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P.O. Box 134
Allaben, NY 12480
Shandaken, whose name is of Native American origin and is said to mean "land of rapid waters," is located in the northwest corner of Ulster County, 25 miles northwest of the City of Kingston. Bounded on the North by Town of Middletown, Delaware County; East by Town of Hunter, Greene County and Town of Woodstock, Ulster County; South by Towns of Olive and Denning, Ulster County; and West by Town of Hardenburgh, Ulster County. Located along the Route 28 corridor within the Catskill State Park, the mountainous town lands are over two-thirds state owned and include Slide Mountain, the highest peak in the Catskill range, at 4,220 feet.
The town was originally settled around the Revolutionary War period and was formally established on April 9, 1804, when Governor George Clinton signed chapter 80 of the laws of 1804. Shandaken was separated from the Town of Woodstock and the first Town meeting was by law held the following year on the first Tuesday in April at the Home of William Rogers, the first Town Clerk. The name of the first settler is not known, although it is believed to be Conrad Meisner. Also, a man named Furlow is mentioned in early records. A part was annexed from Neversink, Sullivan County, in 1809. A part of Olive was taken off in 1823, a part of Denning in 1849, and a part of Hardenburgh in 1859. The Village of Pine Hill, incorporated in 1895, and the corporation was dissolved in 1986 and is now a hamlet of the Town. Other hamlets located within the town are Mt. Tremper, Mt. Pleasant, Phoenicia, Chichester, Allaben, Shandaken, Bushnellsville, Big Indian, Oliverea, and Highmount
Mount Tremper
Situated in the southeastern tip of the Town of Shandaken, Mount Tremper was in a valley through which settlers, turnpikes and roads would first pass on the way west. Fort Shandaken, built about the time of the Revolutionary War for the protection of Kingston against Indian raids, was located in Mount Tremper. First settled by the Winnes, Hudlers, Longyears and Satterlees, the village was known as Ladew Corners (The Corners) and was finally named Mt. Tremper in 1909.
Mount Pleasant
The sister hamlet of Mount Tremper, Mount Pleasant was originally called Longyear, named for one of its first settlers. Farming, lumbering and a large blue stone quarry were the main industries. With the arrival of the railroad in 1870, it took a major change with boarding houses and seasonal vacation homes built for the flocking tourists.
Phoenicia
The largest hamlet in the Town of Shandaken, Phoenicia was once a busy hub of the Ulster and Delaware Railroad. Except for a few new buildings, it hasn't changed that much since the original eleven lots were laid out on each side of the street in 1853.
Chichester
This quaint hamlet was founded in 1863 by the Chichester family as a factory town to house skilled workers for their chair making and cradle business. Both factory and village were later sold to the Schwarzwaelder family, makers of fine office furniture. Workers enjoyed recreational buildings, a general store, Post Office and church – all company built, owned and maintained – until the Great Depression brought about the complete auction of the factory and entire village in 1939. Most of the original homes and buildings still exist today, including the building that has housed the Post Office since 1909.
Woodland Valley
It has been said that this valley is “one of the most picturesque and beautiful of the whole Catskill region” and “a place of quiet and rest.” Entered through a narrow pass between Mount Garfield and Mount Romer, it makes its way for about six miles to the base of Slide Mountain. Woodland Valley is home to the celebrated Roxmor Colony, founded in 1899 and still in existence today. The Larkin Farm was one of the earliest settlements in Woodland Valley. Along with the nearby home of artist Thomas Bigelow Craig, the farm was reputedly one of naturalist John Burroughs’ favorite places in the Catskills.
Allaben
Originally called Fox Hollow, Allaben Named after Dr. Orson Allaben. One of the Town of Shandaken hamlets settled along the narrow main valley through the Catskill Mountains, it is now the site of the Town of Shandaken Government Offices and Highway Department. The 18-mile-long Shandaken Tunnel, carrying water from the Schoharie Reservoir bound for New York City, empties here into the Esopus Creek.
Shandaken
The Shandaken hamlet is located in the central portion of the Township. The word “Shandaken”, a Native American derivative meaning “rapid waters”, refers to the Esopus Creek, which flows through the Town and supplies water to the Ashokan Reservoir, one of New York City’s major water sources. Shandaken Centre once housed a chair factory and several substantial hotels and was a thriving business center with wagon and blacksmith shops, grist mill, sawmill, grocery and general stores, Post Office (the first in Shandaken Township), railroad station and church.
Bushnellsville
Bushnellsville on Route 42 was named for the Bushnell family, who settled the valley in the mid-1800’s. By the early 1900’s, there were many farms in the area; most families kept at least one cow and many shipped apples and sold maple syrup. At that time, the hamlet had its own Post Office, several general stores, a cider mill, ice houses and even a bowling alley. Supplies were delivered from Phoenicia once a week by horse and wagon.
Big Indian
Entering the Big Indian Valley from Route 28, turning onto Route 47, Oliverea Road, the traveler is greeted on the left by Aley’s General Store. Still a place to gather around the old wood stove and hear colorful stories about the “good old days”, it is presently known as Morra’s Market. A journey through this scenic area affords many beautiful mountain views, as you pass Belleayre, Balsam, Eagle, Big Indian, Fir, Spruce, Hemlock and Panther Mountains, finally reaching Slide Mountain, the highest peak in the Catskills at 4,204 feet above sea level. Big Indian offers a choice of hunting, fishing and hiking and boasts of numerous boarding houses, motels, cabins and restaurant. Above all, the Valley gives the gift of “solitude”.
Oliverea
Founded in 1886, Oliverea’s famous Winnisook Club sits at the base of Slide Mountain, 3,000 feet above sea level. In 1887 a lodge was built on the private club’s 1,600 acres, and eventually 14 private homes were added, with ownership passing down through the original owners’ families. A natural lake, which empties into the headwaters of the Esopus Creek, was dammed to form a five-acre lake for recreation. Many celebrities have visited the club, including William Jennings Bryan, John Burroughs and John Kennedy Jr. Winnisook is the oldest active club in the Town of Shandaken.
Pine Hill
Pine Hill takes its name from the steep ascent rising towards Belleayre that famously challenged travelers and settlers heading west. Although settled during the late 1700’s, Pine Hill came into its own when the railroad reached it in 1872. Soon thereafter, the hamlet became a thriving resort. Summer visitors poured in to enjoy its spectacular scenery, clean air and pure water. Accommodations lined every street, the larger hotels bearing grand-sounding or romantic names, such as the Wellington and the Avon Inn. Home to two bowling alleys, two newspapers, several churches and stores, a silent movie theater, a stately stone library, and the Crystal Spring Water Company, Pine Hill was justly called the “Saratoga of the Catskills”.
Highmount
Highmount, originally named Summit, began as an Ulster and Delaware Railroad stop and a few farmhouses, situated on the boundary between Ulster and Delaware Counties. Its fortunes changed in 1881 with the building of the Grand Hotel. Ambitiously proportioned and fully one eighth of a mile long, the Grand is said to be patterned architecturally after Coney Island’s fancifully-towered Oriental Hotel. The Grand straddled the line between Shandaken and Middletown, and guests took advantage of its “sliding” bar room, which could shift from one end of the hotel to the other, depending on which township was dry or wet. Outdoor recreation took hold during the 1940’s with the opening of Belleayre and Highmount ski centers. Skiing is the hamlet’s continuing attraction today.
Thanks to Laurilyn Fraiser & Charles Zimmerman for text.
| Shandaken
Statistics |
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According to the
United States Census Bureau, the town
has a total area of 119.8 square miles , of which,
119.8 square miles of it is land and 0.04 square
miles of it is water.
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| Esopus
Creek at Shandaken |
Catskill Park |
Catskill
Streams |
Cemeteries |
Old
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