Local History by Dede Terns Thorpe The Tanners National Bank of Catskill v05222026

THE TANNERS NATIONAL BANK OF CATSKILL, NEW YORK OPENED IN 1831 AND OPERATED UNTIL 1972 WHEN IT MERGED WITH The Bank of New York.

This is a short but interesting Tidbit about Greene County and the Mountain Top that many might know but it’s a good little read anyway. Tanning is precisely that, the start of the area’s history, and responsible for the Tanners Bank’s name for nearly 150 years.

“Colonel Pratt, the late John Watson and Loren Robertson were men whose start in wealth was given by the tanning business; and the title of that solid institution, the Tanners Bank, perpetuates the old-time local prominence of an industry that is now but a memory.”

Issac Rouse, (the paper repeated frequently) was a true gentleman. The Catskill Recorder’s article, dated January 8th 1892 and titled Close of a Successful Career , said “the late Issac Rouse , whose death on the closing day of the year was announced in the Recorder of last week, may be regarded as the last representative of a  business that was once the leading and most prosperous industry in this section.”

It said long about 1837, and some years before and after, the tannery industry gave employment to thousands of men and to much capital. The population of this county was greater than it is now. It said that people over 70 can remember the beautiful hemlock forest, notably in Prattsville and Hunter, as well as the enormous traffic in hides and tanned leather by teams over the Susquehanna Turnpike, then a great thoroughfare. It said tanning was a very profitable business, and nearly everyone that engaged in it as a manufacturer amassed wealth.  The margin of profit was large.      

This taught me a bit about another lesson on tanning, and of course The Tannery Bank!

I hope you enjoyed the read.

Happy Memorial Day. Stay safe and take care.

Dede Terns-Thorpe/Hunterhistorian@gmail.com