When one gazes at the Catskill mountains, there is a certain mystique. Looking out through my windows on a clear day from in the heart of these beloved mountains, I can clearly see several prominent peaks across the valley. An hour or two earlier (or later) they might be hidden in the mist or the clouds. Even the name “Catskill” is shrouded in mystery. We know that the Dutch (perhaps Henry Hudson, himself), coined the term, and many other names hereabouts, and we know that the suffix “kill” means “stream” or creek,” but different spellings of the word (Kaatskill and Kaaterskill) make the root of the word uncertain. Is it referring to some species of feline as Washington Irving believed, or perhaps, a well know waterfall or mountain peak in the range?
Stephen Silverman and Raphael Silver do an outstanding job defining and describing this famous region that encompasses roughly Greene, Ulster, Sullivan and Delaware counties in New York State. Usually, one finds two different types of books of this genre: those that are detailed but boringly so, or those that are easy to read, but not particularly informative. Silverman and Silver manage to be both detailed and enjoyable to read. While my personal interest was in early New York State and those places and events unfamiliar to me, the book actually covers four centuries of history and included stories and places that I was a personal witness to (such as the Red Apple Rest.). The Red Apple Rest was half the distance from where I lived in upstate Sullivan County to where my family’s friends and relatives lived in the Big Apple and Union City, NJ. As a small child, I would insist that we stop there on every trip. Also familiar places to me that are covered in the book include hotels like the Concord and Grosingers, and Bethel, where the Woodstock Music and Art Festival was held. The authors include a photo of Max Yasgur, the dairy farmer who leased his acreage to the festival promoters in 1969. My father and Max were on the Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School Board at the same time and had different points of view from time to time. My parents had owned large house only a few hundred yards from where the stages were set up, but fortunately they sold the house about two years before the festival was held.
And speaking of Woodstock, the town of Woodstock is only minutes from where I currently reside. I went there last weekend and it was packed out with tourists from many other states. On its outskirts is a small hamlet called Bearsville, which has an awesome performing arts theatre of its own. Janis Joplin spent time there as well as members of the Band. John Sebastian of the sixties band The Lovin’ Spoonful is involved with that venture (I think Sebastian actually lives in or near Bearsville.)
The authors write in a style reminiscent of Carl Carmer, another famous author who wrote extensively about New York State. There is so much of interest in this state in which to write about, one can hardly decide what to include, though the authors touch on most items of interest.
If you decide to buy and/or read just one book in your life on the Catskills, then I would encourage you to choose this one.