] Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). November 30, 1894.

[18] “Narrowsburg.” Tri-States Union (Port Jervis, New York). June 13, 1889.

[19] “Edwin F. Branning.” Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). October 25, 1895.

[20] “Notes About Town.” Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). October 18, 1895.

[21] “The Brannings Are Coming.” Sullivan County Record (Jeffersonville, New York). November 1, 1895.

[22] “An Atrocious Scheme.” Republican Watchman. 1895.

[23] “Dealer in Everything.” The Scranton Tribune (Scranton, Pennsylvania). April 30, 1895.

[24] “Ed. Branning Drops Dead at Sea Shore.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). July 18, 1930.

[25] “Ed. Branning Drops Dead at Sea Shore.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). July 18, 1930.

[26] “Edward Branning on a Visit to Monticello.” Sullivan County Republican (Monticello, New York). April 30, 1920.

[27] Tazewell Republican (Tazewell, Virginia). April 4, 1901.

[28] Bennett, Eleanor F. “Big-Heartedness of Western Folk Impresses Tourists.” The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California). November 5, 1920.

[29] “Ed. Branning Drops Dead at Sea Shore.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). July 18, 1930.

[30] “Souvenir Card Business.” Tri-States Union (Port Jervis, New York). 1905 to 1907.

[31] “‘Traveler’ Again.” Tri-States Union (Port Jervis, New York). July 16, 1903.

[32] “Personal and Local Notes.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). 1903.

[33] “Souvenir Post Cards.” Everybody’s Magazine. Vol. 16, No. 1. p. 62.

[34] “Transcontinental Trip Made By New York Man Driving Chandler.” The Daily Telegram (Long Beach, California). October 30, 1920.

[35] “Ed. Branning Drops Dead at Sea Shore.” Republican Watchman (Monticello, New York). July 18, 1930.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Artino Catskill Mountains Catskills E. F. Branning Edwin Forrest Branning landscapes manufacturer Narrowsburg New York photographer photography photos pictures postcards Sullivan County https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/edwin-forrest-branning-catskills-postcard-publisher Sat, 10 Dec 2022 13:00:00 GMT
Kaaterskill Clove, Springtime https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/kaaterskill-clove-springtime Kaaterskill Clove is a deep gorge that cuts through the northern Catskills Mountains, with the village of Palenville located at the base of the Clove and the village of Haines Falls located at its head. The clove is formed by Kaaterskill and Lake Creeks, with the gorge cutting as deep as 2,500 feet in places.

 

Scenic photograph of springtime in Kaaterskill Clove in the northern Catskills.Kaaterskill Clove, Springtime (1)Kaaterskill Clove is a deep gorge that cuts through the northern Catskills Mountains, with the village of Palenville located at the base of the Clove and the village of Haines Falls located at its head. The clove is formed by Kaaterskill and Lake Creeks, with the gorge cutting as deep as 2,500 feet in places.

South Mountain forms the north wall of the clove. Prospect Mountain, located west of Lake Creek, looms over the upper part of the Clove near Bastion Falls. Kaaterskill High Peak and Round Top Mountain form the south wall of the clove, with the Long Path traversing much of its length. The south wall is also home to the Wildcat Ravine, Buttermilk Ravine and Santa Cruz Ravine. The south wall, at its head, culminates at Twilight Park, a private residential community that offers magnificent views of the entire clove. The entire length of the Clove is traversed by Route 23A.

 

South Mountain forms the north wall of the clove. Prospect Mountain, located west of Lake Creek, looms over the upper part of the Clove near Bastion Falls. Kaaterskill High Peak and Round Top Mountain form the south wall of the clove, with the Long Path traversing much of its length. The south wall is home to the Wildcat Ravine, Buttermilk Ravine and Santa Cruz Ravine. The south wall, at its head, culminates at Twilight Park, a private residential community that offers magnificent views of the entire clove. The entire length of the Clove is traversed by Route 23A.

 

Numerous hiking trails in Kaaterskill Clove offer access to overlooks with outstanding views. Notable examples include the Escarpment trail that takes the hiker along the north wall to viewpoints such as Inspiration Point and Sunset Rock, the viewpoints at Palenville Overlook and Indian Head near the entrance of the clove, as well as Poet’s Ledge on the south wall. The clove is also home to countless other scenic wonders such as Moore’s Bridge Falls, Fawn’s Leap, Bastion Falls, the Five Cascades and Kaaterskill Falls.

 

Scenic photograph of springtime in Kaaterskill Clove in the northern Catskills.Kaaterskill Clove, Springtime (2)Kaaterskill Clove is a deep gorge that cuts through the northern Catskills Mountains, with the village of Palenville located at the base of the Clove and the village of Haines Falls located at its head. The clove is formed by Kaaterskill and Lake Creeks, with the gorge cutting as deep as 2,500 feet in places.

South Mountain forms the north wall of the clove. Prospect Mountain, located west of Lake Creek, looms over the upper part of the Clove near Bastion Falls. Kaaterskill High Peak and Round Top Mountain form the south wall of the clove, with the Long Path traversing much of its length. The south wall is also home to the Wildcat Ravine, Buttermilk Ravine and Santa Cruz Ravine. The south wall, at its head, culminates at Twilight Park, a private residential community that offers magnificent views of the entire clove. The entire length of the Clove is traversed by Route 23A.

 

Although I would estimate that Kaaterskill Clove is most popular with visitors in the summer and fall, springtime is also a great time to visit. Spring is a season of change, often equated with the ideas of rebirth and renewal. It brings warmer temperatures and melting snow that creates high volume runoff in the rivers and waterfalls. Visitors are few, as skiers have finished for the season but the hikers have yet to arrive in large numbers. The hiking trails begin to thaw and it marks the beginning of fishing season. There is a cleansing scent of newness in the air. The days grow daily in length. Flowers begin to bloom. As the old adage goes “April showers bring May flowers.” Although trees are often still bare in the early spring, flourishing vegetation and lush greens begin to mark the landscape by the late spring.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) canyon Catskill Mountains Catskills clove Greene County Haines Falls Kaaterskill Clove Kaaterskill Falls New York Palenville photographer photographs photography photos spring springtime waterfall https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/12/kaaterskill-clove-springtime Sat, 03 Dec 2022 13:00:00 GMT
Transient: A Peekamoose Valley Waterfall https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/11/transient-a-peekamoose-valley-waterfall 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.

 

Photograph of an unnamed waterfall in the Catskills along Peekamoose Road as it enters the Rondout Creek.TransientThis scenic photograph depicts one of the more transient waterfalls of the Peekamoose Valley as it comes off the side of 2,350-foot Bangle Hill, before entering the Rondout Creek.

 

Famous author and photographer Richard Lionel De Lisser wrote of the Peekamoose Gorge and the Rondout Creek in his 1896 book titled Picturesque Ulster.

 

“The Gorge, or Canon as it is sometimes called, is the crowning jewel of the Peekamoose and is beyond description; a royal cradle fit for the queen of waters, the royal Rondout. The Rondout Creek, springing from life from the mountain streams that flow from the steep slopes of the Peekamoose Mountain, passes through a most beautiful and picturesque region, not altogether quietly, for far up at the source and for several miles below its clear fountain springs, it forms a succession of rocky basins, sometimes with only a little ripple of a plunge to a lower level, and again a fall of many feet over rocks to the clear sparkling reservoir below . . .

 

Further down the stream the Rondout enters Peekamoose Gorge, and flows through it for nearly a mile. On each side rise the perpendicular or overhanging rocks to the height of over a hundred feet, the top clad with stately trees, the shadow of whose far-reaching branches add to the gloom and mystery of the depths below. Through this canon rushes the Rondout Creek, leaping over high bowlders and rocks that in the course of time have fallen from the ledge above; in places forming miniature lakes, through which the stream moves gently; in others darting over the worn moss-covered ledges forming rapids or falls of many feet, and dashing itself into foam as it plunges into a long, deep pool that sends up clouds of mist.

 

In winter the accumulation of ice formed by the mist and the moisture dropping from the rocks piles up to a great height and in most grotesque forms against the sides of the canon. It is late in the spring before this ice disappears, for the Gorge is a cool place even on the hottest summer day.

 

After the creek passes form the Gorge it becomes a more quiet stream, moving gently though still pools, and over the moss-covered stones in its bed, with no sound louder than its murmurings of complaint to the bowlders which now and then obstruct its pathway to the majestic Hudson.” (De Lisser, Richard Lionel. Picturesque Ulster. The Styles & Bruyn Publishing Company, 1896. Pp. 148-149.)

 

The Sundown Wild Forest and Vernooy Kill State Forest Unit Management Plan contains some geological details about the Peekamoose Valley.

 

“The Peekamoose Valley was most certainly within the ancient river delta, as is evidenced by the high elevation of the surrounding mountains (Peekamoose Mountain at 3,843 feet, Table Mountain at 3,847 feet, and Van Wyck Mountain at 3,206 feet) and preponderance of conglomerate rock. The valley itself was formed during the last ice age. J. L. Rich, in his book "Glacial Geology of the Catskills" writes, "A powerful stream working for a long time must have been required to cut a rock gorge so large and deep as Peekamoose gorge[sic]."

 

Rich theorizes that the Esopus Creek was once dammed by a glacier to form a large lake. This lake grew as ice lay banked up against Ashokan High Point, above the level of Wagon Wheel Gap, until the waters found a place to drain through Watson Hollow and Peekamoose. This resulted in the formation of a powerful stream which cut deeply into the erosion resistant conglomerate rock of the mountains.

 

Today, small tributary streams cascade over the sides of the Peekamoose Gorge forming numerous waterfalls as they join the Rondout Creek. Some of the larger tributaries, such as Stone Cabin Brook (1.1 miles), have cut narrow gorges of their own. Today's Rondout Creek descends about 300 feet over about 4 miles before making its way to Sundown.” (Sundown Wild Forest and Vernooy Kill State Forest Unit Management Plan. October, 2019. pp. 35-36.)

 

As the above quote hints, one of the great scenic features of the Peekamoose Road is the number of waterfalls that can be seen here, although some are on private property and others are heavily dependent on the season or on recent rains. Given their occasionally fleeting nature, the waterfalls here can be particularly rewarding to photograph if you happen to be there at a time when the waters are flowing.

 

Photograph of an unnamed waterfall in the Catskills along Peekamoose Road as it enters the Rondout Creek.Peekamoose Valley WaterfallThis scenic photograph depicts one of the more transient waterfalls of the Peekamoose Valley as it comes off the side of 2,350-foot Bangle Hill, before entering the Rondout Creek.

 

SPhotograph of an unnamed waterfall in the Catskills along Peekamoose Road as it enters the Rondout Creek.Bangle Hill FallsThis scenic photograph depicts one of the more transient waterfalls of the Peekamoose Valley as it comes off the side of 2,350-foot Bangle Hill, before entering the Rondout Creek.

 

The photographs seen here depict one of the more transient waterfalls of the Peekamoose Valley as it comes off the side of 2,350-foot Bangle Hill, before entering the Rondout Creek.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Bangle Hill Blue Hole Buttermilk Falls Catskill Mountains Catskills creek New York Peekamoose Gorge Peekamoose Road Peekamoose Valley photographs photography photos river Rondout Creek tourism travel water waterfall https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/11/transient-a-peekamoose-valley-waterfall Sat, 26 Nov 2022 13:00:00 GMT
Samuel E. Rusk – New Photography Gallery https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/11/samuel-e-rusk-new-photography-gallery Samuel Rusk (1851-1930) is closely associated with the history of the northern Catskills. He was the grandson of Aaron Haines (1802-1883), who owned the first deed of land in the Haines Falls area and operated a popular boarding house.

 

Throughout his career Rusk had a wide variety of jobs including surveyor, professor, principal, inventor, hotel owner, author, car dealership owner and postmaster, but it is perhaps his lengthy career as a photographer around Newport News, Virginia and in the northern Catskills that is his most lasting legacy.

 

 

In the 1870s Rusk assisted Princeton geology professor Arnold Henry Guyot as he surveyed the Catskills, a survey that determined that Slide Mountain was the tallest mountain in the Catskills (previously recognized as Kaaterskill High Peak), set “down in print a system of names for all summits of any importance in the Catskills”* and expanded the region commonly known as the Catskills.

 

In 1879 Rusk published the popular tourist guide titled An Illustrated Guide to the Catskill Mountains.

 

In 1884 he built the fashionable Lox-Hurst boarding house in Haines Falls, which accommodated 40 people and was well known for its pure spring water. Lox-Hurst was located at the site of today’s Mountain Top Historical Society but unfortunately burned down in the mid-1990s. In 1905 Rusk built the opulent Claremont boarding house, which accommodated 75 people.

 

In 1907 Rusk constructed the Haines Falls post office and served as its postmaster for many years.

 

Samuel, along with his brother John Rusk, was a prominent landscape photographer and operated Rusk’s FotoFactory, a well-known portrait studio in Haines Falls. He published a popular series of postcards from his photographs.

 

Samuel Rusk was a prominent citizen who contributed in many ways to the Catskills community. The 3,680-foot Rusk Mountain, the 20th highest mountain in the Catskills, is named in his honor. 

 

I have recently added a new gallery to display the photographic work of Samuel E. Rusk. It can be found on the gallery page and is titled “Samuel E. Rusk – Haines Falls Photographer.” The gallery currently displays 26 photographic postcards of this noted artist, and hopefully more will periodically be added as they are acquired. Below is just a small selection of Rusk’s beautiful works.

 

 

Kaaterskill Clove and Haines Falls from Sunset Rock, Catskill Mts.

Kaaterskill Clove and Haines Falls from Sunset Rock, Catskill Mts.Kaaterskill Clove and Haines Falls from Sunset Rock, Catskill Mts.

 

A Vanishing Type, Catskill Mts.

A Vanishing Type, Catskill Mts.A Vanishing Type, Catskill Mts.

 

The Oldest Frame House standing in the Catskill Mts. (A. D. 1787.) Haines Falls.

The Oldest Frame House standing in the Catskill Mts. (A. D. 1787.) Haines FallsThe Oldest Frame House standing in the Catskill Mts. (A. D. 1787.) Haines Falls

 

The Old Sawmill, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.

The Old Sawmill, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.The Old Sawmill, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.

 

Ledge End Inn, Twilight Park, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.

Ledge End Inn, Twilight Park, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.Ledge End Inn, Twilight Park, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.

 

The Bowlder, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mts.

The Bowlder, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mts.The Bowlder, Hotel Kaaterskill, Catskill Mts.

 

Haines Falls (150 feet high), Catskill Mts.

Haines Falls (150 feet high), Catskill Mts.Haines Falls (150 feet high), Catskill Mts.

 

The Sphinx, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.

The Sphinx, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.The Sphinx, Haines Falls, Catskill Mts.

 

Source: *Evers, Alf. The Catskills: From Wilderness to Woodstock. Woodstock, NY: The Overlook Press, 1972. p. 494.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) An Illustrated Guide to the Catskill Mountains Arnold Henry Guyot author boarding house book Catskill Mountains Catskills Claremont community FotoFactory geologist geology Greene County guide guidebook Haines Falls hotel John W. Rusk Kaaterskill High Peak Lox-Hurst Mountain Top Historical Society mountains New York photographer photography photos portrait studio post office postcards postmaster Rusk Mountain Samuel Rusk Slide Mountain survey writer https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/11/samuel-e-rusk-new-photography-gallery Sat, 19 Nov 2022 13:00:00 GMT
John Jacob Loeffler’s Stereoviews of the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/11/john-jacob-loeffler-s-stereoviews-of-the-catskills 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 and Scenery of Lake Mohonk and Vicinity, demonstrate his skill and vision as well as the timeless beauty of the Catskills. The photographs are as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

I have recently acquired a number of new Catskills photographs by John Jacob Loeffler. They have all been added to the Loeffler gallery, which now contains over 140 of his photographs.

 

 

Rapids above the Fall, looking up the stream. (Catskill Mountain Scenery, 2nd Series, # 236)

Vintage John Jacob Loeffler stereoview titled “Rapids above the Fall, looking up the stream” from the “Catskill Mountain Scenery” series; second series, # 236.Rapids above the Fall, looking up the stream (2nd Series, # 236)Photographer: John Jacob Loeffler
Series name: Catskill Mountain Scenery
Catalog #: 2nd Series, # 236
Title: Rapids above the Fall, looking up the stream

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.

 

Wood Path from Laurel House to the Falls. (Catskill Mountain Scenery, 2nd Series, # 238)

Vintage John Jacob Loeffler stereoview titled “Wood Path from Laurel House to the Falls” from the “Catskill Mountain Scenery” series; 2nd Series, # 238.Wood Path from Laurel House to the Falls. (2nd Series, # 238)Photographer: John Jacob Loeffler
Series name: Catskill Mountain Scenery
Catalog #: 2nd Series, No. 238.
Title: Wood Path from Laurel House to the Falls.

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.

 

Terrace Falls, Plauterkill Clove. (Catskill Mountain Scenery, 5th Series, # 341)

Vintage John Jacob Loeffler stereoview titled “Terrace Falls, Plauterkill Clove” in the “Catskill Mountain Scenery” set; 5th Series, # 341.Terrace Falls, Plauterkill Clove. (5th Series, # 341)Photographer: John Jacob Loeffler
Series name: Catskill Mountain Scenery
Catalog #: 5th Series, No. 341.
Title: Terrace Falls, Plauterkill Clove.

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.

 

Hotel Kaaterskill. (Catskill Mountain Scenery, No series, # 376)

Vintage John Jacob Loeffler stereoview titled “Hotel Kaaterskill” from the “Catskill Mountain Scenery” series; No series listed, # 376.Hotel Kaaterskill. (No series, # 376)Photographer: John Jacob Loeffler
Series name: Catskill Mountain Scenery
Catalog #: No series listed, No. 376.
Title: Hotel Kaaterskill.

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.

 

House from Pine Bluff. (Scenery of Lake Mohonk & Vicinity, 1st Series, # 6)

Vintage John Jacob Loeffler stereoview titled “House from Sky-Top Path” from the “Scenery of Lake Mohonk and Vicinity” series; First Series, # 6.House from Pine Bluff. (1st Series, # 6)Photographer: John Jacob Loeffler
Series name: Scenery of Lake Mohonk and Vicinity
Catalog #: 1st Series, No. 6
Title: House from Pine Bluff.

 

View from Labyrinth. (Scenery of Lake Mohonk & Vicinity, 1st Series, # 22)

Vintage John Jacob Loeffler stereoview titled “View from Labyrinth” from the “Scenery of Lake Mohonk and Vicinity” series; First Series, # 22.View from Labyrinth. (1st Series, # 22)Photographer: John Jacob Loeffler
Series name: Scenery of Lake Mohonk and Vicinity
Catalog #: 1st Series, No. 22.
Title: View from Labyrinth.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountain Scenery Catskill Mountains Catskills Greene County J. Loeffler John Jacob Loeffler Lake Mohonk Loeffler Mohonk House New York photographer photographs photography photos pictures Shawangunks Staten Island stereo view stereograph stereoscopic stereoscopic view stereoview Tompkinsville https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/11/john-jacob-loeffler-s-stereoviews-of-the-catskills Sat, 12 Nov 2022 13:00:00 GMT
E. & H. T. Anthony Stereoviews of the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/11/e-h-t-anthony-stereoviews-of-the-catskills The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

I have recently acquired a number of new Catskills stereoviews by E. & H. T. Anthony & Company. They have all been added to the Anthony gallery, which now contains over 125 of the company’s Catskills works.

 

View in the Kauterskill Gorge. (# 411)

Vintage E. Anthony stereoview # 411 titled “View in the Kauterskill Gorge” from “The Glens of the Catskills” series.411_View in the Kauterskill Gorge.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 411
Title: View in the Kauterskill Gorge.

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

Ice Formation (# 788)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Company stereoview # 788 from the “Winter in the Catskills” series depicting a beautiful ice formation.788_Ice Formation.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: Winter in the Catskills
Stereoview #: 788
Title: None listed; Description: Ice Formation.

Reverse side: “These are some of the most remarkable Ice and Snow scenes in existence, and every assortment of stereoscopic views should contain a selection from them.”

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

Winter View in the Catskills (# 796)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Company stereoview # 796 from the “Winter in the Catskills” series depicting a beautiful winter view over the snow-laden mountains.796_Winter View in the Catskills.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: Winter in the Catskills
Stereoview #: 796
Title: None listed; Description: Winter View in the Catskills.

Reverse side: “These are some of the most remarkable Ice and Snow scenes in existence, and every assortment of stereoscopic views should contain a selection from them.”

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

Snowy Path (# 801)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Company stereoview # 801 from the “Winter in the Catskills” series depicting a snowy mountain path.801_Snowy Path.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony
Series name: Winter in the Catskills
Stereoview #: 801
Title: None listed; Description: Snowy Path.

Reverse side: “These are some of the most remarkable Ice and Snow scenes in existence, and every assortment of stereoscopic views should contain a selection from them.”

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

Man Standing in the Ice Cave (# 1532)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Company stereoview # 1532 from the “Winter in the Catskills” series depicting a well-dressed man standing within a large ice cave.1532_Man Standing in the Ice Cave.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: Winter in the Catskills
Stereoview #: 1532
Title: None listed; Description: Man Standing in the Ice Cave.

Reverse side: “These are some of the most remarkable Ice and Snow scenes in existence, and every assortment of stereoscopic views should contain a selection from them.”

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

Catskills Winter View (# 1539)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Company stereoview # 1539 from the “Winter in the Catskills” series depicting a beautiful snow-covered scene in the Catskills.1539_Catskills Winter View.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: Winter in the Catskills
Stereoview #: 1539
Title: None listed; Description: Catskills Winter View.

Reverse side: “These are some of the most remarkable Ice and Snow scenes in existence, and every assortment of stereoscopic views should contain a selection from them.”

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

The Laurel House (# 4190)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. stereoview # 4190 titled “The Laurel House” from “The Glens of the Catskills” series.4190_The Laurel House.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 4190
Title: The Laurel House.

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

Looking down the Kauterskill, from New Laurel House. (# 4202)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. stereoview # 4202 titled “Looking down the Kauterskill, from New Laurel House” from “The Glens of the Catskills” series.4202_Looking down the Kauterskill, from New Laurel House.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 4202
Title: Looking down the Kauterskill, from New Laurel House.

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

Sunset Rock from the Bluff (# 8540)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. stereoview # 8540 titled “Sunset Rock from the Bluff” from “The Glens of the Catskills” series.8540_Sunset Rock from the Bluff.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 8540
Title: Sunset Rock from the Bluff.

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

The Mill Pond near Laurel House (# 9049)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Co. stereoview # 9049 titled “The Mill Pond near Laurel House” in “The Glens of the Catskills” series.9049_The Mill Pond near Laurel House.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 9049
Title: The Mill Pond near Laurel House.

The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

General View of the Kauterskill Fall (# 9051)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Company stereoview # 9051 titled “General View of the Kauterskill Fall” from “The Glens of the Catskills” series.9051_General View of the Kauterskill Fall.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 9051
Title: General View of the Kauterskill Fall.


The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

The Mountain House and Valley of the Lakes from North Mt., High Peak and Round Top in the Distance (# 9078)

Vintage E. & H. T. Anthony & Company stereoview # 9078 titled “The Mountain House and Valley of the Lakes from North Mt., High Peak and Round Top in the Distance” from “The Glens of the Catskills” ser9078_The Mountain House and Valley of the Lakes from North Mt., High Peak and Round Top in the Distance.Publisher: E. & H. T. Anthony & Co.
Series name: The Glens of the Catskills
Stereoview #: 9078
Title: The Mountain House and Valley of the Lakes from North Mt., High Peak and Round Top in the Distance


The E. & H. T. Anthony company was the largest 19th-century manufacturer and distributor of cameras and photographic supplies in the United States. The company was founded by Edward Anthony (1818-1888) and his brother Henry T. Anthony (1814-1884). Regionally, the company produced many of the greatest Catskills views of the 19th century. The Catskills stereoviews were incorporated into several series including “The Artistic Series,” “The Glens of the Catskills,” and “Winter in the Catskills.” Each of the photographs demonstrates the enduring beauty of the Catskills, being as equally compelling today as they were 150 years ago.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Catskill Mountains Catskills E. & H. T. Anthony Edward Anthony Gems of American Scenery Glens of the Catskills Henry T. Anthony New York photographer photographs photography photos pictures stereo view stereograph stereoscopic stereoviews The Artistic Series Winter in the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/11/e-h-t-anthony-stereoviews-of-the-catskills Sat, 05 Nov 2022 12:00:00 GMT
Updated: The “Cats” in Cats-kills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/the-cats-in-cats-kills Having recently acquired 14 new postcards of “Cats” in the Catskills, I thought I would update a previous blog post published on January 9, 2021. Each of the new postcards are as interesting as those included in the original post. We find our lovable cats reading and selling newspapers, towing campers, going for a hike, flying a hot air balloon, and observing the scenery from a fire tower.

 

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Original post:

 

Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The anthropomorphic cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

 

There is much debate as to the origin of the name Catskills, particularly around the “cats.” Theories include that the name derived from the American wildcat (bobcats), or catamounts, that once roamed the area; or the Dutch word “kat” meaning a domestic she cat; or the Dutch word “kater” for tomcat; or a Mohican chief named Cat; or from an Indian word “katsketed” which meant fortification; or the “kasteels,” which were Indian stockades located along the banks of the Catskill Creek; or in honor of the poet Jacob Cats; or the ship named “The Cat” that once sailed up the Hudson River; or a place called Katsbaan near Saugerties where Indians played the game of lacrosse; and so on. For perhaps the most detailed history about the possible origins of the name Catskills, see Alf Evers in chapter 71 of his regional classic The Catskills, From Wilderness to Woodstock.

 

If the origin of “Cats” is quite obscure, what is quite clear is the origin of the term “kill” in Cats-“kills.” The term “kill” means creek, stream or river; and originated from the Dutch word kille meaning “riverbed” or “water channel”. The term is used in historically Dutch-influenced areas in the New York and New Jersey region, including the Catskills.

 

Included here are a number of vintage postcards that utilized cats in promoting the Catskills. The postcards were published by the Kingston News Service, the Eagle Post Card Company, C. W. Hughes, George Greenberg & Son, Albert Hahn and the Hugh C. Leighton Company, amongst others.

 

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New "Cats" postcards

 

Just Leaving the Catskills

Vintage Catskills postcard by Albert Hahn depicting a cat-drawn wagon being driven by other cats as they pass the train station to leave the Catskills.Just Leaving the CatskillsGiven the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, a cat-drawn wagon is being driven by other cats as they pass the train station to leave the Catskills.

The postcard was published by Albert Hahn located at 229 Broadway, New York. The postcard was copyrighted by Albert Hahn in 1907. The postmark on the reverse side shows that it was mailed in 1909.

 

Greetings from the Catskills

Vintage postcard titled “Greetings from the Catskills” that depict three good-looking cats in fancy clothes move along on roller skates as they make their way to the Catskills.Greetings from the CatskillsGiven the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, three good-looking cats in fancy clothes move along on roller skates as they make their way to the Catskills.

The vintage postcard was published by the Kingston News Service located in Kingston, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Greetings from Catskill Mts., N.Y.

Vintage Catskills postcard by the Kingston News Service depicting a family of cats with their car loaded with luggage, towing an RV, with laundry hanging on a clothes line.Greetings from Catskill Mts., N.Y.Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular vintage postcard, a family of cats can be found camping. The scene includes a car loaded with luggage, an RV with a child cat peeking out the window and laundry hanging on a clothesline. The Catskill Mountains can be seen in the background. The postcard was published by the Kingston News Service located at Kingston, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Greetings from the Catskills Vintage postcard titled “Greetings from the Catskills” that depict four cats getting off a small boat.Greetings from the CatskillsGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular postcard, four cats are out enjoying a nice day, getting off a boat along the lakeshore. Two cats are on the shore, one standing with a parasol, and the other waiting patiently for her two friends to deboard from the boat. The postcard, titled “Greetings from the Catskills,” was published by Bryant Union Publ. of New York City. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Vacation Days in the Catskills, N.Y. Vintage postcard titled “Vacation Days in the Catskills” showing three cats walking down the road with mountains in the background.Vacation Days in the Catsills, N.Y.Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular vintage postcard, three cats are walking down the road, surrounded by forests and with looming mountains in the background. The vintage postcard was published by C. W. Hughes & Co. of Mechanicsville, New York.

The postmark on the reverse side shows that the card was mailed in 1931. The postcard was mailed to Mrs. Ira Walker of Minerva, Ohio with the note “Have a few days off in this beautiful country. Harry.”

 

A Jolly Outing in the Catskills Vintage postcard by Albert Hahn titled “A Jolly Outing in the Catskills.”A Jolly Outing in the CatskillsGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular postcard, a wagon full of cats, one of which is waving an American flag, are pulled by six other cats, while they all make their way to the famed Catskill Mountain House, which can be seen in the background. The postcard, titled “A Jolly Outing in the Catskills,” was published in 1908 by Albert Hahn, located at 229 Broadway in New York City. The postmark on the reverse side is illegible.

 

High up in the Catskills, Catskill Mts., N.Y. Vintage postcard titled “High Up in the Catskills” depicting five cats in a plane named “Catskill Mountain Line.”High Up in the Catskills, Catskill Mts., N.Y.Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular vintage postcard, five cats are flying in a brightly colored airplane named “Catskill Mt. Line.” The postcard was published by the Kingston News Service located at Kingston, New York.

The postcard was mailed to Margaret and Alfred Klein of Jersey City, New Jersey. The writing reads “Isn’t this plane and passengers catsy. Will see you soon. Home was never like this. Ha! Ha!” The postmark date on the reverse side is illegible.

 

High Up in the Catskills Vintage Catskills postcard depicting four cats enjoying themselves as they go for a ride in a double set of basket swings.High up in the CatskillsGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular vintage postcard, two cats are enjoying the Catskill Mountain views from the top a fire tower, or lookout tower. In the distance two cats can be seen starting their ski runs from the top of a mountain.

The postcard was published by Geo. Greenberg & Son, located at Catskill, New York. The postmark on the reverse side shows that it was mailed in 1955.

 

Souvenir Folder of the Catskill Mountains, N.Y. Vintage Catskills souvenir folder depicting four cats relaxing in the baskets of a hot air balloon.Souvenir Folder of the Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

On the cover of this particular souvenir folder of postcards, four cats can be seen relaxing in the baskets of a hot air balloon.

The souvenir folder was published by C. W. Hughes & Company located at Mechanicsville, New York. The folder was never mailed.

 

High Up in the Catskills Vintage Catskills postcard with four cats snuggled in a woven basket with two ropes seemingly suspending them “high up in the Catskills.”High Up In The CatskillsGiven the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, four cats are snuggled in a woven basket with two ropes seemingly suspending them “high up in the Catskills.”

The postcard was published by the Kingston News Service located in Kingston, New York. It was mailed, and has a postmark, although the date is illegible.

 

Here Is News from the Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

Vintage Catskills postcard by the Kingston News Service depicting a cat walking along a dirt road selling a newspaper titled “Catskill Mountain News.”Here Is News From The Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Given the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, a cat walks along a dirt road selling a newspaper titled “Catskill Mountain News.” The front page of the newspaper shows a wanted poster, with the criminal looking much like our beloved Mickey Mouse.

The postcard was published by the Kingston News Service located at Kingston, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Here is News from the Catskill Mountains, N.Y.

Vintage Catskills postcard by the Kingston News Service depicting a cat with eyeglasses sitting comfortably as it reads a newspaper titled “Catskill Mountain News.”Here Is News From The Catskill Mountains, N.Y.Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular vintage postcard, a cat with eyeglasses sits comfortably as it reads a newspaper titled “Catskill Mountain News.” The postcard was published by the Kingston News Service located at Kingston, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Greetings from the Catskills

Vintage postcard titled “Greetings from the Catskills” that depicts a female cat dressed up in her best Sunday outfit, with a frilly dress, necklace and a bonnet.Greetings from the CatskillsGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular postcard, a female cat is dressed up in her best Sunday outfit, with a frilly dress, necklace and a bonnet.

The postcard, titled “Greetings from the Catskills,” has no publisher name listed. The postmark on the reverse side shows that the postcard was mailed in 1905.

 

Way Up in the Kills

Vintage postcard titled “Way Up in the Kills,” i.e. the Catskills, depicting two cats in a hot air balloon.Way Up in the KillsGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular postcard, two cats can be seen sitting in the basket of hot air balloon with the moon in the background.

The postcard, titled “Way Up in the Kills,” was published by C. W. Hughes & Co. of Mechanicsville, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

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From original post:

 

High Up in the Catskills, Catskill Mts., N.Y.
“Catskill Mountain Line”, “Kingston News Service”, Kingston, cars cat, cats, marketing, mountains, parachute, planeHigh Up in the Catskills, Catskill Mts., N.Y.Given the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, the cats look like they are having the time of their life as they fly a plane named “Catskill Mountain Line” over the towering mountains.

The postcard was published by the Kingston News Service located in Kingston, New York. It was never mailed.

 

Catskill Mountains
 

Vintage Catskills postcard that shows two cars full of cats as they drive along a dirt country road with balloons that advertise that they are headed for the Catskill Mountains.Catskill MountainsGiven the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, two cars full of cats drive along a dirt country road with balloons that advertise that they are headed for the Catskill Mountains.

The postcard was published by the Eagle Post Card Company located in New York City. The postmark on the reverse side shows that it was mailed in 1921.

 

Motoring in the Catskills, N.Y.
 

Vintage postcard titled “Motoring in the Catskills, N.Y.” by C. W. Hughes that was used to market the Catskill Mountains region of New York State.Motoring in the Catskills, N.Y.Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, two gray cats drive their boss, decked out with a top hat, in a convertible, open-aired vehicle loaded down with suitcases, golf clubs and more.

This postcard was published by C. W. Hughes & Co. located in Mechanicsville, New York. It was never mailed.

 

Greetings from the Catskills
 

Vintage postcard for the Catskills region depicting four cats relaxing on a tree branch.Greetings from the CatskillsGiven the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, four cats lounge on a tree branch under a beautiful blue sky.

The postcard was published by C. W. Hughes & Co. located in Mechanicsville, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Greetings from the Catskills
 

Vintage postcard titled “Greetings from the Catskills” that depict four good-looking cats offering a relaxed invitation to join them in the Catskills.Greetings from the CatskillsGiven the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, four good-looking cats offer a relaxed invitation to join them in the “Kills.”

The vintage postcard was published by George Greenberg & Son located in Catskill, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Greetings from the Cats Kills
 

Vintage postcard by George Greenberg & Son titled “Greetings from the Catskills” that depict four good-looking cats offering a relaxed invitation to join them in the Catskills.Greetings from the CatskillsGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular vintage postcard, four good-looking cats offer a relaxed invitation for you to join them in the “Kills.” The vintage postcard was published by George Greenberg & Son located in Catskill, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Greetings from the Catskills
 

Vintage postcard titled “Greetings from the Catskills” that depict three good-looking cats offering a relaxed invitation to join them in the Catskills.Greetings from the CatskillsGiven the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, three good-looking cats offer a relaxed invitation to join them in the “Kills.”

The vintage postcard was published by the Kingston News Service located in Kingston, New York. The postmark on the reverse side shows that it was mailed in 1945.

 

High Up in the Catskills
 

Vintage Catskills postcard depicting four cats enjoying themselves as they go for a ride in a double set of basket swings.High up in the CatskillsGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, four cats look like they are enjoying themselves as they go for a ride in a double set of basket swings.

The postcard was published by C. W. Hughes & Company located at Mechanicsville, New York. The postmark on the reverse side shows that it was mailed in 1936.

 

Praising the Catskills
 

Vintage Catskills postcard by Albert Hahn that shows five adorable cats loudly sing from a music book about the wonders of the Catskill Mountains.Praising the CatskillsGiven the Cat-skills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, five adorable cats loudly sing from a music book about the wonders of the Catskill Mountains.

The postcard was published by Albert Hahn located in New York City. The Albert Hahn company operated from 1901 to 1919. He published his postcards in Germany, as was common for the era. The postmark on the reverse side shows that this particular postcard was mailed in 1912.

 

Greetings from the Catskills
 

Vintage postcard published by the Hugh C. Leighton Company titled “Greetings from the Catskills” depicting a beautiful cat.Greetings from the CatskillsGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular vintage postcard, an elegantly beautiful cat poses for the camera. The postcard was manufactured in Germany and published by the Hugh C. Leighton Company located at Portland, Maine. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Greetings from the Catskill Mts., N.Y.
 

Vintage postcard by George Greenberg & Son titled “Arrived O.K.” and “Greetings from the Catskills” that depict a cat family in a car following a sign toward the Catskills.Arrived O.K.Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons.

In this particular vintage postcard, a cat driving a car follows a road sign towards the Catskills, with the lush green mountains looming in the background. The vintage postcard was published by George Greenberg & Son located in Catskill, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Mr. Kaatskill
 

Vintage postcard titled “Mr. Kaatskill” depicting a well-groomed cat in a human tie and top hat.Mr. KaatskillGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, the dapper Mr. Kaatskill poses his finely groomed self while sharply dressed with a tie and top hat.

The postcard was published by C. W. Hughes & Company located at Mechanicsville, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Mrs. Kaatskill
 

Vintage postcard titled “Mr. Kaatskill” depicting a well-groomed cat in a human tie and top hat.Mrs. KaatskillGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, the beautiful Mrs. Kaatskill elegantly poses with a bow on her head.

The postcard was published by C. W. Hughes & Company located at Mechanicsville, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Mr. Catskill
 

Vintage postcard titled “Mr. Catskill” that was used to market the Catskill Mountains region of New York State.Mr. CatskillGiven the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, the relaxed Mr. Catskill poses with a hat and bowtie.

The postcard was published by George Greenberg located in Catskill, New York. It was never mailed.

 

Mrs. Catskill
 

Vintage postcard titled “Mrs. Catskill” that was used to market the Catskill Mountains region of New York State.Given the Cats-kills name it is not surprising that there is a wide array of historical “cat” related postcards and marketing materials for the region. The cats often depicted tourists as they partook in various vacation activities or were dressed to the nines in high fashion. The cats could be found driving cars, flying planes, going hiking or riding in cat-pulled wagons. In this particular vintage postcard, the beautiful feline Mrs. Catskill hits the town in a bonnet and pearls.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) advertising anthropomorphic antique cars cat cats Catskill Mountains Catskills historic mail marketing New York photographer photographs photography photos pictures postcards region sightseeing tourism tourist travel vintage https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/the-cats-in-cats-kills Sat, 29 Oct 2022 12:00:00 GMT
Bob Wyer – Covered Bridges of the Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/bob-wyer-covered-bridges-of-the-catskills Bob Wyer is one of the most prolific photographers in the history of the Catskills. His photographic career included shooting just about everything, such as passport photos, chauffer licenses, hunting licenses, high school yearbooks, formal portraits, special occasions such as birthdays and weddings, young babies, local stores, hotels and businesses, accidents, insurance claims, crime scenes, landscapes, parades and local news events.

 

There was nothing that Bob couldn’t and wouldn’t photograph. Upon his retirement, Bob donated his extensive collection of over 150,000 photos to the Delaware County Historical Association. The collection is a virtual time capsule of the region from the late 1930s to the 1970s.

 

See my blog post titled “Bob Wyer: The Delhi Lensman” of February 22, 2020 for an interesting biography of this famed photographer. My personal collection of Bob Wyer photographs can be visited from the gallery page.

 

As part of my collection, Bob’s photographs of the covered bridges of the Catskills are particularly appealing. Below is an exhibit of some of these covered bridge photographs.

 

Millbrook Bridge

Millbrook BridgeMillbrook BridgeThis vintage postcard with the title "Millbrook Bridge" was taken by famed photographer Bob Wyer of Delhi, New York.

Bob Wyer is one of the most prolific photographers in the history of the Catskills. His photographic career included shooting just about everything, such as passport photos, chauffer licenses, hunting licenses, high school yearbooks, formal portraits, special occasions such as birthdays and weddings, young babies, local stores, hotels and businesses, accidents, insurance claims, crime scenes, landscapes, parades and local news events. There was nothing that Bob couldn’t and wouldn’t photograph. Upon his retirement, Bob donated his extensive collection of over 150,000 photos to the Delaware County Historical Association. The collection is a virtual time capsule of the region from the late 1930s to the 1970s.

 

Fitch’s Bridge

Vintage postcard of a woman in red sweater getting her mail at a snow-covered Fitch’s Covered Bridge as it spans the Delaware River at East Delhi in Delaware County. New York.Fitch's BridgeEast Delhi, Delaware County

Vintage postcard of a woman in red sweater getting her mail at a snow-covered Fitch’s Covered Bridge as it spans the Delaware River at East Delhi in Delaware County, New York. The postcard was published by Bob Wyer, located at Delhi, New York. It was never mailed.

The historic Fitch’s Covered Bridge was constructed in 1870 by James Frazier and James Warren at a cost of $1,900. The bridge is a single span, one lane wide, constructed using native materials and is 106 feet long as it spans the West Branch of the Delaware River. The bridge was originally located on Kingston Street in Delhi but was moved in 1885 when the town decided to replace the covered bridge with a newer, more durable iron structure. Instead of destroying the relatively new bridge (constructed only 15 years prior), it was moved several miles upstream to its current location. The historic bridge was recently restored in 2001 at a cost of $425,000. Fitches Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

According to the Fitch family website, the bridge is named for Dr. Thomas Fitch (1774-1849) and his younger brother Dr. Cornelius Root Fitch (1783-1846). “Thomas bought a farm at the (site of the future) bridge on the river in 1803. When he left Delhi for Philadelphia in 1806, he sold the farm to Cornelius, who continued to practice medicine in Delhi for 33 years.”

Bob Wyer is one of the most prolific photographers in the history of the Catskills. His photographic career included shooting just about everything, such as passport photos, chauffer licenses, hunting licenses, high school yearbooks, formal portraits, special occasions such as birthdays and weddings, young babies, local stores, hotels and businesses, accidents, insurance claims, crime scenes, landscapes, parades and local news events. There was nothing that Bob couldn’t and wouldn’t photograph. Upon his retirement, Bob donated his extensive collection of over 150,000 photos to the Delaware County Historical Association. The collection is a virtual time capsule of the region from the late 1930s to the 1970s.

 

Fitches Bridge

Vintage postcard of the historic Fitches Covered Bridge as it spans the Delaware River at East Delhi in Delaware County. New York.Fitches BridgeThe historic Fitch’s Covered Bridge spans the Delaware River at East Delhi in Delaware County, New York. The postcard was published by Bob Wyer, located at Delhi, New York. The postmark on the reverse side shows that it was mailed in 1969.

The historic Fitch’s Covered Bridge was constructed in 1870 by James Frazier and James Warren at a cost of $1,900. The bridge is a single span, one lane wide, constructed using native materials and is 106 feet long as it spans the West Branch of the Delaware River. The bridge was originally located on Kingston Street in Delhi but was moved in 1885 when the town decided to replace the covered bridge with a newer, more durable iron structure. Instead of destroying the relatively new bridge (constructed only 15 years prior), it was moved several miles upstream to its current location. The historic bridge was recently restored in 2001 at a cost of $425,000. Fitches Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

According to the Fitch family website, the bridge is named for Dr. Thomas Fitch (1774-1849) and his younger brother Dr. Cornelius Root Fitch (1783-1846). “Thomas bought a farm at the (site of the future) bridge on the river in 1803. When he left Delhi for Philadelphia in 1806, he sold the farm to Cornelius, who continued to practice medicine in Delhi for 33 years.”

 

Fitches Bridge

Vintage postcard of the historic Fitches Covered Bridge as it spans the Delaware River at East Delhi in Delaware County. New York.Fitches BridgeThe historic Fitch’s Covered Bridge spans the Delaware River at East Delhi in Delaware County, New York. The postcard was published by Bob Wyer, located at Delhi, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

The historic Fitch’s Covered Bridge was constructed in 1870 by James Frazier and James Warren at a cost of $1,900. The bridge is a single span, one lane wide, constructed using native materials and is 106 feet long as it spans the West Branch of the Delaware River. The bridge was originally located on Kingston Street in Delhi but was moved in 1885 when the town decided to replace the covered bridge with a newer, more durable iron structure. Instead of destroying the relatively new bridge (constructed only 15 years prior), it was moved several miles upstream to its current location. The historic bridge was recently restored in 2001 at a cost of $425,000. Fitches Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

According to the Fitch family website, the bridge is named for Dr. Thomas Fitch (1774-1849) and his younger brother Dr. Cornelius Root Fitch (1783-1846). “Thomas bought a farm at the (site of the future) bridge on the river in 1803. When he left Delhi for Philadelphia in 1806, he sold the farm to Cornelius, who continued to practice medicine in Delhi for 33 years.”

 

Covered Bridge over the Willowemoc at Livingston Manor, NY

Vintage postcard of the Livingston Manor Covered Bridge, formerly known as the Mott Flats Bridge and more recently as the Vantran Bridge, that was originally built in 1860 by John Davidson.Covered Bridge over the Willowemoc at Livingston Manor, NYLivingston Manor, Sullivan County

Vintage postcard of the Livingston Manor Covered Bridge that was published by Bob Wyer. It was never mailed.

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, Nobel Peace Prize winner and philanthropist. His original homestead house is located directly adjacent to the bridge.

Bob Wyer is one of the most prolific photographers in the history of the Catskills. His photographic career included shooting just about everything, such as passport photos, chauffer licenses, hunting licenses, high school yearbooks, formal portraits, special occasions such as birthdays and weddings, young babies, local stores, hotels and businesses, accidents, insurance claims, crime scenes, landscapes, parades and local news events. There was nothing that Bob couldn’t and wouldn’t photograph. Upon his retirement, Bob donated his extensive collection of over 150,000 photos to the Delaware County Historical Association. The collection is a virtual time capsule of the region from the late 1930s to the 1970s.

 

Ancient covered bridge at Dry Brook

Vintage postcard of a hunter with his gun in front of a covered bridge in the Dry Brook Valley, south of Route 28 between Margaretville and Fleischmanns.Ancient covered bridge at Dry BrookDry Brook, Ulster County

Vintage postcard of a covered bridge in the Dry Brook valley, south of Route 28 between Margaretville and Fleischmanns. The Dry Brook valley was once home to numerous covered bridges but today only three remain, including the historic Forge Covered Bridge, the historic Tappan Covered Bridge and the non-historic Myers Covered Bridge. The postcard was published by Bob Wyer. It was never mailed.

Bob Wyer is one of the most prolific photographers in the history of the Catskills. His photographic career included shooting just about everything, such as passport photos, chauffer licenses, hunting licenses, high school yearbooks, formal portraits, special occasions such as birthdays and weddings, young babies, local stores, hotels and businesses, accidents, insurance claims, crime scenes, landscapes, parades and local news events. There was nothing that Bob couldn’t and wouldn’t photograph. Upon his retirement, Bob donated his extensive collection of over 150,000 photos to the Delaware County Historical Association. The collection is a virtual time capsule of the region from the late 1930s to the 1970s.

 

Small Covered Bridge on Dry Brook, Ulster County, N.Y.

Vintage postcard from photographer Bob Wyer of a covered bridge over the Dry Brook in the Catskills.Small Covered Bridge on Dry Brook, Ulster County, N.Y.This vintage postcard from photographer Bob Wyer depicts one of the covered bridges across the Dry Brook in Ulster County, New York. The postmark on the reverse side shows that the postcard was mailed in 1971.

 

Old Covered Bridge, Dry Brook, Ulster County, N.Y.

Vintage photograph by Bob Wyer of a covered bridge over the Dry Brook in the Catskills.Old Covered Bridge, Dry Brook, Ulster County, N.Y.

 

Covered Bridge on the Willowemoc

Vintage postcard of the Bendo Covered Bridge that crosses the Willowemoc Creek near the small hamlet of Debruce in Sullivan County.Covered Bridge on the WillowemocThe Bendo Covered Bridge crosses the Willowemoc Creek near the small hamlet of Debruce in Sullivan County. The bridge is a single lane, 48 feet long and supports limited local traffic. The bridge was originally built near Main Street in Livingston Manor by John Davidson in 1860 but was later cut in half and moved to its current location by Joseph Sherwood in 1913. The bridge was originally constructed using the town lattice truss design but is now effectively a stringer type bridge. The bridge is owned and maintained by Sullivan County. Despite its age the current Bendo Covered Bridge is not considered historical since it was significantly modified (i.e. cut in half), rebuilt and is not located near its original location. It is not eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

The postcard was published by Bob Wyer, one of the most prolific photographers in the history of the Catskills. His photographic career included shooting just about everything, such as passport photos, chauffer licenses, hunting licenses, high school yearbooks, formal portraits, special occasions such as birthdays and weddings, young babies, local stores, hotels and businesses, accidents, insurance claims, crime scenes, landscapes, parades and local news events. There was nothing that Bob couldn’t and wouldn’t photograph. Upon his retirement, Bob donated his extensive collection of over 150,000 photos to the Delaware County Historical Association. The collection is a virtual time capsule of the region from the late 1930s to the 1970s.

 

Beaverkill Covered Bridge

Vintage postcard by photographer Bob Wyer of the Beaverkill Covered Bridge.Beaverkill Covered BridgeThe historic Beaverkill Covered Bridge, also known as Conklin Bridge, was originally built in 1865 by John Davidson, a Scottish immigrant, farmer, lumberman and famous Catskills covered bridge builder. The town lattice truss bridge, located north of Livingston Manor, is 14.5 feet wide and spans 98 feet over the famed Beaverkill River. The historic bridge provides a scenic background as part of the Beaverkill State Campground, one of the oldest campgrounds in the Catskills. It is open to vehicular traffic and continues to this day as a key river crossing point for local communities. The Covered Bridge Pool, a scenic and popular fly-fishing location, is located adjacent and underneath the bridge. The Beaverkill Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

The River Calls to Young and Old

A young boy makes his way along the road to the river with fishing pole in hand in this wonderful Bob Wyer photograph.The River Calls to Young and OldA barefooted young boy with his jeans rolled up makes his way along the road to the river with fishing pole in hand in this wonderful Bob Wyer photograph. An historic covered bridge in the background rounds out this perfect country scene. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Dunraven Covered Bridge

Vintage postcard from photographer Bob Wyer of the Dunraven Covered Bridge near Margaretville, New York.Dunraven Covered BridgeThe inscription on the back of this Bob Wyer postcard reads: “Catskill Mountain Vacationlands. Typical of the rural charm in the Delaware River Valley are the old covered bridges, many of which have been used from more than a century. This one is at Dunraven near Margaretville, N.Y.” The postcard was never mailed.

 

Dunraven Covered Bridge

Vintage postcard from photographer Bob Wyer of the Dunraven Covered Bridge near Margaretville, New York.Dunraven Covered BridgeThe inscription on the back of this Bob Wyer postcard reads: “Catskill Mountain Vacationlands. Typical of the rural charm in the Delaware River Valley are the old covered bridges, many of which have been used from more than a century. This one is at Dunraven near Margaretville, N.Y.” The postcard was never mailed.

 

Perrine's Bridge

Vintage photograph by Bob Wyer of Perrine’s Covered Bridge located near Rosendale, New York.Perrine's BridgeFamed photographer Bob Wyer took this photograph of the historic Perrine’s Covered Bridge. The caption on the reverse side reads “Perrine’s Bridge between Rifton and Rosendale on route 213, Ulster County. Oldest covered bridge in New York State, it crosses the Walkill River . . . a favorite fishing spot.”

The historic Perrine’s Covered Bridge is one of the most popular covered bridges in New York State. Its scenic location and easy accessibility ensure that that it is often visited by artists, photographers, covered bridge fans, regional tourists and those just “passing through”. The bridge has long been touted in New York State and Ulster County tourist guides as step back into the past, a famed landmark and stopping point for any visitor to the county. Local newspapers describe it as a great picnic location or a romantic place to “pop the question”. Local politicians use the bridge site as a backdrop during campaigns, a location to make newsworthy announcements or to stage a photo opportunity. Any visit to the bridge will likely convince the observer that the enduring popularity of Perrine’s Bridge is well deserved.

Perrine’s Covered Bridge was constructed in 1835 by Benjamin Wood at a cost of $1,200. The wooden, 138-foot-long, one-lane bridge is located adjacent to the New York State Thruway as it spans the Wallkill River. It is open to pedestrian traffic only, having been closed to vehicle traffic since 1930. The bridge is named for James W. Perrine, a French Huguenot immigrant and local tavern owner. It is the second oldest covered bridge in New York State, after Hyde Hall Covered Bridge in Otsego County that was built in 1825. Perrine’s Covered Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Hamden Covered Bridge

Photograph by Bob Wyer of a little boy pulling his sled on a snowy road as he walks towards the Hamden Covered Bridge.Hamden Covered BridgeThe Hamden Covered Bridge is the backdrop for a cute winter photograph as a little boy pulls his sleigh along the snowy road. The photograph was taken by Bob Wyer. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Old Covered Bridge (in snow), Dry Brook, Ulster County, N.Y.

Vintage photograph by Bob Wyer of a snowy covered bridge that spans the Dry Brook in the Catskills.Old Covered Bridge (in snow), Dry Brook, Ulster County, N.Y.Photographer Bob Wyer took this charming shot of a snowy covered bridge in the Dry Brook Valley of the Catskills. The postcard was never mailed.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Bob Wyer Bob Wyer Photo Cards bridges Catskill Mountains Catskills covered bridge Delaware County Delhi New York photographer photographs photography photos pictures postcards tourism travel https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/bob-wyer-covered-bridges-of-the-catskills Sat, 22 Oct 2022 12:00:00 GMT
George S. Young, Platte Clove Photographer – New Photographs https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/george-s-young-platte-clove-photographer-new-photographs George S. Young was a talented photographer and boarding house owner in the rugged Platte Clove section of the northern Catskills. He and his family operated the popular Grand Canyon House and the Devil’s Kitchen tourist attraction for many years.

 

See my blog post of July 3, 2021 for an interesting biography of George S. Young.

 

I have recently acquired a number of photographs published by George S. Young. They have all been added to the “George S. Young – Platte Clove Photographer” gallery, which now contains 27 of his works.

 

 

Grand Canyon House, Entrance to Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.

Grand Canyon House, Entrance to Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.Grand Canyon House, Entrance to Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.

 

Devil's Kitchen and Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.

Devil's Kitchen and Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.Devil's Kitchen and Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.

 

Looking Down In Devil's Kitchen and Hell Hole – Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.

Looking Down In Devil's Kitchen and Hell Hole – Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.Looking Down In Devil's Kitchen and Hell Hole – Grand Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.

 

Winter in the Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.

Winter in the Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.Winter in the Canyon, Platte Clove, N.Y.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) arch bridge brook Catskill Mountains Catskills cliffs clove creek devil Devil's Chamber Devil's Kitchen George S. Young Grand Canyon House Greene County Hell Hole Hell Hole Creek Hell Hole Falls Huckleberry Point Hudson River Ida J. Young Kaaterskill High Peak Old Mill Falls photographer photographs photography pioneer Platte Clove Plattekill Plattekill Clove Plattekill Creek Plattekill Falls postcards ravines river souvenirs stone tourism tourist tours water waterfall https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/george-s-young-platte-clove-photographer-new-photographs Sat, 15 Oct 2022 12:00:00 GMT
Abandoned Trucks of the Northern Catskills https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/abandoned-trucks-of-the-northern-catskills This group of abandoned trucks can be found alongside a busy county highway in the northern Catskills. I have driven past the trucks dozens of times, and even photographed them at times over the years. Although the trucks haven’t moved, it is still interesting to see how the scene can change. Different light, different times of day, different seasons, different levels of vegetation growth surrounding the trucks. Once in while it even seems as if the vegetation has been cut to a certain degree.

 

Open DoorOpen Door

Who's Driving?Who's Driving?

Your Truck or Mine?Your Truck or Mine?

Spare TiresSpare Tires

Truck BramblesTruck Brambles

Needs PaintNeeds Paint

Dump TruckDump Truck

GMCGMC

GMC V8GMC V8

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) abandoned cars Catskill Mountains Catskills Greene County Lexington New York photographs photography photos tourism travel trucks West Kill https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/abandoned-trucks-of-the-northern-catskills Sat, 08 Oct 2022 12:00:00 GMT
High Test: An Abandoned Gas Station https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/high-test-an-abandoned-gas-station Driving one day up to the Catskills I took some of the more local roads and highways, rather than the interstate. During the drive, always on the lookout, I came across this abandoned gas station known as “High Test.” Although it had clearly been out of business for a long time, it still retained an element of nostalgic charm, reminding you of bygone days when someone pumped your gas, someone that you probably knew personally by first name, and they always checked the oil with every fill-up.

 

The business appears to have offered a range of services, including pumping gas, washing and waxing cars, auto maintenance and repair and operating as a small car dealership. The repair section of the business must have been popular as it utilized a 3-bay garage. The business was affiliated with the Mobil gas company.

 

High TestHigh Test

High Test, OpenHigh Test, Open

Mobil GasMobil Gas Need Gas?Need Gas?

Total Sale: $00.00Total Sale: $00.00

Fill 'Er UpFill 'Er Up

Zero GallonsZero Gallons

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) abandoned auto repair car Catskill Mountains Catskills gas gas station High Test Highland Matthew Jarnich Milton Mobil New York photographs photography photos Route 9W tourism travel https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/10/high-test-an-abandoned-gas-station Sat, 01 Oct 2022 12:00:00 GMT
Angel Falls and Sholam Falls – A Photographic Study https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/9/angel-falls-and-sholam-falls-a-photographic-study Angel Falls and Sholam Falls are both amazing destinations located along Trout Creek, near the Rondout Reservoir. It’s a two-for-one destination with both falls located within close proximity of each other, with the separate “upper” falls, known as Sholam Falls, measuring approximately 40 feet, and the “lower” falls, known as Angel Falls, measuring approximately 30 feet.

 

Angel Falls

Angel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Angel FallsAngel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Angel Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Angel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Angel Falls, FlowingAngel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Angel Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Angel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Angel Falls, Over the RocksAngel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Angel Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Angel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Angel Falls, Through the GapAngel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Angel Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Angel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Angel Falls, AutumnAngel Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Angel Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

 

Angel Falls and Sholam Falls are located within the Trout Creek Unit, which is managed by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. The Trout Creek Unit falls within the town of Wawarsing in Ulster County. The unit is 1,506 acres in size. The lands of the Trout Creek Unit are open for hiking, fishing, hunting and trapping. The section of Sholam Road near Trout Creek, as well as the bridge over the top of Sholam Falls, has long been abandoned.

 

Trout Creek is 5.6 miles in length, originating in the Sundown Wild Forest near Balsam Swamp and flowing south past the hamlet of Yagerville and then into the Rondout Reservoir. Trout Creek enters the reservoir just east of the intersection of Route 46 and Route 55A, near the former site of the hamlet of Montela, one of three hamlets destroyed during the construction of the Rondout Reservoir. The other two destroyed hamlets were Lackawack and Eureka. Trout Creek is one of several primary tributaries of the Rondout Reservoir, the others being Chestnut Creek, Red Brook, Sugarloaf Brook, and the Rondout Creek. Even with their rustic beauty, Angel Falls and Sholam Falls are both largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

 

Sholam Falls

Sholam Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Sholam FallsSholam Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Sholam Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Sholam Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Sholam Falls, Trout Creek UnitSholam Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Sholam Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Sholam Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Sholam Falls, Through the CutSholam Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Sholam Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Sholam Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near Yagerville and the Rondout Reservoir.Sholam Falls, B&WSholam Falls is a beautiful waterfall located along Trout Creek near the Rondout Reservoir. Even with its rustic beauty, Sholam Falls is largely unknown, having only recently been acquired and opened to the public by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

 

Angel Falls and Sholam Falls are both located in close proximity to the former hamlet of Sholam, which has quite an interesting place in Catskills history. The former hamlet, located north of the hamlet of Lackawack and south of the hamlet of Yagerville, was founded in 1837 by a group of Jewish settlers from New York City as an agricultural and religious co-operative community. At the time of its founding Sholam was home to the only synagogue in the Catskills, which was called Covenant Observers, or Shomre Ha-Brit. (Marcus, Jacob Rader. United States Jewry, 1776-1985. Vol. 4. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press, 1993.)

 

The settlement would eventually be home to approximately 15 families. In addition to hard-scrabble farming (given the inhospitable land), some settlers operated two factories, which manufactured quill pens and fur caps, while others engaged in various trades including cobbling, tailoring and selling used clothing purchased in New York. Despite noble intentions, the community faced numerous business and financial issues, and only lasted four years before its collapse circa 1842.

 

The community was originally named Sholem, a variant of “shalom,” the Hebrew word for “peace,” but later appeared on maps as “Sholam.” In 1912, Olde Ulster, a local publication dedicated to regional Ulster County history, published a brief history of the Sholam community.

 

“At that period Edmund Bruyn of Kingston was the possessor of a large tract of land in the north part of the town of Wawarsing at the head of the Ver Nooy kill. This land lies north of Lackawack and near the town of Rochester. He established his home there and named the place Bruynsville. It is now known as Brownsville. This was during the decade 1830-1840. He threw the property, containing 3,000 acres, upon the market. A survey was made by Jacob Chambers and the tract was divided into lots and a village was laid out and sub-divided into village lots. A map was made and said to have been filed in the office of the county clerk in Kingston . . .

 

. . . the records in the office of the county clerk of Ulster county show that on the 12th of December, 1837, Edmund Bruyn conveyed by deed hundreds of acres of land “of the Sholam tract” to certain parties of the City of New York, each of whom bought in addition one of more lots in “Sholam village.” The deeds give in each instance the numbers of both of the lots upon the tract and in the village of Sholam, referring to the Chambers map. There are eight of these deeds of the date of 12th December, 1837 and three of subsequent dates. All are recorded in Book of Deeds No. 49 except one in Book No. 50. The names of the parties purchasing are William N. Polack, Marcus Van Gelderen, Elias Rodman, Benedict Cohen, Jonas Solomon, Edward May, Solomon Samelson, Ignatz Newman, Moses Cohen and Charles A. Sahroni. One deed on the record is to Zion Berenstein for nine lots on “Sholam tract” and two lots in “Sholam village.” Was this for the synagogue they erected?

 

Whence these colonists came is forgotten today and the story of the settlement is almost unknown . . .

 

The colonists contracted with a man named Rich, of Napanoch, for the erection of about a dozen houses for residences, a store, a synagogue, a museum, an art building and two factories.

 

When the colonists arrived they were found to be a highly educated people possessed of a taste for art and music, and who loved and sought social intercourse with all neighbors. Their store was stocked with a general assortment of goods; the museum filled with attractions and the art gallery with many oil paintings. Customers at the store were first received in a reception room, given a cup of tea and cakes and then permitted to trade.

 

One factory was devoted to the manufacturing of goose quill pens. Quills were purchased by the wagon load in New York, sent to Rondout and brought to Sholam. Here they were boiled in oil, scraped, split and tied in bunches of a dozen quills with bright red ribbons. They were then transported back to New York. A Mr. Castor conducted a fur-cap factory, using local firs as well as seal.

 

Farms were cleared and fenced, and the homes were models of neatness and thrift. Some members of the colony peddled with packs; others were traveling shoemakers and tailors. All engaged in some employment and prospered. The Reverend Solomon Samelson was the rabbi. It is the opinion in the vicinity that these colonists were refugees from persecution in some country in Europe. They came laden with a quantity of rich furniture and household effects and beautiful paintings. They seemed to have been a people once possessed of wealth which may have been swept away by such an experience.

 

In the former part of this article we stated that the abundance of paper money and the fever of speculation with the inflated and irredeemable currency reached a crisis in 1837. There was currency, such as it was, in abundance, but no capital. This had been absorbed in speculative schemes and measures all over the land far beyond the needs of the day. During the spring of that year holders of the great issues of bank bills began to ask that these bills be converted into specie. Panic reigned everywhere.

 

The President, Martin Van Buren, on May 15th, 1837, called a meeting of Congress to assemble on the first Monday in September. People everywhere locked up what gold and silver money was in their possession. During all this time the president stood by his position that public lands must be paid for in specie, not in renewed promises to pay. In this he was firm during his whole administration. Besides, he insisted that the fiscal concerns of the government must be divorced from those of private individuals and corporations. It was a long and bitter struggle but the president won.

 

As we just said Congress was to meet on the first Monday of September, 1837. A few days before this, August 14th, 1837, Edmund Bruyn and the Jews mentioned had agreed upon the formation of a village on his lands in the town of Wawarsing. The surveys therefore were to be made by Jacob Chambers. The survey and map was completed and filed under date of November 22nd, 1837. The panic was at its height. When the purchasing colonists met on December 12th, 1837, for the receipt of their deeds, they could pay but from forth to fifty per cent of the purchase price because of the financial stringency and mortgages at seven per cent were given for the difference, payable in five years.

 

As the immediately succeeding years showed little improvement the mortgagors defaulted. By the autumn of 1841 they were considerable in arrears and foreclosures were begun. The court directed a sale and William H. Romeyn, editor of the Kingston Democratic Journal, was directed to sell Zion Berenstein and Ignatz Newman had paid off the mortgages on their lots. But the others were foreclosed and sold. Edmund Bruyn was the purchaser in each instance, buying the lots of Charles Saroni, Marcus Van Gelderen, Elias Rodman, Benedict Cohen, Moses Cohen, Solomon Samelson, Jonas Solomon, Edward May and William N. Polack, some on May 6th and the others on May 27th, 1842.

 

This brought the project to an end. The colony broke up. Auctions were held and the personal possessions of the colonists disposed of by auction sales. Houses were removed to other sites, goods and effects, including rich old furniture of mahogany and large gilt mirrors found their way into families of the vicinity where, it is probable, some may yet be traced and found.

 

This seems to have ended the enterprise early in 1842. As it could not have been under way before the spring of 1838 it must have been of not more than four years duration. Most of the lands cleared for farms and even the village site have returned to the wilderness in which the settlers found them and where they made a heroic attempt to build a model home and community. The colonists returned to New York City. Their future history is not known.” (“The Jewish Colony at Sholam, Ulster County.” Olde Ulster. Vol. 8, no. 6. June, 1912. Pp. 161-167.)

 

Given the local interest in the subject, Olde Ulster, in the following year of 1913, published a second article on the hamlet titled “Establishing a New Jerusalem in Sholam.” The article expanded on the 1912 article and contained additional information on the people, business, financial troubles and downfall of the experimental Jewish community in the woods. (“Establishing a New Jerusalem in Sholam.” Olde Ulster. Vol. 9, no. 8. August, 1913.)

 

For a more detailed history of the Sholam community, see also “The Sholem community: reimagining a Jewish agricultural community as the First Jewish Resort in the Catskill Mountains” by Michele Ferris, published in 2013 in the Communal Societies Journal, volume 33, number 2, pages 105 to 132.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Angel Falls brook Catskill Mountains Catskills creek DEP Department of Environmental Protection falls hike hiker hiking New York photographs photography photos river Rondout Reservoir Sholam Sholam Falls Sholem stream Sundown tourism travel Trout Creek Trout Creek Unit Ulster County water waterfall Wawarsing Yagerville https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/9/angel-falls-and-sholam-falls-a-photographic-study Sat, 24 Sep 2022 12:00:00 GMT
Ashley Falls – A Photographic Study https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/9/ashley-falls-a-photographic-study Ashley Falls is a delightful three-tier waterfall located in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills. Ashley Creek, which originates from North Mountain, flows into North Lake, from which the waters of the lake continue its journey to Kaaterskill Falls, through Kaaterskill Clove and ultimately to the Hudson River.

 

Delightful Ashley Falls can be found in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills.Ashley FallsAshley Falls is a delightful 40-foot, three-tier waterfall located in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills. Ashley Falls is named for John Ashley, who used spruce trees in the North Lake area during the early 1800s to manufacture spruce beer. The waterfall is located on the Mary’s Glen trail, named for Mary Scribner who, along with her husband Ira, owned a sawmill and boarding house called the Glen Mary on the creek in the 1840s and 1850s.

Delightful Ashley Falls can be found in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills.Ashley Falls, North-South LakeAshley Falls is a delightful 40-foot, three-tier waterfall located in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills. Ashley Falls is named for John Ashley, who used spruce trees in the North Lake area during the early 1800s to manufacture spruce beer. The waterfall is located on the Mary’s Glen trail, named for Mary Scribner who, along with her husband Ira, owned a sawmill and boarding house called the Glen Mary on the creek in the 1840s and 1850s.

 

Ashley Falls is reached via the red-blazed Mary’s Glen trail, to a short yellow-blazed spur trail. The roundtrip hike is approximately 1/2 mile. The trailhead is located along the main road between the North Lake entrance and the North Lake parking area. Given its easy access, short hiking distance and beautiful scenery, Ashley Falls is popular for families with children and for those looking for a quick walk.

 

The Mary’s Glen trail is named for Mary (Saxe) Scribner (1807-1889) who, along with her husband Ira Scribner (1800-1890), owned a sawmill and boarding house called the Glen Mary on the creek in the 1840s and 1850s.

 

Mary Saxe was the daughter of Catharina Irene Layman Saxe (1786-1853) and Frederick William Saxe (1780-1854), a noted member of the Kiskatom community. Mary and Ira Scribner were married on March 1, 1829. Mary passed away at Kiskatom on February 22, 1889 and Ira passed away at 89 years of age at Kiskatom on September 12, 1890. Both Mary and Ira are buried at the Linzey Family Cemetery on the grounds of the old Catskill Game Farm in Catskill, New York. Ashley Falls has sometimes been referred to as Mary’s Glen Falls.

 

Famous American author Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), along with his friend William Ellery Channing (1817-1901), stayed at the Glen Mary in July 1844, where he found “the inspiration for his momentous experiment at Walden Pond”. Thoreau, in beginning his daily journal at Walden on July 5th of the following year, wrote of his time at Mary’s Glen.

 

“Yesterday, I came here to live. My house makes me think of some mountain houses I have seen, which seemed to have a fresher auroral atmosphere about them, as I fancy of the halls of Olympus. I lodged at the house of a saw-miller last summer, on the Catskill Mountains, high up as Pine Orchard, in the blueberry and raspberry region, where the quiet and cleanliness and coolness seemed to be all one, – which had their ambrosial character.

 

He was the miller of the Kaaterskill Falls. They were a clean and wholesome family, inside and out, like their house. The latter was not plastered, only lathed and the inner doors were not hung. The house seemed high-placed, airy, and perfumed, fit to entertain a travelling god. It was so high, indeed, that all the music, the broken strains, the waifs and accompaniments of tunes, that swept over the ridge of the Catskills, passed through its aisles. Could not man be man in such an abode? And would he ever find out this groveling life? It was the very light and atmosphere in which the works of Grecian art were composed, and in which they rest. They have appropriated to themselves a loftier hall than mortals ever occupy, at least on a level with the mountain-brows of the world. There was wanting a little of the glare of the lower vales, and in its place a pure twilight as become the precincts of heaven. Yet so equable and calm was the season there that you could not tell whether it was morning or noon or evening. Always there was the sound of the morning cricket.”

 

“For Thoreau, Scribner’s house offered the instant revelation of a rustic architectural ideal; rough, unplastered, open to nature, clean, and healthful. It even resonated with the extraordinary virtues of the Parthenon, as he hints by calling it “high placed, airy, and perfumed, fit to entertain a travelling God” and by referring to its “aisles.” For the classically inspired young writer with an enthusiasm for the primitive hut, Scribner’s evidently seemed a latter-day Doric cabin . . . The origin of Thoreau’s Walden idea, it seems, was to join Scribner’s “airy and unplastered cabin” and the South Lake “tarn” into the conception of a rustic lakeshore retreat of his own, one that would allow him to live the vigorous Catskills life not only in summer but all year long.” (Maynard, W. Barksdale. “Thoreau’s House at Walden.” The Art Bulletin, vol. 81, no. 2, 1999, pp. 303–25, https://doi.org/10.2307/3050694. Accessed 21 Apr. 2022.)

 

In his “experiment”, Thoreau would live for two years in a cabin near Walden Pond in Massachusetts removed but not isolated from others with minimal material goods to “live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Walden would become a classic American book noted for its themes of individualism, simplification and self-reliance.

 

Delightful Ashley Falls can be found in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills.Ashley FallsAshley Falls is a delightful 40-foot, three-tier waterfall located in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills. Ashley Falls is named for John Ashley, who used spruce trees in the North Lake area during the early 1800s to manufacture spruce beer. The waterfall is located on the Mary’s Glen trail, named for Mary Scribner who, along with her husband Ira, owned a sawmill and boarding house called the Glen Mary on the creek in the 1840s and 1850s.

Delightful Ashley Falls can be found in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills.In Memory of John AshleyAshley Falls is a delightful 40-foot, three-tier waterfall located in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills. Ashley Falls is named for John Ashley, who used spruce trees in the North Lake area during the early 1800s to manufacture spruce beer. The waterfall is located on the Mary’s Glen trail, named for Mary Scribner who, along with her husband Ira, owned a sawmill and boarding house called the Glen Mary on the creek in the 1840s and 1850s.

 

Noted American landscape painter Sanford Gifford (1823-1880), a leading member of the Hudson River School of Art, was a regular guest at the Glen Mary during the late 1840s and the early 1850s. The Autobiography of Worthington Whittredge details some of Gifford’s time at Scribner’s Boarding House.

 

“Many years ago he [Gifford] hunted up a little house in Kaaterskill Clove, in which lived a family of plain country folk, and, as the place was secluded an there were no boarders, he liked it and managed to obtain quarters there. This house, scarcely enough to hold the family, was, nevertheless, for many summers the abiding place of a congregation of artists. The beds were few and it may truly be said that the best were the cheapest, for the most expensive were composed of straw, while the cheapest were of feathers.

 

As may well be imagined, the table at this house was not very good. Gifford was no gourmet, but he had a commendable ambition to improve the cooking of the Catskills. To this end, he urged the immigration of some of the wives and sisters of those present, whose culinary gifts he was acquainted with. In due time they appeared upon the scene and, by their adroit direction, new dishes were served and coffee was improved.

 

But this experiment proved fatal in the end. Boarders came in flocks from the city, and Scribner’s Boarding House had to be abandoned by the artists and new quarters found further on.” (Bauer, John I. H. “The Autobiography of Worthington Whittredge, 1820-1910.” Brooklyn Museum Journal, 1942. Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, 1942. p. 59.)

 

Famed author and historian Alf Evers, writing in his classic The Catskills: From Wilderness to Woodstock, noted the name origins of Ashley Falls and Ashley’s Creek.

 

“One man found an unusual way to use one of the kinds of trees which grew in the Catskills. He was John Ashley. Hardly had the Schohariekill Road been opened when Ashley was traveling it in order to set up on the shore of North Lake two log buildings in which he manufactured from the tips of the branches of spruce trees a substance known as the essence of spruce. This John Ashley was a man worth knowing, for he emerges from the old records seeming even yet to bounce and quiver with acquisitive energy and ingenuity. Of Yankee origin, he had come from the city of Hudson to serve as the town baker of Catskill. Years after Ashley was gone, old-timers recalled that he had advertised with a vigor worthy of more recent times. The signboard attached to his shop was actually bigger than the shop. On it were shown in natural colors monumental loaves of bread and giant barrels of overflowing with crackers. Surmounting these appeals to the public appetite was a slogan reading, “May our County never want for Bread.” But baking could not absorb all of John Ashley’s energy. He was ever on the alert for new ways of laying his hands on dollars. As a baker he supplied the people of Catskill with bread to eat. Sometime in the 1790s he proposed supplying them, as well as more distant Americans, with something to drink.

 

The tips of the spruce trees to be found beside North Lake were the raw materials of Ashley’s method of quenching Americans’ thirst. In Ashley’s day, the artificially carbonated drinks daily consumed by millions in our time were yet unknown, although a beginning had been made by druggists who flavored, colored and carbonated waters prescribed by physicians for those who could or would not visit spas where naturally carbonated waters were to be found. The place in life of the cola drinks, the ginger ales, and similar concoctions of our day was once filled very well indeed by a slightly alcoholic liquid known as spruce beer. People of all ages relished spruce beer but it was the especial favorite of children and adolescents. Old ladies and one-armed veterans often kept refreshment stands at which they offered spruce beer and gingerbread of their own brewing and baking. Such stands sprang up in cities on holidays and were a feature of summer resorts and of places to which people traveled to see natural wonders.

 

Most spruce beer was made from the essence of spruce. To a small amount of essence, water, sugar or molasses, and a little yeast were added. The mixture was allowed to ferment for a few days and was then bottled. John Ashley’s plan was to settle on the shores of North Lake and there produce the essence of spruce which he could send down to the Hudson River over the new road. The log buildings were his headquarters, located close to the point at which the stream once known in his honor as Ashley’s Brook enters the lake. For years the spruce trees bordering the lakes dwindled as Ashley’s kettles boiled and bubbled. But by 1809 the project failed and Ashley was turning his attention to fresh paths to riches. An alum mine in the Kaaterskill Clove and a plaster mill near Catskill had become the subjects of his dreams.” (pp. 293-295.)

 

Delightful Ashley Falls can be found in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills.Ashley Falls, Mary's Glen TrailAshley Falls is a delightful 40-foot, three-tier waterfall located in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills. Ashley Falls is named for John Ashley, who used spruce trees in the North Lake area during the early 1800s to manufacture spruce beer. The waterfall is located on the Mary’s Glen trail, named for Mary Scribner who, along with her husband Ira, owned a sawmill and boarding house called the Glen Mary on the creek in the 1840s and 1850s.

Delightful Ashley Falls can be found in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills.Ashley Falls, North-South Lake, CatskillsAshley Falls is a delightful 40-foot, three-tier waterfall located in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills. Ashley Falls is named for John Ashley, who used spruce trees in the North Lake area during the early 1800s to manufacture spruce beer. The waterfall is located on the Mary’s Glen trail, named for Mary Scribner who, along with her husband Ira, owned a sawmill and boarding house called the Glen Mary on the creek in the 1840s and 1850s.

Delightful Ashley Falls can be found in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills.Ashley Falls, In DetailAshley Falls is a delightful 40-foot, three-tier waterfall located in the North-South Lake area of the northern Catskills. Ashley Falls is named for John Ashley, who used spruce trees in the North Lake area during the early 1800s to manufacture spruce beer. The waterfall is located on the Mary’s Glen trail, named for Mary Scribner who, along with her husband Ira, owned a sawmill and boarding house called the Glen Mary on the creek in the 1840s and 1850s.

 

Samuel E. Rusk, in his 1879 guidebook titled Rusk’s Illustrated Guide to the Catskill Mountains, described the Mary’s Glen and Ashley’s Creek area as being a popular walk from the Catskill Mountain House.

 

“Mary’s Glen. Walk in the Mt. House Region. The shady walk of a mile, without climbing, from the Mountain House to Mary’s Glen is a desirable one. The way is down the mountain road to the top of the second small hill, where the left one of the two paths on the north should be followed. It leads past the eastern end of North Lake, crossing a small stream near the Lake. Half a mile farther Ashley’s Creek is crossed on a log for a footbridge. A pretty falls are some two hundred feet further up the stream. A path leads from the top of the falls to the road, by the charcoal pit west of the lake, and the return is usually by this way.” (p. 88.)

 

Three years later, in 1882, Walton Van Loan also described the area in his own guidebook titled Van Loan’s Catskill Mountain Guide.

 

“Mary’s Glen – North Mountain. Go down the mountain road to the general entrance of North Mountain. Take the left hand path – a wood-road – part of the way along the eastern shore of North Lake; cross Ravine Creek, and just before reaching “Glen Mary,” cross Ashley’s Creek on a log placed there for the purpose. From here the sound of the fall can generally be heard, distant about two hundred feet up the creek.

 

Arriving at the falls, cross the stream, and ascend the bank so as to cross back again on the top of the falls, where a well defined path will bring you out on the main road by the charcoal pit, three quarters of a mile from the Mountain House. This delightful and shady walk is recommended to those who wish to avoid climbing, and is a favorite walk with the ladies.” (p. 18.)

 

Roland Van Zandt described the Ashley’s Falls area in his book titled The Catskill Mountain House.

 

“Quickly descending the mountain, it soon arrives at the headwaters of Ashley’s Creek, the principal source of North and South Lakes. Following this mountain stream for about half a mile, the trail then intersects the red trail that provides a shortcut to the eastern escarpment (not known in the nineteenth century), and soon reaches the head of Ashley’s Falls, the main feature of the idyllic Glen Mary. The falls are not large, but they are proportionate to the intimate seclusion of the surrounding dale and afford a delightful contrast to the more spectacular scenes of the upper trail. A subsidiary yellow trail (much used in the nineteenth century) provides a detour to the top and bottom of the falls, then back to the main trail. During the last century this trail was a popular walk for those who did not wish to encounter the rigors of the eastern escarpment and was a ‘favorite walk with the ladies.’” (p. 115.)

 

The North-South Lake area is described on the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) website as the most popular state property in the Catskills and includes its largest campground. During the summer months the 84-acre North-South Lake area offers a picture-perfect location for swimming, boating, camping, hiking and picnicking.

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Ashley Falls boarding house camp campground camping Catskill Mountains Catskills creek Escarpment Escarpment Trail Glen Mary Henry David Thoreau Ira Scribner Mary Scribner Mary's Glen Massachusetts North Lake photographs photography photos river Sanford Gifford sawmill South Lake tourism trail travel Walden Walden Pond water waterfall https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/9/ashley-falls-a-photographic-study Sat, 17 Sep 2022 12:00:00 GMT
Tompkins Falls – A Photographic Study https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/9/tompkins-falls-a-photographic-study Tompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

 

Photographs of Tompkins Falls, a waterfall in the western Catskills, located near the hamlet of Andes and the village of Margaretville.Tompkins FallsTompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

Photographs of Tompkins Falls, a waterfall in the western Catskills, located near the hamlet of Andes and the village of Margaretville.Autumn at Tompkins FallsTompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

Photographs of Tompkins Falls, a waterfall in the western Catskills, located near the hamlet of Andes and the village of Margaretville.Tompkins Falls, On the Barkaboom StreamTompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

Photographs of Tompkins Falls, a waterfall in the western Catskills, located near the hamlet of Andes and the village of Margaretville.Tompkins Falls, Close UpTompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

 

The Barkaboom Stream, which rises between Barkaboom Mountain and Touchmenot Mountain, once flowed into the East Branch of the Delaware River, but now sends its waters into the Pepacton Reservoir, south of the hamlet of Andes and west of the village of Margaretville. Deerlick Brook flows west off of Barkaboom Mountain and joins the Barkaboom Stream upstream of Tompkins Falls.

 

The nearby 3,140-foot Barkaboom Mountain is part of the Mill Brook Ridge Range. Other peaks in this range include Balsam Lake Mountain, Schoolhouse Mountain, Graham Mountain and Doubletop Mountain. Graham Mountain, at 3,868 feet, and Doubletop Mountain, at 3,860 feet are the seventh and eighth highest mountains in the Catskills. (Kudish, Michael. The Catskill Forest: A History. Fleischmanns, NY: Purple Mountain Press, 2000. pp. 91-96.) For more information on hiking the unmarked Barkaboom Mountain, see Alan Via’s book titled The Catskill 67 – A Hiker’s Guide to the Catskill 100 Highest Peaks under 3500’.

 

Barkaboom Stream, Barkaboom Road and Barkaboom Mountain all have quite interesting names. According to the History of Delaware County, N.Y., the Barkaboom name “is of Indian origin, signifying a birch bridge, and alludes to an immense birch tree which had so fallen as to make a suitable bridge on one of the Indian trails crossing this stream.” (History of Delaware County, N.Y. New York: W.W. Munsell & Co., 1880. p. 111.)

 

Two other sources state that the Barkaboom name derives from either the Dutch word “berkenboom,” meaning “birch tree,” or perhaps otherwise a family name. (Van Der Sijs, Nicoline. Cookies, Coleslaw and Stoops. Amsterdam University Press, 2009. p. 52.; also, Stewart, George Rippey. American Place-Names. New York: Oxford University Press, 1970. p. 35.)

 

However, a third theory about the Barkaboom name was put forward by journalist David Rossie in a 1991 article for the Press and Sun-Bulletin newspaper of Binghamton, New York.

 

“Bob Gonos of Binghamton solved the mystery of Barkaboom for me. A “barkaboom,” Gonos wrote, was a person who stripped bark from trees – hemlock, I believe – in the Catskill Mountains around the turn of the century and probably into the 1930s. The bark was used as a dying agent in the shoe industry.

 

Gonos said his information was supplied by a man named Cal Smith of Phoenicia. He said Cal’s father was a fishing guide on the Esopus and that one of his frequent clients was the comedian, Fred Allen.

 

“Incidentally,” Gonos added, “from the way Cal referred to barkabooms, it was not a highly regarded occupation.”

 

Sort of like journalist, maybe.” (Rossie, David. “How the barkaboom got his name.” Press and Sun-Bulletin. June 10, 1991.)  

 

Photographs of Tompkins Falls, a waterfall in the western Catskills, located near the hamlet of Andes and the village of Margaretville.Past the Former DamTompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

Photographs of Tompkins Falls, a waterfall in the western Catskills, located near the hamlet of Andes and the village of Margaretville.The Flowing Barkaboom StreamTompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

Photographs of Tompkins Falls, a waterfall in the western Catskills, located near the hamlet of Andes and the village of Margaretville.Over the Edge at Tompkins FallsTompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

Photographs of Tompkins Falls, a waterfall in the western Catskills, located near the hamlet of Andes and the village of Margaretville.Upper Tompkins FallsTompkins Falls is a beautiful roadside water fall located in the Delaware Wild Forest section of the western Catskills. The falls, located on the Barkaboom Stream, are approximately 25 feet tall. Near the top of the falls are the remnants of old dam and mill site.

 

The valley of the Barkaboom was closely associated with the history of the nearby hamlet of Union Grove. The hamlet was located where the Barkaboom Stream entered the East Branch of the Delaware.

 

The Union Grove area was first settled in 1800 by a family with the name of Howks. With an abundance of lumber, including white hemlock trees, Eli Sears established a sawmill on the Barkaboom Stream in 1801, moving the wood each year to the Philadelphia market.

 

In 1848 the firm of Jenkins and Mekeel built another sawmill further up the Barkaboom Stream. This firm, a partnership between James Jenkins (1812-1883) and John Mekeel (b. 1798) & Son, was established with the purchase of 130 acres of land, to which an additional 270 acres were later added. This mill was later operated by Anson Jenkins (1833-1905), son of James Jenkins.

 

In 1857 Andrew Hawver settled further up the valley, about one-third of a mile below Tompkins Falls, and established his own mill. This mill was later operated by William M. Spickerman.

 

In September 1863 flooding caused much damage in the Barkaboom area. “On the Barkaboom stream its ravages were very great. About 1200 logs were taken out of the milldam, belonging to A. Hawver, Esq. Part of the sawmill of James Jenkins were swept away – the entire sawmill, logs and lumber around it, belonging to Harrison Hawver, were taken down the stream – and, finally, the dwelling house of Mr. Hawver, P. M., of Union Grove Post Office, was undermined, broken to pieces and taken away.” (“Flood in Andes.” Bloomville Mirror. September 29, 1863.)

 

In 1868 Robert M. Hammer and Herman D. Hammer established a sawmill 3.3 miles up the Barkaboom Stream from the East Branch confluence. This was known as the Little Falls Mill. The Hammer’s also operated a lumber and general merchandise business at the hamlet of Union Grove.

 

In 1880 Union Grove was described as having a post office, a hotel, several shops, a sawmill, three churches and a schoolhouse. In terms of progress at Union Grove, district school number 20 was established in 1843, the Union Grove post office was established in 1857, and the first general store was established in 1860 by R. M. Hammer.

 

The business dealings of the Barkaboom valley, in a book on local history, were described in 1880. “Opposite Union Grove, on the right bank of the river, are old, well improved farms, but up the valley of the Barkaboom is a newly cleared, sparsely settled tract, which seems to be in a sort of transition state between lumbering and farming, where the one has ceased to pay and the other has not become profitable.” (History of Delaware County, N.Y. New York: W.W. Munsell & Co., 1880. p. 111.)

 

Union Grove was one of the four hamlets destroyed during the construction of the Pepacton Reservoir. The other three destroyed hamlets included Pepacton, Shavertown and Arena.

 

For those who wish to spend a little more time in this area in a beautiful rustic setting, the Little Pond Campground is located approximately five miles south along Barkaboom Road. The state campground offers tent and RV camping, fishing, boating and swimming, all set on the picturesque, 13-acre Little Pond. For more information visit the New York Department of Environmental Conservation website for Little Pond Campground and Day Use Area.

 

For those with a need for more refined lodging, the historic Beaverkill Valley Inn is also located in this region. The Inn, formerly known as The Bonnie View, was built for anglers seeking to spend time on the pristine waters of the Beaverkill. The Inn continues today with its history of inviting hospitality. Visit their website at www.beaverkillvalleyinn.com for more information.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills) Barkaboom Mountain Barkaboom Road Barkaboom Stream Catskill Mountains Catskills Delaware Wild Forest Margaretville Matthew Jarnich New York Pepacton Reservoir photographs photography photos Tompkins Falls tourism travel Union Grove water waterfall https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/9/tompkins-falls-a-photographic-study Sat, 10 Sep 2022 12:00:00 GMT
Otto Hillig – New Photographs https://www.americancatskills.com/blog/2022/9/otto-hillig-new-photographs Otto Hillig can be considered one of the great photographers in Catskills history. Arriving from Germany in the United States as a poor teenage immigrant he took on a series of odd jobs before developing a prosperous photography business at his adopted hometown in the village of Liberty in Sullivan County, New York. He operated a well-regarded portrait studio in the village, extensively photographed the landscapes of the region and was considered an earlier pioneer of aerial photography.

 

I have recently acquired a number of photographic items published by Otto Hillig, including postcards, a photograph and a rare stereoview. They have all been added to the Otto Hillig gallery, which now contains over 120 of his works.

 

Liberty House, Liberty, N.Y.

Vintage postcard published by photographer Otto Hillig depicting the Liberty House, located in the village of Liberty, New York.Liberty House, Liberty, N.Y.This vintage postcard published by photographer Otto Hillig depicts the grand Liberty House, located in the village of Liberty, New York. The postmark on the reverse side shows that the postcard was mailed in 1911.

 

Colonial Hall, Liberty, N.Y.

Vintage postcard by photographer Otto Hillig depicting the charming Colonial Hall building in the village of Liberty, New York.Colonial Hall, Liberty, N.Y.This vintage postcard by photographer Otto Hillig depicts the charming Colonial Hall building in the village of Liberty, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

Crest Lawn, Liberty, N.Y.

Vintage postcard published by photographer Otto Hillig depicting the charming Crest Lawn building in the village of Liberty, New York.Crest Lawn, Liberty, N.Y.This vintage postcard published by photographer Otto Hillig depicts the charming Crest Lawn building in the village of Liberty, New York. The postcard was never mailed.

 

The Mapledoram Log Cabin, DeBruce, N.Y.

Vintage photograph from Otto Hillig titled “The Mapledoram Log Cabin, DeBruce, N.Y.”The Mapledoram Log Cabin, DeBruce, N.Y.

 

Xmas at the M. E. Church, Liberty, N.Y.

Photographer Otto Hillig of Liberty, New York published this vintage postcard titled “Xmas at the M. E. Church, Liberty, N.Y.”Xmas at the M. E. Church, Liberty, N.Y.

 

Grooville, N.Y.

Vintage photograph by Otto Hillig titled “Grooville, N.Y.”Grooville, N.Y.

 

Beautiful Scenery near Grooville, N.Y.

Vintage photograph by Otto Hillig titled “Beautiful Scenery near Grooville, N.Y.”Beautiful Scenery near Grooville, N.Y.

 

One of the Many Waterfalls in Sull. Co., N.Y. Parksville, N.Y.

Vintage photograph by Otto Hillig titled “One of the Many Waterfalls in Sull. Co., N.Y. Parksville, N.Y.”One of the Many Waterfalls in Sull. Co., N.Y. Parksville, N.Y.

 

Koons Bros. Turning Mill, Emmonsville, N.Y.

Vintage photography by Otto Hillig titled “Koons Bros. Turning Mill, Emmonsville, N.Y.”Koons Bros. Turning Mill, Emmonsville, N.Y.

 

Young, Messiter and Dodge Float. Centennial, 1907, Liberty, N.Y.

Vintage photograph by Otto Hillig titled “Young, Messiter and Dodge Float. Centennial, 1907, Liberty, N.Y.”Young, Messiter and Dodge Float. Centennial, 1907, Liberty, N.Y.

 

I. O. G. T. Float from White Sulpher Springs. Centennial, Liberty, N.Y. 1907

Vintage photograph by Otto Hillig titled “I. O. G. T. Float from White Sulpher Springs. Centennial, Liberty, N.Y. 1907.”I. O. G. T. Float from White Sulpher Springs. Centennial, Liberty, N.Y. 1907

 

The Trout Stream near Lake Ophelia, Liberty, N.Y.

Vintage photo by Otto Hillig titled “The Trout Stream near Lake Ophelia, Liberty, N.Y.”The Trout Stream near Lake Ophelia, Liberty, N.Y.

 

Arriving of the U.S. Mail, Grooville, N.Y.

Vintage photog by Otto Hillig titled “Arriving of the U.S. Mail, Grooville, N.Y.”Arriving of the U.S. Mail, Grooville, N.Y.

 

Remains of the Old Tanning Industry, Claryville, N.Y.

Vintage photo by Otto Hillig titled “Remains of the Old Tanning Industry, Claryville, N.Y.”Remains of the Old Tanning Industry, Claryville, N.Y.

 

The Acid Factory, Willowemoc, N.Y.

Vintage photo by Otto Hillig titled “The Acid Factory, Willowemoc, N.Y.”The Acid Factory, Willowemoc, N.Y.

 

Stevensville, N.Y.

Vintage stereoview by Otto Hillig titled “Stevensville, N.Y.” depicting a scenic waterfall.Stevensville, N.Y.

 

Untitled (Man, Horse and Wagon)

Vintage untitled photograph by Otto Hillig depicting a man sitting in a wagon being pulled by two horses.Man, Horse and Wagon

 

Hillig’s Castle

Hillig's CastleHillig's Castle

 

Otto Hillig and Holger Hoiriis

Vintage advertising card depicting Otto Hillig and Holger Hoiriis with their plane Liberty.Otto Hillig and Holger HoiriisOtto Hillig and Holger Hoiriis, with their plane Liberty, are depicted on this vintage advertising card, which highlighted their trans-Atlantic flight from New York to Copenhagen in 1931.

 

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dalencon99@gmail.com (American Catskills)