Catskill Mountaineer

Catskill Mountain House

Kaaterskill Hotel
Kaaterskill Hotel
Picture of Catskill Mountain House and North & South Lake from Bear's Den.
Painting was done in 1856 by Jasper Francis Cropsey
Kaaterskill Hotel
Picture of Cog Trail and tracks near Catskill Mountain House
OVERVIEW: Catskill Mountain House was originally built in 1824 by a group of merchants in Catskill, New York. In 1839 George Beach leased the hotel for six years. After the six years, he bought the Hotel from the group of merchants. George Beach's father owned a horse drawn coach line that transported customers from Catskill to the Catskill Mountain House. George Beach rebuilt the Catskill Mountain House from a Federalist design into a neo-classical design. When the hotel was rebuilt by George Beach it was designed to be one of the grandest hotels in the world. From 1850 to 1900 the hotel operating at it's prime. During this time the hotel was visited by everyone who was famous and important. This included three American Presidents (Grant, Arthur, and T Roosevelt). In 1892 George Beach commissioned the Otis Elevator Company to build a cog railroad from the valley floor to the top of the mountain top. He did this to make the journey easier and quicker. But, at the turn of the century, Henry Ford created the automobile and the need for the cog train was no longer needed. The train and tracks were sold for scrap in 1918. Today, just the piers still exist. The original route is now used by the electric company for transmission lines. George Beach died in 1902. Starting around 1900 people started to travel to the Adirondacks, and this started the long and difficult decline of the famous hotels of the Catskill Mountains. The hotel continued to operate until 1941. World War II caused them to close due to so many people fighting in Europe and the Pacific. Between 1952 and 1953 the present owner Milo Claude Moseman attempted to restore the hotel. Sadly, contractors did a poor job, and the restoration was unsuccessful. In 1962 the State of New York purchased the hotel and surrounding property. On January 25, 1963 at 6:00 AM the New York DEC intentionally burned the Catskill Mountain House to the ground.
North and South Lake
Post Card of the rebuilt hotel.


North and South Lake
Post Card of the rebuilt hotel.


North and South Lake
Post Card of the rebuilt hotel.


North and South Lake
View from the front porch of the Catskill Mountain House.


North and South Lake
Painting of the original Hotel between 1823 and 1839 from Bear's Den


North and South Lake
Drawing of the original Hotel between 1823 and 1839.


North and South Lake
This is a antique panoramic view of the Catskill Mountain House and the Hudson Valley


North and South Lake
View of the Catskill Mountain House from the road from Sleepy Hollow.


Links and References:
 
Catskill Archive - Catskill Mountain House
 
Book: The Catskill Mountain House by Roland Van Zandt - Most comprehensive collection of information about the hotel.


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