Richard Sears Walling presents “The Lost Mondore Village of Prattsville”

Thursday, February 22 at 6 pm
Zoom Presentation
The Lost Mondore Village of Prattsville program details the forgotten community of African American families who once lived in this small village nestled in the Western Catskills. Descending from enslaved parentage, the family intermingled with local folks, creating a locally unique social dynamic. One of the descendants served as a Union soldier and was present in Texas on June 19th, 1865.
 

Richard Sears Walling, son of two World War II officers, is a graduate of Rutgers University. He has dedicated his life to history, historic preservation and humanitarian causes. His primary work is in African American and Native American history and genealogy. He is the author of numerous books, including “My Year in France”, about a Harlem Hell Fighter, and “Edward & Eleanor and the Wages of Sin”, about the infamous 1922 double homicide of a minister and his lover in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Registration is required. Please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Screening of Casa Susanna Documentary and Community Conversation

Join WMHT and MOUNTAIN TOP HISTORICAL SOCIETY for a free film screening and community conversation. 

In the 1950s and ’60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place to express their true selves and live for a few days as they had always dreamed—dressed as and living as women without fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized for their self-expression.

This screening will take place at the Mountain Top Historical Society’s 1913 Ulster and Delaware Train Stations, an accessible building. Parking is available. Film is closed captioned. If other accommodations are needed, email Mara Drogan (she/her), Director of Community Engagement & Education, mdrogan@wmht.org.

For free tickets, click here.

Delectable baked goods and coffee will be served.

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Summer work (and some play) at the Catskill Mountain House 1925

By Bob Gildersleeve

Look at the banner at the top of the page. You can probably recognize that the young women who are in the picture to the left are also in the banner shot. Some of them are in the lower left of the group shot of the workers above. We imagine that that formal group photo was taken early in the summer. By the time this shot was taken, five young women had formed a group of friends and, on off-hours, explored the Kaaterskill Region. They climbed North Mountain by way of Jacob’s Ladder, canoed on South Lake, and may have danced with the fellows in the band that played at the Boat House Pavilion. The young man in the center of this photo may be a band member. All of these photos came from Gracie Guthmann’s 1925 photo album a very unusual donation from Scott Koster. We just don’t know which lady is Gracie. — Is that her holding a camera in a leather case? Yes! photos from her previous summer in Texas identify her. The photos below are also from the 1925 album. We’ll continue to add as we experiment with the tools available in this website format.

couple on boardwalk
The couple is standing on a boardwalk that we believe is near the South Lake boat house and pavilion. The man is most likely a member of the band that played for dances at the pavilion. The woman is Marian Louise Snyder, a friend of Gracie, who took the photo. Thanks to her granddaughter for identifying her. Some of Gracie’s friends were from places in the Hudson Valley including Lake Katrine, Mount Marion and Saugerties. w.
Here’s Gracie with a very engaging smile that her companion seems to have caught. Her friends are not far away; we’ll leave it to you to find them.

Gracie and her roomate (is this Leora Shiels?) get the laundry ready to begin work

Looks like Summer 1925 is just starting and these two new summer hires are dressed for work. They will have some time for play as the photos from Gracie’s 1925 album show us.

Gracie’s Friends:

We don’t know who the friends are in the photos that Gracie saved in her 1924-25 photograph album, but she gave us a hint. Two pages in the album contain the names and home town of several of them. Perhaps someone may recognize the names and may be able to pick out their face in one of the photos from Gracie’s album. (It’s working. As we get definite identification we will boldface the names we can link to the photos.

Here is a list of all those who dated their autograph in 1925:

Rachel A. Merritt — Dunkirk, New York June 3, 1925
Reva L. Morse — 36 Hollister Street, Dundie, New York June 3, 1925
Mildred Strong — South Side, Owego, New York June 4, 1925
Freda J. Randall — Pittsford, Vermont June 5, 1925
Leora B. Shiels — Lake Katrine, New York [Undated Summer 1925] wrote: “Your roommate at Catskill mt. House wishes you best of luck throughout life.”
Beverly M. Schmidt — Mount Marion, New York Sept. 5, 1925
Marian Louise Snyder Saugerties, N.Y. Sept. 5, 1925

The friends explore the trails and sites on South Mountain.
Including the site of the recently destroyed Hotel Kaaterskill which burned in September 1924.

Our adventuresome friends are in Puddingstone Hall on the Circuit of South Mountain trail. The Circuit of South Mountain was a popular trail to the west of the modern trail up South Mountain. It started on the grounds of the Mountain House. Traces of it can still be found. Puddingstone Hall is a crevice through a conglomerate layer similar to the one at Bear’s Den on North Mountain. In many ways, these young ladies are not at all unlike the many hikers who have accompanied us on MTHS hikes.

Climbing Boulder Rock, on South Mountain and also in the photo to the left Gracie, who clings to the side of the rock, Louise Snyder, standing against the rock, and all her friends from elsewhere in time show us that they were an adventuring group. Our hikers can relate to that. Boulder Rock sits on the cliff at the edge of the Catskill Escarpment. MTHS offers hikes in the Kaaterskill region and beyond. Look to our events and hikes page to see the schedule of planned hikes.

Perhaps climbing the second ledge on South Mountain
Is this Beverly Schmidt from Mount Marion NY?
At the ruins of the Hotel Kaaterskill, three of Gracie’s friends stand near a well pump that was in the courtyard.
Thanks to her granddaughter we know that the friend on the right is Marian Louise Snyder from Saugerties.

Four of our group are at Layman’s Monument on South Mountain above what is now Route 23A near Bastion Falls. Twenty-five years before their visit, and at least five years before any one of these ladies was, born a large forest fire threatened two nearby hotels and several homes in Haines Falls and Twilight Park. The monument recognizes the efforts of a the firemen who saved those businesses and homes including one man who died on August 10 1900 while fighting the fire.

The firefighter who lost his life was Frank D. Layman of Haines Falls. A newspaper report of Mr. Layman’s tragic death using what today we may consider somewhat callus phrases can be seen by clicking Frank Layman tragedy. The link will open in a new tab.

We are in Haines Falls. The placard on the left is advertising the attractions at the Wawanda theater. Until I check other photos to verify where this is I’ll say we are on the north side of the main street looking east toward the top of Kaaterskill Clove. The shadows show that is in the afternoon. We have reason to believe that the girl in the middle is Beverly Schmidt. If so, in 1925 and at about 16 years old she is the youngest of the group of friends. That may explain why in many pictures she seems be apart from the older girls who are about 19. Regardless, Beverly had great success in high school sports and theater at Kingston NY and graduated in 1928.

Click the photo below to read the post.

Carpet from the Catskill Mountain House C. 1900.

Donated by Mrs. R. Kingsland Hay, New York, 1989.

“Dear Justine –

Is this what you were interested in? Carpet from the Mountain House! I was able to salvage enough for 6 dining room chair seats, plus this piece. The rest was too badly worn or stained to use for anything. I think it is very handsome. I also have sentiment for it because my New York grandmother spent her summers there for many years. later she became a widow and loved the place! Love to you & Hillard. Alice H.”

9th Annual Hikefest (Cancelled)

Join us for a fun day, as part of the Catskills “Lark in the Park”. Hikes/Walks to several destinations. Please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657 to register. Group capacity will be limited.

Hike #1 The Hudson River School artists at Kaaterskill Falls with hike leader Robert Titus

Much of the early work done by Hudson River School artists was done at Kaaterskill Falls. It is easy to search for and find exactly where they sketched. This hike will visit many of these sites. It is Dr. Titus’s contention that it was the Ice Age processes of erosion that created the scenic beauty that was painted. Dr. Titus and his wife Johanne are preparing a book about this. This hike will be a preview of that book.

Meet at the Laurel House parking lot at 8:30 AM. An easy to moderate hike of about three to four hours. Bring snacks and water. 

 

Hike #2 Kaaterskill Junction with hike leaders Pete Senterman, Paul LaPierre, Gary Dufel, and Mike Kudish

Explore the area around Kaaterskill Junction on State Route 214. Step back in time to the days when the Kaaterskill and Stoney 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.  Host Gary Dufel, along with Senterman and LaPierre will also be joined by Mike Kudish, author of Where Did the Tracks Go in the Catskills? to give the story from 4 points of view. 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. 

Park on the U-shaped driveway at 4282 route 214 at 9:00 AM. There is a sign planted in the grass marking the Junction. This is a moderate hike about 4 miles long. Bring snacks and water. 

 

Hike #3 Vistas of the Kaaterskill Clove with hike leader Pete Preston

This is a fast moving, moderately challenging loop hike that features spectacular views from high above Kaaterskill Clove. Follow the up-and-down cliff-top Escarpment Trail passing Layman’s Monument into Kaaterskill Clove to the famous Sunset Rock and Inspiration Point, followed by the not-to-be-missed views over Palenville and the Hudson Valley. Tour the site of the Kaaterskill Hotel and then return to Scutt Rd via South Mt.  Pausing throughout the hike along the way when history beckons.  In Bob Gildersleeve’s book, Catskill Mountain House Trail Guide, most of his Hike 4 covers this hike. 

Meet at the Scutt Rd parking lot 9:00 AM, which is on North Lake Rd, right before the campground entrance. Total estimated time: about four hours.  The trail can be muddy in places if the days prior to the hike have been rainy, so think about footwear.  No dogs please. Bring snacks and water. 

4th Annual Community Reading of Rip Van Winkle

The 4th Annual Community Reading of Rip Van Winkle will take place on Sunday, October 9 at 2pm.

Get to know the “true” story behind sleepy Rip, his dog Wolf and the mysterious ninepin bowling Dutchmen. Vintage and antique Rip Van Winkle books, films and art will be on display. Rip Van Winkle himself just might make an appearance too–bring your cameras!

*READERS WANTED!* Sign up by e-mailing mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

 

Native Seed Collection and Sowing with Chris Nilan of Barkaboom Native Plants

Join native plant nursery owner Chris Nilan as we learn the ins and outs of growing native plants from wild-collected seeds. Chris will cover the ethics and benefits of seed collection, how to determine seed ripeness and viability, seed harvesting, processing, and storage, as well as the various methods of achieving germination, from winter sowing to artificial stratification. This will be a hands-on workshop where participants will receive native wildflower seeds from Chris’s seed plots to try growing at home.

Chris Nilan is the owner and grower at Barkaboom Native Plants, a native plant nursery in Margaretville, NY. At Barkaboom, Chris grows over 125 species of perennial plants native to the Catskills, entirely from seed and with a strong focus on local ecotypes. This emphasis on locally adapted seeds means that at certain times of the year, Chris spends more time in forests, swamps, beaver meadows, bogs and floodplains than in the nursery. Prior to his total infatuation with growing native plants, Chris worked for a near-decade on a number of organic vegetable farms in the Hudson Valley, Maine, and Connecticut.

This event is a collaboration between Mountain Top Arboretum and Mountain Top Historical Society.

Tour of Opus 40 with Dr. Robert Titus – Free for MTHS Members

Tour of Opus 40 with Dr. Robert Titus, Geologist. This tour will be FREE for MTHS members. If you need to renew your membership or would like to invite a friend to become a member please use this link. If you have any questions regarding your membership please email mthsdirector@mths.org. Non-members may attend, but will be asked to pay the usual entrance fee of $13.00. Sign up by e-mailing mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

Become a member at https://mths.org/membership/

The group will meet at Opus 40 Sculpture Park & Museum, 356 George Sickle Road, Saugerties, NY  12477 which is accessible from RT 212, or Glasco Turnpike. Please arrive at 9:45AM to check-in. We recommend guests wear comfortable walking shoes and bring sunscreen and bug spray. We love dogs but only service dogs that are individually trained to do specific tasks for a person with a disability are allowed at Opus 40. They do not permit support animals. If you have any doubt about what category your dog is in, please do refer to the comprehensive ADA definitions HERE. The admissions area, gift store, and gallery, as well as the meadow in front of our sculpture and portable toilets, are all accessible. Unfortunately, wheelchairs or walkers are not allowed on sculpture for safety reasons, nor do we recommend that anyone with vision or mobility issues walk on the sculpture without aid.

Registration is recquired.The group will be limited to 20 participants.To register please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Mountain Top Historical Society, we are pleased to be able to offer this program to our invaluable members. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the Society over the last half century! We look forward to seeing you soon.

photo of stone sculptures at Opus 40