The Great Outdoors, historically speaking

Aug 19, 2012 | Tin Horn

If you didn’t get a chance to see the exhibit at the HSM hall this summer, highlighting the many ways Middletown area folks have enjoyed the Great Outdoors, you’ll have another opportunity Saturday, Aug. 25 at The Central Catskills Great Outdoor Experience Festival in Margaretville. The photographic portion of the exhibit will be on display in the E-Center (the former Masonic Hall, across from NBT Bank) from 10 to 4. Stop in and check it out.

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Unidentified girl, possibly Gertrude Todd, 1920s

Active history can be enjoyed at a hike on Sunday, Aug. 26 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Balsam Lake Mountain in the Catskills as the site of the first fire tower in New York State. Hikers may gather at the Millbrook Road trailhead at 8:30am and tramp to the summit with several authors of related books. Authors, who will be available at the tower from 10am until 1pm, include Marty Podskoch (Fire Towers of the Catskills), Dave and Carol White (Catskill Day Hikes), and Diane Galusha (Another Day, Another Dollar: The Civilian Conservation Corps in the Catskills.) FMI: Laurie Rankin, laurierankin@hvc.rr.com.

No time for a hike? The authors will also be available to sell and sign their books from 3 until 5pm that day at the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, Arkville.

Unidentified campers at the picnic table, early 1900s, from the Lina Kelly Collection

“Uncle Milty” Berle swings for the camera at the Takanassee Hotel in Fleischmanns in this undated photo

CMNews, cemetery listing add to historic resources

Aug 10, 2012 | news archive

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) is happy to announce that a new database of headstone inscriptions from the Margaretville Village Cemetery, and five more years of vintage Catskill Mountain News have been posted online.

Web users can find the cemetery listing and associated map at the Delaware County Genealogy and History website, www.dcnyhistory.org/MvilleCemIndex.html.

For the first time, web users can find more than 2,000 names arranged alphabetically. Entries include birth and date dates as recorded on the headstone, along with military service information, epitaphs and inscriptions about family members.

Some entries include clarifications or additional information gleaned from other sources if there were questions or discrepancies uncovered in the inventory process.

The field work was conducted by Friends of Middletown Cemeteries. The database was assembled by Trish Adams. It can be searched by name or subject, or browsed chronologically.

Researchers can now also search and browse the Margaretville-based Catskill Mountain News from July 13, 1902 to June 29, 1967. HSM is steadily working to have the News digitized through 1973. This ongoing project is made possible by several individual donors and the O’Connor Foundation. Visit http://history.catskill.net to find this treasure trove of history.

The newly added issues take readers back to a time when dial telephone service began (April 26, 1962), the Arkville School closed (August 16, 1962), Halcottsville Pond was eyed for a town park (Feb. 21, 1963), and, in the some-things-never-change department, a community pool was proposed for the Arkville flats (July 22, 1965).

There were many openings — the new lodge at Belleayre Ski Center ( March 1, 1962), the BOCES center at the former Rexmere Hotel in Stamford (Jan. 13, 1966), the A&P store on Bridge Street, Margaretville (Jan. 12, 1967), and Roxbury Run Village (late 1965).

The August 15, 1963 issue contains a special history section for the Bicentennial observance of Middletown’s settlement, and the Nov. 28, 1963 issue describes local reaction to President Kennedy’s assassination.

Vendors sought for Cauliflower Festival

Aug 10, 2012 | news archive

The Ninth Annual Margaretville Cauliflower Festival will be held rain or shine Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10 to 4 in the Village Park, Margaretville.

Space is still available for vendors, community organizations and artisans. Visit www.cauliflowerfestival.com to find forms, or call 845-586-3300 for information. Artists who prefer to be in the large tent must reserve their space with payment by August 25.

This free festival, sponsored by the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, was canceled in 2011 as Margaretville was still reeling from the heavy blow dealt by Hurricane Irene. The 2012 festival will not only celebrate local foods and the region’s agricultural heritage, but also the resilience of this community and the Catskill Mountain spirit.

Bushels of cauliflower and other locally produced items will be for sale. Festival fare will range from cauliflower soup to pulled pork. Highlighting the entertainment offerings this year will be the popular Catskill Mountain Boys, and the Blue Ribbon Cloggers.

A variety of children’s activities will be offered. A Tractor Parade, showing off vintage and modern day tractors, will roll around festival grounds at 11:30. And Catskill Outback Adventures will have the zipline ready for a quick trip across the East Branch of the Delaware.

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown will host “Barn Yesterday,” an exhibit of photographs and brief histories of some of the remaining barns in town. The exhibit will be displayed in the History Tent, which will also feature photos, artifacts and memorabilia from the heyday of the cauliflower industry in the Catskills.

Craftsman Wayne Ford of Denver will demonstrate the art of timber framing, a specialized version of post and beam construction that uses mortise and tenon joinery, held in place with wooden pegs. There will also be speakers on farm and garden topics.

Many fine artisans, a variety of vendors, and several area environmental and civic organizations, will fill the Village Park for the festival, which is supported by Coldwell/Banker Timberland Properties; MTC; Directive, Inc., and HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley.

Margaretville Cemetery desecrated, reward offered

Aug 8, 2012 | Tin Horn

The restoration of the Arkville Cemetery resumed August 2 when two Hubbell Inc. crew members, John Ferraro (in cab) and Scott Gray (standing), along with Joe McKeon (left), and Brian Wheaton (on ground) righted seven large monuments and cemented them to their bases. The project, coordinated by the Friends of Middletown Cemetery, is funded by a member item from Assemblyman Clifford Crouch.

Additional work days will be scheduled. If you would like to help, call Brian, 586-2294.

Headstones of the Hull family – Jeremiah (d. 1878), Achsa (d. 1893) and Elijah (d. 1915) – are once again upright following recent restoration work at the Arkville Cemetery.

The three-piece monument to Jacob Lockwood, who died in 1880, age 64, was a challenge to put back together, but is now standing tall.

ARKVILLE CEMETERY PHOTO GALLERY
Click for a larger view of each image…

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Just a nudge . . .

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Bandit, ready to help if asked

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Standing straight, again

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A challenging one . . .

Margaretville Cemetery desecrated, reward offered

Aug 7, 2012 | Tin Horn

Vandals struck the Margaretville Village Cemetery August 6, and toppled a dozen headstones in the oldest part of the cemetery, on the hill beneath the pines. The 3 gates were locked, but whoever did this actually cut through the chain on the upper gate to get in. The State Police are investigating. If you hear anything that could be useful in finding the person(s) responsible and making them pay for the repairs, please contact the Village Office, 586-4418.

The Village is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest. Call the Village office, or Mayor Bill Stanton, 586-4375.

Coming on the heels of our wonderful Living History Tour, and completion of the online headstone inventory of this cemetery, this outrageous disrespect is especially discouraging. It is a reminder — stay vigilant of your local burial ground!

MARGARETVILLE CEMETERY PHOTO GALLERY
Click for a larger view of each image…