Bird Watching at the MTHS Pond
2025-05-18 08:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Birdwatching at the MTHS pond for all experience levels. There will be 2 opportunities to join this event. The first group will meet at 8:30 AM and the second group will meet at 4:30 PM. Birds are active in both the early morning and the late afternoon. Come for one or for both sessions each day to see and hear different aspects of avian activity depending on the time of day. Binoculars, field guides, and a sketch pad are nice to have, but not required. Cell phones with bird ID apps can be fun to have, too. Park at the MTHS KRT parking lot. It’s just a short walk to the pond area. Join us for part or all of each session. Heavy rain cancels. No dogs please — they tend to scare the birds away.
The Group will be guided by Nancy Allen.
Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657

Grandma's Quilts
2025-05-24 12:00 - 2025-06-29 17:00 | Zadock Pratt Museum, 14540 NY-23, Prattsville, NY, 12468, United States
The Mountain Top Historical Society will display several quilts from the Justine L. Hommel Archives at the Zadock Pratt Museum. You can view the display on weekends from May 24 to June 29.

Greene, Delaware, and Schoharie Counties are welcomed to show their Grandma’s quilts.
Please send information as to approximately when it was made, by whom, and who owns it now. Please contact Carole Cangelosi, 518-791-5344, Collection of quilts will be from May 10 to May 18.

Hike Catskill Mountain House to North Mountain Trails
2025-06-08 09:00 - 15:00
Predicted rain and possible thunder has caused a delay in this hike. We’ve rescheduled the hike from Saturday, June 7 to Sunday June 8. Registered hikers will receive and email with details.

Based on a 1925 photo album discovered on-line by Scott Koster, of college-aged people living, working, and discovering the Catskill Mountains! We will follow some of the places visited by these adventuresome young people.

We will break this hike into a morning and an afternoon section. Bring a lunch we will stop at the Catskill Mountain House site for lunch before we continue with the afternoon portion.

Morning portion South Mountain Trails: We will go from the Mountain House site to Boulder Rock by way of the abandoned trail called the “Circuit of South Mountain”. These young people from communities in New York and beyond were summer workers at the Catskill Mountain House in 1925, the year after the Kaaterskill Hotel burned. They visited the site and stood by a well pump in what had been a courtyard which we visited on our hike to Kaaterskill Hotel in May. They also made friends (based on photos with the boys carrying instrument cases) with boys from the band that performed at South Lake pavilion dances.

Afternoon portion: North Mountain Trails: We will walk from the Mountain House site along the blue trail to Jacob’s Ladder and Bear’s Den. We’d be able to find the site of the ladder based on other photos and one of the girls climbing it. Along the way we will pass the original Artist’s Rock (based on 1860s stereographs) and on to Prospect Rock, Lake View Pinnacle (the original Sunset Rock) and enjoy the iconic view from the top of Bear’s Den.

Hike Leader: Bob Gildersleeve co-lead with George Hewitt
Difficulty: Moderate

Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Doubles Hike on the eve of the Full Moon at North South Lake
2025-06-11 19:00 - 21:00
From a mountain vista, enjoy the sun set and then turn around and watch the full moon rise. Hike to Sunset Rock (for the sunset) and then Lookout Rock or Artist’s Rock (for the moonrise). The sun will set at 8:32 PM and the moon will rise at 9:31 PM. The hike will begin in the North South Lake eastern parking lot by the beach around 7 PM. Rain/Cloudy date is Thursday, July 10th (sunset 8:33 PM & moonrise 9:00 PM).

Hike Leader: Ryan Penny
Difficulty: Moderate (2.5 miles with some rock scrambles)

Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Inside the Line: A live Podcast Recording
2025-06-14 14:00 - 15:30
Please join us at the historic 1913 Ulster & Delaware Train Station for a live recording of Inside the Line: The Catskill Mountains Podcast. MTHS Board Members Cyndi LaPierre, Dede Terns Thorpe (Emeritus), and Bob Gildersleeve (Chief Archivist), along with The Catskill Geologist Robert Titus, and Paul LaPierre from the Empire State Railway Museum will join podcast host Stash and co-host Tad to discuss the history of the railroad system of the Catskills, the restoration of the historic 1913 Ulster & Delaware Train Station, and the history of the Mountain Top Historical Society.

Space is limited and registration is required. To register please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Lexington Film Festival Screening: Deep Water by Tobe Carey
2025-06-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Mountain Top Historical Society, 5132 Route 23A, Haines Falls, New York, United States
Join the Mountain Top Historical Society and the Catskill Mountain Foundation for a special screening of Deep Water: Building the Catskill Water System as part of the Lexington Film Festival! The screening will take place at the historic 1913 Ulster & Delaware Train Station, 5132 Route 23A, Haines Falls, NY 12436.
This fascinating 45-minute documentary, co-directed by Tobe Carey, chronicles the monumental early 20th-century construction of New York City’s Catskill Water System. Discover the incredible engineering feats, the human stories, and the lasting legacy of this vital infrastructure project that continues to supply water to millions today.
To reserve your tickets please CLICK HERE to bring you to the Catskill Mountain Foundation page.

Justine L. Hommel Memorial Lecture at the Twilight Park Clubhouse
2025-07-26 14:00 - 15:30
This year’s lecture will honor the legacies of Shirley Wiltse Dunn, Leah Showers Wiltse, and Doris West Brooks. The presentation will focus primarily on the research and writings of Shirley Wiltse Dunn and her long-term research on the Mohicans and early Dutch settlers, plus recognition of the two other Mountain Top writers/historians. This event will take place at the Twilight Park Club House, 2 Ledge End Road, Haines Falls, NY.
Registration is required. To register please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657

Vanished Fauna at the Mountain Top Library
2025-07-30 15:00 - 16:30 | mountain top library, 6093 Main Street, Tannersville, NY, 12485
A handful of fascinating creatures once inhabited the Catskill Mountain Region, but have disappeared over the last three centuries. Learn about these animals, their impact on local ecosystems, and their role in indigenous folklore and land use,
Presented by Wild Hudson Valley in collaboration the with Mountain Top Library. This program is part of a full day of events designed for the Mountain Top Day Camp. ALL are welcome to attend.

Nathan Dolinsky Art Exhibit at the Historic 1913 Ulster & Delaware Train Station
2025-08-03 14:00 - 2025-09-01 14:00
Sunday, August 3 at 2 pm, the MTHS’s Train Station (5132 Route 23A, Haines Falls, NY) will house an exhibit of the works of Nathan Dolinsky (1890 – 1980), an artist, instructor, and founder of Camp Schoharie. Nathan Dolinsky was a long-time resident of Hunter, where he painted a variety of subjects in his studio into his 80’s. He encouraged people to visit the “Dream Garden” a space and home, he designed as a wedding present to his sister, to celebrate the fine arts. He began his formal training at the age of 10 and was the youngest exhibitor at the famous 1913 Armory Exhibition in NYC. At 23 he began a 6 year tenure as an instructor at Cooper Union, married a beautiful nurse named Blossom, toured Europe, and returned to Hunter to found Camp Schoharie in the 1920’s. His works are in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institute and the Munson Museum. The exhibit will include several works and prints of others representing his portraits, landscapes, and still life. It will also include a diorama of the “Dream Garden” grounds and indoor space. The exhibit is curated by Carol Slutzky-Tenerowicz assisted by Johanna Titus. Viewing hours are Saturdays and Sundays during the month of August, from 10-4 each day.
We would gratefully accept the addition of volunteer docents, please contact Johanna at randjtitus@prodigy.net.

Zen hike with Forest Bathing
2025-08-10 10:00 - 11:30
Improve your connection with nature. Forest Bathing is a Japanese practice. It’s a process of relaxation; known in Japan as shinrin yoku. The simple method of being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you whilst breathing deeply can help both adults and children de-stress and boost health and wellbeing in a natural way. Beth will lead the group on a 90-minute Forest Bathing experience, helping to ease us into the presence and connection within nature, on the MTHS grounds. There will be a $10 donation for this event.

Hike Leader: Beth Lewis Rennig
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Registration is required. Limited to 15 attendees. Will be held rain or shine. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

History On Your Plate
2025-08-25 17:00 - 20:00
GET READY TO UNCORK HISTORY!
PLEASE RSVP BY AUGUST 15, 2025EMAIL MTHSDIRECTOR@MTHS.ORG OR CALL 518-589-6657.

A unique wine tasting with Historical Horticulturalist J. Stephen Casscles. Discover Hudson Valley wines crafted from 19th century grapes bred in the Valley.

A culinary pairing! Inspired by the food that sustained the farmers who nourished their communities. Dinner will be prepared by Chef Terrence Maul of Pantry On Main.
AT THE BARN ON THE MTHS CAMPUS, 5132 ROUTE 23A,HAINES FALLS, NY.
Attendees must be 21+ years of age.
$70 per person

Mobile Book Group hike with the author of The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic
2025-09-06 09:30 - 14:30
Book selection: The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic
“A stirring tale of survival, thanks to man’s best friend.” Honor the 100th anniversary of the epic 1925 Serum Run by which Alaskan sled dogs and their drivers brought diphtheria antitoxin serum to Nome, AK, to suppress a raging epidemic. The heroic 647-mile dash of dog teams across the Alaskan wilderness inspired the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Hike to the Coliseum at Elka Park while discussing the book with author Laney Salisbury of Woodstock. Hikers are encouraged to read the book. Copies can be obtained through local libraries and local book stores. Meet at the MTHS parking lot for carpooling and directions. Bring lunch, snacks, and water. Return at approximately 2:30 P.M.

Hike Leader: Adrienne Larys, co-lead by Nancy Allen
Difficulty: Moderate

Registration is required. Limited to 12 hikers. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Children’s Geology Walk
2025-09-06 10:00 - 12:00
A quick intro to the science of geology and then as we wander round the MTHS campus, Robert Titus will describe how the glaciers rose out of Kaaterskill Clove and overran the site. “We would imagine the ice rising out of the clove and then look at the kame and kettle moraine at the Haines family cemetery. We would also look at the standing stones that litter the vicinity.” Meet on the MTHS Visitor’s Center porch at 10 AM. This event will last about 2 hours. Rain date Saturday, September 13th.

Hike Leader: Robert Titus
Difficulty: Easy (good for families with kids)

Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657

13th Annual Postcard Show
2025-09-20 10:00 - 15:00
The Mountain Top Historical Society of Greene County presents the 13th Annual Postcard Show with John Duda, Saturday, September 20, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the MTHS’s Ulster & Delaware Train Station, 5132 Route 23A, Haines Falls, NY.
The MTHS will also be selling ephemera from its attic in a special sale. Vendors contact John Duda at johnalmathduda@gmail.com.

Rip's Rock Hike From Winter Clove Inn
2025-09-27 09:00 - 12:00
We will start at the Winter Clove Inn in Round Top, NY. This hike will take us to Rip’s Rock, a stunning lookout of the Hudson Valley and the site where legendary Rip Van Winkle slept for 20 years. Along the way we will pass the Bareback Brook, Daisy Field, pristine forest and Indian Lookout which offers another great view. After the hike, for those interested, we will stop at Old Factory Brewing Company in Cairo to quench our thirst.
Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Hike Leader: George Hewitt
Difficulty: moderately challenging (5.1 miles RT with a 1,017’ elevation gain and rocky trails)

Hike Kaaterskill Junction
2025-10-04 09:00 - 12:00
Hike along the old, mostly level railroad bed, about 4 miles long, exploring the area around Kaaterskill Junction on State Route 214. You will be stepping back in time to the days when the Kaaterskill and Stony Clove Railroad came up to the Junction from Phoenicia and then split to the west on the Hunter Branch and headed east on the Tannersville Branch toward the Hotel Kaaterskill. A track plan of the junction and photographs showing the several sidings that served the sorting of freight and passenger cars to the two branches will be provided, supported by rail ties that still remain 84 years after the abandonment of the line in 1940. To the east the hike will visit the remains of the Light Dam Bridge over the Schoharie Creek. A side excursion to the new Hunter Branch Rail Trail pedestrian bridge over a tributary of the Schoharie Creek will be added after returning to our start at the Junction site.
Directions: Address: 4282 Rte 214 About a .4 mile south from the 23A end of Rte 214 on the left there is a sign planted in the grass marking the Junction —drive in and park on the U-shaped driveway.
Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Hike Leader: Paul LaPierre
Difficulty: Moderate

6th Annual Community Reading of Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle
2025-10-12 14:00 - 15:30
Join us for the 6th Annual Community Reading of Washington Irving’s timeless classic, Rip Van Winkle, at the historic 1913 Ulster & Delaware Train Station on the MTHS campus.

Calling all storytellers! Here’s your chance to step into the shoes (or perhaps the slumbering boots) of iconic characters. This is a fantastic opportunity to flex your theatrical muscles in a fun, low-pressure environment. Embrace the colorful language and dramatic moments of Irving’s masterpiece – no memorization required!

Spectators, prepare to be enchanted! Immerse yourselves in the charm and humor of Rip Van Winkle as it unfolds in the unique ambiance of the beautifully preserved train station. It’s a fan-favorite tradition for a reason – a delightful afternoon of community, literature, and a touch of old-world magic.

Joining us again this year will be Catskill Artist Matt Bua and the Traveling Rip Exhibit. View the magic and lore of Rip displayed at the Train Station.
Also, a magical visit from Rip himself!

To become a reader or to let us know you will be attending please email mthsdirector@mths.org or cal 518-589-6657.
Mark your calendars and join us for this cherished annual event!
