Catskills, Then and Now: Catskill Game Farm
August 29, 2020
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The historic Catskill Game Farm was a popular zoo that over time turned into a cultural icon, attracting crowds of visitors from throughout the region. For many visitors the family owned Game Farm was more than a zoo, it was family tradition to make the annual pilgrimage to the zoo’s remote location year after year, a tradition passed down from gen...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Hoffman House
June 13, 2020
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94 North Front Street, Stockade District, Kingston, Ulster County
The Hoffman House was built in the mid-17th century (prior to 1679, although the exact date of construction is unknown) and is considered to be an excellent example of early American Dutch rubble architecture. The Hoffman House was situated in the northwest corner of Kingston’s hi...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Old Guard House
June 06, 2020
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The Old Guard House, also known as the Spy House or the Du Mond House, was built prior to 1685, making it the oldest house in the historic district and possibly the state. The home played a significant role in an episode of military intrigue during the American Revolution. Lieutenant Daniel Taylor, an officer of the British Army, was caught carryin...
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Catskills, Then and Now: St. Joseph’s Chapel
May 30, 2020
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St. Joseph’s Chapel, located at the hamlet of Ashland in Greene County, is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in the Catskills, according to a roadside sign and several historic postcards. The church was established around 1800 and is located on a hillside along Route 23 between the hamlet of Windham and the hamlet of Prattsville. It serves as a miss...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Villa Maria
May 23, 2020
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Haines Falls, Greene County
The now abandoned Villa Maria property was first developed in 1903 by W. I. Hallenbeck and operated as The Fenmore. A 1913 advertisement described the resort as a “House newly built and newly furnished; lighted with electricity; bathrooms and closets; open fireplaces; steam heat for cool days; 75 guests. Large, cool s...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Fireman’s Hall at Kingston, New York
May 16, 2020
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Stockade District, Kingston, Ulster County
Fireman’s Hall at 265 Fair Street in Kingston, New York is the former home of the Wiltwyck Hose Company No. 1 at the Wiltwyck Fire Station. The fire company took its name from the original Wiltwyck Dutch settlement that was located on the site of modern-day Kingston. The building is included on the Nati...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Amelia Westbrook House
May 09, 2020
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Stockade District, Kingston, Ulster County
The Amelia Westbrook House was built circa 1831 by Joseph Smith, owner of a nearby general store. He had “apparently had two nearly identical houses built for speculation in the 1830s on his lot on East Front Street (now Clinton Avenue). He then divided the lot down the middle and sold the two houses se...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Gideon Frisbee House
May 02, 2020
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Delhi, Delaware County
Gideon Frisbee (1758-1828) was a man of many talents that through an industrious career included pioneer, farmer, justice of the peace, county treasurer, revolutionary war veteran, militia captain, tavern keeper, and vestryman. His Federal-style, two-story house, located two miles north of Delhi, was built in 1797 along th...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Livingston Manor Covered Bridge
April 25, 2020
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Livingston Manor, Sullivan County
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...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Fitch’s Covered Bridge
April 18, 2020
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East Delhi, Delaware County
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...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Senate House at Kingston, New York
April 11, 2020
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Stockade District, Kingston, Ulster County
The Senate House in the historic Stockade District of Kingston was the meeting place of the first New York State Senate in September and October 1777. The elected representatives met in this simple stone house that was constructed in 1676 and owned by Abraham Van Gaasbeek, a local merchant. The patriots...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Millbrook Covered Bridge
April 04, 2020
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Hardenburgh, Ulster County
The Millbrook Covered bridge, also known as the Grant Mills Covered Bridge, was originally constructed in 1902 by Edgar Marks, his son Orrin Marks and Wesley Alton. Bridge construction, assisted by local craftsman, took place over the course of nearly seven months, opening to traffic on December 8, 1902.
The town la...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Pieter Bronck House
March 28, 2020
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Greene County Historical Society, Coxsackie, Greene County
The original, single room Bronck House was constructed in 1663 by Pieter Bronck, a Swedish immigrant and former tavern and brewery owner in what is now Albany. The house was later enlarged in 1685 and 1738 to accommodate the growing family and fortunes. The house was the center of the Br...
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Catskills, Then and Now: Heermance Memorial Library
March 21, 2020
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Reed Street Historic District, Coxsackie, Greene County, New York
The Heermance Memorial Library is located on Ely Street within the Reed Street Historic District in the village of Coxsackie. The library was founded in 1908 upon the passing of Eleanor Christina Heermance (1820-1907), a prominent local resident. In her will Miss Heermance, with t...
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Kinch Brothers: 40 Years of Community Photography
March 08, 2020
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Harvey and Edgar Kinch, better known as the Kinch Brothers, operated a successful photo studio in Walton and Hancock for over 40 years. They were both well-respected members of the Delaware County community.
Harvey Kinch was born on November 29, 1868 to Nathan and Martha (Rush) Kinch. Nathan was “one of the best known residents of Walton... [he]...
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