Return to flip book view

001_TOC_Summer_15 qxp_01_TOC_Summer_06 5 27 15 9 19 PM Page 1 TOC SUMMER 2015 VOLUME 30 NUMBER 2 F E A T U R E S 4 95 D E PA R T M E N T S 2 KAAT CHAT and AREA MAP and LETTERS 4 360 DEGREES 60 KAATSKILL SKETCHES EDWARD ZANE CARROLL JUDSON A Volatile Man of Letters by T M Bradshaw 64 KAATSKILL HIKING AT HOME WITH NATURE AT SLABSIDES by Peter Senterman 70 KAATSKILL TREES AMERICAN BEECH A Tree with Much to Tell by Ryan Trapani 74 80 84 by Cheryl Petersen 26 A LANDSCAPE FOR FILM by Garan Santicola 34 MUSEUM EXHIBIT DELVES BEHIND THE MASK by Garan Santicola KAATSKILL FOREST HISTORIAN A TALE OF TWO CONFOUNDIING FERNS by Michael Kudish Ph D 38 FATAL ATTRACTIONS RECREATIONAL DEATHS IN THE CATSKILL WILDERNESS KAATSKILL GARDENING THUGS in the GARDEN by Don Statham KAATSKILL KRITTERS THE PERSISTENT PEST MOSQUITO by Nicholas Zacharczenko D D S 86 KAATSKILL GEOLOGIST WAS THERE EVER REALLY A DEVONIAN by Robert and Johanna Titus 98 KAATSKILL LODGINGS SAVOR TRANQUIL ELEGANCE at THE BARNWELL INN by Joe Munster 102 14 THE EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY OF HYDE HALL by Lawrence C Swayne M D 46 THE TRANSFORMATION of ESOPUS CREEK by Ed Van Put 52 BANISH a COUCH POTATO IMAGE to IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH KAATSKILL DINING AT WATER S EDGE THE BLUE MINGO GRILL and SAM SMITH S BOATYARD by Joe Munster assisted by Joan Munster BOOKS IN REVIEW by Amy Beveridge 56 DEFENDING HEMLOCK A CATSKILLS ICON By Molly Marquand 94 LOOKING BACK OUT WINDHAM WAY A PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR OF WINDHAM ASHLAND PRATTSVILLE MAPLECREST HENSONVILLE 1890 1945 by Larry J Tompkins reviewed by Garan Santicola 108 NATURE at HER BEST at BROOKWOOD POINT by Russ Patton Jr 97 CHALLENGING TERRAIN OLD STONE WALLS CATSKILL LAND AND LORE PART 2 by Norman J Van Valkenburgh reviewed by John Rowen Member INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL MAGAZINE ASSOCIATION

002_KaatChat_Summer_15 qxp_02_KaatChaSummer 5 27 15 9 38 PM Page 1 Kaat Chat EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR It s either unnerving absolutely fascinating or yes even mind boggling So much of what was once considered science fiction is really here or fast approaching reality But wasn t that always so Over the ages what inventors and designers dreamt about to improve our lives actually materialized and we are the beneficiaries Although change is inevitable we can still walk beside those who today look backwards in time to unlock the mysteries of the past Our KL writers photographers include those who focus on the Catskill Region s environment natural resources flora and fauna history and legends Their unflagging curiosity leads them to analyze what they see in their surroundings and their fascinating findings never fail to both explain and surprise us about the Catskills past and present and yes anticipate its future As they travel through time as it were to pose questions and find answers which they then share with us is indeed a treasured gift Eleventh hour update Regarding this issue s Fatal Attraction article the author advises A comprehensive amendment to the Kaaterskill Wild Forest Unit Management Plan www dec ny gov press 101638 html designed to address safety concerns has been proposed by the DEC which includes improved parking and access trails and an observation platform at the top of the Kaaterskill Falls following a meeting with the public in December of 2014 The DEC invited public comments on the draft amendment through June 5 2015 Nina A M Lawford Juviler FAX 607 746 3135 EDITOR Marilyn Milow Francis PRODUCTION EDITOR Nina A M Lawford Juviler CONTRIBUTORS Marilyn M Francis Peter Senterman Robert Titus Johanna Titus Russ Patton Jr Michael Kudish Nicholas Zacharczenko Brigette Zacharczenko Justin Askins John Rowen Ryan Trapani Larry Gambon Lawrence C Swayne LaVerne Black Francis X Driscoll David W Bouton Cheryl Petersen Steve Hoare Garan Santicola ART DIRECTOR LAYOUT Nina A M Lawford Juviler with John Stys PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Nina A M Lawford Juviler FOOD LODGINGS EDITOR Joe Munster CALENDAR OF EVENTS WEB MASTER Cathy Roloson FAX 607 746 3135 ADVERTISING Karen Naden SUBSCRIPTIONS Lynn Schriver BOOKKEEPER Sherri Telian PUBLISHER The Delaware County Times Inc Thanks for keeping my subscription on course Kaatskill Life is up there with the best layout mags in the U S Murray A Latzen Middle Village NY Back issues of Kaatskill Life available at 10 each ppd Write your name and full street address or call 607 746 2176 Allow 6 8 weeks for processing Letters web site www kaatslife com e mail info kaatslife com Printed on recycled paper with vegetable ink Printed in Albany NY by Fort Orange Press Inc Rt 20 SCHO GREEN 8 10 23 30 42 DELAWARE 23 23 A 28 17 ULSTER 213 9 0 2 149 E L AW A R E 97 17 SULLIVAN R I VE R 52 9W D NY STATE THRUW AY 87 206 10 4 28 E N H U D S O N R I VE R 23 30 HARIE 21 I 8 10 28 OTS EGO 8 14 5 I 8 23 THE EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY OF HYDE HALL COOPERSTOWN NATURE AT HER BEST AT BROOKWOOD POINT COOPERSTOWN SAVOR TRANQUIL ELEGANCE AT THE BARNWELL INN COOPERSTOWN AT WATER S EDGE THE BLUE MINGO GRILL AND SAM SMITH S BOATYARD COOPERSTOWN EDWARD ZANE CARROLL JUDSON A VOLATILE MAN OF LETTERS STAMFORD BANISH A COUCH POTATO IMAGE TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH DELHI THE TRANSFORMATION OF ESOPUS CREEK SHANDAKAN AT HOME WITH NATURE AT SLABSIDES WEST PARK MUSEUM EXHIBIT DELVES BEHIND THE MASK PRATTSVILLE Locations are approximate 2 Kaatskill Life established in 1986 is published four times yearly by The Delaware County Times Inc Delhi NY Editorial and sales office located at 56 Main Street Delhi NY 13753 phone 607 746 2176 FAX 607 746 3135 Copyright 2015 by The Delaware County Time s Inc All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher Kaatskill Life cannot be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts drawings photographs or transparencies PLEASE ALLOW 2 TO 8 WEEKS for responses to submitted material ISSN 1073 9076 Subscriptions 19 00 ppd per yr within the U S overseas 29 00 ppd per yr Kaatskill Lif e reserves the right to accept or reject all submissions advertising or editorial and to edit manuscripts for length clarity and style We accept original manuscripts double spaced and clean typed without corrections or insertions FAXES AND COLUMN FORMATS NOT ACCEPTED front cover Rick DeMeis inside front cover Francis X Driscoll inside back cover Francis X Driscoll back cover Lawrence C Swayne

03_Franklin_Ad qxp_Template 5 25 15 5 45 PM Page 1 WE L C O M E T O B E A U T I F U L FRANKLIN A peaceful and picturesque town on the 19th century Catskill Susquehanna Turnpike now Route 357 In the foothills of the western Catskills Franklin is less than an hour s drive from Binghamton Cooperstown Margaretville and Roscoe Stroll the village and take the self guided tour of beautifully restored homes many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places 1 2 FRANKLIN DURABLE GOODS Fresh and local Country Americana Folk Art Industrial and weird stuff 438 Main Street Fri Sun 12 4pm or by appointment 607 829 5013 shop 607 746 2359 home fdgantiques com 3 SQUIRE S TANKARD ANTIQUES Buying and selling country antiques vintage clothing accessories jewelry and linens 438 Main Street Fri Sun 12 4pm or by appointment 607 434 6580 shop 607 829 6885 home 7 FRANKLIN FARMERS MARKET The place to be Sunday mornings on the lawn of historic Chapel Hall Fill your market basket and stay for lunch 25 Institute Street Sundays 10am 2pm through Columbus Day 607 829 5631 FranklinLocal org 4 2015 Greater Franklin Chamber of Commerce 8 THE TULIP AND THE ROSE CAF Bringing flavors of Southeast Asia India and Turkey to the Catskills along with American classics 435 Main Street Breakfast 8 11am and Lunch 11am 3pm daily except Mon Fri Dinners 5 8pm Fri Sun and with special menu on Tues nights 607 829 4040 TheTulipAndTheRose com EET FR A N KLI N WA TER STR KEM STR AN 357 AV E 6 EET 4 IN S T IT LE EET 5 UTE STR EET 1 357 EET 8 STR NS TR 2 MAP MAI 6 FRANKLIN RAILROAD AND COMMUNITY MUSEUM Ontario and Western Railway collection showcasing the restored Warwick Car No 30 and the collection of the Ouelout Valley Historical Society 572 Main Street 1 5pm on last Sunday of each month or by appointment 607 829 5890 johncampbell8 gmail com BOTANICAL TREASURES Selling garden related accessories Diana Hall Owner 11 Maple Street Weekends from May through June or by appointment 607 434 3076 BotanicalTreasures01 yahoo com WA VILLAGE OF TER 5 FRANKLIN STAGE COMPANY Now in its 19th summer season this professional admission free theatre offers its own inventive productions of classical plays and hosts a variety of performances for all the family 25 Institute Street Matinees and evenings June through August 607 829 3700 FranklinStageCompany org CEN BLUE FARM ANTIQUES LETTERPRESS Featuring folk art Americana country furniture decorative arts and an occasional dose of modern 322 Main Street Sat Sun from 12 5pm else by chance or appointment 718 781 5487 BlueFarmAntiques com Facebook at BFAntiques 7 3 Miles from You Treadwell 7 Unadilla 9 Oneonta 11 Sidney 12 Delhi 21 Andes 33 Cooperstown 34 Margarettville 45 Binghamton 50 U PCOM I NG EVENTS Garden Tour Sunday June 21st 11am to 4pm Stagecoach Run Art Festival Sat Sun July 4 5 10am to 5pm Purple and Gold Golf Tournament Saturday July 18th 9am Franklin Day Saturday August 29th 10am to 10pm Christmas Stroll Saturday December 12th 10am to 7pm Memorial Day Parade Monday May 30th 2016 9am to 1pm Greater Franklin Chamber of Commerce FranklinNY org

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 1 360 Degrees ant Antje Ecke ADC Reisebuero said I know hardly any region in the U S that is multilayered in the way New York State is You can get to know all the facets of rural life and find in smaller towns trendy galleries bistro and restaurants Danielle Klausen RSI Reiseservice International said Direct contacts with the local people in conversations teaches so much interesting firsthand from the situation Nelta Stope Reisebuero Gota remarked An ideal region renewing and relaxation to fill up very relaxed nature experiences in the impressive landscapes You can wonderfully go for a walk to calm down Marketing chief Markly Wilson of the NYS Division of Tourism said We want to alter perceptions in the German market and show that NY is not only a city but also a unique nature experience For information contact the Delaware County Chamber or NYS Division of Tourism c o Circle Solution Germany LTD www nylovesu de wekwert nylovesu de DELAWARE COUNTY A FIRST Delaware County in cooperation with international and state level I Love NY Partners has begun a first ever program to promote international tourists visiting the area Last year a group of German travel agents journalists and photographers explored upstate New York to gather information and practical experience to assist future travelers Delaware County Tourism welcomed the group touring Hanford Mills Museum the Delaware and Ulster Railroad and the chairlift at Belleayre Mountain ski area Freelance journalist Martin Jahrfeld writing for the German trade magazine for journalism and business travel FVW commented My interest surrounds nature and sustainability the countryside is very interesting and impressive And photographer Christian Syrwa was on tour to provide stock photos to be used in the trade publication The tour group s Birgit Neldner Reisebuero Reiseland noted I most like the friendliest and openness wherever we went we very welcomed and received The many nice encounters and conversations make travel extremely pleas GREENE C OUNTY MEET AND GREET photography courtesy Windham Arts Alliance Imagine a perfect day s outing Strolling among majestic sugar maples and surrounded by mountain views viewing displays of the work of multimedia artists listening to David Peskin at the piano or to Scott Berwick s guitar or banjo sit Visiting German travel professionals capped off their day overlooking the Catskills from atop Belleayre ski slope by posing for a symbolic goodbye to NY From left Antje Ecke ADC Reisebuero Manuela Spottke Reisebuero Sonnenklar Birgit Neldner Reisebuero Reiseland Danielle Klausen RSI Reiseservice International Sunset on the Marsh oil by Peter Liman 4

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 2 360 Degrees Windham Arts Alliance 2015 poster by Anne Christman ting on the front porch of an historic inn or having lunch on a deck overlooking a golf course All this is the focus of Art Fest 2015 at Christman s Windham House located on Route Photo untitled by Francis X Driscoll Big Cat by Elaine Warfield 23 a mile west of the center of Windham on Saturday July 4 from 10 a m to 4 p m Sponsored by the Windham Arts Alliance Art Fest showcases the work of over 20 artists all of whom will be present to discuss their work including photographers Larry Gambon and Francis X Driscoll our regular Kaatskill Life contributors Dog in Leaves by Laurie Hornik 5

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 3 360 Degrees Located at 324 Caverns Road Howes Cave the Iroquois Indian Museum is an educational institution that represents the world s most comprehensive collection of modern Iroquois artwork The collection celebrates the ancient unity of the Iroquois still expressed in the creative spirit of today s artists Open through October 31 10 a m to 5 p m Tuesday through Saturday and during November 10 a m to 4 p m Thursday through Saturday Admission 8 adults 5 children ages 5 to 12 special group student and senior pricing also available For information 518 296 8949 or visit www iroquoismuseum org Visitors can buy chances on art donated by each artist with the winners names drawn at the end of the event Several pieces will be identified for a special drawing You need not be present to win The Mission of the Windham Arts Alliance is to develop the Windham area as a cultural center and artistic destination for residents and visitors by coordinating and promoting the visual performing and literary arts as well as other cultural activities For Art Fest information call 518 944 4843 or visit www windhamartsalliance org SCHOHARIE COUNTY GLAMOUR GLITZ LOOKING FORWARD photography courtesy Iroquois Indian Museum photo courtesy Iroquois Indian Museum Fashion aficionados should not miss the Buckskin to Bikinis Haudenosaunee Wearable Art exhibit on view at the Iroquois Indian Museum through November 30 Diversity artistry elegance and story elements are showcased in the work of well known Iroquois designers including Tamy Beauvais Bruno Henry and Niio Perkins as well as many upcoming Iroquois fashionistas Haudenosaunee cultural concepts of peace power and righteousness take shape with beads bangles and bling to create garments and accessories to wear to the beach for special Stephanie Shultes of Middleburgh is the new director of the Iroquois Indian Museum in Howes Cave according to an announcement by the museum s trustees She was chosen based on her long involvement which began as a volunteer in 1985 with the museum in many capacities her friendships with Iroquois museum members and the community and her knowledge of Iroquois culture and arts Ms Shultes has been involved in many aspects of the museum from curating the collection to researching Iroquois arts and mounting exhibitions to maintaining both its website and monitoring and designing the Facebook page and fund raising Most recently she was both the impetus and the fundraiser for the new amphitheater roof left Designed by Felicia Nicosia right Designed by Tamy Beauvais occasions or admire in a glass museum case From handpainted bikinis to high heeled sneakers street wear to evening wear Iroquois fashion is distinct contemporary and infused with Haudenosaunee cultural symbols traditional materials and political punch said Colette Lemmon exhibition curator 6

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 4 Her fondness for cats led Ms Shultes to befriend Little Boy the museum s resident ambassador cat shown here Her latest project is the GoFundMe fund raising campaign starring Little Boy Ms Shultes created the video in which Little Boy details all the work he does at the museum and which encourages people to be donors to his forever home QUILT TRAIL MAP 2015 7

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 5 360 Degrees p m The museum features three floors of exhibitions a Local History Resource Center and a Museum Shop with local history and environmental publications handcrafted artwork and gifts by local craftspeople old fashioned toys and other unique items Admission is by suggested donation 5 adults 2 children children under 6 admitted free Visit timeandthevalleysmuseum org SULLIVAN COUNTY LOST TOWNS Can you assist the Time and the Valleys Museum in Grahamsville in gathering historic materials for a research project on the towns removed for the building of New York City s Water Supply in the 1930s and 40s The lost towns of Bittersweet Eureka Lackawack Montela and Neversink were removed and residents displaced when New York City came to the Catskills to build the Rondout and Neversink reservoirs for its Delaware Water Supply System Over 1 500 residents were forced to move losing life long connections to family religious congregations businesses and friends SIDEWALK SIGHTS by Kate Hyden East side West side all around Main Street Livingston Manor on Saturday July 11 rain date 7 12 from 10 a m to 4 p m you ll be able to locate via maps in windows and shops the artists and craftsmen participating in the Livingston Manor Artwalk Chalkwalk In store displays art in windows artists indoors and out displaying and demonstrating their skills will attract you to bring home a special piece of artwork or handmade craft item Take a peek by viewing Livingston Manor Artwalk 2014 on YouTube As always the event offers a great time for the youngsters There will be a special children s book area with authors ready to sign copies The Catskill Art Society featuring its Students attending the Eureka School House circa 1920 photo courtesy Time and the Valleys Museum The museum has created an interactive computer program that lists all of the families and the locations of their properties now under the reservoirs waters The program enables all visitors to the site to scan photos documents letters and reminiscences and it also preserves this information for future generations However as some of the listings have little or no information the project seeks information on any family who had land or homes taken to build the reservoirs If you have written materials stories or photographs regarding these families call 845 985 7700 or e mail info timeandthevalleysmuseum org Original materials will be scanned and returned and can also be done while waiting When completed this will be the most comprehensive resource of historic materials on the five lost towns ever assembled Located at 332 Main Street in Grahamsville State Route 55 the Time and the Valleys Museum is open Memorial Day to Labor Day Thursday to Sunday noon to 4 p m and from September to November on Saturday and Sunday noon to 4 2014 display of Val Taggart s watercolors at Willow and Brown Members Show and a pop up gallery will register your youngster to become a Livingston Manor Artist for the Day complete with a certificate and a picture taken for our YouTube video To see last year s youngsters search LM Chalkwalk 2014 Stroll flower filled streets with plenty of places to rest and eat For updates on participants and a map view www livingstonmanor org THEY RE BACK by Kate Hyden The Audubon and Friends Too 2015 art exhibition will fly into the Catskill Art Society CAS in Livingston Manor for its biennial show from August 8 through August 23 On opening 8

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 6 360 Degrees day An Artist Talk will be held at CAS at 2 p m followed by a reception For directions and gallery hours visit www catskillartsociety org This year s theme birds and wildlife from backyards and travels will be represented in works by artists photographers and sculptors from the Sullivan County and National This year s poster designed by Dave Channon Shandaken Art Studio Tour encompasses all dozen or so hamlets in the Town of Shandaken from Mount Tremper to Pine Hill but was renamed to reflect Phoenicia s growing reputation as an arts destination The event highlights the work of over three dozen artists in studios galleries art parks and special exhibitions On Friday July 17 at 7 p m bring a lawn chair and enjoy the Word of Mouth kick off party at Mama s Boy in Phoenicia It s a free evening of spoken word tall tales and stories by some of the region s favorite writers At Phoenicia Arts Upstairs 60 Main Street in case of rain Pick up a free 28 page tour catalog with detailed maps photos and descriptions of the artists work On Saturday the 18th 11 a m to 5 p m explore Shandaken s art studios then return to Phoenicia Arts Upstairs by 6 p m for a reception Studios will also be open to visitors on Sunday July 19 11 a m to 5 p m For the adventurous there s 49A sculpture park up in Highmount on Route 49A just above the Belleayre Ski Center on the road in front of the Galli Curci historic mansion Snowy Egrets digital photo by Rick Bunting Audubon Artists for Conservation Nature Conservancy Mearns Bird Club and the Bashakill Association Each work will include a brief artist s commentary Award winning artists will include David Kiehm BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year 2013 Ron Orlando grand prize winner Arts for the Parks and regional national award winner Bob Ripley 2014 exhibitor in the Adirondacks New creations from the Northeast Watercolor and Catskill Art Societies and the Wallkill River School will include Paula Baldinger Janet Campbell Donna Greenthal Caroline Harrow Ann Higgins Elise Hornbeck Kate Hyden Lisa O GormannHoffsomer Richard Price Valerie Taggart Scott Woolsey and Jack Yelle Among photographers Rick Bunting James Carney Mary Collier Stephen Davis Russ Scheirer Lance Verderame Gloria Wagenknecht and Barbara Ward Blank Celebrated sculptor Brian Harnett s medium is a chainsaw The featured group of bird butterfly and wildlife interpreters will also include the Young Birders Club of New York State U LSTER COUNTY ON THE CUTTING EDGE Phoenicia the tiny hamlet in the Catskill Mountains with a world wide reputation once again is the centerpiece of a town wide art studio and sculpture tour scheduled for July 17 to 19 The Phoenicia Art Studio Tour formerly the Jerilynn Babroff in her studio photo by Karen Charman 9

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 7 360 Degrees oversee its operations To view e galleries of the artists works and get tour updates visit www ShandakenArt com For Tour information contact Dave Channon at 845 688 2977 The project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program a re grant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Mid Hudson The Catskill Heritage Alliance sponsors the event Editor s note With thanks to tour organizers Judith Singer and Dave Channon for the information provided TOURISM GATEWAY The early summer opening of the very first Catskill Interpretive Center is big news Currently the Catskill Park is the only park of its class without a Visitor Interpretive Center The Catskill Park spans 700 000 acres and is within a two hour drive of Manhattan It contains the 300 000 acre Forest Preserve with mixed use recreational lands and forever wild wilderness for hiking and camping The Catskills is also home to 90 percent of New York City s watershed providing drinking water to 9 million people in the metropolitan area and as well as recreational access on City lands and waters The Catskill Region has received much positive press lately The New York Times included the Catskills at 39 in its top 50 sites to visit in the world ahead of the Sistine Chapel Recent articles in New York magazine and Travel Leisure are all touting the region as not your Bubbie s borscht belt anymore Closer than the Berkshires and the Adirondacks the Catskills has world class scenery and amenities More and more New Yorkers are buying second homes in the Catskills or are coming here to play This makes the opening of the Maurice D Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center all the more timely and relevant The Interpretive Center in Shandaken has been 30 years in the making It was championed by Congressman Maurice D Hinchey even when he was a local representative to the New York State Legislature A center was almost built in the 1990s under then Governor Mario Cuomo The mid 1990s financial problems caused it to be postponed during Governor George Pataki s tenure But a loyal group of believers continued to work with Congressman Hinchey and by 2013 funds were found to begin construction New York State has two visitor interpretive centers in the Adirondacks but the state does not have the funds to staff and run these To ensure success of our own Interpretive Center the Catskills formed a unique public partnership This partnership has allowed land owned by The Catskill Center for Conservation Development a regional nonprofit to be leased to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation NYS DEC The NYS DEC has begun construction of the Interpretive Center and the Catskill Center has created an Operating Group made up of Carla Shapiro left in her photography studio photo by Karen Charman A highlight of this year s tour will be the CIC Sculpture Park at the Maurice D Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center on State Route 28 in Mount Tremper just west of Boiceville See 360 Degrees KL Winter 2014 The 62 acre park hosts sculpture by several regional artists and there are beautiful meadows and a nature trail through wetlands over hills and along the banks of Esopus Creek At the visitors welcome building you ll find a three dimensional topographic map describing the region s history and interactive touch panels to help visitors and residents alike plan a visit to the Catskill Park and Forest Preserve The CIC is a partnership with the New York State DEC New York City DEP Catskill Watershed Corporation other local nonprofit organizations and The Catskill Center for Conservation Development which will Steampunk Trike steel sculpture and paintings by Dave Channon photo by Dave Channon 10

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 8 360 Degrees a nature trail There are future plans to install a Catskill fire tower and a model observer s cabin and also an outdoor pavilion and an amphitheater The new Maurice D Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center will play a vital role in promoting tourism in this area that is so close to the New York Metropolitan area It will be an important resource to both visitors and local residents Information provided by The Catskill Center for Conservation Development THE INVERTED Work in progress on the Maurice D Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center NYS DEC Catskill Center NYC DEP Catskill Watershed Corporation Catskill Mountain Keeper NY NJ Trail Conference Catskill Mountain Club and the Friends of the Catskill Interpretive Center The Maurice D Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center will be the Gateway to the Catskills Its mission is to interpret the natural and cultural resources our region has to offer Various amenities of natural or cultural significance within the Catskill Park New York City watershed and regional communities of the Catskills will be displayed Resource information will be communicated first and foremost by staff and volunteers accompanied by state of the art technology There will be access to a webbased microsite where a database of over 1 800 unique sites and features will be displayed on a map that can be filtered for specific points of interest For example a user could ask to see all of the Catskills covered bridges In this way a visitor can custom build his her own itinerary There will also be a three dimensional model of the Catskills onto which will be projected various information and stories The exhibits will incorporate video monitors touch screens and light boxes to present content Outside of the building rain gardens and pollinator gardens will be constructed using native plants The site will be ADA accessible and include MASK The Inverted Mask is a bold new Science Fiction book by Izzy Doroski Mystery Suspense Action and Romance The Catskill Region is an integral part of the setting The Inverted Mask takes the reader on a thrilling adventure through the pine barrens of eastern Long Island the heights of the Catskill Mountains and the depths of subterranean particlebeam tunnels hundreds of feet below Long Island The Inverted Mask explores the realms of what is perception consciousness reality and good and evil The world that we see and feel is just an illusion It doesn t exist at all at least not the way we think it does Available on www theinvertedmask com 11

004_12_360_Summer_2015 qxp__360_Summer 5 27 15 7 41 PM Page 9 Overlooked Mildred Roth Self Portrait with Hanno Schrader Woodstock Women Artists September 12 October 31 Opening Reception Saturday Sept 12 3 to 5 p m woodstockschoolofart org 845 679 2388

15 SCH CTY KLIFE SUMMER 10_Layout 1 4 28 15 7 01 AM Page 1 Discover DEBRA BECHTOLD VISIONS OF SCHOHARIE VALLEY Savor Explore Schoharie County is rich in history and natural beauty and filled with new worlds to discover Whether you re looking for thrilling historical reenactments a casual dinner for two or a peaceful spot to relax you ll find it right here in picture perfect Schoharie County Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce 143 Caverns Road Howes Cave NY 12092 1 800 41 VISIT upstatevacations com TOM SMITH SCHOHARIE NY

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 1 The Extraordinary Legacy of Hyde Hall by Cheryl Petersen photography as noted Poised in an invisible time machine Hyde Hall in Cooperstown returns to circa 1835 one paint brush stroke at a time Located in Glimmerglass State Park this 22 600 square foot historic treasure opens its doors to the public as both a museum of stunning bygone luxury and a venue for present day special events A long and lustrous saga accompanies Hyde Hall complete with ghosts and melodrama Its setting sheltered in the woods overlooking Otsego Lake evokes a beauty that embraces the simplicity and symmetry of English style architectural elegance 14

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 2 opposite page Hyde Hall in 1964 before restoration work had begun photograph courtesy Hyde Hall left The staff wing in 1964 photo graph courtesy Hyde Hall below Hyde Hall today the author 15 photograph by

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 3 The 19th century limestone mansion resonates with a brilliance easily captured in the 21st century Today Hyde Hall hosts a series of events including weddings music festivals readings flower and antique car shows Easter egg hunts and Ghost Tours It has become a National Historic Landmark and New York State Historic Site Built between 1817 and 1834 the Hall was the centerpiece of a 60 000 acre estate inherited by George Clarke 17681835 a British born landowner It was owned by the Clarke family until the early 1960s when they gave it to the state Initial plans were modest in comparison to the ultimate outcome of the finished project George Clarke contracted a famous architect from Albany Philip Hooker 1766 1836 to erect build and finish what would be christened the cottage consisting of a parlor kitchen library back porch two bedrooms below and three bedrooms overhead Enthralled with the project and apparently having fun Clarke and Hooker added on twice Once finished the building had burgeoned into a 50 room manor with 28 wood stoves called Hyde Hall after the family seat at Hyde in Cheshire England The first addition was composed of extensive service quarters and second floor bedrooms The servant s area is simpler and finished on the 16

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 4 opposite page top The magnificent Argand chandelier hung in the great hall It is now restored and hanging in its original place photograph by the author opposite page bottom The great hall c 1964 photograph courtesy Hyde Hall below The great hall as it appears today photograph by the author exterior in fieldstone A wine cellar contains shelving with a capacity to hold hundreds of bottles of fine wine The second addition called the Great House features a main entrance on the east announced by a portico supported by towering Greek Doric columns An impressive door leads into the front hallway In this spacious 19 foot high ceiling room the walls display hooks used in the past to hang clothing and hats on for drying as heat wafted from a large wood stove in the foreground To the left of the front hallway is a drawing room and to the right a formal dining room Both rooms measure 34 by 26 feet with the same 19foot high ceilings Behind the rooms 17 stretches a hallway a circular staircase pantry and a room for storing nuts From the hallway you can see through windows into the courtyard An entrance is open to the south wing cottage into the breakfast room Pausing here in the breakfast dining room one notices a unique carpet A closer look reveals a geometric ingrain double layer carpet of exceptional character Visitors read a placard that reveals the fact that this new floor covering reflects wall to wall carpeting as described in the past in the Great House The breakfast room s blue buff flat weave carpet was handcrafted by Rabbit Goody of Thistle Hill Weavers in Cherry Valley which

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 5 specializes in creating accurate historic reproductions See Recreating the Past KL Summer 2002 The weavers craft their work using surviving examples documented patterns and period weavers drafts Using receipts from the Clarke records we were able to reconstruct an authentic carpet for the breakfast room Goody said Geometric carpets were popular from the mid 18th century until the mid 19th century However during that time other carpet styles were becoming fashionable as technology changed Historians find very few survived fragments of the geometric sometimes called block carpets but there are many drafts or recipes telling how to set up the loom to produce a geometric carpet she explained Wall to wall carpet was below The original cottage built on a 60 000 acre estate belonging to landowner George Clarke He commissioned architect Philip Hooker of Albany to design the cottage and subsequently the great house photograph courtesy Hyde Hall right The vestibule family dining room c 1964 photograph courtesy Hyde Hall opposite page The vestibule today The brightly colored flat weave carpet was woven by Rabbit Goody well known specialist in carpet and fabric reproductions and restorations photograph by the author 18

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 6 common in the earlier period because wood flooring wasn t all that pretty or durable They didn t have polyurethane back then Wall to wall carpeting also helped reduce the cold draft feeling and keep dust down The carpet at Hyde Hall is reversible Both sides of the carpet can be used Quite often though owners would lay a rug on top of the carpet in heavy traffic areas or place a drugget what we call today a crumb cloth under the dining table Historically wall to wall carpet was made out of strips of carpet The strips were connected to fit the room size The carpet was placed over

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 7 straw matting or newspaper and tacked at the edges It could be taken up in the spring and cleaned Donations to Hyde Hall and grants will move the carpet renovation project forward Thistle Hill Weavers was more recently commissioned to reproduce carpet for the main circular stairway in the Great House said Goody Clarke s receipt ordered 84 yards of multicolored damask Venetian carpet As for that carpet receipt its one tiny proof that the Hyde Clarke family had a vein of meticulous bookkeeping running through the generations The family recorded detailed accounts of the neoclassical building s progress and afterlife Receipts bills documents and letters are now archived at Cornell University Visitors can t help but speculate about the audacious interior decor and Great House addition The total length of the house reached 190 feet Tourists can be assured that their inquiries will be answered by one of the many experts and volunteers at Hyde Hall many of whom serve as tour guides Tim Walker has been a tour guide to some of the more than 5 000 visitors touring the Hall each year Walker is a hands on expert When not guiding tours he takes up a paint brush and helps with restoration History discloses that Clarke s income during the building years was drawn from his tenants rent payments and an interest in the Taberg iron foundry in nearby Oneida County In 1824 his father died in London and Clarke fell heir to the English estates and to Jamaican sugar plantations Clarke s spending reflected the surplus income Rooms were furnished with the finest furnishings Built in mahogany bookshelves held the largest library west of the Hudson River He hired Albany s leading upholsterer Peter Morange to finish in burgundy damask and below One corner of the formal dining room c 1995 photograph courtesy Hyde Hall opposite page top At one end of the formal dining room are three portaits of Clarkes From left to right Ann Low Cary Cooper Clarke 1783 1850 George Clarke Jr 1822 1889 George Clarke the Guilder 1768 1835 photograph by the author opposite page bottom The dining room in 2012 20 photograph courtesy Hyde Hall

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 8 21

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 9 lemon yellow silk numerous Grecianstyle mahogany chairs tables and beds from cabinetmaker John Meads John Meads 1777 1859 and partner William Alvord produced America s most artistically sophisticated 19th century furniture They adapted trendy Grecian and Gothic Revival designs and inimitable decorations such as hand carved melon feet on tables and desks Hyde Hall has one of the largest collections of Mead furniture said Jonathan Maney the Hall s executive director Maney a Ph D in American literature and material culture has been working with Hyde Hall for four years His proficiency includes historical lighting George Clarke had metal Argand lamps imported from England he noted Argand lighting was a step above candles It started with Aim Argand 1755 1803 a Swiss physicist and chemist who designed a new type of oil lamp in which a single wick was able to emit as much light as seven candles The prototype utilized a hollow cylinder within a circular wick to allow air to flow both inside and outside the flame at the upper edge of the fuelsoaked wick Technology continued to advance over the next century including into vapor lighting Records show Clarke purchased two chandeliers described as Boat lamps from Baldwin Gardiner Co New York City in 1833 for 220 Clarke also purchased two sets of hangings for 50 and altered the burners from Argand to alcohol at 2 per burner for 16 The chandeliers hang in the formal dining room today and are operable Also from Baldwin Gardiner Co Clarke purchased a stunning chandelier described as a Center Bilt 4 Lt Lamp in the original bill in 1833 for 165 The hangings cost an additional 50 and were necessary to allow the chandelier to be pulled down for lighting extinguishing and cleaning He also paid another 8 to have the Argand burners converted to vapor burners Each bulb emits an equivalent of 25 watts said Maney who feels privileged to experience the occasions when the historical lights are lit The lighting radiates a glowing room he explained The nursery in 1972 22 Glowing rooms emit shadows that conjure images of ghosts and sure enough stories tell of sounds that accompany the long history of ghosts at Hyde Hall Footsteps are heard pacing in the long hallway on the second floor said Maney We believe it s George Clarke pacing back and forth in his bathrobe The ghosts are so prevalent that Hyde Hall was featured on the Syfy cable photograph courtesy Hyde Hall

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 10 above The boy s bedroom 2014 below The nursery 2014 photograph by the author by the author 23 photograph channel network s popular investigative series Ghost Hunters on October 30 2013 Halloween Eve The Hunters installed equipment to track ghost activity Lots of activity was recorded in the nursery and on the main stairway in the cottage said Maney Stories about non malevolent ghosts match up with pictures of family members who died at war or when young An armoire moves in one of the bedrooms upstairs said Maney Visitors eyes enlarge as they see the size of the armoire referred to requiring three strong men to move it A delightful tale is told in the main dining room where a very large portrait of Jane Storrs Cooper Worthington hangs on the south wall Nicknamed Jennie she was a granddaughter of Ann Low Cary Cooper Clarke the wife of the builder Jennie s story moves from lightheartedness to tragic to steadfast She married John Worthington but she died within months of the wedding and her grieving husband commissioned this portrait from the artist Carl Brandt In due course the portrait was hung in his home on River Street in Cooperstown Worthington remarried and one assumes the second Mrs Worthington was not happy about having a life size portrait of the first wife in the house At any rate Jennie was removed from the wall and at this point strange things began to happen dishes rattling pots flying etc Exactly what happened is debatable but once the portrait returned to its rightful place things returned to normal The house then changed hands and Jennie came to Hyde Hall on loan Jennie has been happy here reunited with her grandmother said Maney Overall happy and industrious memories penetrate Hyde Hall

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 11 snacking on nuts from the nut room servants with their own spacious quarters and weddings Clarke s son George Hyde Clarke 18221889 was the family anomaly Although clever he may have been too clever for his own good He spent the summers at Hyde Hall and lived luxuriously in New York City George Hyde Clarke was a gambler and his hops speculations backfired The multimillion dollar empire was sold off to pay his debt explained Maney But the son of George Hyde Clarke dutifully named George Hyde Clarke 1858 1914 married Mary Gale Carter 1862 1929 a woman with the financial means to buy back Hyde Hall Clarke became a gentleman farmer and maintained the building as well as possible In 1889 a child was born to George and Mary His name George Hyde Clarke followed his father s footsteps in gentleman farming Also born to George and Mary was Anne Hyde Clarke who in 1907 was married to Arthur Choate in a lavish wedding But the couple moved away and Anne Hyde Clarke Choate did not become involved with Hyde Hall again until the building was given over to New York State and put on the agenda as a above Portrait of Jennie Ann Hyde Clarke by artist Carl Brandt left On display are items used daily opposite page top On the left is one of the templates used to create he decorative plaster ceiling molds below Jonathon Maney Hyde Hall s executive director stands next to an armoire said to be possessed by a ghost photography on these two pages by the author 24

014_25_Extraordinary_Legacy_Hyde_Hall_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 32 PM Page 12 building to be demolished She became a driving force behind the Friends of Hyde Hall now known as Hyde Hall Inc which operates and continues restoration while the State maintains the roof and grounds Visitors are able to see at firsthand the restoration process A room is open with visuals of wall plaster layers and molds Three layers of plaster are applied to the walls before painting Wallpaper can also be seen For instance the original wallpaper is barely hanging on in George Clarke s cottage bedroom New old features continue to surface in the multifaceted Hyde Hall and guests learn right along with the staff here A room in the cottage first designed as a chapel has been restored complete with a sign stating the Lord s Prayer The family had their own church services back in the day said Maney The chapel also served as the classroom for the children The fascinating Hyde Hall adventure has expanded to offer the building and grounds to present day events such as weddings An events coordinator is on staff here to assist in wedding plans The breathtaking vista over Otsego Lake from the Hall s verandah provides an unforgettable countryside experience A ceremony can be performed in the Chapel or a chosen room or outside on the lawn Although the antiquity of Hyde Hall remains suitable modern equipment ensures comfort Professional photography catches the highlights in surroundings that embrace two centuries of family working the land and of friends Visitors of all ages feel welcome at Hyde Hall For information www hydehall org 25

026_32_Landscape_for_Film_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 27 15 7 10 PM Page 1 A Landscape for Film by Garan Santicola photography courtesy The Hudson Valley Film Commission unless otherwise noted Laurent Rejto director of the Hudson Valley Film Commission which he founded in 2000 stands with Academy Award winner Melissa Leo lead actress in Francine on location in the Hudson Valley 26

026_32_Landscape_for_Film_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 27 15 7 10 PM Page 2 On Sunday October 19 2014 Laurent Rejto stood before a capacity crowd at the Woodstock Playhouse to introduce the closing night film of the Woodstock Film Festival This project came to us shrouded in mystery he said It was known only as Project L But in the weeks and months that followed we learned more about it and eventually found that it was being produced by Three stills from the movie The Better Angels a story of young Abe Lincoln in his formative years filmed entirely in black and white Produced by Terrence Malick and directed by A J Edwards Braydon Denney plays young Abe Terrence Malick Moments later director A J Edwards debut feature film The Better Angels flickered across the screen Edwards is a prot g of Malick having worked as second unit director on The New World The Tree of Life and To the Wonder The Better Angels is an ethereal representation of Abraham Lincoln s formative years It was filmed in Ulster County at the Mohonk Preserve and the Ashokan Center amid landscape reminiscent of the old growth hardwood forest that surrounded the Lincolns modest Indiana homestead 27

026_32_Landscape_for_Film_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 27 15 7 10 PM Page 3 The story follows young Abe played by Braydon Denney through a period when he learned about rugged frontier life from his father played by Jason Clarke experienced tenderness from his mother played by Brit Marling and then after his mother s untimely death from his stepmother played by Diane Kruger shared friendship in an extended family setting and interfaced in limited ways with the outside world through educational endeavors and religious practice Shot in black and white The Better Angels features minimal dialogue relying instead upon atmospherics to convey the reality that greatness can be born and in this instance was born in a quiet setting where a pure heart was cultivated through everyday interactions with people striving for decency amid the beauty and hardship of a naturalistic environment In an article for MovieMaker Magazine Edwards shares his thoughts on the importance of location to the process of shooting this film I knew that come time for editorial this film would not be one solely made up of masters and closeups walk ons and stage exits The frame would not just be a dialogue delivery box but also the energetic perspective of a boy experiencing a mysterious new land the pain and joy of that time as well as the love and sorrow of his whole family As many noted of Michelangelo Antonioni s pictures decades ago the goal was for the distinctions of background A wistful looking Jane Fonda starring in Peace Love and Misunderstanding taps a drum while on a break The movie was shot in Woodstock and directed by Bruce Beresford photography by Alan Carey 28

026_32_Landscape_for_Film_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 27 15 7 10 PM Page 4 and foreground to lose their conventional meaning In an interview for Indiewire Edwards was asked about the relation of landscape cinematography and lighting to the idea of divinity in the film He noted that he worked with his cinematographer to develop a simple approach that relied as little as possible on artificial light He explained But other than that we were so benefited by the time of year in which we shot fall and then being in upstate New York where essentially we always had sort of light coming horizontally at us never too direct I m so glad when people have noticed that Brit and Diane seem to always be bathed in light yet the source of it is not always quite apparent That sometimes gives it a divine feel as well The Mohonk and Ashokan locations that provided Edwards the ability to blur distinctions between background and foreground with naturalistic lighting evocative of the divine forces at work in Lincoln s life were discovered by Rejto in his capacity as director of the Hudson Valley Film Commission an organization he founded in 2000 just one year after founding the Woodstock Film Festival along with Meira Blaustein Rejto describes his role with the commission as one primarily devoted to networking He says This region has so much to offer filmmakers from great locations to all the preproduction production and post production services and the talent at every level of the business When we bring a film 29 here one of our main goals is to get as many people hired as possible Rejto estimates that every year under the favorable tax credit incentive policies of the Cuomo administration several million filmmaking dollars are spent in his region of focus which includes Ulster Dutchess Orange Greene Delaware and Columbia counties In 2013 he communicated with 125 different produc A night shot from Athens boat dock of War of the Worlds starring Tom Cruise and directed by Steven Spielberg In the background slightly visible is a large boat with passengers

026_32_Landscape_for_Film_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 27 15 7 10 PM Page 5 tions from advertisers and student filmmakers to documentary and feature production companies and 80 of those projects did all or part of their filming in the region In 2014 he communicated with 99 productions and 70 wound up working here Most productions he works with are low budget in that they are nonunion and spend under 800 000 to assemble the entire project although larger productions have been attracted to the area sometimes to shoot just one or two Two shots of Robin Williams in The Night Listener directed by Patrick Stettner The shot below was taken at the Phoenicia diner on NYS Route 28 Filming locations were Montgomery Ellenville Shokan and Phoenicia 30

026_32_Landscape_for_Film_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 27 15 7 10 PM Page 6 scenes He touts the recent filming of Showtime s HAPPYish which was originally set to star Philip Seymour Hoffman but now stars Steve Coogan as an example of a project with higher paying union jobs for the many residents qualified to work at that level of the business Filmed last December the HAPPYish pilot was then optioned by Showtime with a plan to return to shoot the series in late winter and early spring of this year and with hope that it will remain on the air and in the region for the foreseeable future Rejto talks about his drive to bring filmmaking to the Catskills and Hudson Valley as both a natural outgrowth of his years spent working in the business in New York City and as a devotion that has taken on a life of its own He says It s a passion It s an addiction That s what I tell peo ple Film is an addiction Most people who are in film are a little bit crazy Noting that he sees location everywhere he says I look at ruins in that way There were some ruins on the waterfront in Kingston that were bought by developers so they could knock them down and build condos I said This is the old brickyard This is gold They said Are you insane This is 360 housing units I said Yeah but no one s ever gonna put that in a film Reminiscing about one of the biggest shoots that ever came to the region and offering it as both an example of his competitiveness in courting such projects but also of the elusory nature of the business of location scouting Rejto says We work very closely with the Governor s Office of Motion Picture and Television Development So they called us up and said We need a ferry landing for War of the Worlds the Spielberg film I said Really We should be able to do that We have Newburgh Cold Springs all these places that have ferry landings And I was so desperate to get that job for this area So I called up a buddy of mine who has a helicopter and he flies for films and I asked him if he would take them around and he agreed I called them back and said I found you guys a helicopter All you have to do is call this guy and he ll take you around and I m sure you ll find exactly what you re looking for And that s how they found Athens for their ferry landing scene Continuing on to the bitter irony of the story Rejto says The only problem with the helicopter was that they wanted to find a spot for the battle A scene from Sparrow Lane directed by Patricia Gillespie taken at the Gus D Amato gym in Catskill 31

026_32_Landscape_for_Film_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 27 15 7 10 PM Page 7 scene too They had a big battle scene and they were looking for a field somewhere with a farmhouse and we had a bunch of possible locations picked out But the problem was that they fell in love with the helicopter and actually started flying down the whole East Coast and ended up finding a place to shoot their battle scene in Virginia Although shooting a film in the region offers no assurance of having it accepted for exhibition in the festival the strong showings at Woodstock as well as at other premier festivals in recent years reflects the sheer volume and high quality of filmmaking taking place here In his remarks introducing The Better Angels at the festival Rejto said At the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year they showed five features that were shot in our area and this year at the Woodstock Film Festival we re showing twelve films that were shot right here With the abundance of regional films on display in 2014 the Woodstock Film Festival was able to devote an entire category to short documentary films shot in the Catskills and Hudson Valley One of those called simply Catskill Park exemplifies why discerning filmmakers have been increasingly drawn to the region and find the landscape indispensable to their creative process Catskill Park was produced by Catskill Mountainkeeper an organization devoted to sustainable living and preservation of the region s natural resources Directed by Nina Warren this 13 1 2 minute film offers a cross section of insights from artists environmentalists farmers residents and visitors on the topic of conservation in the Catskills Early in the film Robert F Kennedy Jr frames the sociopolitical realities at play when he says You have a wilderness that essentially has above On location in Rhinebeck of Late Phases Left to right Producer Brent Kunkle director Adrian Garcia Bogliano Mike Oates of Hudson Valley Ventures Laurent Rejto and actor writer Nick Damici photography by Greg Meola remained intact only two hours from the most important city in the United States and it s really an important feat for our country Later Theodore Roosevelt IV builds on that sentiment One of the things that I think we should admire about the Catskill Park it s a model for how you want to invest in infrastructure And our forebears in the City of New York saw more than a hundred years ago that they needed to have a clean reliable source of water Towards the film s end Kerissa Fuccillo the Ashokan Center s director of Education and Research carries that sentiment through to its brilliant conclusion It s a really special thing having New York City s watershed here It s one of the largest unfiltered water supplies and the fact that it s here makes this land forever protected With serene shots of lakes waterfalls and mountain views and the lilting fiddle featured in Jay Ungar s Ashokan Farewell as background music Catskill Park captures the essence of why this landscape is worth preserving and in so doing reveals why it is so cherished by filmmakers looking to explore naturalistic beauty within their work Rejto notes 32 that landscape is an important part of his pitch to filmmakers and says We have everything here You can go from urban to pastoral in a heartbeat and that really appeals to productions that need to get a variety of shots Of the draw this naturalistic setting has on filmmakers Rejto concludes Historically speaking this has always been a place where people go to create art the Hudson Valley painters the Byrdcliffe arts colony the Maverick arts colony all the writers For the past couple hundred years this whole region has been a place where artists come to experience the beauty of the landscape So what s going on now with film is just an extension of that These filmmakers are interacting with the landscape in their own unique way but it s also in a way that builds on everything that has come before and I love to watch that come to life in their work The 16th annual Woodstock Festival will take place between September 30 and October 4 For more information visit www wood stockfilmfestival com also www hud sonvalleyfilmcommission org

33_Hobart_Reinvented qxp_Template 5 25 15 5 34 PM Page 1 5HYLVLWLQJ Last year we showcased the Village of Hobart and its transformation from a i d and d cha h llenged community i to a tire destination for cultural events including literature art and music Now one year later additional revisions have taken place that take the Main Street district to another level The Hobart Book Village of the Catskills now includes 6 bookshops within easy walking distance on Main Street Butternut Valley Books has joined the fold It is specialist in ephemera maps eclectic bookends and many unusual books from both this country and abroad Proprietor Dennis Lauchman is a seasoned bookseller who is more than happy to chat books and just about any subject that comes to the table 22 6 22 6 22 6 1 7 2 57 22 9 Located on NY State Route 10 the Hobart Book Village of the Catskills is an eclectic center of 6 bookshops each with a unique atmosphere as generalist and specialist subject shops focusing on used new and antiquarian books art prints postcards and local and global publishers If you love books you will love us Open everyday starting 5 23 11 5 Mon Fri and 10 5 Sat Sun In addition to our Summer Fall Events GRQ W PLVV RXU 30 off Memorial Day Thanksgiving Weekend Sales www hobartbookvillage com S ack Another new art entity The Sh e Back is a small but entertaaining In The g the space set back from and flanking gallery of MURAL Mount Utsayaantha Regional Arts League and the Hisstoric Hobart Inn Artist Chris Humphrey displays y his whimsical elaborate and striking creations in a space that can only really be appreciated in person While performing some tricky wall renovaations Chris uncovered a hidden room that for 35 years housed chairs and ittems from the tavern next door Helpin ng to date the discovery was an emptyy beer can without a modern fliptop opening In its place was the hole from a church key style can opener Sp peaking of the tavern the Historic Hobart Inn now has a ground level restaur u ant called The County Inn run by Heidi Tompkins It opened in April and serves both lunch and dinner In the near future it will reopen the tavern on The restaurant is a much portio needed addition to the Main Street mix M OU NT U T S A Y A N T HA R E G IO N A L A R T S L E AG U E 2 0 1 5 S C H E D U L E STUDENT SHOW March 8 March 25 Opening 3 8 2 4 pm JUDITH NILSON MICHAEL MILTON May 9 July 5 Opening 5 9 2 4 pm BRUCE BUNDOCK RICHARD KATHMANN July 11 August 23 Opening 7 11 2 4 pm 085 RQ 0DLQ UW DOOHU LIW 6KRS 23 1 1 6 1RRQ WR SP TRACY JACKNOW CHRISTINE ALEXANDER August 29 October 18 Opening 8 29 2 4 pm COMMUNITY ART SHOW October 24 November 8 Opening 10 24 2 4 pm ZENA GURBO SIMONE MANTELLASSI November 14 December 20 Opening 11 14 2 4 pm since previously pattrons who came to the Village in the afternoon had limited dinner options No lo onger will one have to leave town to cattch a late lunch or early supper Tompkins is pleased to be part of 0DLQ 6WUHHW V UHGHYHORSPHQW 7KH Country Inn offfers a wide selection of odestly priced and comfort foods ods mo ortions Customers generous in their po husiastically to the are responding enth UHFHQW DGGLWLRQ W V QLFH WR KDYH D hometown place to eat in the evening ZLWK JRRG IRRG DQG VHUYLFH 7KHUH V D JHQXLQH FR IHHOLQJ WR LW VDLG owner of the must Kimberly Whritner o see home embellisshment shop The 6KHHS V 1HVW RQ WKH OHIW VLGH RI 0DLQ Hobart northbound Street as you enter H on State Route 10 XVW XS IURP 7KH 6KHHS V 1HVW RQ the right side of Main Street is Second d Antiques where Wind Furniture and owners Linda and Steve Coster are GHOLJKWHG WR RIIHU furniture antique es currio ositiies kni nicck kna n cks bric a brac giim mccracks baublles trrink in etss gewgawss rom ommel DQG XVHIXO VWXII Affordable Finds n Consignment Shop is located on th he north side of the Historic Hobart In nn and features clothing and accessorie o s for both young and old With a consstant stream of new inventory appearing weekly if not daily owner Marian Arnaao works hard to offer her local community a viable RSWLRQ WR WKH LJ R RXWOHWV With all these new businesses on Main Street Hobart is truly alive A Weekend for All Celebrating and Exploring the Work of Women Writers set in and around the picturesque Northern Catskill Book Village of Hobart NY 20 Writers 19 Workshops plus Readings Book Signings Crafts and Galleries 50 for all 3 days Friday Saturday Sunday September 11th 12th and 13th 2015 Details at www hobartfestivalofwomenwriters com facebook com HobartBookVillageFestivalofWomenWriters

034_36_Museum_Exhibit qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 41 PM Page 1 Calico Indians anti rent protesters ride at night painting by Thomas Locker Museum Exhibit Delves Behind the Mask by Garan Santicola photography by Francis X Driscoll On Saturday May 23 at the Zadock Pratt Museum ZPM in Greene County s Town of Prattsville the Mainly Greene Arts Partnership began a project entitled American Masquerade that promises an exploration of the roots and myriad uses of the mask in American history Included in this six month long undertaking are workshops artistic and historical exhibits and a baroque pastoral opera American Masquerade takes its inspiration from events surrounding the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains Anti Rent War a tenants revolt that began in 1839 upon the death of Stephen Van Rensselaer III a descendant of the first patroon of the New Netherland Manor of Rensselaerswyk a colonial estate that extended for miles on either side of the Hudson River and occupied most of present day Albany and Rensselaer counties and parts of Columbia and Greene counties Stephen III s last will and testament instructed his heirs to collect outstanding rents due from tenant farmers whose families had worked the Rensselaerswyk land like serfs of the old feudal system for generations 34 Many of those farmers were grandchildren of those who fought in the American Revolution and who were angered over an economic arrangement that offered no hope of true freedom Feeling unjustly imposed upon they revolted against the Van Rensselaers Livingstons and other patroons holding rallies and banding together to intimidate rent collectors There were anti rent flags drinking songs newspapers and political candidates and in their most direct conflicts they wore disguises that included masks to hide their identities from the powerful patroons and their henchmen American Masquerade utilizes the motif of masks in the Anti Rent War saga as a point of departure to

034_36_Museum_Exhibit qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 41 PM Page 2 explore the significance of masks as a cultural expression Carolyn Bennett ZPM executive director says We started with this idea of the conflict that occurred between feudalstyle landowners and American farmers and one of the things that stood out was this dramatic use of masks So we considered the meaning behind that the roots of the mask and the various purposes it has served in history And beyond that there was this lingering irony about the land Here you have these farmers fighting for their right to own the land they re working but that very land once belonged to Native Americans So this leads to a question about what their claims are and what ideas they have in regard to land ownership and stewardship Co curating ZPM s exhibit are Fawn Potash program manager of the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College and Algonquin author and scholar Evan Pritchard who has taught at Marist College Vassar College and Pace University Pritchard sheds light on the 35

034_36_Museum_Exhibit qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 41 PM Page 3 Native American perspective on land as well as what he calls appropriate and inappropriate appropriations of culture in the Anti Rent War saga A collection of paintings by artist Thomas Locker on display depicts the anti renters in costumes with an element they intended as mock Native American disguises masks made of sheepskin grain sacks and feathers And they were also known to wear their wives calico dresses which led to their referring to themselves as Calico Indians Regarding such appropriations Pritchard says The use of the Calico Indian dress and masks by the Downrenters carried with it a wealth of unavoidable connotations some of which were appropriate and some inappropriate for the occasion Downrenters were looking for ways to hide their identities and also for symbols that expressed their ideologies They found both in becoming Calico Indians There is no evidence that they received permission from local Native American tribal groups to do this which most people today should find ethically troublesome Pritchard s exploration of the topic covers Native ideas about the sacredness of place anti capitalist sentiment as it relates to Native beliefs and the possibility that anti renters were trying to co opt the Native American reputation for honor The ZPM display features costumes documents posters and Native American and other artifacts including the tin horns used to rally anti renters ZPM speakers discuss Down Rent and Up Rent perspectives and the contrast between the Native American and Euro American understanding of land stewardship versus ownership Maps and time lines chart connections between the AntiRent War and more recent movements for economic justice and ZPM has a gallery soundtrack with historic and contemporary music inspired by the anti renters and similar protestors Also in American Masquerade the TANNERSVILLE ANTIQUE ARTISAN CENTER One of a kind gifts for Unique People Shop over 35 selected area artisans and antique dealers in 2 renovated 19th century buildings 6041 6045 MAIN ST TANNERSVILLE NY 518 589 5600 36 Prattsville Art Center hosts a two person exhibit featuring the paintings of Robert Cepale and the photographs and films of Michael Adno Cepale s idyllic scenes of rural country life blend with Adno s examination of modern man s footprint on the landscape for a visual contrast that prompts consideration of the metaphorical masks of time place and history in art The Prattsville Art Center also hosts art workshops music lectures and film events on Mondays Fridays and Saturdays during July and August On Saturday September 5 at the Orpheum Theater in Tannersville the Catskill Mountain Foundation presents a performance of Handel s baroque pastoral opera Acis and Galatea in an event aimed at connecting the use of masks among Americans to their cultural roots in Europe where baroque operas and festivals served as inspiration for the Renaissance style masquerade balls that became popular in England and eventually Colonial America Discussing her hopes for the impact of American Masquerade Bennett says This is all about finding ways to make history meaningful to people especially the history of this region It s so rich it s incredible and I think sometimes we can forget that and think we need to look elsewhere for amazing stories in history when in reality those amazing stories happened right here I hope our exploration of the Anti Rent War and all of these connecting points of culture can shed light on that For information about American Masquerade visit www mainly greene org Garan Santicola writes about the culture of the Catskills and beyond His latest national publication Where Sunday Mass is in Mohawk can be read online at www narrative ly

37_Ad_Page qxp_Template 5 25 15 5 37 PM Page 1 A I 7KH 6KHHS V 1HVW CA RA E RAVAN S IN THE CATSKILLS Selecthandcrafts handcrafts select from around the world Ghana from around the world Tibet Thailand Guatemala at close to Casbah prices at close to Casbah prices 45 Main Street Hobart NY 607 214 0050 Thurs Sun 10 5 Store Hours Store Hours Thursday Sunday Thursday Sunday Holiday Mondays 10 5 Holiday Mondays 10 5 75 75 Main Main Street Street Andes Andes NY NY 13731 13731 845 676 3533 845 676 3533

038_45_Fatal_Attractions qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 56 PM Page 1

038_45_Fatal_Attractions qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 56 PM Page 2 Fatal Attractions Recreational Deaths in the Catskill Wilderness by Lawrence C Swayne M D photography by the author unless otherwise noted To live life is to risk it And when opposite page Kaaterskill Falls with people beyond wooden fence at first and second tiers above Kaaterskill Falls warning sign at top of the falls with people beyond the wooden fence sitting on rocks overlooking the precipice right Kaaterskill Falls warning signs and split wooden fence at bottom of the falls have not stopped people from clambering up the falls you feel the rush of air and catch the stink of hot breath in your face you enter the secret order of those who have seen their own death close up It makes us live that much more intensely Laurence Gonzales Deep Survival Who Lives Who Dies and Why 39

038_45_Fatal_Attractions qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 56 PM Page 3 gadgets cell phones GPS personnel detection devices but without the requisite backwoods skills and experience Although several excellent books Catskill Peak Experiences and Peak Experiences edited by Carol Stone White At the Mercy of the Mountains by Peter Bronski and Not Without Peril by Nicholas Howe have described danger and The cold air was silent and still the ice crusted snow sparkled under the sun Descending solo down the steep western face of Plateau Mountain I paused to absorb the stunning winter panorama Suddenly I lost my footing and slid rapidly down the slope only a desperate pole plant averted a fatal launch from a 20 foot cliff In a mere few seconds I d nearly become a statistic in this article For two centuries the sparkling waterfalls streams and rivers pristine forests and stunning mountain vistas of the Catskills have proven an irresistible magnet for millions of visitors Most of the annual 2 496 753 outdoor enthusiasts pursuing recreational activities on public and private lands leave with treasured memories But for an unlucky few the attractions prove fatal Despite an increasing dissociation from nature Americans are progressively seeking out challenging wilderness experiences often armed with electronic 40

038_45_Fatal_Attractions qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 56 PM Page 4 NY State DEC Wildland Search and Rescue Missions by Year 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 1963 1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2008 2013 death in the Northeast mountains there has been no systematic review of recreational fatalities in the Catskill wilderness Wilderness here is defined as wild lands as opposed to the specific NYS DEC Catskill forest preserve management unit designations of wilderness wild forest intensive use administrative primitive bicycle corridors and conservation easement Detailed statistical analyses of wilderness accidents are sparse and disparate varying by region year database inclusion criteria etc nevertheless data can be used to piece together a snapshot of the Catskill wilderness experience Summary statistics in the annual reports of the New York State Division of Forest Protection show wild land search and rescue SAR missions by New York State Forest Rangers have continually opposite page top Platte Clove warning sign opposite page bottom Platte Clove waterfall one of 18 alluring falls in the area that includes the Devil s Kitchen and claimed three lives since 2000 increased during the past half century graph 1 The National Park Service NPS along the Upper Delaware River state and local police and regional firemen frequently initiate separate SAR operations The Catskill Department of Environmental Conservation DEC Region 3 Dutchess Orange Putnam Rockland Sullivan Ulster and Westchester counties and Region 4 Albany Columbia Delaware Greene Montgomery Otsego Rensselaer Schenectady and Schoharie counties together comprise 21 percent of SAR incidents on a statewide basis Table 1 contains an anecdotal list of 60 wilderness fatalities from 2000 2014 in the Catskill counties of Delaware Greene Otsego Schoharie Sullivan and Ulster which could be verified in newspapers or by local authorities the list was submitted for review to the DEC Regional Offices 3 and 4 and the Catskill 3500 Club Fatalities involving ski resorts and mechanized vehicles planes large boats automobiles ATVs snowmobiles motorcycles bicycles were excluded unless the vehicle was specifically integral to a wilderness activity Data collect 41 ed by the NPS for recreational fatalities under its jurisdiction on the Upper Delaware River from Hancock to Sparrowbush provided an additional 27 fatalities during the study period There were a total of 87 Catskill wilderness fatalities from the two data sets which met the inclusion criteria during the 15 year study period from 2000 2014 an average of six per year mortality rate of 0 23 deaths per 100 000 visits Males 83 9 outnumbered females 16 1 with victims ranging in age from 5 months to 79 years mean 38 7 years age unknown in 3 from NPS data Not surprisingly the majority of these occur during Saturday or Sunday 48 3 in the months of June July and August 58 6 reflecting peak utilization Drownings 59 8 falls 20 7 and cardiac events natural causes 12 6 were the most common causes of death Most fatalities were sustained as a result of hiking ice climbing camping 34 5 watercraft tubing kayaking canoeing rafting or small boat accidents 23 0 and swimming 20 7 In three cases the associated activity was unknown Inexperience and poor judgment were considered contributing factors in 56 7 of the fatalities in Table 1 This data correlates remarkably well with the few published articles of wilderness fatalities A study of fatalities in the California National Parks reported a mortality rate of 0 26 deaths per 100 000 visits predominantly in males 78 2 with a peak incidence during June through September Drownings 15 4 32 8 cardiac events 16 723 4 and falls 15 4 were the most common causes of death while hiking 22 8 25 0 boating 10 112 5 and swimming 10 1 12 5 were the most frequently associated activities in two studies from all U S

038_45_Fatal_Attractions qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 57 PM Page 5 National Parks and New Hampshire a separate study In addition the US National Park study cited errors in judgment 22 3 fatigue and physical conditioning 16 8 and insufficient clothing equipment and experience 15 6 as the most common reasons for SAR assistance Slippery rocky paths alluring waterfalls and steep cloves and cliffs often concealed by dense undergrowth are among the many hazards encountered by hikers in the Catskills with falls accounting for 40 of hiking deaths Although the legendary Devil s Path has been listed by The Active Times Sierra Outside Magazine List25 and Takepart as a dangerous hike no deaths occurred on this trail during the 15 year study period Rather it is the renowned 231 foot Kaaterskill Falls and the 18 waterfalls in the lesser known Platte Clove that grab the local headlines and victims accounting for three quarters of the Catskill hiking deaths by falls Only one individual ever survived 42

038_45_Fatal_Attractions qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 57 PM Page 6 opposite page top Delaware River rapids Six inches of water moving with enough speed is sufficient to knock someone over and prevent them from standing opposite page center Delaware River life jacket sign 94 of drowning victims on the Upper Delaware River since 1980 were not wearing a life jacket opposite page bottom Delaware River warning sign with rapids behind it Never attempt to swim across the Delaware River and do not attempt to stand as your feet can become trapped in rocks and the current can drown you even in shallow water below Delaware River drill by the National Park Service divers deploy photo courtesy of NPS bottom Yes it s a car under that canoe The driver forgot to put it in gear on the access ramp courtesy NPS falling from the top of the Kaaterskill Falls however her legal case Marino v the State of New York was dismissed when the court ruled the waterfall was open and obvious and State thus owed no duty to warn of such danger Numerous warning signs at both sites and recently placed split rail fencing at the top and bottom of Kaaterskill Falls have not discour 43 aged the public a recent off season 88 hour user count logged 4 900 visitors there from seeking a closer glimpse Safety improvements including improved access trails and possibly the installation of an observation platform were discussed at an open public meeting on December 19 2014 Absence of a simpler but important preventive method proper footwear is a very common factor in local SAR operations according to Tannersville Fire Department Assistant Chief Stephen Tuomey Surprisingly drownings were the next most common cause 30 0 of hiking deaths Three fatalities resulted from falls through ice and another three drowned at the mouth of the Rondout Creek possibly from changing tides or a large wave from a passing ship Heart attacks claimed 20 of hikers whose lives may otherwise have been prolonged through exercise There was one bear attack involving a five month old child at a camp in Sullivan County Black bears are usually shy and fatal attacks by non captive black bears in North America are extremely rare only 68 since 1900 although 87 have occurred since 1960 usually from predatory males The most recent black bear fatality on September 21 2014 in northern NJ was triggered when five hikers ran in different directions Bear attack expert Stephen Herrero advises hiking in groups alerting the black bear to your presence and standing your ground if attacked See The Bears of Kaatskill Life Country Spring 2015 Hunting accounted for only 10 11 5 of all fatalities a remarkable safety record considering the more than 400 000 annual Catskills hunters The NY DEC has decreased the hunting injury rate by 70 during the past 35 years through education all first time hunters must pass a 10 hour course research 80 of

038_45_Fatal_Attractions qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 57 PM Page 7 NY big game hunters wearing Hunter Orange and none were killed from 1994 through 2003 and hunting safety laws In 2013 New Yorkers were 50x more likely to be injured in a highway deer collision than by a hunting accident All but one of the seven fishingrelated deaths were due to drowning three are listed under boating in Table 1 None were wearing a personal flotation device PFD People frequently underestimate the power of fast flowing water Just six inches of water can knock a person off their feet and keep them down while one foot may move a car Of the 18 swimming and 20 small watercraft fatalities all perished by drowning and only two 5 3 wore PFDs one victim was trapped under a log Obstacles submerged logs rocks branches and roots were contributing factors in four watercraft fatalities and four hiking drownings According to data from the Personal Flotation Device Manufacturing Association nine out of ten drownings occur in inland waters most within a few feet of safety and involving boats under 20 feet long Almost 85 of those who drown are not wearing a life jacket All NY boaters are required by law to use a PFD between November 1 and May 1 and Delaware River boaters must wear PFDs when the river height is above 6 feet check the river height at http water weather gov ahps2 in dex php wfo bgm The Upper Delaware River s unspoiled wilderness attracts 250 000 visitors annually where 57 9 of the swimming and small watercraft fatalities in this study occurred NPS Chief Ranger Joe Hinkes warns People overestimate their swimming ability and underestimate the river Only four of 64 6 3 people who died on the Upper Delaware River wore PFDs according to NPS data maintained since 1980 Alcohol was a contributing factor in 29 4 where its status was established In 2001 the British Medical Journal cautioned that most injuries and their precipitating events are predictable and preventable New York s Theodore Roosevelt however avowed Far better it is to dare mighty things to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat These declarations can be reconciled by acknowledging above Although the Delaware River appears calm the silt laden current was very strong after several days of rain The author and his son shown here were only able to paddle 1 2 mile upstream despite one hour of strenuous effort A swimmer would likely have drowned below A simulated rescue on Big Pond 44

038_45_Fatal_Attractions qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 57 PM Page 8 Catskill Wilderness Recreational Fatalities Date Age Sex Cause Hiking Ice Climbing Camping 1 6 1 2000 30 F Fall 2 12 17 2000 15 M Drowning 3 4 29 2001 48 M Fall 4 6 7 2001 26 M Fall 5 7 23 2001 5 M Drowning 6 7 23 2001 6 F Drowning 7 7 23 2001 47 F Drowning 8 10 8 2001 72 M Heart attack 9 8 19 2002 5m F Bear attack 10 8 27 2006 59 M Heart attack 11 5 11 2008 18 M Drowning 12 6 11 2008 59 M Heart attack 13 2 28 2009 70 M Heart attack 14 6 13 2009 32 M Fall 15 8 13 2009 14 M Drowning 16 12 27 2009 58 M Fall 17 2 14 2010 40 M Fall ice climbing 18 3 14 2010 49 M Hypothermia 19 5 1 2010 53 M Fall 20 6 4 2010 17 F Fall 21 8 20 2010 19 M Fall 22 11 1 2010 21 M Hypothermia 23 2 12 2011 50 M Heart attack 24 7 30 2011 27 M Fall 25 10 26 2011 51 M Heart attack 26 12 30 2013 74 M Drown ice 27 12 31 2013 74 M Drown ice 28 12 31 2013 71 F Drown ice 29 6 28 2014 54 F Fall 30 7 29 2014 23 F Fall Hunting 31 11 25 2000 33 M Fall 32 11 16 2008 16m F Shot 33 11 22 2009 58 M ATV overturned 34 11 20 2010 65 M Fall tree stand 35 11 9 2011 19 M Fall 36 11 18 2011 54 M Heart attack 37 12 10 2011 70 M Heart attack 38 12 16 2012 58 M Fall tree stand 39 11 16 2013 52 M Shot 40 11 29 2013 64 M Heart attack Fishing 41 9 17 2010 29 M Drowning 42 5 30 2011 39 M Drowning 43 5 30 2011 47 M Drowning 44 8 9 2014 73 M Fall Swimming 45 8 20 2008 20 M Drowning 46 7 1 2010 32 M Drowning 47 6 8 2011 26 M Drowning ledge jump 48 8 11 2011 21 M Drowning boat swimming 49 7 3 2012 14 M Drowning Tubing Kayaking Canoeing Boating 50 6 10 2002 17 F Drowning tubing 51 7 23 2002 49 M Drowning kayaking 52 7 15 2007 52 F Drowning kayaking 53 8 16 2009 58 M Drowning tubing 54 4 15 2010 62 M Drowning canoeing 55 8 19 2010 30 M Drowning boating 56 10 19 2008 19 M Drowning boating fishing 57 10 19 2008 18 M Drowning boating fishing 58 10 19 2008 20 M Drowning boating fishing 59 6 4 2011 79 M Drowning boating 60 6 18 2013 21 M Drowning kayaking 27 additional fatalities occurred on the Upper Delaware River including 13 swimming 4 canoeing 3 rafting 2 kayaking 2 fishing and 3 unknown Location Devil s Hole Biscuit Brook Slide Mountain Friday Mountain Kaaterskill Falls Rondout Creek Rondout Creek Rondout Creek Kaaterskill High Peak Fallsburg Peekamoose Mountain Catskill Holcim Gravel Bank Pecoy Trail Balsam Lake Mountain Kaaterskill Falls North South Lake Kaaterskill Falls Moore s Bridge Hunter Blackhead Mountain Platte Clove Platte Clove Kaaterskill Falls Shandaken Woods Thomas Cole Mountain Platte Clove Escarpment Trail Hartwick College Pond Harpersfield Harpersfield Kaaterskill Falls Kaaterskill Falls Hunter Mountain Swan Lake Roscoe Schoharie Hancock Fulton Colchester Andes Westford Fulton Esopus Creek Esopus Creek Esopus Creek Schoharie Creek Catskill Creek Schoharie Creek Rondout Creek Mohican Lake Pond near Neversink River Esopus Creek Esopus Creek Esopus Creek Esopus Creek North South Lake White Lake in Bethel Mountain Lake Mountain Lake Mountain Lake Wolf Lake West Branch of Delaware River 45 Kaaterskill Falls roadside memorial to Ariana Bedka the latest fall victim that risk is an integral component of the wilderness experience but can be managed The sport specific practice of wearing proper footwear Hunter Orange or PFDs and exercising sound judgment safely within the limits of one s experience theoretically could have prevented more than 65 of the fatalities in this study For more information Hiking and general safety www dec ny gov outdoor 28708 html Water safety www nps gov upde planyourvisit safety htm Upper Delaware River www upperdelawarecouncil org pdf publications UDC_Map Guide pdf Widespread adoption of these common recommendations and continued public education has the potential to make the Catskills America s first wilderness a safer haven for current and future outdoor enthusiasts The author thanks Noel Witzke and Kathleen Sandt NPS Public Information Officer and the NYS DEC and several local police and fire departments for research assistance and or manuscript review and NYS DEC Ranger Joe Bink Beaverkill Fire Chief Mike Juron and Andes Fire Chief Dale Tait for the ice rescue demonstration

046_50_Esopus_Creek qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 50 PM Page 1 T H E T R A N S F O R M AT I O N O F Esopus Creek by Ed Van Put photography by the author The lower Esopus Creek at Brodhead s Bridge It is quite common for trout fishermen to contemplate what the fishing was like in the past and even more so to ponder what it was like prior to environmental disturbances that may have had a lasting effect on a fisheries resource Many who fished the Esopus before the construction of the Ashokan Reservoir and the Shandaken tunnel believed they had seen the finest trout fishing in the Catskills Ashokan Reservoir was completed in 1914 and the tunnel in 1924 flows from the tunnel increased significantly up to 600 million gallons a day after the completion of the Schoharie Reservoir in 1926 46

046_50_Esopus_Creek qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 51 PM Page 2 A high volume of turbid water entering the Esopus had the appearance of roiled sediment and was believed to have come from the clay soils found in the Schoharie watershed The tunnel discharge caused fluctuating water temperatures coated the stream bottom with silt and disrupted light penetration that was injurious to the complex relationships Shandaken tunnel Darling since 1892 Both were champion tournament fly casters and knowledgeable fishermen who praised the Esopus in outdoor magazine articles writing of its great fly hatches large trout and wonderful fishing Neu once wrote that it was one of the finest trout streams I ever hope to see but that it was never the same after the tunnel centrated along the upper ten miles of the Esopus from Big Indian to the slopes of Slide Mountain as well as the Stony Clove a tributary with a seemingly unlimited supply of brook trout reports on the number of trout taken by fishing parties often numbered in the hundreds Fishing pressure increased significantly in 1870 when a railroad was The spectacular pool at Olive Bridge Bishops Falls between aquatic insect communities plankton and minnows that trout required as food These dramatic changes to the natural flow of 12 miles of the Esopus were significant affecting approximately 48 percent or about half of the total mileage of the river above Ashokan Reservoir Two veteran anglers Art Neu and Lou Darling had fished the Esopus Creek prior to construction of the dumped water into the Esopus At the time of settlement only brook trout inhabited the Esopus watershed although small in size they were abundant Newspaper archives sporting journals diaries and angling literature reveal that brook trout populations were mostly limited because of water temperature to the headwaters and tributaries In general pioneer anglers con 47 constructed through the valley from Kingston into Delaware County The stream became easily accessible to fishing tourists One newspaper reported that thousands of speckled trout were being brought to Kingston from the streams of Shandaken and Olive nearly as fresh as when they were first caught Hotel and boardinghouse construction followed railroad construc

046_50_Esopus_Creek qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 51 PM Page 3 tion and with low travel rates and good railway accommodations the entire region soon became one vast summer resort An era of development and prosperity occurred throughout the valley and citydwellers could now spend time in the country on weekends or vacations much to the satisfaction of boardinghouse owners hillside farmers and hotel keepers who offered relaxation farm fresh foods clean air scenic walks and trout fishing Accommodations were found all along the Esopus especially at Phoenicia with its first class hotels and boardinghouses that catered to fishermen The Tremper House opened its doors in 1879 and could handle 250 guests the hotel featured elevators steam heat bathrooms and its own orchestra In 1880 Albert Burger composed the Tremper House Galop a lively dance in duple measure The hotel boasted excellent trout fishing within easy distance and a resident physician Dr Harrison R Winter who was known for his trout fishing abilities would prescribe a course on flyfishing to tired or weary businessmen The Tremper House even offered its own trout pond where guests might enjoy therapeutic angling At Big Indian trout fishermen favored Lament s Hotel which was located near the railroad station and in Shandaken the Palace Hotel was called a paradise for trout fishermen and could accommodate 200 guests The demand for brook trout became greater than nature could supply as hordes of fishing tourists tramped the streams anxious to fill their baskets Some boardinghouses advertised Trout stream at the door streams were plentiful but mostly fished out However in the 1880s the Esopus Creek benefited greatly from the introduction of rainbow trout from California in 1883 and brown trout from Europe in 1888 The two species were introduced via the state fish hatchery at Caledonia and the stocking of rainbows and browns was pivotal to the development of the Esopus as an important trout fish Brown trout 48 New York State record brown trout caught by T E Spencer Shokan N Y 34 inches 19 pounds 14 ounces

046_50_Esopus_Creek qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 51 PM Page 4 ery Rainbows did exceptionally well as the Esopus was similar to northern California s streams part of the year they were half dried up pools with large boulders and at other times roaring torrents overflowing their banks Brown trout also thrived and both species took over those waters that had been too warm for brook trout like the lower Esopus provid Native brook trout Rainbow trout 49 ing good fishing where there had been none before By the 1890s rainbows and browns had spread throughout the watershed and they grew much larger than brook trout ever had By 1900 brown trout were dominating the water above Big Indian and trout greater than 12 inches were becoming common the stretch from Shandaken to Cold Brook now contained many trout in the 11 to 15inch size range Whereas individual browns in the 3 to 5 pound range could be found in any of the larger pools the greatest concentration of large trout were found in the lower Esopus from Boiceville to Bishops Falls the future site of the Ashokan Dam One article published in 1907 claimed Probably no six miles of any stream in the country are better known to anglers than that section of the Esopus which is to be flooded Fly fishermen preferred to fish the lower Esopus hatches were more abundant and it was common to find big trout feeding on the surface Regulars held this water in the same high esteem as Beaverkill trout fishers did the lower Beaverkill Browns over six pounds were caught annually and in the spring of 1912 The New York Times reported that despite heavy fishing pressure the fishing is excellent and the Esopus continues to contain good numbers and nice sized rainbow and brown trout The gradient of the river below Boiceville lessened and the valley widened dramatically and while there were some woodlands the landscape along the lower Esopus included more open lands fertile fields and farms with meadows and pastures This six miles which would become inundated by the Ashokan Reservoir has been described as a giant plateau or tableland and was known as the Shokan plains Shokan

046_50_Esopus_Creek qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 51 PM Page 5 ESSENTIAL GUIDE All the latest information you need for hiking Softcover 5 1 2 x 8 1 2 The Tremper House was a short distance from the Phoenicia railroad station New 4th Edition Catskill Trails 19 95 Catskill Trails and Map Pack 26 95 Join ADK and receive a 20 discount on all ADK publications 800 395 8080 www adk org was originally spelled Ashokan said to be the Indian name for place of fish And indeed it was a place for fish for T E Spencer of Shokan who in 1923 caught a New York State record brown trout in the Chimney Hole Miller Pool measuring 34 inches in length and weighing 19 pounds 14 ounces The lower Esopus was big water containing large pools and lengthy riffles with gravel bars and small islands Huge boulders in the riffles rose above the river s surface creating excellent pocket water Favorite pools holding the largest trout were the Miller Pool Brodhead s Bridge and the spectacular pool at Olive Bridge Here the river flowed through a canyon with precipitous rock walls on both sides and cascaded over rock ledges plunging 22 feet forming the deep lengthy pool known as Bishops Falls a place where large rainbows could often be seen leaping for joy or a hatching mayfly Rainbow and brown trout grew rapidly in the lower Esopus minnows and aquatic insects were more abundant Theodore Gordon the legendary Catskill fly fishing journalist fished the lower Esopus often and compared it to a salmon river with pools big enough to hold the largest salmon In this part of the river trout of 2 to 3 pounds were not unusual Gordon claimed a 3 pound trout would take you down through the rapids and that he took many up to 3 pounds and his cousins took some up to 4 pounds Just how important tourism was to the valley can be seen in the summer resort guide published by the Ulster Delaware Railroad in 1910 it listed 115 hotels and boardinghouses from Olive Bridge to Big Indian with accommodations for 4 015 visitors With a railroad paralleling the river for more than 20 miles it was not unusual for fishermen to use the train as part of their fishing tactics Some anglers fishing the Esopus would take the train from West Shokan upstream to Boiceville Cold Brook or even Mount Pleasant and fish their way back Among them was Ladd Plumley an editor of Field 50 Stream In an article Plumley described a special day he had on a June afternoon in 1910 fishing the lower Esopus Fishing with flies he caught a full creel of splendid trout although the largest took the path of fishermen s regret by disappointingly breaking his leader While he was playing the trout he received some consolation when an express train roared by the pool with a brakeman on the rear platform waving an excited and encouraging hand telling Plumley as he glanced beyond his bent rod that he also was a fisherman and understood his disappointment At the day s end Plumley captured the spirit of the bygone era when he offered this synopsis And that evening I ate my supper in the immense dining room of a great summer hotel an orchestra playing a Strauss waltz and the women in evening gowns Ed Van Put is a retired Principal Fish Wildlife Technician having worked for 40 years with the NYS DEC Bureau of Fisheries He is the author of The Beaverkill The History of a River and Its People 1996 and Trout Fishing in the Catskills 2007 A new edition of The Beaverkill will be published this fall

51_Delhi Ad_Page qxp_Template 5 25 15 5 41 PM Page 1 Welcome to Delhi A Special Affaire Ltd Ray s fine Wine and Spirits A unique shop which offers a diverse and awardwinning selection of wines and spirits and friendly country service When shopping downtown Delhi make it A Special Affaire Come In and Browse Ray s fine Wines Spirits 70 Main St Delhi NY 607 746 3775 WEEDS LEAVES SEEDS SHOOTS Sponsor a Wild Foods Foraging Day with Marguerite Uhlmann Bower R N and Herbalist Weeds New Earth Living Skills Solutions for the Future of Food 607 437 1218

052_55_Couch_Potato qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 53 PM Page 1 Banish a Couch Potato Image to Improve Your Health by Amy Beveridge photos courtesy the author unless otherwise noted To fulfill State and Federal regulatory requirements in 2013 the Delaware County Public Health Services office The article s author Amy Beveridge working on a trail photo by Nick Utter collaborated with the four hospitals in Delaware County to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment write the county s Community Health Improvement Plan and contribute to each hospital s Community Service Plans Not surprisingly healthcare collaborators identified that Delaware County has a twofold compounding problem poor health and economic instability Delaware County has a greater percentage of adults with a Body Mass Index BMI above 25 higher than the upstate New York average a higher percentage of overweight or obese children than the upstate New York average and higher rates of cardiovascular disease than the upstate averages 52

052_55_Couch_Potato qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 53 PM Page 2 The Delaware County Public Health 2013 2017 Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan stated the local healthcare environment is influenced by the physical legal social and economic aspects in the county Geographically it is the fourth largest of New York s 62 counties and the sixth most rural The county s large size is reflected in the fact that it borders seven other New York counties Broome Chenango Greene Otsego Schoharie Sullivan and Ulster as well as the State of Pennsylvania The county includes the Catskill Delaware Watershed which is the largest unfiltered drinking water supply in the United States The watershed region encompasses the central and eastern section of Delaware County and includes roughly 65 percent of the county s land area and 11 of its 19 townships Approximately 55 percent of the county s population lies within the watershed Overall the watershed covers approximately 2 000 miles Because of the watershed s environ Mark Fenton describing the benefits of building healthy communities and campuses at a meeting hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension mental ecosystem there have been strict regulations pertaining to agricultural pollution and building construction Limiting infrastructure growth results in decreased employment opportunities These unique circumstances result in the social economic and healthcare related challenges for the county residents These limitations also impact the local health and social service agencies and organizations The County Public Health Services department 53 also reported that individuals who live in beautiful Delaware County need to think outside the box when finding alternatives to addressing the county s health disparities GetOutAndWalk org is one such outside the box initiative comprised of collaborating partners including Delaware County Public Health Services department the four hospitals located within the county and the local Cooperative Extension office The initiative uses the three P s

052_55_Couch_Potato qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 53 PM Page 3 programs projects and policies for an effective Population Health intervention to creatively address cardiovascular disease and obesity in Delaware County by taking advantage of the county s vast amounts of public use land and reservoirs and to simultaneously promote economic vitality within the region The programs currently promoted by GetOutAndWalk org are Prescription Trails and the O Connor Hospital 1 000 Mile Challenge Both encourage residents and visitors to participate in regular and sustained physical activity Prescription Trails which began in January of this year is for prescribing medical practitioners to write prescriptions for patients to pursue physical activity The program includes logo ed script pads brochures magnets and rack cards Prescriptions and program materials direct patients to the GetOutAndWalk org website Once on the site patients can search a list of suggested walking routes and hiking trails either by level of difficulty or location Patients find tips for safely starting a regular exercise program an activity progression chart and information on the benefits of regular and sustained activity Currently O Connor Tri Town Regional Hospital Delaware Valley Hospital and Margaretville Hospital are participating in the Prescription Trails program Additionally the three Bassett Healthcare Network School Based Health Centers located in Delaware County also participate The second program O Connor Hospital s 1 000 Mile Challenge challenges the community to walk 1 000 miles in 2015 This equates to roughly 3 miles a day or 20 miles a week for 50 weeks Those interested in participating register on the GetOutAndWalk org website and submit weekly activity logs The website hosts a conversion chart for peo ple to convert minutes of physical activity for such things as gardening and fitness class to miles Individuals who do not feel they can reach 1 000 miles by the end of the year can register for 500 or 750 miles At the end of this year O Connor Hospital will award all challenge participants a certificate of achievement The second P of an effective public health campaign is projects GetOutAndWalk org initiative includes promoting Complete Streets and encouraging use of Delaware County s abundant natural resources for recreational purposes that promote physical activity i e hiking canoeing kayaking walking and bicycling Complete Streets is a design concept for municipalities to adopt which ensure safe healthy and sustainable communities Complete Streets enable safe access for all users including pedestrians bicyclists motorist and transit riders of all ages and abilities It is mentioned in the New York State Department of Health 2013 2017 Prevention Agenda as an evidenced based Population Health intervention According to Smart Growth America Complete Streets also raise property values and spur private investment Representatives from Walton Colchester Deposit and the State University of New York SUNY at Delhi attended a Complete Streets workshop in February hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension where national speaker Mark Fenton described the benefits of building healthy communities and campuses Each of these three towns and SUNY Delhi are identifying Complete Streets projects and also considering passing Complete Streets policies The GetOutAndWalk org initiative includes a corresponding project to Complete Streets of marking mapping and promoting walking routes hiking trails and bike paths in 54 Delaware County As a result of this initiative hiking trails were built by the Catskill Mountain Club in Delhi on village and school property SUNY Delhi carpentry students built trail head kiosks for trails in Delhi and Bovina GetOutAndWalk org has also partnered with the Catskill Mountain Club to lead walks and hikes in Delaware County Regarding the initiative s final P policies GetOutAndWalk org partners are asking municipalities employers and campuses to pass Complete Streets policies Policies ensure Complete Streets becomes a community wide priority and contributes to an area s economic vitality Additionally municipalities may be ineligible for some Federal and State Department of Transportation funds if the city town does not have a Complete Streets policy in place Three municipalities in Delaware County passed such policies the Village of Delhi Town of Delhi and Village of Franklin SUNY Delhi is considering a policy as are representatives from the Towns of Colchester Deposit Middletown and Walton Of the collaborating partners it is worth noting that of the four local hospitals O Connor and Tri Town Regional Hospital are both affiliated with the Bassett Healthcare Network Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton is affiliated with United Heath Services UHS and Margaretville Hospital is affiliated with Health Alliance Furthermore each hospital included sections of the GetOutAndWalk org initiative in its Community Service Plans which are reportable to New York State Department of Health This level of collaboration between the four hospitals is unprecedented The O Connor Hospital is also the lead fiscal agent for GetOutAndWalk org and has applied for grants and tracked all initiative expense and progress

052_55_Couch_Potato qxp_Template 5 25 15 10 53 PM Page 4 municipalities to pass policies that change the built environment i e adding signs curb cutouts painting lines to make Delaware County communities more accessible to all users thus ensuring the health and safely of Delaware County residents and visitors well in to the future Community members regardless of their level of physical ability should support this initiative The number one way to show support is to participate in regular and sustained physical activity Lists of places to go and tips for exercising are on the GetOutAndWalk org website Or start an informal walking club in your community Lastly support elected officials by writing letters or attending town and village board meetings to promote marking mapping and promoting hiking trails and walking routes and passing ArtTourMargaretvilleRoxbury OpenStudios 2015 Delaware County NY Partners have been included in all aspects of the project including creating a logo designing the website and collateral materials promoting the initiative and presenting to municipalities and civic groups Delaware County Public Health Services holds a New York State Department of Health NYS DOH grant for the initiative participates in all planning meetings and gives opinion on all decisions made by O Connor Hospital Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County has distributed Rural Health Alliance funding to O Connor Hospital to implement the initiative purchased a trail counter and funded a national speaker Mark Fenton as mentioned earlier The County Planning Department and County Public Works department have made verbal pledges of support and are participating on a Complete Streets project committee in Delhi Other assets brought by partners include the cross promotion of the GetOutAndWalk org website staff time to facilitate projects and programs and over 50 years of collective knowledge and expertise in community health programming in Delaware County GetOutAndWalk org is a creative outside the box initiative engaging health care practitioners to encourage Delaware County residents and visitors to participate in regular and sustained physical activity The benefit is that there will be a positive health impact reducing chronic disease particularly the prevalence of obesity and cardiovascular disease It encourages physical activity by promoting the use of public land such as New York City Department of Environmental Protection DEP and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation DEC owned property for physical activity It also simultaneously encourages Complete Streets policies in your community Learn more or contact local GetOutAndWalk org representatives at GetOutAndWalk org Amy Beveridge a lifelong resident of Delaware County is the director of Fund Development and Compliance at Bassett Healthcare Network O Connor Hospital She is a member of the Catskill Mountain Club Artists Studio Tour Sat Sun July 25 26 11am 5pm Peter Yamaoka Anthony Margiotta Gerda Van Leeuwen Patrice Lorenz CATSKILL MOUNTAIN AREA STUDIOS in Margaretville Town of Middletown Roxbury Potters Printers Weavers Painters Sculptors Works in Leather Clay Fabric Paper Wood Steel More No Reservations Necessary FREE Made possible in part with funds from the Decentralization Program a regrant program Images Artists Studio Directions and Map ofFor the New York State Council onList the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by The Roxbury Arts Group with AMROpenstudios org See and where art made additional funding from the O Connor Foundation support from Theis MARK Project 55

056_58_Defending_Hemlock_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 02 PM Page 1 Defending Hemlock a Catskills Icon by Molly Marquand photography as noted Woolly adelgid on a hemlock branch courtesy the author Hemlock woolly adelgid HWA appeared on North American shores over 50 years ago Transported on nursery stock from Asia the tiny insect proliferated in the milder climate of the Southeast fanning out to infest hemlocks along the Appalachian ridge A relative of the aphid HWA inserts a tiny stylet into the underside of a hemlock needle and settles in to drink A single insect alone isn t problematic for a mature hemlock but consider the reproductive potential of HWA the species is parthenogenic i e all individuals are female and all are capable of reproducing Each female lays an average of 200 eggs per reproductive cycle and those newly hatched individuals in turn produce an average of 200 eggs each That s approximately 400 000 new adelgids in a single year the impact on an individual tree over the course of only a few years is devastating The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation defines invasive species as non native organisms plants animals or insects that deleteriously impact the environment the economy and or human health Imagine your favorite hike in the Catskills Maybe there s a scenic gorge or waterfall a vista of the valley or the preserve s lofty peaks but probably almost definitely somewhere along the trail a grove of hemlocks is growing Hemlocks are the region s third most numerous tree species next to red and sugar maple and they ve been a fixture for thousands upon thousands of years Among the reasons the species is so critical to the region s environment is its ability to shade streams creating the chilly waters in which trout love to spawn Hemlocks also provide winter habitat for wildlife and hold fragile soils together on rocky precipitous slopes In the Catskills hemlocks are an icon and they re also under attack 56 opposite page top Hemlock woolly adelgid study with four DEP interns just north of Kenneth Wilson State Park opposite page center Chris Zimmerman and Daniel Snider cameraman surveying for woolly adelgid opposite page bottom Another woolly adelgid survey at Sam s Point near Minnewaska with Dan Walderhorn and Maddy Gold All three photographs were taken by Daniel Snider CRISP biological controls assistant

056_58_Defending_Hemlock_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 02 PM Page 2 When considering invasive species management it s important to underscore the non native or introduced aspect of this definition Gardeners are notoriously quick to use the word invasive pinning the term on unwanted volunteers in the flower bed However if the plant is native having evolved on the landscape for thousands of years it is not biologically speaking an invasive species Only when the organism in question has been introduced to a new ecosystem is freed from the natural checks and balances of its own native environment and begins to wreak ecological havoc does it warrant the iniquitous title invasive The Catskills are host to innumerable invasive species from the ubiquitous Japanese barberry to the irksome rusty crayfish The invasive species that affect forests like the emerald ash borer and hemlock woolly adelgid tend to get noticed first however Of the approximately 700 000 acres contained by the park 70 percent is forested making this habitat a priority for land managers and environmental agencies This enormous resource has a significant impact on the region s economies e g logging and ecotourism and drives the Catskills 57

056_58_Defending_Hemlock_FEATURE qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 02 PM Page 3 CATSKILL FOREST Arts Crafts Sawmill Recreation Vendors Food Beverage Tent Maple Products Wood Products Forestry Equipment and don t forget the Logging Competition FREE A DM ISSI ON 6 6DWXUGD XO WK DP SP At the Park Pavilion Village of Margaretville NY For more information call identity as one of the only tracts of large unbroken wilderness in the tristate area Hemlocks have also played a role in the area s human history ever since the first settler stuck an axe into one and declared its bark suitable for tanning The devastating deforestation that followed is still in evidence throughout the Catskills as shorn stumps and mostly rotted logs still bear witness to ancient loggers work Nowadays the trees face a new threat in hemlock woolly adelgid Insidious and small the pest is difficult to detect in its early stages when it s also most easily treatable Generally transported by birds or wind HWA is often discovered on low hanging branches along watercourses where birds like to fly and perch Finding HWA when it first arrives is virtually impossible it is so tiny and similar in appearance to a spider egg sac or an errant snowflake that the vast majority of early detections slip under the radar After several years and several generations of HWA an infested tree slowly begins to exhibit signs of distress needles yellow the canopy thins and eventually whole sections of the tree will flag and die In heavy infestations colonies of HWA actually become visible at a distance resembling a light snow dusting the hemlock s wan looking branches In New York the state s Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management PRISMs are equipped to address invasive species issues such as HWA infestations In the Catskills the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership CRISP hosted by The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development in Arkville has begun a multipronged approach to combating HWA and to mitigating its destructive impacts Due to the widespread distribution of hemlock across the region CRISP has been recently dedicated to identifying large stands of the tree that are located in ecologically sensitive areas For example infested hemlocks growing along waterways could cause significant stream turbidity problems once dead and are considered priority Additionally The Catskill Center and CRISP have planted a 250 tree insectary at the Thorn Preserve in 58 Woodstock where staff plans to raise a biological control agent of HWA The biocontrol agent a tiny black beetle called Laricobius nigrinus takes time to raise but once established will provide a sustainable way to manage HWA s burgeoning infestation Hailing from the Pacific Northwest Laricobius is a proven predator of HWA and does not eat any other insects thus making it a safe and effective management tool To help with identifying priority stands and appropriate release sites CRISP began this spring recruiting volunteers to undertake a specialized training to explore the Catskills most remote wild areas and to participate in saving what is arguably the region s most iconic tree species If you identify HWA in your backyard or while on a hike let someone at CRISP know 845 586 2611 There are several interim measures that can be taken to save infested hemlocks and while the biological control agent becomes established in our region we will need to investigate other modes of management in order to preserve our trees Visit www catskillinvasives com for any upcoming trainings on how to identify the insect or view pictures and read descriptions at www nyis info Neighboring forests in Pennsylvania and West Virginia have already lost upwards of 60 percent of their hemlock trees Join us therefore in this crucial work and hopefully our hemlock will be around for future generations to enjoy As coordinator of The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development s CRISP program Molly Marquand oversees and organizes efforts to manage invasive species throughout the Catskills Region

060_63_Edward_Zane_Carroll_Judson_SCKETCHES qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 12 PM Page 1

060_63_Edward_Zane_Carroll_Judson_SCKETCHES qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 12 PM Page 2 KaatskillSketches Edward Zane Carroll Judson A Volatile Man of Letters by T M Bradshaw photography courtesy the author unless otherwise noted In Delaware County a surprising number of notable people have lived in and around Stamford once known as The Queen of the Catskills Perhaps the most famous of those born there surely the most infamous was Edward Zane Carroll Judson aka E Z C Judson who wrote hundreds of dime novels and lived a good portion of his life under the name Ned Buntline Like his novels Buntline s life was filled with contradictions travel excitement lurid scandal and narrow escapes He quoted two different birth dates for himself 1821 and 1823 was married seven times give or take made a fortune spent a fortune rescued the crew of a boat that had been run down by a ferry in New York harbor landed in jail more than once and was loved by the book buying public He tore through life with a heedless energy that in today s world would likely be viewed as a condition requiring medication Buntline founded and ran several magazines and newspapers Ned Buntline s Magazine and the Western Literary Journal and Monthly Review had high minded literary aspirations in them Buntline editorialized against Shilling Shockers and Penny Dreadfuls the type of novel for which he later became famous His 1848 New York City newspaper Ned Buntline s Own had a stated purpose of reform he would publish the names and loca Edward Zane Carroll Judson alias Ned Buntline tions of gambling dens brothels and boarding houses where gentleman could lodge their mistresses Of course Ned first offered those slated to be exposed the opportunity to make a donation to one of his favorite causes instead Kate Hastings a brothel owner called out in his paper accosted him on the street whipping him After some legal back and forth Buntline was back to frequenting Hastings s establishment In 1846 he was arrested in Nashville for shooting Robert Porterfield with whose young wife 61 Buntline was rumored to be having a dalliance A courthouse riot ensued Porterfield s friends and relatives shot at Buntline but he escaped running into a hotel Attempting to evade the pursuing mob he either fell or jumped from a third story window but was unhurt Later that night the mob broke into the jailhouse dragged him to the town square and hanged him But a friend cut the rope and provided a horse for his escape In 1849 Buntline was sentenced to a year in prison on Blackwell s Island for his part in New York City s Astor Place Riots In 1863 he was incarcerated for overstaying an army furlough His wife visited every day bringing paper and pens and carrying away completed manuscript pages although it is not clear which wife as he had two at the time Buntline was a temperance lecturer speaking about the evils of drink to audiences who had each paid a dime to hear him In some instances the fees were earmarked for a special project such as raising money to match funds left by his uncle Samuel Judson to build a library at the Stamford Seminary Buntline sometimes failed to arrive at these speaking engagements because he was just too drunk On his way home from a temperance lecture tour of California gold mining towns he met someone very special Seeking background for a new novel he had attempted to

Gerald Stoner 060_63_Edward_Zane_Carroll_Judson_SCKETCHES qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 12 PM Page 3 speak with a Colonel North about his heroics in an Indian skirmish at Summit Springs Colonel North declined the opportunity to be immortalized in a dime novel and directed Buntline to speak to a young scout William Cody It was an important meeting for both perhaps more so for Cody Buntline went on to write four novels about Buffalo Bill and a play The Scouts of the Prairie but that initial boost created a lifelong career for Cody The Scouts of the Prairie played to appreciative audiences everywhere it toured although the critics were not as enthusiastic Buntline claimed he wrote the script in six hours one critic asked what right The Judson residence as it appears now and as it was below 62

060_63_Edward_Zane_Carroll_Judson_SCKETCHES qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 12 PM Page 4 took so long For Wednesday matinees all the ladies received an autographed picture of Buntline Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack Omohundro the third star in Scouts The ladies in Buntline s own life were numerous One might call him a serial monogamist for a period of about 20 years he was married to at least two women at the same time and occasionally three He fell in love with wife number one Seberina Marin in Cuba when he was in his late teens He married her a few years later but she died shortly after Then he married Annie Abigail Bennett in January 1848 they had a son J Bennett and divorced in September 1849 Lovanche Swart came next a perennial favorite or at least the most tenacious She filed bigamy charges in the summer of 1854 when he married actress Josie Juda He soon left alone New York City for a cabin in the Adirondacks which he called Eagle s Nest There he employed an 18 year old girl Eva Gardiner as a housekeeper and they soon married Eva died in childbirth March 4 1860 Following a trip to New York City Buntline returned to his cabin accompanied by Catherine Meyers who had become wife number six on November 2 1860 He had described the stunning beauty of Eagle s Nest to Kate who was expecting a grand house Bouncing over rough roads in a wagon the last ten miles accomplished by boat with several portages she realized she was mistaken in her expectations A snowed in winter in a rough cabin with Buntline who lay on the floor on a bearskin writing did not improve their marital harmony The following June he left for Washington to seek a commission in the army Kate who was expecting a baby thought he had gone to town for supplies Denied a commission he soon returned and on January 10 1862 Mary Carrolita was born When spring came Kate insisted they travel down to Westchester to her family home once there Ned enlisted as a private in the 1st New York Rifles and left While on a furlough in New York City he ran into his former wife Lovanche on the street and they remarried After Ned returned to his company Lovanche moved to Chappaqua and encountered Kate on the street Kate was pregnant Discharged from the army in 1864 Buntline returned to Kate and their two daughters but he sent Lovanche a valentine in February 1865 Kate s next two children were born in 1865 and 1867 1871 found him back in Stamford raising funds to build a library He fell in love with Anna Fuller and they married on October 3 He built a house in Stamford also named Eagle s Nest that was more like what Kate had envisioned When Kate learned of the marriage she divorced him Lovanche agreed to accept 50 a month to stay away but when payments were late she stormed into Stamford on two occasions demanding her due Once she spent a week at the Hamilton House while Buntline took the train out of town on pressing business The real love s of Buntline s life however were his readers And they wept when he died in 1886 He is buried in Stamford Over the past 15 years T M Bradshaw has contributed articles to Delaware County publications written pamphlets for the Stamford Village Library and several short plays produced through Performance Plus She is currently working on a collection of biographies of local notables They All Lived Where 63 A traditional small town shopping experience since 1883 85 Main Street Delhi 607 746 2254

064_069_At_Home_Nature_Slabsides_HIKING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 21 PM Page 1 K tskillHiking At Home with Nature at Slabsides by Peter Senterman photography by the author I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in order John Burroughs 64

064_069_At_Home_Nature_Slabsides_HIKING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 22 PM Page 2 Tucked away in the Hudson Valley not far from today s highway Route 9W in the Ulster County hamlet of West Park is a preserve combining history with pleasant surroundings and easy walking Today 200 acres are preserved around opposite page top Slabsides Slabsides as the John Burroughs opposite page bottom Small marsh with nesting box along South Pond Trail Nature Sanctuary The Sanctuary above Rocks of the peninsula in Sanctuary Pond grounds are open year round for all to explore The four and a half miles of trails lead around and through the Sanctuary providing everything from a short easy walk to and along Sanctuary Pond to more rugged trails climbing the rock ridges and leading to Black Creek in the adjoining Black Creek State Forest 65 John Burroughs was a popular author of articles and essays many of which have been compiled into books His complete writings fill 23 volumes He wrote on many subjects but mostly of nature and in particular about the local woods and streams in and around the Catskill Mountains Burroughs is also known for his many friends and camps with the likes of Thomas Edison Henry Ford Walt Whitman Harvey Firestone and John Muir In 1895 while living on a farm Burroughs bought a nearby parcel of land where he built a two story cabin he used for writing and entertaining called Slabsides The building and surrounding Slabsides Nature Preserve are found between Highland and Esopus Coming from the south on Route 9W turn left at the first road north of the railroad bridge 3 7 miles north of the intersection with Route 299

064_069_At_Home_Nature_Slabsides_HIKING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 22 PM Page 3 bearing left over the tracks onto Floyd Ackert Road In a little over a mile turn left onto Burroughs Drive There is a historic sign denoting the turn both from Route 9W and Floyd Ackert Road From the north Floyd Ackert Road is about ten miles south of Kingston turn right at the historic sign and proceed as above Once on Burroughs Drive you will first come to a kiosk with information and a map showing the trail network There may be a brochure or two available The East Overlook Trail is passed on the left not far beyond About 100 feet farther is another small parking area where the North Pond Trail leaves to the right Continuing another quarter mile is the final parking area and main entrance for Slabsides Parking is limited and fills quickly on holidays and weekends Additional parking is available along Floyd Ackert Road at Pond Entrance about a half mile past Burroughs Road In addition to short walks two loop walks are possible by combin 66

064_069_At_Home_Nature_Slabsides_HIKING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 22 PM Page 4 opposite page top Ruins of old mill on Black Creek opposite page bottom Bruce Warden checking map on porch of Slabsides above Lower Falls of cataract on Black Creek below Double markers denote sharp change of direction 67 ing several trails Each incorporates a walk past Slabsides The first and shorter combines the North Pond Trail Pond Lane and the South Pond Trail You can start at either end of the East Overlook Trail the east end of the North Pond Trail or the Slabsides Entrance Starting at the end of the North Pond Trail second small parking area entering Burroughs Road walk north on the level a sort distance before descending at an easy grade to the shore of Sanctuary Pond Turn left on an active gravel road along the pond s shore with views across the water to high angular rocks on the Peninsula A right turn here leads about a third of a mile to the Pond Entrance on Floyd Ackert Road previously mentioned After about a quarter of a mile walking along the pond s shore intersect the Peninsula Trail on the left This leads 200 yards to the end of the Peninsula climbing the high rocks you saw while walking along the road There is a large crack just below the high point where one can climb down and go through a short tunnel to the open rocks below Returning to the gravel road one can turn left to Pond House or take the more interesting Amasa Martin Trail directly opposite the Peninsula Trail This green marked trail will take you past the foundation ruins of the Martin homestead through a pleasant woods bypassing the Pond House which brings you to the Chodikee Trail in 0 4 miles Or turn left on the gravel road passing the Pond House Pond House is a residence and maintenance area for the Preserve with numerous cars and equipment in varying states of disrepair not a place to linger After the Pond House go through a pair of stone posts onto the red marked Chodikee foot trail heading south through an open woods In less then

064_069_At_Home_Nature_Slabsides_HIKING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 22 PM Page 5 200 yards reach the junction with the South Pond Trail turn left If you took the green marked Amasa Martin Trail when you reach the red marked Chodikee Trail turn left for 100 yards or so to reach this junction with the yellow marked South Pond Trail After passing the south end of the Pond the next quarter mile is fairly steep going up several rock ledges past a marsh and more ledges with a small waterfall during wet times To make the ascents easier many rock stairs have been carefully placed You will suddenly find yourself on another gravel road this one the entrance to Slabsides which is a right followed by a quick left to Slabsides sitting high on a rock knoll above the surrounding wetland of the Celery Swamp Unfortunately the building is only open a few days a year An open house is held the third Saturday in May and the first Saturday in October each year It is also open during the NY Ramble in September and by appointment Contact John Burroughs Association 15 West 77th Street New York NY 100245192 www johnburroughsassocia tion org phone office 212 7695189 Preserve 845 384 6320 Email lbreslof amnh org Maps and more information are available on the website Take your time and relax on the porch or benches in front of the building Sit back and think of how nice it must have been and still is to have a quiet place like this to write about whatever you want A quick walk out the door into the surrounding woods rock ledges and ponds would refresh any author rejuvenating them to continue and get past that bane of all authors the writer s block To continue the loop and return back to your car follow the gravel road you came on to Slabsides but keep to the right as you pass the South Pond Trail ascending easily to the gate and Burroughs Drive Here you can go down the road a quartermile to the beginning at the North Pond Trail or turn right on the East Overlook Trail about 100 feet down the road on the right This trail climbs a low ridge before dropping down to the top of a high ledge before descending steeply down to the base You pass through a dying grove of large hemlock trees the result of the woolly adelgid a small white invasive insect that sucks the sap and nutrients from the needles slowly killing the tree It has no natural enemies Editor s note See Defending Hemlock a Catskills Icon in this issue Continue gently downhill the remaining distance coming out on Burroughs Drive at the first kiosk Turn left following the road about 100 feet to the beginning of the North Pond Trail For a longer walk one can continue south on the Chodikee Trail a halfmile to either the white marked Ridge Trail or a few hundred yards farther the orange marked Ladder Trail that connects with the Ridge Trail Following the mile long Ridge Trail ascend east up several ledges then north along a ridge before descending gradually to and passing the Celery Swamp before reaching Slabsides Continue as above to get back to Burroughs Drive You can also continue south on the Chodikee Trail entering the Black Creek State Forest and Black Creek itself The distance to the creek from the Ladder Trail is less than a half mile following a wide almost level wood road south The red markers end at the boundary of the Sanctuary but the trail wide road is easily followed As you approach Black Creek the route can be confusing as there are a number of other old and overgrown roads diverging from the main road trail plus there are were this April a couple of large hemlock tops blocking the 68 trail If you think you are off the trail head due south and you will come to the creek If the water is high you will hear the falls There is a large swampy area above the natural rock dam that creates a tumultuous cascade down to a very large pool at the base On the shore of the pool at the base of the cataract is the foundation of an old mill that utilized the power of the falling water to turn the grist wheels to turn grain into flour Return north along the road trail to any of the trails you passed on the way in To reach Slabsides take the orange Ladder Trail to the right 20 feet after leaving the old road This short trail twists and turns as it goes under up and over several ledges Double markers alert you to the many sudden changes in direction Turn right on the white marked Ridge Trail The short easy walks of this Preserve make for a pleasant place to escape for an hour or a day Enjoy this bit of history and the tranquil walks a short distance from our modern sometimes hectic world It s a great place for an after dinner stroll during the long evenings of early summer or for an afternoon spent enjoying a leisurely walk through the woods H ist oric Lan dma rk Join Us on Facebook

69_Driscoll_Ad qxp__Driscoll_Ad 5 25 15 6 04 PM Page 1 IM A G E S O F T H E N O R T H E R N C AT S K I L L S Fine landscape photography by Francis X Driscoll Photography at Twigz n Things 5449 Main Street Windham 518 734 5877 Tannersville Antiques Artisan Center 6045 Main Street Tannersville for more information 315 589 5600 www francisxdriscoll com Phone 518 734 5192

070_73_American_Beach_TREES qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 26 PM Page 1

070_73_American_Beach_TREES qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 27 PM Page 2 KaatskillTrees American Beech A Tree with Much to Tell by Ryan Trapani photography by the author In high school I worked during the summer for my wrestling coach whom we all called Coach along with a few other wrestlers We moved woodpiles planted pachysandra moved bluestone and built stone walls among other things It was clear to us that Coach loved his land and the plants trees and shrubs he had us nurture and grow Years later I figured out it wasn t just the land he was investing in but us too He weeded out our bad habits and shined light on the best ones A decade later many of us New Paltz wrestlers and his beloved landscape are better off One thing we didn t realize was how far Coach s reverence for his trees stretched into the back forest well beyond the manicured stone walls and gardens At a few hundred yards or more were some large trees with smooth gray bark growing beside an accessible ATV trail Some of the wrestlers but not this author decided it would be a grand idea to leave their mark on Coach s trees by carving their names upon the trees bark Unfortunately Coach wasn t proud of his wrestlers decision but at least knew who to chase down American beech Fagus grandifolia has been the unfortunate palette of pranksters lovers vandals and mischievous wrestlers for thousands of years Beech supposedly is derived from the Norse language as a synonym for book bok in Norse origin I too have found carvings on the American beech tree in some remote areas of the Catskill Forest Preserve Often the carving will depict the person s name with the date American beech bark is intriguing to carve upon because it s so thin smooth and light gray a perfect wooden canvas although there may also be another reason It seems the carver s intentions are to instill some sort of immortality to make a moment last longer and perhaps beyond their own lives to declare their existence American beech not only has the right canvas but the longevity to carry out its carver s documented existence for 300 years or more More importantly beech further spits in mortality s eye by seemingly retaining its youthful appearance throughout its entire life 71 Unlike other trees that show cracks flakiness and furrows with age and maturity beech preserves its smooth gray bark from germination until its expiration until that is the beech bark disease arrived In 1890 a shipment arrived from Europe into Halifax Harbor Nova Scotia that would literally change the youthful face of American beech The public gardens there had ordered a load of European beech for planting Unbeknownst to its buyers were hitchhiking beech scales Cryptococcus fagisuga Scales are tiny pinhead size insects that include sucking and piercing mouth parts They can reproduce asexually and multiply abundantly The scale does not work alone After the scale pierces beech s smooth bark two funguses Neonectria faginata and Neonectria ditissima invade the wounded site causing a canker Over time these cankers grow in size and number reducing the tree s vigor and eventually girdle it to death Beech bark disease is widespread throughout the Catskills about 99 percent of American beech trees are infected The disease spreads like wildfire on a hot and dry day as beech is so abundant throughout the Catskills forests In areas where beech is less prevalent like the southern part of the state where Coach s cherished trees were the disease is less prevalent since fewer hosts exist above left Beech can be found growing in pure stands Beech that are weakened by beech bark disease are often killed by girdling or stem failure

070_73_American_Beach_TREES qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 27 PM Page 3 In some parts of the Catskills forests beech can be more than a third of the tree species The Catskills have what beech wants welldrained soils that receive plenty of rain The higher elevations offer some of the best conditions for beech and the forests there reflect this but that s not all There are three other factors that also weigh in favor of preserving the strong beech component 1 shade 2 deer and ironically 3 beech bark disease The higher elevations are mostly inside the blue line or the Catskill Park where cutting trees is legislatively prohibited Beech is a patient tree and extremely tolerant of shady conditions It can sit in the understory for decades waiting for its loftier companions to die off so that it can reach the spotlight The lack of cutting has removed its faster growing competi tors aspen oak ash cherry birch pine etc These latter trees may be losers under the forever wild clause but beech is clearly a winner Next is deer Like humans deer have food preferences Unlike humans they browse on tree buds Beech is dumpster diving for deer but they will eat it if nothing else is available Tree seedlings including sugar and red maple white ash and oak will be browsed first before beech leaving a deerscape favoring beech Lastly is the beech bark disease Beech regenerates from both seed and root suckers However root suckers are far more prevalent especially when a mature tree is dying from beech bark disease As the tree is overcome it falls back on its wellestablished root system sending up clones or suckers from its roots When a few trees are dying together these 72 American beech bark is normally smooth gray when healthy but most show signs of beech bark disease via blotches as seen on the beech above

070_73_American_Beach_TREES qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 27 PM Page 4 suckers can create a vast thicket of beech whips Hikers that venture offtrail in the Catskills upper elevations are all too familiar with these thickets Beech has long narrow and pointed buds that grow on long sturdy branches After being repeatedly whipped in the face with these branches one is bound to strike you in the eye more than once has my travel been halted in order to regain vision In addition the disease has further reduced the tree s timber value and is avoided in timber harvesting which further enhances beech s prevalence Beech chestnut and oak are in the same family and all offer important nuts for wildlife to survive winter Beechnuts are similar to chestnuts only smaller The nuts are shiny brown and triangular encased in a fuzzy prickly husk More than half are usually empty and it takes 40 or more years for beech to reach bearing age which is often curtailed by the beech bark disease Quite often bear claw marks can be seen ascending the tree s bark in search of the nuts Birds turkeys deer and rodents also feed on them Early settlers and Native Americans reportedly would benefit from a rodent s stash because harvesting the tiny nuts is so labor intensive Compared to its forest companions maple ash oak and cherry beech wood has not been appreciated The wood is cranky warps easily doesn t glue well and often splits when nailed It seems that many do not find the grain as beautiful as that of these other hardwoods However it is good for wood turning boring mortising and bending with steam In the past it was used in waterwheels as it is durable and holds up well under water Farmers used the tough wood for tools when utility was demanded over aesthetics But its widest use has probably been for burning In the past it was used for charcoal making for blast furnaces as well as the acid wood industry When it comes to firewood there are few better Beech has slightly less heat value than sugar maple but dries faster and leaves nice coals for cold nights Beech is a beautiful tree when it s growing healthy and free of the beech bark disease Once in a while it can be found disease free Although beech is shade tolerant make sure it s given plenty of sunlight and remove competing trees so that it will be better off Just don t be tempted to carve your name on its beautiful gray bark www catskillforest org Beech regenerates via clones or root suckers forming dense stands of beech saplings or whips as seen below Beech leaves turn copper or brown in the fall and can persist on the tree through winter into spring 73

074_79_A_Tale_of_Two_Ferns_FOREST_HISTORIAN qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 40 PM Page 1

074_79_A_Tale_of_Two_Ferns_FOREST_HISTORIAN qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 40 PM Page 2 KaatskillForest Historian A Tale of Two Confounding Ferns by Michael Kudish photography by the author opposite page A closeup of hayscented fern It can grow in such dense stands that it nearly prohibits the growth of trees and other plants above Evergreen woodfern under hemlock in Cathedral Glen Belleayre Mountain Here the fern grows at an elevation of 1 850 feet It is most abundant in areas where the shade is less and almost absent where the shade is greatest It is November and the fern is green I had been forcing my way off trail through seas of ferns often so dense that I could not see a downed log or small boulder a foot in front of me I pushed my sample plot measuring stick ahead so that it would crash into an obstacle before my knees did Soon I learned that these ferns were so abundant that they were controlling the site and prohibiting trees and other plants from growing 75

074_79_A_Tale_of_Two_Ferns_FOREST_HISTORIAN qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 40 PM Page 3

074_79_A_Tale_of_Two_Ferns_FOREST_HISTORIAN qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 40 PM Page 4 This was when I was a graduate student preparing a dissertation on the history of Catskills forests The seas of ferns were especially but not solely at elevations above 2 800 or 2 900 feet The confounding ferns were the woodferns Reference books at that time considered the plants as two varieties of the same species the spinulose woodfern Dryopteris spinulosa The two myself not one other hiker seen all day I could concentrate fully moving ever so slowly up the mountain observing measuring and writing By about noon at about elevation 3 300 feet the 45year old puzzle was finally solved Most botanical authors base their classifications on morphological features what the plants look like and more recently on genetic features My classification was based more on varieties were the evergreen woodfern and the mountain woodfern But I suspected that there might be two species involved here instead of one and for over 40 years the puzzle nagged and nagged me Finally on October 31 2014 a cool clear day on Balsam Lake Mountain in Ulster County I had a revelation It was a Friday and I had the whole mountain to the ecology how the ferns relate to the site that they grow on and their behavior There are indeed two woodfern species the evergreen Dryopteris intermedia and the mountain Dryopteris campyloptera Evergreen vs Deciduous Both species in summer look very much alike the mountain woodfern being a little larger of the two although there is considerable overlap in size From dozens of my measurements the evergreen woodfern s fronds i e leaves range from 10 to 36 inches long from ground level to the tip The median leaf length is 20 inches Mountain woodfern ranges in height from 15 to 46 inches with a median at about 27 5 inches opposite page Mountain woodfern lining the Burroughs Trail on Slide Mountain at an elevation of 3 900 feet under balsam fir and paper birch above A closeup of evergreen woodfern 77 It is in the fall that one really begins to see the difference between the two The evergreen woodfern is just that it remains evergreen The leaves overwinter almost unchanged under the snow In spring after snow melt the leaves are lying almost on the ground but still photosynthesizing until the new year s leaves emerge typically in late May or June Therefore there are green leaves on the plant all yearlong Mountain woodfern is different It is deciduous and usually in September the leaves begin to turn purple and or ultimately brown They dry out wilt become crisp and droop When trying to lift the leaves in late October in order to measure them they snap and break with the gentlest touch After snow melt in spring they form a brown almost unrecognizable mat on the ground The new leaves in the spring begin to appear well before those of the evergreen woodfern And why not The evergreen still has its previous year s leaves to work with whereas the mountain woodfern does not Ecology Shade tolerance and elevation There is quite a difference between these two species in their ability to tolerate shade Evergreen woodfern is one of the Catskills most shade tolerant ferns if not THE most It will grow under northern hardwoods sugar maple beech yellow birch black cherry red maple and under conifers eastern hemlock red spruce balsam fir in all but the very darkest places Under stands of dense hemlock it may be the only ground cover plant present except for some mosses and is dwarfed in such shade the leaves are only from 10 to 16 inches long In partial shade under northern hardwoods the leaves can become much larger from 20 to 36 inches long Its elevation range is very wide from below 1 000 feet to at least 3 700 feet

074_79_A_Tale_of_Two_Ferns_FOREST_HISTORIAN qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 40 PM Page 5 Mountain woodfern provides quite a contrast It is only moderately shade tolerant It will not grow with the evergreen woodfern under dense hemlock fir spruce or beech Rather it thrives in places where there is sun for a portion of the day Therefore it is most abundant in forest stands that are partly open where there are scattered trees and or small islands i e groves of trees surrounded by seas of open sunny fern glades See Entering the World of Fern Glades KL Summer 2011 These semi open forest stands exist because of chronic wind snow and ice disturbance and or where the soils are so thin over bedrock ledges that a continuous forest canopy cannot be supported Such semi open stands are found typically at the higher elevations usually above 2 800 or 2 900 feet all the way up to over 4 000 feet Here in this semi open forest is the best place to observe both ferns as I did on Balsam Lake Mountain Look in the shade under groves of trees There you will find the evergreen woodfern Now look at the middle of the glade of ferns here is the shade intolerant sun loving hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula This fern is so distinct from all other ferns that it never confounded me with its identification Finally look around the edges of the groves of trees between the evergreen woodfern and the hay scented Here is where you will find the somewhat shade tolerant mountain woodfern The Puzzle Why had I found the two ferns so confounding for so many decades One reason as I have stated is that the botanical manuals at that time considered the two ferns only varieties of the same species My observations were telling me that something was wrong with this classi For a delightful experience and your cooking pleasure fication How could some plants be evergreen and others deciduous within the same species It seemed impossible Another reason is that the two ferns look very much alike especially in the summer months when they are all green and they overlap so in size The third reason I just realized last October on Balsam Lake Mountain The mountain woodfern can be very variable in the time of the year when its leaves begin to senesce some plants as early as August others not until October They also turn different colors some more purple some more brown and some with persistent green blotches and splotches in an otherwise purple or brown background Genetics More recent fern books do consider the woodferns as two distinct species finally This has been proved genetically but there is no room here to go into a detailed explanation One might wonder whether Our Pride is Inside The Cheese Barrel GOURMET SHOP CAFE SPECIALTY ITEMS THE COUNTRY STORE with International Flavor Fresh Domestic Imported Cheeses Cold Cuts Homemade Soups Sandwiches Candies Cookies Ice Cream Crackers Jellies Gourmet Coffees Teas Homemade cheese spreads etc Susan Hosts hlo Fred I Specializing in CUSTOMIZED GOURMET HOLIDAY GIFT BASKETS ESPRESSO CAPPUCCINO ICE CREAM PARLOR EXPANDED DINING AREA Breakfast Lunch Sandwiches Made To Order Corner of Main Bridge Streets Margaretville 845 586 4666 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK PO Box 216 Harpersfield NY 13786 607 278 6622 www harpersfieldcheese com cheese harpersfieldcheese com 78

074_79_A_Tale_of_Two_Ferns_FOREST_HISTORIAN qxp_Template 5 27 15 10 40 PM Page 6 the two ferns species cross Very unlikely Hybridization and resulting plants with in between features may be possible for only a single generation but the offspring are sterile Forest History I write in Kaatskill Life as the Kaatskill Forest Historian Therefore I should add some forest history regarding these ferns However I have little to report on how and when they migrated postglacially into the Catskills I have not yet found fossil woodfern parts in the peat bog samples This may be because mountain woodfern does not usually grow in bogs Evergreen woodfern is not abundant in them and may rot rapidly Because of their northern distribution today well into Canada and because of what company they keep i e the other plants they associate with I suspect that the two species have been here for a very long time perhaps between 10 000 and 14 000 years RUSSELL K EBNER Cabinet Maker Acadia NY 845 887 5235 Patchogue NY 631 654 1722 Shaver Hill Farm New York Pure Maple Syrup Cream Sugar Jelly Gift Boxes Granulated Sugar Lollipops Visit our Country Gift Shop Maple Equipment Supplies The Hill Family 310 Shaver Rd Harpersfield NY 13786 N Y Tours Welcome 607 652 6792 Fax 607 652 9030 www shaverhillfarm com 79

080_83_Thugs_in_the_Garden_GARDENING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 55 PM Page 1 KaatskillGardening Thugs in the Garden by Don Statham photography by the author Lysimachia clethroides gooseneck loosestrife I was ignorant when I began to plant my garden and I chose plants on the basis of passion After a while I discovered that quite a few of the plants I had selected possessed thug like qualities You know the ones They take over pushing shoving and choking out the plants that are more graciously behaved If left unchecked these aggressive plants can take over an entire border They remind me of people that talk incessantly only happy when hearing their own voices As I age I want to be with plants and people that don t need to dominate 80

080_83_Thugs_in_the_Garden_GARDENING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 55 PM Page 2 Apparently we all have to go through the phase of falling in love with a plant and then realizing usually too late that it s not the plant we thought it was My gardening friends all seem to have their own list of thuggish plants Here are a few of my troublemakers that if I planted a new garden today would definitely not be included Geranium phaeum dusky crane s bill mourning widow or black widow I have literally ripped this plant out by the thousands and it still comes up in my garden every year I even have a hedge of it where I never planted it Gooseneck loosestrife Lysimachia clethroides A gardening friend with a 40 year old garden chuckled and told me I was brave to plant this as we strolled round my garden Her joke was lost on me As far as I knew then the plant was well behaved Her laugh haunts me now The plant has crashed through my garden like a feral dog on amphetamines It has a strange pink and white root system that is easy enough to pull out but if you leave any and I mean any part of this root behind it starts spreading again After 13 years in this garden I have a substantial list of thugs Plants that spread by root are not the only ones that can take over overnight the self seeders will reap havoc on a garden Each spring I set myself the task of eradicating at least one or two thugs from my garden Alchemilla mollis Lady s Mantle is certainly no lady She has taken over hundreds of feet of my borders inserting her clannish offspring into every nook and cranny I didn t mind at first the sprays of chartreuse flowers are lovely but I had no idea that this plant s determination to reproduce included growing in hardpan soil and gravel A friend recently defined a bore as someone who cannot go off topic Plume poppy Macleaya cor above Macleaya cordata plume poppy below Campanula glomerata clustered bellflower 81

080_83_Thugs_in_the_Garden_GARDENING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 56 PM Page 3 above Phlox paniculata David right Petasites japonicus butterbur data is a bore because where it resides nothing else can Because of this plant s imposing six to eight foot stature I put it at the back of the border but in no time it had moved itself to the front Eventually I yanked it out of several borders and put it into a hedge of Rhamnus Fineline where the wonderful broad leaves look great juxtaposed to the texture of this hedge Never again will I risk planting it with other plants as it doesn t know how to behave Phlox paniculata David was great for eight years no mildew with sweet scented clouds of white flowers in August But the clumps became so large that I had white everywhere and not enough color Last spring I dug out 82

080_83_Thugs_in_the_Garden_GARDENING qxp_Template 5 25 15 11 56 PM Page 4 massive clumps and dotted them around the edge of the pond to fight it out with wildflowers such as common boneset asters and flag iris It will be interesting to see who wins Astrantia major great masterwort is a European meadow plant and I should have known better but as it has been appearing in many garden articles and magazines I guess I was seduced The white flowering one is the most robust and blooms all summer but it also chokes out all the plants coming up in ditches and inserts itself into even densely planted areas Artemesia ludoviciana Silver King certainly kings it up in any border In early spring there is no problem but turn your back and by midsummer it s either crawling up the rose bush at a great height or rambling into the garden path overtaking the lawn The silvery cut leaf foliage is a nice break from the flowering plants but left unchecked this plant will turn a border silver Astrantia major great masterwort 83 in no time Clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata was here when we came to this house You see it growing in ditches and alongside old farmhouses I have tried to eradicate this plant so many times from certain spots in my garden but no matter what I plant in its place it not only reasserts itself but kills the replacement plant The last plant is one of my favorites Petasites japonicus butterbur or bog rhubarb It must have constantly wet soil as it grows I planted some along my drive and then decided several years later to eradicate it which only seemed to make things worse It came back with a vengeance and now covers a very large area along the drive The first spot I planted it in was along the bottom of a tall retaining wall where the plant was essentially incarcerated If it grows into the lawn I just mow over it This is the only way to really grow this plant as otherwise it continues to spread at a rapid rate overtaking everything in its path The Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf in his book Designing with Plants has made it his mission to choose good clump forming perennials that do not move about by aggressive rooting or seeding In order for his designs to work such as the High Line in New York City plants must stay in their place Oudolf with his wife Anja started a nursery in Holland which allowed him to experiment with perennials One of his requirements when choosing perennials is that they don t need to be divided His hard earned experience can teach us all how to build a foundation of plants that mix well in plant communities rather than lording it over weaker plants And you may wish to consider ripping out some of the thugs in your garden in order to make room for some more socially cooperative perennials

084_85_The_Persistent_Pest_KRITTERS qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 01 AM Page 1 KaatskillKritters The Persistent Pest Mosquito by Nicholas Zacharczenko D D S We try to avoid them try to poison them and basically wish to annihilate their very existence And this bold statement usually comes from entomologically uncaring types and bona fide naturalists alike Our focus is a major bane and pain of summer the mosquito They have managed to co exist with humans despite our valiant efforts at their eradication Mosquitoes evolved over one hundred million years ago and most probably sucked blood from dinosaurs This is an ancient insect well imbued in powers of generational longevity and seemingly immune to the changes of animal life and ecological habitat throughout the epochs Physically they have remained virtually unchanged since those ancient times and persist as efficient parasites and known vectors of disease As long as there is a protein source available blood necessary for egg production and maturation within the female mosquitoes will keep on living and biting animals on this planet including us Before we begin discussing the lifestyles and habitats of these miscreants it is important to point out that only the females of these insects are the guilty parties males feed only on nectar and plant juices Now I have received many curious complaints over the years because of the seemingly misogynistic tone of my insect articles but that is not the intention I only report the facts If there is a problem please take it up with Mother Nature The Spanish word mosquito evolved from the original Latin word 84 musca meaning fly I guess those long ago Romans were also plagued by these annoying little biting tormentors Our two common Catskill species are in the order Diptera and subfamilies Anopheles and Culix Mosquitoes are actually flies albeit flies with specially designed mouthparts that is Many biting flies including deer flies and horse flies have cleverly modified proboscises and certain salivary components to efficiently extract a blood meal without getting killed by the host Our Catskill mosquitoes undergo true metamorphosis meaning they undergo four distinct stages in their life cycles egg larvae pupa and adult It is interesting that although prehistoric in origin it has the hallmarks of a modern insect because of its metamorphosis cycle Their ability to breed amidst human habitation in miniscule amounts of water such as found in discarded flower pots old tires puddles etc often make it a vector of illnesses They generally do not like running water Sometimes the mosquitoes that breed in isolated wetlands are actually uninfected and although voracious pose no threat to people It s usually the ones found in and around the home with access to many humans that turn out to be the bad actors and that transmit diseases The first three of four stages are aquatic with eggs being laid singly dapping or in rows rafts on bodies of water or floodplains starting in the spring Most eggs hatch after a week Above common Catskill mosquito

084_85_The_Persistent_Pest_KRITTERS qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 01 AM Page 2 although some Anopheles species eggs overwinter The emergent larvae often called wrigglers resemble teeny weeny shrimp in shape and movement and dine on bacteria algae and other microbes They breathe from a siphon located at the tail section The mosquito cocoon or pupa resembles the letter C and breathes through respiratory trumpets located on the back of the large head section These first three stages take approximately three weeks to complete and provide easy eats to fish birds reptiles amphibians and many aquatic creepy crawlies The pupal skin then splits and the adults emerge ready to mate and aggravate Males live for about one week females for up to a month although in some species including some of ours overwintering in a state of weather induced suspended animation quiescence may occur for some lucky ones Although both sexes feed on plant nectar for sustenance only the female requires a blood meal to obtain the proteins necessary for egg production It s not that these ectoparasites suck our blood for no reason offspring production is a powerful and natural urge Female mosquitoes are usually crepuscular feeding mainly at dusk and dawn They readily detect airborne organic molecules such as carbon dioxide emanating from animal and human hosts Some mosquito antennae have over 70 separate odor detecting receptors enabling these flying troublemakers to be very keen mean blood sucking machines Some people seem to attract more bites than others which is often a reflection of the unique composition of their sweat breath and body odor Basically some people taste better than others Mosquito saliva acts as a chemically complicated and sophisticated anticoagulant and immune suppres sant It does more than allow the blood to flow more freely it also contributes to the severity of the transferred diseases The itchy bump formed on the skin after a bite is the reaction of histamine to the foreign salivary proteins left behind by the mosquito The major mosquito borne illness foisted on us in the Catskills is caused by the West Nile virus which can be lethal in some selected folks However even more deadly scourges such as yellow fever malaria tularemia dengue fever and a myriad more diseases have had devastating effects on worldwide populations all caused by the mosquito Because they are found everywhere except Antarctica eradication methods are difficult to achieve if not impossible Removing stagnant water using insecticides natural predators and screening are some of the methods used to help prevent the spread of sickness and to control mosquito numbers In our area nontoxic BTI bacterial spores that interfere with mosquito larva digestion dispersal by helicopter or as dunks fish dragonflies DEET protective clothing and standing water removal are some of the ways to help stop the spread of potential disease and stop the bites Most natural and homemade repellents including Citronella products special Tiki torches lemon lavender and vanilla oils are basically useless to thwart a hungry mosquito And those bug zapper lights usually kill beneficial nocturnally flying moths and beetles and not mosquitoes Nothing can completely remove this whining aerial nuisance from our summer barbecues but with a better understanding of their lives we can at least try 321 Main Street Schoharie New York 518 702 5084 www hive321 com 85

086_92_Was_There_A_Devonian_GEOLOGIST qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 07 AM Page 1 KaatskillGeologist Was There Ever Really a Devonian by Robert and Johanna Titus photography by the authors 86

086_92_Was_There_A_Devonian_GEOLOGIST qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 07 AM Page 2 From time to time our journeys into the past have taken us into the Devonian time period a time lasting from 419 to 359 million years ago We walk up to outcroppings of rock and look not so much at them as into them and that is how it is given to us geologists to see into the distant past Distant past How can time be distant Well it s also called deep past or simply geological time Do those terms help Maybe not after all hundreds of millions of years is a lot of time It is so difficult to even just contemplate So it is fair to ask did all this really ever exist or are geologists deluding themselves opposite page fig 1 The stratigraphy of the Catskills Illustration by Alan McKnight below fig 2 Thacher Park 87

086_92_Was_There_A_Devonian_GEOLOGIST qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 07 AM Page 3 Not everyone accepts this geological notion of deep time Many religious fundamentalists have been condemning it for the last 150 years ever since Charles Darwin s book first came out The vastness of time becomes a bit ethereal just in the manner we present it This Kaatskill Geologist column has frequently described our Catskills Devonian heritage We have visited broad shallow tropical Devonian seas that once covered the whole of today s region We have looked east and seen towering and rising Devonian mountains where the low and scenic Berkshires lie today We have visited ancient plants and animals that lived in Devonian forests and at the bottom of Devonian seas Each of these bits of information offers a fascinating glimpse into the past all by itself But their piecemeal presentation lacks a certain cohesiveness that builds a grand picture of our special Devonian past We would like to take on that problem in this article We ask the simple question How do we know that the Devonian was for real We will do what all good scientists do we will look at the evidence The two of us are great admirers of the talents of fine artists We have frequently brought the Hudson River School of landscape painting artists into our descriptions of the ice age past In this effort however we recognize the work of a modern and living artist Alan McKnight We feel that he has put together an image of the Catskills that brings a much deeper and very graphic understanding of our Catskills Devonian past far more understanding than we have been able to muster with words Look at our fig 1 It s a pen and ink view of the Catskills we added the colors done from a vantage point high in the sky somewhere off to the southeast Look closely and above fig 3 Black shale of the Mount Marion Formation below fig 4 Fossiliferous brown sandstone opposite page fig 5 View east to the Taconic Mountains 88

086_92_Was_There_A_Devonian_GEOLOGIST qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 07 AM Page 4 see how a geologist views a mountain range such as our Catskills There are horizons of stratified rock of various colors The oldest is at the bottom the youngest at the top These units all display a gentle incline off to the west All this is the very stratigraphy of the Catskills These layered rocks piled up over the course of many tens of millions of years They are all Devonian the Early Devonian at the bottom of the sequence and the Late Devonian at the top A geologist can start down at the bottom of the Hudson Valley and climb upwards and westwards and literally travel through time through the entire Devonian sequence Let s now do that The oldest chapters in the Devonian saga are shaded in blue on this colored version of McKnight s illustration These blue horizons are strata composed of limestone mostly called the Helderberg Limestone If you look carefully you will see that they make up ridges trending south to north paralleling the Catskill Front When you get close to Albany those ridges rise up to become the Helderberg Mountains They are composed entirely of the Helderberg Limestone If you are a longtime Kaatskill Life reader then you will know that limestone records the presence of an ancient shallow tropical sea in this case the Helderberg Sea Its warm waters would have reminded you of Florida s west coast or anywhere within the Bahamas They were aqua colored and their choppy waters sparkled in a tropical sun You could have flown over the Helderberg Sea and viewed a breathtaking image of a tropical paradise That sea was populated by a rich and diverse seafloor ecology Algae invertebrate animals and primitive fish would have populated it a lot of them Here and there you would have flown across reef tracts Visit John Boyd Thacher State Park fig 2 and take the trail that descends to the bottom of the lime 89 stone cliff there If you are lucky and observant you will see some of the fossils of those animals Did this part of the Devonian actually exist Of course that s what limestone speaks to us of that s what the fossils tell us The two of us have been to Florida and the Bahamas When we visit Thacher that is what we see and feel Look again at the McKnight illustration Above the blue is a horizon of green Something obviously has happened The green strata lie atop the blue so they must be younger The green represents a new phase in Catskills history That green horizon can be called the Mount Marion Formation which is a thick sequence of black shale strata along with dark sandstones The lower few hundred feet of strata are mostly shale and those beds usually have few fossils fig 3 but above that a person can sometimes find sandstone with a lot of marine shellfish fig 4 Like the Helderberg this is a sequence of

086_92_Was_There_A_Devonian_GEOLOGIST qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 07 AM Page 5 90

086_92_Was_There_A_Devonian_GEOLOGIST qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 07 AM Page 6 seafloor deposits Once that long ago a lot of mud was accumulating on an ocean bottom opposite page fig 6 Ashokan Formation at Cathedral Gorge below fig 7 Stratified rock at North South Lake State Park What was going on Well all the mud that formed on this seafloor had to have come from somewhere Where The answer to this takes us east into New England Back during the Devonian there was a great and rising mountain range called the Acadian Mountains As it rose above the eastern horizon it was subject to 91 weathering and erosion Mountain cascades thundered down the slopes of these mountains and they carried eroded earth with them lots of it Much of that was transported into what is commonly called the Hamilton Sea At first only the clay and silt reached to the deep Hamilton seafloor And that sea was in those early times deep and oxygen free It was not a place for animals to live In it those unfossiliferous Mount Marion shale strata formed As the mountains grew higher they continued to erode and provided more and more sediment that was carried out into the Hamilton Sea The water filling up with sediment became more shallow Currents brought oxygen to this habitat and marine shellfish began to thrive They were joined by primitive fish and early sharks A real marine habitat came to be Today many of these strata are rich in the fossils of these ancient creatures Look east from anywhere on the Catskill Front and you will see what is left of those old mountains fig 5 Out there are the Taconics and the Berkshires These pretty hills are the remnants of the old Acadians The McKnight illustration continues to record more sequences of time The green strata represent millions of years The Hamilton Sea spread across our land all during that time That ocean must have looked just as permanent as the Atlantic Ocean does today But there is no ocean here in the Catskills today How could such a great sea ever come to an end That must have at the time seemed impossible But it would happen How can a sea come to an end Did this really happen or are we geologists truly deluding ourselves We owe you an answer and we find it in our modern world Travel to Bangladesh or at least look at a

086_92_Was_There_A_Devonian_GEOLOGIST qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 08 AM Page 7 good map of that country and see the great Ganges Delta It has formed and spread out below the rising Himalayas Over the course of tens of millions of years those Himalayan Mountains have been rising and at the same time eroding away The mountains have crumbled into earth and the rivers have carried that earth into the Bay of Bengal Over time those sediments have advanced into the Bengal Sea and in effect they are replacing that sea with delta That is what happened to the Hamilton Sea Those Acadian Mountains rose and rose They eroded and eroded Their sediments spread out into the Hamilton Sea and what is called the Catskill Delta formed The front of a great delta is an inconspicuous plain of sediment Its sediments hardly rise above the levels of the nearby sea It was criss crossed by numerous small rivers Look at a good map of the lower Mississippi Delta in Louisiana and you will see a virtual map of this part of the Catskill Delta This is that part of the McKnight illustration that is rose colored with horizontal dashes It is called the Ashokan Formation Visit Cathedral Gorge at the Ashokan Center and you can see the Ashokan Formation fig 6 But the main act was yet to come Look again at McKnight s drawing See the rose colored sequences that are piled up upon the Ashokan and through the rest of the Catskills These are the strata of the main part of the Catskill Delta sequence This is a petrified Bangladesh a petrified delta It is the Devonian equivalent of the Ganges Delta In this chapter of history the Acadian Mountains had risen to their full elevation Some think they were as tall as today s Himalayas perhaps rising to 30 000 feet in elevation Now powerful mountain streams were cutting into the slopes of this mighty range fig 8 The Catskills Front in the winter Torrents of water rushed down the slopes carrying enormous volumes of sediment Much of it now overwhelmed the Hamilton Sea Sand and even gravel joined the silt and clay as masses of sediment advanced into the retreating Hamilton We call all this the progradation of the Catskill Delta into the Hamilton Sea All of the stratified rocks at North South Lake State Park are from this petrified delta fig 7 Such is occurring today with the Ganges Delta and the Bengal Sea Here a modern delta mimics an ancient one The two deltas are twins separated by hundreds of millions of years A full 375 million years ago the Catskills looked like today s Bangladesh And 375 million years from now Bangladesh will look like today s Catskills They are truly twins In the end thousands of feet of sediment were deposited in this sequence Many of these rocks have eroded away but most are still there All those sediments have been laying there for hundreds of millions of years With all that time the sediments hardened into rock Some horizons of rock came to be harder than 92 others The hardest and most resistant strata became mountains the softer strata did not The Helderberg Limestone became the Helderberg Mountains The Mount Marion sandstones and shales became the Hoogeberg Mountains of the Hudson Valley It was the strata of the Catskill Delta that would form our fabled Catskill Mountains Many of those strata are thick resistant masses of sandstone You can see this very well with a view of our mountains during a snowy winter fig 8 The thick stratified sequence of rocks is highlighted by the snow The McKnight illustration shows this so clearly It is far more than a picture it is a veritable explanation of the Catskills And this humble illustration is more than a portrayal more than just representative art It is scientific evidence It is evidence of a long historic sequence of events that in this part of the world constitutes a record of Devonian time The Devonian is real it is quite literally carved into stone Contact the authors at randjtitus prodigy net Join their Facebook page The Catskill Geologist

22_DURR_ad_Template 2 21 15 12 00 AM Page 1 Trains Depart Arkville 11 AM 2 PM Open Saturdays and Sundays Open May 23 24 25 Memorial Day weekend through the end of October

LOOKING BACK Out Windham Way A Photographic Tour of Windham Ashland Prattsville Maplecrest Hensonville 1890 1945 by Larry J Tompkins Black Dome Press trade paper 256 pages 29 95 www blackdomepress com reviewed by Garan Santicola these structures and the stories of those who turned them into thriving hotels This chapter s introduction details how the proximity of the Windham Turnpike the Batavia Kill and the Book Lynne Road made this part of Windham ripe for industry in the mid 1800s Tompkins notes that the constant squeal of machinery from tanneries and mills over the course of a 30 year period prompted nearby farmers to call the area Old Fiddle Regarding the name Brook Lynne he writes What best can be figured out is that one of those early visitors returned to the city and told their friends how much Old Fiddle looked like Brooklyn New York City The name has stuck until today even the bridge being referred to as the Brook Lynne Bridge Tompkins provides similarly detailed treatment of the villages of Windham Ashland Prattsville Maplecrest and Hensonville as well as other special sections like Brook Lynne including Union Society Big Hollow and Red Falls that together once made up the Town of Windham His photographic collection stretches back to the late 1800s Through captions and accompanying clippings from the Windham Journal a newspaper founded in 1857 and the oldest operating continuously under the same name in New York State he relates how Windham evolved into a thriving network of rural communities amid the picturesque high peaks of the northern Catskills We learn that the tanning and milling industries carved out of an untamed wilderness in the early 1800s eventually gave way to dairy farming and that later the resort economy brought the area back full circle to an appreciation of the naturalistic setting that first inspired settlers to start as Tompkins writes in the There is an image paired with a caption early in Larry Tompkins book Out Windham Way that perfectly exemplifies the evolving culture of the Catskills captured within the author s historical photographic collection In the foreground of this circa 1935 black and white photograph low waters pass over the rocky creek bed of the Batavia Kill Trees with lush summer foliage climb from both banks and bend towards each other as if to form an archway or point in unison to clear skies above Up the creek a bit water trickles past the overflow of a short dam stretching from one bank to the other and containing a large pool In the distance several people enjoy water sports some are swimming one is in the midst of diving off a high wood beamed platform and another rows a boat over the calm waters Bleacher like seating ascends up one bank and a nearby staircase winds past an observation platform to an outbuilding on a ridge above Tompkins caption explains that this dam was constructed in 1931 by George Osborn and the Thompson family of the Brook Lynne section of the Town of Windham in Greene County Tompkins writes Thereafter the creek became quite deep allowing for swimming boating and high diving acts Into the mid1960s before there was a pool no matter how tired we were we only had to take a dip in the Batavia Kill to be shocked awake by the ice cold water even in July The chapter on Brook Lynn brings this area further into focus Photos of the old Osborne House and the Thompson House feature people gathered on lawns in their best clothing captions describe the history of 94 BOOKS IN REVIEW 94_96_Looking_Back_BOOK_REVIEW qxp__Legends 5 26 15 12 12 AM Page 1

94_96_Looking_Back_BOOK_REVIEW qxp__Legends 5 26 15 12 12 AM Page 2 book s introduction a new life on virgin land they could call their own The journey through the various villages and areas of Windham generally follows from east to west what was once referred to as the Mohican Trail after those inhabitants of the region who ventured regularly along that route now simply called 23 on their hunting expeditions as well as spiritual retreats Tompkins includes shots of pamphlet covers featuring Native American imagery with blurbs about visiting the Catskills and Windham on the Mohican Trail and a photograph circa 1959 of four local residents on horseback and dressed as Native Americans holding signs protesting the condition of the trail in an attempt to have the road repaved Tompkins offers these glimpses of the politically incorrect sensibilities of a bygone age as a matter of historical record and such glimpses sometimes take a more lighthearted turn such as a May 1888 excerpt from the Windham Journal in the chapter on Ashland that reads An Ashland school Ma am has introduced a new feature in her school When one of the girls miss a word the boy who spells it gets permission to kiss her As a result the boys are improving rapidly The Windham Journal excerpts help Tompkins bring the subject matter of his photographic collection into focus but his knowledge of the topic goes beyond mere archival research He has sat in conversation and poured over records with people whose family histories date back to the early mountaintop villages of the 1800s In fact Tompkins is one of the most important sources on local history for the Windham Journal today His photographs are a regular accompaniment to the paper s Looking Back page and the captions he writes have helped bring their archival excerpts into focus for the past 20 years Most of the photographs in this collection transport the viewer over 100 years back in time to when the Catskills played a central role in our nation s awakening to the importance of preserving and enjoying the everdiminishing wilderness landscapes of this continent Mini economic booms are evident from the thriving hotels with well dressed people congregating on front lawns and balconies to pose for the shot while other shots show the rugged naturalistic way of life that survives in various incarnations to this day in the Catskills First airmail pickup in Windham 1938 The Robinsons on their farm in Mitchell Hollow ca 1895 95

94_96_Looking_Back_BOOK_REVIEW qxp__Legends 5 26 15 12 12 AM Page 3 The chapter on Big Hollow an area at the headwaters of the Batavia Kill first settled by pioneering families in 1785 shows a circa 1915 photo of three men with rifles slung over their shoulders hunting dogs at their side and coonskins strung on a wire behind them The caption reads The great hunters over in East Jewett had nothing on the local boys in Big Hollow Another photo taken the same year shows a young hunter posing with a bobcat he shot and holding it up by the back of the neck for all to see The chapter on Prattsville features a June 1879 Windham Journal excerpt that reads It is surprising what a crowd of people are called out on Saturday evenings at Prattsville to hear the band play Generally two or three fights and occasional arrest adds spice to the amusement On the same page is a circa 1895 photo of a Gothic church situated on property donated by Zadock Pratt and as the caption reads built using wood from the hemlock trees cut down for their bark which was used in the tanning process The church flourished for about forty years before closing and eventually being taken down It was located on the site of the present day Prattsville Diner More than just an impressive collection of historical photographs Out Windham Way is a journey of discovery into the Catskills way of life It chronicles the cultural trends that arose among people eager for progress yet still in touch with all that should remain unchanging in the mountains With this book Tompkins not only builds on his years of contribution to the region s historical record he assures that record will never be forgotten An intriguing book for anyone interested in having the past come to life in photographs Out Windham Way is a necessary addition to the library of all who aspire to remain steeped in history and rooted in the Catskills Looking east on Main Street Prattsville circa 1900 All of the buildings pictured are gone Steam driven stone crusher at work on Route 23 outside Windham circa 1906 Looking west on Main Street Windham circa 1895 Prohibition convention in Hensonville circa 1909 96

CHALLENGING TERRAIN Old Stone Walls Catskill Land and Lore Part 2 by Norman J Van Valkenburgh Purple Mountain Press softcover 152 pages 12 50 845 254 4062 www catskill net purple reviewed by John Rowen Highmount on Route 28 The story describes Van Valkenburgh and his colleagues work on behalf of the couple But in the end the court case threatening the ownership and the mystery of why others thought they owned the land are solved by a fact uncovered during careful research This story ends with advice from the late Ed West the author s friend and surveying partner advice that helps explain the solution to the mystery and offers a philosophy to live by Do your own research Don t depend on someone else to do it for you If you re going to sign your name to something make sure you know what it is before you do Weather and field conditions are topics that appear in almost every story The author s descriptions of how storms develop advance and soak surveyors seem to have come out of Washington Irving s story about the thunder that led Rip Van Winkle into the mountains Van Valkenburgh and his co workers marked blazes while standing on over seven feet of snow on tree trunks at the standard height of four and a half feet during a survey in the Catskills on snow covered Bearpen Mountain elevation 3 600 feet When the team returned in spring they could not find the blazes until one of them looked up The snow had been so deep that the blazes were 12 feet up the side of the trunk Of campfires for lunches Van Valkenburgh observes ruefully We never did figure out the physics of the smoke from our fires They were all smoky But when the weather is temperate all sorts of appealing things happen The author finds the old homestead of a veteran of the War of 1812 On a fall hike he witnesses maples leaves that ran to every shade of red from bright scarlet to deep rose and down through the spectrum to orange Van Valkenburgh is after something bigger than the mechanics of surveying While describing the hunt for a boundary line on a mountain ridge he observes I gain no greater satisfaction when surveying a remote piece of land than discovering a previous surveyor had been there a century or more earlier and left a blaze on a tree a pile of stones or something hidden to mark his passing Norman Van Valkenburgh s latest book is an agreeable and informative account of surveying and life in the Catskills Old Stone Walls Catskill Land and Lore Part 2 Van Valkenburgh s 18th book came about thanks to house cleaning When the author started surveying for the New York State Department of Conservation in the 1950s he kept a crew diary to help in writing weekly reports for managers in Albany Eventually keeping the diary moved from an administrative requirement to a personal habit Recently Van Valkenburgh rediscovered his diaries reread them and thought they contained experiences worth sharing Although this book s structure is similar to that in the author s previous book 2004 Old Stone Walls Catskill Land and Lore readers need not have read the earlier book before this one The stories are drawn from the author s career at the Conservation Department and its successor agency the Department of Environmental Conservation They are also drawn from his survey work in private practice after he retired from state service These stories are well organized clearly written and have a dry wit when the occasion calls for it An added bonus is the book s cover art a reproduction of a painting of John Burroughs Memorial Field in Roxbury by John Hopkins In Old Stone Walls Part 2 the general reader may be confused by some surveying terms and some details of the surveying process Van Valkenburgh addresses this challenge by writing strong chapter openings and endings so readers understand what the ultimate point of the surveying descriptions will be Often stories start with surveying but they illustrate a more universal point For example Close Doesn t Count starts with a challenge to an elderly couple s ownership of a farm near 97 BOOKS IN REVIEW 097_Challenging_Terrain_BOOK_REVIEW qxp__Legends 5 27 15 11 16 PM Page 1

098_101_Savor_Tranquil_Elegance_LODGINGS qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 20 AM Page 1 KaatskillLodgings Savor Tranquil Elegance at The Barnwell Inn by Joe Munster photography by the author 98

098_101_Savor_Tranquil_Elegance_LODGINGS qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 20 AM Page 2 The Barnwell Inn is located on tree lined Susquehanna Avenue number 48 right in the heart of the charming old village of Cooperstown Otsego County home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum the Farmers Museum and so much more One of several substantial well maintained stately older homes the Inn has been operated by innkeepers Tara and Mark Barnwell as a bed and breakfast for the past 19 years Their loving care quiet good taste and fastidious upkeep of the building and grounds are obvious very apparent even during the short time we were there below Barnwell Inn s friendly host and hostess Tara and Mark Barnwell 99

098_101_Savor_Tranquil_Elegance_LODGINGS qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 20 AM Page 3 Just up a few small steps an impressive stylish doorway welcomes you in Tara and Mark wait inside to greet you in a bright open hallway ready to show you around The rooms are furnished with wellloved authentic family antiques handed down from generation to generation One living room has a huge overstuffed couch on a magnificent Persian rug Another features a massive grandfather clock set against a wainscoted wall beside an inviting Queen Anne armchair and bookshelves and a mahogany table loaded with good reads The bedrooms are large and comfortable filled with family heirlooms Cozy thick bed covers and quilts promote a quiet good night s restful sleep Breakfast is taken in a special dining room and is indeed a unique repast The Barnwells are justly proud of their full country gourmet breakfast Fresh fruits juices omelets and home baked breads 100

098_101_Savor_Tranquil_Elegance_LODGINGS qxp_Template 5 26 15 12 20 AM Page 4 and biscuits are but some of the treats you can expect In fact Mark is famous for his grandmother s Southern Country Cheesy Biscuits the recipe for which he will not share He explains Grandma Barnwell s biscuit recipe is not written down and each time I make it I must make adjustments for the weather humidity and atmospheric pressure which often have effects on the cooking time and outcome He is willing however to freely share all other family secret recipes The Barnwell Inn is very popular and reservations are necessary Call 607 547 1850 or visit www barnwellinn com S CHOH A RI E COUN Y Y SEAL SEAL S CHOH E COUN T RI T A 1 84 7 1 84 7 101

102_106_At_Waters_Edge_DINING qxp_Template 5 27 15 11 05 PM Page 1 KaatskillDining At Water s Edge The Blue Mingo Grill and Sam Smith s Boatyard by Joe Munster assisted by Joan Munster photography by the author unless otherwise noted 102

The name may be funny but The Blue Mingo Grill in a marina on Cooperstown s beautiful Otsego Lake is a fine place to eat Michael and Cory Moffat owners of the restaurant and marina since 1994 agonized over different names but finally agreed on Blue Mingo Grill as an intriguing but pleasant mysterious and easily remembered name and logo The Blue Mingo legend stems from a real group of Native Americans labeled Mingos by other tribes who deemed them despicable contemptible and unworthy Originally based along the Susquehanna River from Otsego Lake to the Chesapeake Bay the Mingos were allied with tribes of the Iroquois Nation but they were generally shunned by both Indians and whites because of their violent and unfriendly nature In fact one need not be born one to become a Mingo Evidence suggests that an Indian of any tribe who displayed a high enough degree of evil dishonor greed or general wickedness to be cast out of his own tribe would be welcomed into their ranks Thomas Jefferson wrote that the Mingos were In war daring cunning ruthless and wicked Local author James Fenimore Cooper wrote of them in The Deerslayer as being nat rally perverse and wicked Due either to the darkness of their deeds or their skin these bad guys were often referred to as the Black Mingo or the Blue Mingos The first recorded contact with a Mingo warrior on Otsego Lake which led to his death is said to have been along the cove at the mouth of the Leatherstocking Creek where The Blue Mingo Grill and Sam Smith s Boatyard now stand But enough of the history lesson let s eat All the daily special choices are listed on a chalkboard in fluorescent colors by executive chef Fred Bhend a graduate of the time hon KL staff 102_106_At_Waters_Edge_DINING qxp_Template 5 27 15 11 05 PM Page 2 103

102_106_At_Waters_Edge_DINING qxp_Template 5 27 15 11 05 PM Page 3 that size was in a major restaurant in Manhattan the Gramercy Tavern a favorite hangout of Mark Twain and other long ago celebrities the shrimp there were called Dublin Bay prawns and came four to a pound Yes each weighed a quarter pound Blue Mingo s same size four shrimp were awesomely ored apprenticeship system of years spent in many restaurant kitchens learning his culinary art at the side of countless other chefs He then opened his own well regarded place called Fred s in Stamford Delaware County All that practical training and his own ingenuity are evident today at The Blue Mingo To start with Joanie and our friend Ginger shared pork belly lollipops with golden pineapple salsa mango sambal and red pepper jam Ginger also had a large fresh presented on a bed of grits with a spicy Cajun cream sauce with cheese hiding large chunks of hot chorizo sausages and flatbread toast points rising up to look almost like the Statue of Liberty s torch Spectacular Joanie had the Mingo baby back ribs grilled pork ribs pineapple ginger barbeque sauce french fries and Mingo slaw From the many desserts offered we chose the very best carrot cake that any of us have ever tasted and a Key lime house salad For my appetizer I chose plump Prince Edward Island mussels fra diavalo fresh garlic crushed red pepper parsley and a wonderful red tomato sauce which I reluctantly shared with the ladies For her main course Ginger selected fresh salmon served with citrus jasmine rice broccolini and lemon basil beurre blanc On the chalkboard menu I spotted an old favorite of mine shrimp and grits The shrimp were a HUGE surprise The last time I enjoyed colossal shrimp of 104

102_106_At_Waters_Edge_DINING qxp_Template 5 27 15 11 05 PM Page 4 pie parfait with a sprig of fresh mint and topped by a splendid hardened caramel free form sculpture The mixologist s liquid refreshments are equally special and are given the requisite and clever local names such as Last of the Mojitos Cooperstown Cosmo Mingo Indian Summer Otsego Lake Aloha The restaurant has a beautiful view of Otsego Lake and is in a large full service marina Sam Smith s Boatyard offering docking for restaurant customers kayak canoe and power boat rentals essential boating supplies and a above Fred Bhend an excellent chef with culinary imagination photography by KL staff below Carol Leech manager of the Blue Mingo Grill photography by KL staff 105

102_106_At_Waters_Edge_DINING qxp_Template 5 27 15 11 06 PM Page 5 gasoline pump that is far enough away from the restaurant to prevent any odor problems A charming large boutique is run by Cory Moffat whose excellent quiet good taste is reflected in the styles she personally chooses for the unique stylish clothing and jewelry on display at the restaurant s entrance The Blue Mingo Grill and Sam Smith s Boatyard are located at 6098 State Route 80 The Grill is open Thursday through Sunday through Columbus Day Lunch is served from 11 a m to 2 30 p m dinner from 5 to 9 p m A bar food menu is served between lunch and dinner Lunch reservations are available for parties of six or more dinner reservations are recommended Call 607547 7496 See more at www bluemingogrill com Michael Moffat co owner with his wife Cory of The Blue Mingo Grill and Sam Smith s Boatyard photography this page by KL staff 106

63_Coop_Char_RR_Ad_81_Coop_Char 2 21 15 12 34 PM Page 1 PER HE UP T F O Y AUT ALLEY HE BE ENJOY T EHANNA RIVER V SUSQU TS L SPECIA S EVEN TRAIN INNER D Q B B Sept 3 Aug 20 STANDARD BROOK ursday PM Th Depot 7 ired Milford qu e R s n departs o eservati R quired 0 3 re s D Adult Valid I S 9 2 4 2 EXPRES 607 432 BLUES 26 departs N W O T S ept COOPER y 16 S alid I D hts Ma 1 with v Sun Nig M must be 2 d 7P courage 8 Milford 1 tions en Reserva uired Adults 824 req 2 T 2 O 3 N 4 but r 607 2429 o 607 432 DEPARTURE LOCATIONS NYS Route 166 Milford NY NYS Route 28 Cooperstown NY ROUND TR Milford to IP FARE Coopersto ADULT wn Retu S 1 rn CHILDREN 5 00 SENIO R 3 12 12 00 U 62 14 00 Some train NDER 3 FREE s are more expensive office 607 432 2429 www lrhs com email lrhs stnytwcbc com 2015 OPERATING SCHEDULE REGULAR TRAINS EVENTS 2015 June 4 September 3 Thursday Arive Depart Cooperstown Dreams Park 10 30 AM Milford Depot 10 AM Cooperstown 11 AM Cooperstown Dreams Park 10 35 AM Cooperstown Dreams Park 12 30 PM Cooperstown 11 30 AM Milford Depot 1 00 PM Cooperstown Dreams Park 12 35 PM All trains leave from Milford Depot Visit our WEBSITE for more information Seniors 62 and over Note No Regularly Scheduled Trains Sun Mon Tues Wed Fri and Sat Discount rates available for groups of ten or more paying passengers Special event trains priced higher than standard fair Schedules equipment and services are subject to change without notice Reservations are not required for regularly scheduled trains Restroom facilities available on the train and at the Milford Depot Leatherstocking members ride free all year Ask about membership in our organization Enjoy beautiful scenery Upstate New York has to offer on the historic Cooperstown Charlotte Valley Railroad The 16 mile round trip diesel powered train ride takes approximately 2 hours and passengers can board from Milford or Cooperstown While in Milford visitors can enjoy displays in the 1869 built Milford Depot and ride the 18 guage Milford Park Railway Tours of the Cooperstown Brewing Company are also available within easy walking distance from the Depot Nearby attractions include both the National Baseball and Soccer Halls of Fame The Farmers Museum Fenimore Art Museum Hyde Hall Historic Cooperstown Otsego Lake and Hanford Mills Caboose and Train Charters Charter a caboose a coach or an entire train for your next birthday anniversary wedding or business meeting Call for rates and availability Guest Engineer Program Full instruction and a 2 hour round trip run from Milford to Cooperstown where you re at the throttle Call for rates and availability Every effort will be made to accommodate handicapped visitors The Railroad reserves the right to make schedule and equipment changes without notice EASTER BUNNY EXPRESS March 28 29 April 4 5 departs 2 PM Adults 18 children 3 12 16 Under 3 FREE ICE CREAM SOCIAL TRAIN June 27 departs Milford 2 PM BEER WINE TASTING TRAIN July 3 departs 7 PM I D required RAILFAN DAY Aug 1 9 00 AM 10 00 pm at Milford Depot Twilight and night photo sessions Visit our WEB site Chicken Barbeque TRAIN ROBBERIES July 4 18 August 8 22 Sept 26 Oct 10 departs 1 PM Adults 19 Seniors 18 Children 3 12 16 Under 3 FREE DINOSAUR EXPRESS TRAIN Sept 19 departs 1 PM Adults 17 Seniors 16 Children 3 12 14 under 3 FREE FALL FOLIAGE TRAINS Saturdays Sundays Sept 26 Oct 11 Columbus Day Departs 1 PM Adults 15 Seniors 14 Children 3 12 12 Under 3 FREE OCTOBERFEST TRAIN Oct 3 departs 6PM Adults 30 Seniors 25 Groups of 10 or more 25 all passengers must be 21 or older PUMPKIN PATCH TRAIN Oct 17 Train departs 1 PM Adults 19 Seniors 18 Children 3 12 16 under 3 FREE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TRAINS Dec 5 12 departs 6 30 PM Adults 19 Seniors 18 Children 3 12 16 Under 3 FREE SANTA EXPRESS Nov 27 28 and Dec 5 6 12 13 19 Departs 2 PM Adults 19 Seniors 18 Children 3 12 16 Under 3 FREE Reservations required 607 432 2429

108_112_Nature_at_Her_Best qxp_Template 5 27 15 9 52 PM Page 1 Nature at Her Best at Brookwood Point by Russ Patton Jr photography by the author The garden house surrounded by flower beds The e ntry gate 108

108_112_Nature_at_Her_Best qxp_Template 5 27 15 9 52 PM Page 2 m Bee bal Flowers lake vistas and warm breezes are the essence of our summer days The flowers with their brilliant colors lake waters lapping on the shore and soft breezes bring a contentment that we just don t find in any other season A lovely place to enjoy such summertime tranquility is on the shores of Otsego Lake near Cooperstown at the Otsego Land Trust s Brookwood Point property that sits peacefully on the lake s west shore just north of the village I had to see it The gardens looking toward Otsego Lake 109

108_112_Nature_at_Her_Best qxp_Template 5 27 15 9 52 PM Page 3 I followed NY Route 80 west out of Cooperstown along the lakeshore past the Farmers Museum and the Fenimore Art Museum I soon saw a small sign on the right for the Point and I turned down a narrow driveway that led down to Brookwood Point and its lovely gardens Following right behind me were Virginia Kennedy and Sarah Scheeren of the Otsego Land Trust OLT Entering the gardens through a gate in the stone wall surrounding them we then sat down at a table surrounded by the blooming flower beds and enjoyed the misty view over the lake I asked about the history of the property and the gardens and how the Otsego Land Trust came to own them Lilies of the Nile overlooking Otsego Lake Spider flower Lucifer s sword Glove thistle 110

108_112_Nature_at_Her_Best qxp_Template 5 27 15 9 53 PM Page 4 Kennedy is the OLT s executive director and she began to tell me about the property It s a nineteenthcentury estate built by Cyrenus Clark Originally it was 155 acres OLT owns 22 acres inclusive of the original house and 3 acres of Italianate Renaissance gardens It was built in 1820 and was added onto year by year Eventually it was split into apartments and it fell into disrepair The house unfortunately is so deteriorated that it will have to be torn down The gardens were designed by Frederick de Peyster Townsend He was in the first graduating class in landscape architecture at Yale with Frederick Law Olmstead The gardens include a garden house built in 1915 by Mr Townsend It is still in very good condition and houses a collection of antiques that were once present in the main house Scheeren the OLT s outreach coordinator is also its resident horticulturalist and Brookwood Gardens specialist I asked her about the makeup of the gardens themselves She explained Italianate Renaissance has a geometric shape to it The garden can be square round diamondshaped or rectangular or a mix of these It has a rigid form not freeform at all It s a walled area with a gated entrance and it always has a water feature such as a pool or fountain It will also have some statuary and a gazebo Townsend one upped that though with the garden house She continued The design is supposed to have trees shrubbery and foliage Any flowers were supposed to be in urns and planters You can have annuals perennials and specimen plants too Specimen plants are plants that are not native I asked why the OLT was interested in this property and how it was acquired Kennedy said It was owned by The Cook Foundation Robert Cook who passed away in 1985 formed a foundation to manage the property and to not have to sell it to a private buyer In 2012 OLT merged with The Cook Foundation which ceased to exist and took ownership of the property in order to keep it open She told Tuberous non stop begonias 111 me It s part of OLT s Blueway The Blueway s focus is to acquire through grants and donations public access lands connected to water Our mission is to protect lands and clean waters as they sustain us Giving people places to go encourages them especially kids to develop a conservation ethic When I asked about the operation of and future plans for the gardens Kennedy replied The gardens are a challenge for the Land Trust They are expensive to maintain but are a labor of love supported by many volunteers The natural and cultural coexist here We have federally designated wetlands with a trail through them OLT also has Scenic Byways and National Park Service grants which will help us create better access including for paddling to the property She concluded by saying Otsego Lake is important to millions as the source of the Susquehanna River They depend on us for their clean drinking water downstream It was then time to take a stroll and see the garden house and the gardens themselves A passing shower happened by as we entered the house We enjoyed seeing all the antiques as the rain drummed down outside The rain soon let up and the stars of the show the flowers awaited us Purple lilies of the Nile framed the long misty view over the lake and pink tropical waterlilies graced the watery pool A bee danced on a single yellow cup plant and red dahlias stood up straight and looked right at us Bee balm with its red spiky petals brushed against one of the gardens stone walls and white and purple spider flowers looked so pretty Little rain droplets clung to the deep red begonia petals and the big bluish globes of the globe thistle jumped out against the lush green background The stunning fire red spikes of Lucifer s sword stood right

108_112_Nature_at_Her_Best qxp_Template 5 27 15 9 53 PM Page 5 Water Powered Mill Woodworking ShoP Wednesday Sunday 10 am 5 pm Kids 12 Under Get FREE Admission 51 County Hwy 12 East Meredith NY 13757 607 278 5744 www hanfordmills org Left Virginia Kennedy OLT s executive director right Sarah Scheeren OLT s horticulturalist up and the lovely purplish dame s rockets made their appearance too All so colorful and there were still so many more The Otsego Land Trust has a wonderful collection of properties for all of us to enjoy and Brookwood Point is certainly very unique It has meadows and woodlands wetlands lake shore and the historic Italianate Renaissance gardens 112 Open April through November dawn until dusk For information phone OLT at 607 547 2366 or visit www otsegolandtrust org It s summer and the gardens are blooming Author s note Although a sign displays Brookwood Garden OLT s website refers to it as the gardens as did Virginia Kennedy in our interview