1)
THOMAS COLE HOUSE , Spring St. Residence of Thomas Cole
from his marriage in 1836 to 1848, the year of his death. Built circa 1815-1816,
and named Cedar Grove, it was here that Thomas Cole painted his celebrated
series of allegorical paintings, “The Voyage of Life.” It was here also
that Cole tutored his sole pupil, Frederic Edwin Church. Cole had been a
visitor to the Catskill Mountains since the mid-1820s, painting many of
his signature landscape works in NYC in the winters following annual summer
sketching trips to the mountains. On National Register. Thomas Cole House Website
2)
THOMPSON STREET CEMETERY The final resting place of
Thomas Cole and his wife, Maria Bartow Cole. The cemetery, fittingly, has
a commanding view of the eastern escarpment of the Catskills. A more recent
luminary interred in the cemetery was boxing trainer Cus D’Amato, mentor
to Mike Tyson, who was one of D’Amato’s pall bearers.
3)
BEATTIE-POWERS ESTATE, off Prospect Avenue 1831 Greek
Revival built by James Powers, a wealthy lawyer who later became a NYS Assemblyman,
on property purchased from Charles Beach, the local stagecoach magnate who
built the Catskill Mountain House. Bequeathed to the Village of Catskill;
undergoing restoration. On National Register.
4)
GREENE COUNTY COUNCIL ON THE ARTS, 398 Main St.. Galleries,
concerts, literary readings. Year round.
5)
DUTCHMAN’S LANDING, Catskill Riverside park, boat launch
and artist’s interpretive walking path. View of Hudson River School painter
Frederic Church’s Olana, and Rogers Island, according to oral tradition
the scene of the final climactic 17th-century battle between the Mohawks
and the Mohicans.
6)
CANTINE HOUSE, West Main St. Home of “Uncle” Sam Wilson
(the inspiration for Uncle Sam, the homespun symbol and icon of America)
and his wife, Betsy, from 1817 to 1826. While living in Catskill, Wilson
operated a sloop line and a general store, and he was a partner in a slaughterhouse.
Earlier, this house was the scene of Martin Van Buren’s wedding on February
21, 1807.
7)
DUBOIS HOUSES, W. Main St. 1762 & 1774. 18th-century
stone vernacular houses built by descendants of Louis DuBois, who immigrated
from France in 1660 to become the leader of the Huguenots who founded New
Paltz. Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown was celebrated here.
8)
STORY’S FARM A large working family farm, with fresh
produce farmstand. View of Kaaterskill Clove, the ledge where the Catskill
Mountain House once stood, and the vertical scar of the Otis Elevating RR,
The Otis once carried passengers up the steep face of the escarpment to
the grounds of the grand hotel.
PALENVILLE —“The Village of Falling
Waters”, settled circa 1810-1820. According to local legend, this was the
home of Rip Van Winkle, whose ill-fated hunting trip and epic slumber occurred
high up in Kaaterskill Clove, along the Rip Van Winkle Trail (Rt. 23A).
In the late 1840s, following the growing fame and success of Thomas Cole,
Palenville became a thriving artists’ colony centering around Asher B. Durand,
who spent many summers and autumns here.
9)
THE RIP VAN WINKLE TRAIL Rt. 23A, scenic route from
Palenville to Haines Falls, following the footsteps of Rip Van Winkle and
his faithful dog, Wolf. Built by prison chain gangs, Rt. 23A took 7 years
to complete (1914-1921).
10)
FAWN’S LEAP rock formation and waterfalls, Kaaterskill
Clove. For two centuries a favorite spot for artists and photographers.
11)
SITE OF THE KIERSTED TANNERY, off Rt. 23A, at the foot
of Buttermilk Falls. A few foundations remain of this tannery which was
once surrounded by a settlement called East Hunter, with a school and post
office.
12)
KAATERSKILL FALLS New York State’s highest waterfalls,
consisting of an upper falls of 167 feet, and a lower falls of 64 feet,
with an amphitheater behind the upper falls. One of the most celebrated
scenic sites in 19th-century America, painted several times by Thomas Cole
and most of the artists of the Hudson River School. Also a favorite spot
for American writers of the Romantic era., such as James Fenimore Cooper
and William Cullen Bryant.
HAINES FALLS —Founded after the Revolution
by Samuel & Elisha Haines of Putnam County, reputedly Tory sympathizers
during the war. Became a thriving village with the advent of the railroads.
Home of the grand hotels of the 19th century the Catskill Mountain House
and Hotel Kaaterskill.
13)
THE ULSTER & DELAWARE RAILROAD STATION IN HAINES
FALLS, just off Rt. 23A Opened in 1914, it once greeted passengers going
to and from the grand hotels. Now the home of The Mountain Top Historical Society . Undergoing restoration.
National Register.
14)
THE CATSKILL MOUNTAIN HOUSE SITE, THE WALL OF MANITOU, on Rt. 18, 4 miles off 23A Known as the Pine Orchard, this
was the magnificent setting for the Catskill Mountain House, America’s first
destination mountain resort, built in 1823, perched on the edge of the eastern
escarpment of the Catskills, the “Wall of Manitou” of Native American legend.
The Mountain House provided elegant 19th-century R&R for America’s rich
and famous, with a spectacular view of the Hudson Valley which enchanted
the Hudson River School painters and literary Romantics.
TANNERSVILLE —Settled shortly after
the Revolution. Originally a small settlement surrounding a tannery, Tannersville
became a bustling summer resort village after trains came in 1882.
15)
MOUNTAIN TOP ARBORETUM, Rt. 23C A living collection
of native and exotic trees and shrubs. Six acres of botanically identified
plantings of flowering trees, evergreens and shrubs. Research center and
educational programs. Year round.
HUNTER —Settled shortly after the
Revolution, circa 1790. A large tannery was built in 1822 by Col. Edwards.
With the coming of the railroad in the 1880s, Hunter was transformed into
a village of hotels, boardinghouses and Main St. shops.
16)
HUNTER MTN. SKI MUSEUM—Antique skis, boots, bindings,
photographs, books and mementos.
LEXINGTON —Settled by Revolutionary
War veterans from the Hudson Valley. In the 1800s, there were grist mills,
saw mills, and a tannery.
17)
ART AWARENESS (LEXINGTON HOUSE, CIRCA 1883) National
Register. Arts exhibits, theatre, music, dance. June-August.
18)
MUSIC & ART CENTRE OF GREENE COUNTY Ukrainian Church
and Grazhda. Rt. 23A. Built in the traditional way, without nails. Hand-carved
interior. Classical chamber music concerts, Ukrainian folk arts, July &
August.
19)
SCHOHARIE CREEK Public access parking areas for trout
fishing. Fly fishing, first introduced in the Catskills in the 1890s, became
popular in the latter half of the 20th century, largely through the efforts
of Lexington’s Art Flick, the dean of Catskill Mtn. fly fishing.
PRATTSVILLE —Settled by Dutch and
Palatines from the Schoharie Valley, circa 1757. An important industrial
center in the early to mid-1800s, beginning with the building of Zadock Pratt’s
tannery in 1824, reputedly the largest in the world at that time.
20)
PRATT ROCK PARK Relief sculptures carved into a cliffside
overlooking the Schoharie Creek Valley, dating from 1841-1871. Called “New
York’s Mount Rushmore”, the images depict the life of Zadock Pratt and his
achievements. National Register.
21)
ZADOCK PRATT MUSEUM The 1828 homestead and carriage
house of Zadock Pratt, tanner and statesman (US Congress 1837-1839 &
1843-1845). Period furnishings, special exhibits, readings and lectures.
National Register. Pratt built most of the village of Prattsville as an early
form of "model community” for his tannery workers. Pratt Museum website
22)
PRATTSVILLE CLIFFS & THE BENHAM CEMETERY, Maple
Lane The cliffs behind the cemetery are a nesting ground for eagles. Buried
in the cemetery are soldiers from the Revolution and the Civil War, and
the Hon. Zadock Pratt. Nearby is the Benham house, the oldest structure in
Prattsville, circa 1760, and a pre-Revolution cemetery containing the graves
of the first settlers.
GRAND GORGE —Settled by Scotsman
John More in 1786. A busy crossroads on the Catskill Turnpike. Became a very
productive farming community in the 19th century, especially after the railroad
came through and connected Grand Gorge with the vast NYC market. Site of
an important creamery in the late 1800s & early 1900s.
23) HEADWATERS OF EAST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER
ROXBURY —Founded by Connecticut families
in 1790. The Ithaca-Catskill Turnpike connected Roxbury with the rest of
New York, and the village thrived in the 19th century with tanneries, mills,
factories and farms. The Ulster & Delaware Railroad arrived in 1871,
creating easier access to markets and bringing the first vacationers to what
Helen Gould Shepard called "the village of peaceful days.” Roxbury, NY Website
24)
BURROUGHS MEMORIAL FIELD & BOYHOOD ROCK, off Rt.
30 (on Burroughs Memorial Road) The grave of literary naturalist John Burroughs,
by Boyhood Rock, Burroughs’ well-loved childhood perch. Burroughs was born
on a farm a little further up the road, where he lived until his mid-teens
when he left to attend the Ashland Academy. State Historic Site. Kiosk.
25)
WOODCHUCK LODGE, Burroughs Memorial Rd. Built by Curtis
Burroughs, John’s brother, circa 1864. Burroughs’ summer home from 1910-1920,
where the guest list included Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and many other
luminaries of the time. National Historic Landmark.
Woodchuck Lodge Page at Roxbury Website
26)
JAY GOULD MEMORIAL REFORMED CHURCH, Main St. English
Gothic Revival church built 1893/94 by the 6 children of Jay Gould, the "railroad
king”, who was born and raised in Roxbury and went on to build one of the
largest financial empires in America. Tiffany stained glass windows, carved
oak, limestone arches, St. Lawrence Seaway marble, pipe organ. Self-guided
tours weekday mornings by appointment. Visit
the church's website.
27)
DELAWARE & ULSTER RR Terminus. Chartered as the
Rondout & Oswego in 1866. First train reached Roxbury on Dec. 12, 1871.
Became the Ulster & Delaware, nicknamed “The Up & Down”, in 1875.
Brought tourists and commuters to and from the mountains, and hauled milk,
coal, cauliflower & butter back to the city. Ended passenger service
in 1954, freight service in 1976.
28)
ROXBURY ARTS GROUP Exhibits, performing arts. Year
round.
ASHLAND —Settled after the Revolution.
Consisted of farms, mills and light manufacturing. Prior to the Civil War,
it was a center for the manufacture of hats, with 3 busy factories.
29)
RED FALLS, Rt. 23—Scenic public swimming hole. In
the first half of the 19th century, the falls was the site of a cotton mill
surrounded by a bustling hamlet known as Federal City.
30)
ST. JOSEPH’S CHAPEL, Rt. 23 Early Catholic Church in
the Catskills, circa 1800-1840, built by Irish immigrants who worked in
the nearby tannery, and the cotton mill at Red Falls. Their graves, many
marked simply by upright slate slabs, fill the chapel’s small cemetery.
Mass celebrated once a year in August.
WINDHAM —Settled shortly after the
Revolution by “Connecticut Yankees”. Dairy farming and light manufacturing,
until the resort industry became foremost in the late 19th century.
31)
LAWRENCE CARRIAGE MUSEUM, Rt. 23 Over three dozen authentic,
restored horse-drawn vehicles used from the early 19th century to the early
20th century in the mountaintop area.
32)
CHRISTMAN’S WINDHAM HOUSE, Rt. 23 Greek revival inn,
1805. Oldest continuously-operating inn in the Catskill Mtns., originally
built to accommodate drovers herding sheep and cattle up and down the mountain
roads.
33)
PRESBYTERIAN CENTRE CHURCH BUILDING, Rt. 23 Built in
1835. National Register.
34)
MOHICAN TRAIL - Scenic drive along Rt. 23 from Windham
to Leeds, with public parking overlook spot with five state view near Point
Lookout Inn.
CAIRO —Settled by English colonists
in the early 1770s. A farming community, with light manufacturing, until
the late 19th century when the resort industry became paramount.
35)
WOODSTOCK DAM, Rt. 32, 1 mile north of Rt. 23 Site
of 1765 settlement by Englishman James Barker. The dam was built circa 1900
to supply electricity for Cairo and Catskill.
36)
SHINGLEKILL FALLS GRIST MILL, & associated buildings
Mountain Avenue. Circa 1900 grist mill built on site of 1800 mill. Nearby,
site of 18th-century iron forge. Proposed wooden bridge to replace present
bridge over falls.
37)
GREENE COUNTY ALMSHOUSE Built in 1883 to house the
poor of Greene County. Held 90 people. An adjacent frame building could
accommodate an additional 35-40. 100 acres around the site were cultivated
to feed the residents, and the able-bodied were expected to work. Closed
in 1962. Now an office building.
LEEDS —Settled by the Dutch in the
mid-1600s as a string of farms along the Catskill Creek. A bustling mill
town after the Civil War, and then a resort village in the 20th century.
38)
STONE ARCH BRIDGE, Rt. 23B completed July 26, 1792.
Became part of the Susquehanna Turnpike in 1801. On National Register.
39)
SITE OF 17TH & 18TH-CENTURY MOHICAN VILLAGE, AND
ANCIENT NATIVE BURIAL GROUND Between Rts. 23 & 23B. Archaeological dig
in progress. Preliminary studies indicate some remains are 3000 years old.
40)
DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH, Rt. 23B Built 1818, near site
of first church built in 1732.
A)
DEC trailhead on Rt. 23A just west of the village.
To the north, a hiking and horseback trail up the escarpment to the North/South
Lake trails. To the south, a hiking trail up High Peak and Roundtop mountains,
connecting with Platte Clove. This is a section of The Long Path, and overlaps
with part of the Escarpment Trail.
B)
BASTION FALLS, DEC trailhead to KAATERSKILL FALLS.
1/2 mile in and out to the fabled falls. Parking lot on Rt. 23A a few hundred
yards west of the trailhead.
C)
NORTH/SOUTH LAKE , on Rt. 18, 4 miles off 23A — Year
round recreational area: hiking, boating, swimming, fishing, x-c skiing,
horseback riding, snowmobiling. NYS campground, A network of DEC trails
for all abilities, with spectacular lookouts, historic sites, several trailheads
in vicinity. DEC map available at gate to lakes. A section of the Escarpment
Trail overlaps with The Long Path.
D)
DEC trailhead on Elka Park Road, approx. 3 miles off
Rt. 23A south of the village. To Mink Hollow Trail.
E)
DEC trailhead on Rt. 214, one mile off Rt. 23A. To
Becker Hollow Trail, connects to Hunter Mountain trails and the Westkill/Spruceton
Trail. Part of the Devil's Path. Hunter Mountain ski lift also connects
ColonelÕs Chair Trail to these trails.
F)
Trailhead for walking, hiking, biking, horseback riding,
x-c skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling, on path of converted train bed
of the old Ulster and Delaware Railroad. Goes 19 miles to Bloomville. Eventually
will extend all the way to Oneonta. Trailhead west on Rt. 23 1/4 mile outside
village.
G)
DEC trailhead on south side of Rt. 23, 3 miles east
of village of Windham. Hiking and snowmobile access to Windham High Peak,
and connections to Acra Point and the Blackhead range. This section of the
Escarpment Trail overlaps with The Long Path. A moderate hike which
connects to other trails of all levels. Parking.
Catskill
Mountain Foundation The CMF provides cultural
and educational facilities for the Mountain Top. Its Movie Theatre offers
the best of Hollywood, foreign and independent films. The Bookstore/Gallery
features books on the Catskill region and a variety of other subjects. Many
Gallery exhibits have ties to the Catskill region. Performing Arts events
offer Classical and Folk music, modern dance performances in the Spring,
and a Poetry Series in the Spring/Fall. Their Farm Market is an outlet for
local and regional organic produce, and is combined with a working
organic farm which is open to the public for Saturday tours. CMF Website