Welcome
Welcome to the MTHS website
The Mountain Top Historical Society is dedicated to discovering and preserving the unique and rich history of the Catskill High Peaks. The Society is a not-for-profit organization and maintains a Visitor and Art Trail Center and the Ulster and Delaware train depot (shown above) on our campus in Haines Falls. We are located on scenic Route 23A at the gateway to the Mountain Top and are easily accessible from Exit 20 or 21 of the New York State Thruway.
The Town of Hunter, home to MTHS, has been designated a Preserve America Community.
Our Next Events:
June 8 (Sat) Hike: South Mountain by the historic Direct Path.
We'll take our original Mountain House walking stick back to Pine Orchard
June 9 (Sun) 3:30 p.m. Early History of the New York State Wild Forest known as Colgate Lake.
1 hour program by Elaine Warfield in the Ulster and Delaware Train Station.
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The Heximer Survey courtesy of the Free Library of Philadelphia |
See details of these events and our Full Schedule: 2019 Event and Hike Schedule.
An 1883 Survey brings the Hotel Kaaterskill to life.
MTHS News and links:
- Rip's Back
- KRT is Open
- Clove Road by Justine Hommel -A 2006 article by Justine Hommel.
- The Dodd House - Also by Justine an article from the archives of the Hemlock
- Around Hunter --A great Gift for a friend or yourself-- is available at the Visitor's Center Click on the link or the book cover for more information.
- Larry Tompkins -- Out Windham Way a wonderful new book from our former MTHS president.
From our Archives -
Follow the "From Our Archives" link in the "Preserve" menu on the right to see information about some of the items in our Justine Hommel Archive Room.
Included are posts on:
one of several letters from Civil War soldier William Young. Donated by Odile Dwyer.
A collection of glass plate negatives. The gift of Shirley and Gerald Dunn See details here.
2019 Hike Preview
Tentatively set for June 8th, we will take the historic Direct Path to South Mountain. The path was the main way to climb from the Catskill Mountain House to sites such as Puddingstone Hall, Druid Rocks, and the Second Ledge seen in this illustration from Van Loan's Catskill Mountain Guide and called the Lemon Squeezer by some photographers.
By 1891 a new path approximately the current state trail was established and eventually the "Direct Path" was abandoned. Check back for more details which will be announced when they are complete.
Volunteers always needed
We have openings for volunteers, and possible board members, in these areas: membership chair, fundraising chair (including grants writing), volunteer coordinator, and groundskeeping chair. We would love to have more regular volunteers to work on maintaining the grounds, staffing the Visitors' Center, working with us on our Spring Clean-up Day in May, and sorting files for the archives. If you are already on our volunteer list, we will be in touch. If you would like to know more about volunteer activities that will be personally fulfilling and rewarding, contact us by phone at 518-589-6657 or by e-mail to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We also ask for your support in the form of membership dollars and your donations to our upcoming capital campaign. Our annual membership drive will begin in May. Watch for the information in the mail and please respond generously.
Working together, we can continue to discover, interpret, share, and preserve the history of the Mountain Top for ourselves and our children.
The 2019 hiking and events schedule will be available in February--please check back.
Here is another view of the Second Ledge on South Mountain--this one a Loeffler stereograph which names the site The Lemon Squeezer. Loeffler's choice of the name caused us a great deal of confusion because it was also the name of a crevice near the top of South Mountain and differed from the name given by Van Loan in his trail description. Note Loeffler's use of a young boy in the center of the photo, perhaps to make the site look larger than it actually is.
Thanks to our business sponsors:
Brookside B&B, Bistro Brie & Bordeaux, Central Hudson Gas & Electric, Chateau Belleview, Claude W Lutz/Fromer Agency, Craig Bates Trucking & Excavating, Inc., Deer Mountain Inn, Elena Suditu Dentist, P.C, Ethel & Orville Slutzky Foundation, GNH Lumber, Inc., Gordon Hunter Mountain Realty, Haines Family Association, Haines Farm, Hotel Vienna, Hunter Chamber of Commerce, Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl, Inc., Kaaterskill Liquors, Karen’s County Kitchen, Kerns Nursery, Last Chance Antiques & Cheese Cafe, Messina's LaGriglia Ristorante, Mountain Propane, Inc., Pancho Villas Mexican Restaurant, Paraco Gas Corp/Kosco Oil, Rosehaven Inn, Scribner's Catskill Lodge, Snow Bird Ski Shop, Snowed Inn, Tannersville Antique & Artisan Center, TREC Management Company, Traphagen's Honey, The Thompson House, The Woodstock Inn on the Millstream, Williams Lumber and Home Centers, Willow Mixed Media
