The D&N started as the Delaware & Eastern
An illustrated talk on the Delaware & Northern Railroad (“The Damn Nuisance”) will be presented Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown’s annual meeting and luncheon.
The event begins at noon at the HSM hall, 778 Cemetery Road, Margaretville. It will include a report on HSM’s activities over the past year. Current and prospective HSM members are most welcome.
The winning ticket for a beautiful painting by Alix Travis, “Mailboxes,” will be drawn following the program. A door prize or two will also be offered.
Admission is $15 and reservations are required for the luncheon of country comfort food prepared by chef Chris McGee (formerly of Hogan’s Back Room in Andes, now of Spillian in Fleischmanns) – tomato glazed meatloaf, mashed potatoes and fresh green beans, with carrot cake for dessert. A vegetarian loaf will be offered for those who do not eat meat. Call 845-586-2860 by Oct. 19 to reserve your seat.
The presentation on the short but eventful life of the Delaware & Northern Rail Road will be offered by John Duda, rail enthusiast, postcard collector and member of the board of the Greater Fleischmanns Museum of Memories.
The D&NRR ran from Arkville to East Branch between 1905 and 1942. Built to link the Ulster & Delaware and the Ontario & Western Railroads, it served communities along the East Branch of the Delaware River that are now under the Pepacton Reservoir, as well as hamlets below the dam in Downsville.
The tale includes a name change, many financial bumps, and a look at the lost towns and a way of life now gone. The slide show includes wonderful historic images, many from the railroad’s earlier years when it was run as the Delaware & Eastern.
An exhibit on the D&N and the communities it served, made possible by a grant from the Catskill Watershed Corp. in partnership with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, will be on display during the luncheon and program.