Abandoned Catskill Resorts
- Thread starter Ripitz
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Ripitz
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- Dec 23, 2020
Looks like it closed in 2001. Here’s an old article about it. Air conditioning, aircraft and assimilation is what they say brought so many of these places down.
UPSTATE: Yesterday's Retreats; Where Summer Just Isn't What It Used to Be (Published 2002)
Greene County, NY, resorts that once lured Italians, Germans and Irish New York City residents to vacation in less-familiar part of Catskills are now deserted at what would once have been height of their season; some family-run ethnic resorts continue to operate, but most have fallen victim to...
Warp daddy
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- Jul 21, 2020
In the 70's the Queen and i attended a conference at The Stevensville Country Club in Swan Lake in the Catskills.
It was a huge self contained facility with golf ,swimming pools , tennis courts , horseback riding and 3 magnifcent meals a day and beaucoup scheduled activities and first line entertainers at night .
This was back in th etime when families from the City would " summer there and " take the sun" and enjoy a myriad of regularly programmed activities , first line entertainers were always on at nite in the cavernous clubrooms
We were young and when the bellhop took us to a huge suite he with a yooooge smile on his face said " we just had a singles weekend and this damn place was " tilted , with all the "action "going on ??????""
I will never forget being in a huge conference center meeting when the activities coodinator came over the PA with THIS message ......" A an exercise specialist will be leadinga session called SEXERCISES out at the Main Pool in 10 minutes". Well the stampede outta that damn meeting was a sight to behold .
I get out to the pool and see this 60 something grey haired aging bimbette on her platform with a headset demonstrating her prowess in flexibility hahahhh We still laugh at that experience today ,,
Stevensville CC was sold to an Orthodox Jewish Organization later and the Golf course was NOT part of the deal and is now the Swan Lake Golf and Country Club
It was a huge self contained facility with golf ,swimming pools , tennis courts , horseback riding and 3 magnifcent meals a day and beaucoup scheduled activities and first line entertainers at night .
This was back in th etime when families from the City would " summer there and " take the sun" and enjoy a myriad of regularly programmed activities , first line entertainers were always on at nite in the cavernous clubrooms
We were young and when the bellhop took us to a huge suite he with a yooooge smile on his face said " we just had a singles weekend and this damn place was " tilted , with all the "action "going on ??????""
I will never forget being in a huge conference center meeting when the activities coodinator came over the PA with THIS message ......" A an exercise specialist will be leadinga session called SEXERCISES out at the Main Pool in 10 minutes". Well the stampede outta that damn meeting was a sight to behold .
I get out to the pool and see this 60 something grey haired aging bimbette on her platform with a headset demonstrating her prowess in flexibility hahahhh We still laugh at that experience today ,,
Stevensville CC was sold to an Orthodox Jewish Organization later and the Golf course was NOT part of the deal and is now the Swan Lake Golf and Country Club
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Looks like it closed in 2001. Here’s an old article about it. Air conditioning, aircraft and assimilation is what they say brought so many of these places down.
UPSTATE: Yesterday's Retreats; Where Summer Just Isn't What It Used to Be (Published 2002)
Greene County, NY, resorts that once lured Italians, Germans and Irish New York City residents to vacation in less-familiar part of Catskills are now deserted at what would once have been height of their season; some family-run ethnic resorts continue to operate, but most have fallen victim to...www.nytimes.com
Cool thanks, I couldn’t read it as it said I have to subscribe or something but will look into later, makes sense about air travel and air conditioning etc, people used to come up from the city to relax and cool down, they would use waiters and most would come up from the city usually guys who’s families would visit the resort would end up working there, Joe Balonia started out there before moving on to TV and movies
I worked a summer there coming down from Albany area at 17 I was the youngest waiter most were in their 20’s and enjoyed the hustle and making good money (tips in small envelopes at the end of guests visit
they gave me the tables closest to the kitchen where the elderly cook (Tess who my uncle asked if she still worked as she was old when he worked there 30 years before) would yell at waiters asking for anything extra, she ran a tight ship!
in the 80’s they had a reunion where I met Joe as we played softball, the owners were really nice, glad to see they hung on longer then I mentioned
the year after I worked they started mostly using locals for waiter’s and they added waitreses so less staff lived on site, they had the ”night club” where the waiter’s used to “perform “ after dinner skits etc
I worked a summer there coming down from Albany area at 17 I was the youngest waiter most were in their 20’s and enjoyed the hustle and making good money (tips in small envelopes at the end of guests visit
they gave me the tables closest to the kitchen where the elderly cook (Tess who my uncle asked if she still worked as she was old when he worked there 30 years before) would yell at waiters asking for anything extra, she ran a tight ship!
in the 80’s they had a reunion where I met Joe as we played softball, the owners were really nice, glad to see they hung on longer then I mentioned
the year after I worked they started mostly using locals for waiter’s and they added waitreses so less staff lived on site, they had the ”night club” where the waiter’s used to “perform “ after dinner skits etc
Ripitz
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- Dec 23, 2020
The Catskills Was Once A Bustling Resort Region, But Now It's Almost Completely Abandoned
The Catskills remains one of Upstate New York's most scenic - albeit, abandoned - mountainscapes, and here's what happened to make it so.
www.thetravel.com
Ripitz
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- Dec 23, 2020
That’s one lost area that I had a chance to ski before it closed. We used to cruise the parking lot at Hunter midday looking for people leaving and buy their tickets for $5. One day after skiing the half day at Hunter we were on our way home and saw the lights on at Cortina. Pulled the same trick there and skied until closing with no one around. Nearly a full day of skiing for $10, those were the days.
I’ve been meaning to get back over there. I’ve heard it is a popular snowmobile spot. My understanding is that it is posted but that might be just the buildings. Anyone ever ski around there or Roundtop? I’m hoping to check it out along with a trip up to Kaaterskill High Peak. Anyone with info they could share?
I’ve been meaning to get back over there. I’ve heard it is a popular snowmobile spot. My understanding is that it is posted but that might be just the buildings. Anyone ever ski around there or Roundtop? I’m hoping to check it out along with a trip up to Kaaterskill High Peak. Anyone with info they could share?
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