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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pancho Villa’s

Pancho Villa'sTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Red Roses

Red RosesTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Roses

RosesTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Country Store

Country StoreTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Maggie’s Krooked Café

Maggie's Krooked CafeTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Krooked CafeTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Hunter Foundation

Hunter FoundationTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Hunter Foundation OfficesTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Orpheum

OrpheumTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop

Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift ShopTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Bones and Stones

Bones and StonesTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Last Chance

Last ChanceTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Painted Stripes

Painted StripesTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

House Windows

House WindowsTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Shutters

ShuttersTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Window

WindowTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Painted House

Painted HomeTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Parking

ParkingTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Liquors

LiquorsTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Colorful Bear

Colorful BearTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.

Breakfast Lunch

Breakfast LunchTannersville, New York in the northern Catskills.