Local History with Dede Terns-Thorpe - A Few Little Tidbits From The Catskill Recorder

CATSKILL -                               The Catskill Recorder of August 18, 1911, said the New York Herald showed Haines Falls Paster Kikelhan superintending the placing of calcium chloride on the dusty roads, keeping the roads moist,  near the Haines Falls Railroad Station. (The Mt Top Historical Society’s home is in the 2nd U & D train station, built 2 years later, in 1913.)

The same paper said the fire at  Renner’s Hotel (Hallenbeck’s ) in Haines Falls was caused by a cigarette. The fire occurred at the same time as the roof of the Belle Vue House was struck by lightning (The Belle Vue is presently Tim Legg’s four-wheeler rentals).

The paper said Mr. and Mrs. Colgate had returned from Europe and arrived at their home in Onteora. The Colgates were employing a gang of men who were digging and clearing the land, etc., in preparation for the construction of a beautiful lake to be built on their new property.

The paper said Haines Falls was having the biggest year of its history!

In 1918, William Hallenbeck’s Fenmore Hotel had the tennis courts built behind the hotel. The Fenmore was just west of the turn onto North Lake Rd from Route 23A.

The Unique Hotel served a special lobster supper. Thirty guests were fed in the dining room decorated beautifully with ferns, and where “lobsters waited patiently to be devoured.”

That’s about all the Mountain Top news from August, 1911. Thanks for reading. I hope you all had a happy and safe holiday. Take care of yourself and be well.