The great charm of the Catskills is its constant variety; look where you may, you shall never see twice the same effect of light and shade.
A Trip to the Caatskills, Fanny Fern, 1872

In the Hemlocks Nature loves such woods, and places her own seal upon them. Here she shows me what can be done with ferns and mosses and lichens. The soil is marrowy and full of innumerable forests. Standing in these fragrant aisles, I feel the strength of the vegetable kingdom, and am awed by the deep and inscrutable processes of life going on so silently about me. John Burroughs, In The Catskills, 1910

When is a waterfall? If you wish for loveliness, visit these places in early May. The bushes will be in their new greens, the trees beginning to bud, the first flowers whitening the woods that are themselves so delicately dappled with the fresh foliage. And as you come upon one exuberant cascade after another you will wonder how old Earth, replete with merriment, could affect you drearily again. T. Morris Longstreth, The Catskills, 1918

Featured Contents

Cutters to Motor Coaches Explore the evolution of commercial motorized transportation in rural Western Sullivan County, New York through the story of a family business. Along the way, you will travel major phases in the history of Sullivan County tourism, influences of the Ontario and Western Rail Road, and changes brought about by increased regulation of commercial transportation, the Great Depression, and World War II. The story is situated in Jeffersonville, New York about which selected aspects of early history and the local economy are included. The primary timeframe is 1910 to 1945. There are more than 100 period-specific photos and documents supplementing the narrative which itself is comprised of historical documentation, personal diaries and anecdotes, supplemented by numerous citations from local newspapers of the time. Click here to purchase.

Climbing Slide Some family experiences stand out from all others. For our family, the sunny fall day in 1990 that we finally climbed Slide Mountain, the highest peak in the Catskills, was among a select few.This short photo essay describes that day and our travails along the way, Each section is accompanied by an excerpt from "The Heart of the Southern Catskills" written by John Burroughs describing his first ascent of Slide Mountain 100 years earlier in 1888. Hopefully, the essay conveys how a typical outing became an anchor memory for our family and encourages you to inventory and capture your own defining family adventures. Click here to purchase.