With another holiday season nearly here, it is time for this column’s annual reminder that books about Sullivan County’s rich and colorful history always make great gifts, but especially … more

Hurleyville businessman John Harms Knapp and his wife, Mary C. Brophy Knapp founded the Columbia Farms Hotel on the summit overlooking the hamlet in 1891. Locals, not convinced the business would … more

In August of 2015, the Liberty Museum and Arts Center’s 14th annual conference on the history of the Catskills was entitled, “Small but Grand Hotels: The Backbone of the Catskills Tourism … more

It was late November in 1959, and Sullivan County officials were lamenting a very slow start to deer hunting season, which had traditionally provided a much needed economic boost to the … more

Absent a standing professional Army in 1775, America’s first battles during its War for Independence, at Lexington and Concord, were fought almost entirely by members of the militia. At the … more

He was born in 1891 in Hurd Settlement in the town of Bethel, and graduated from Monticello High School, New York University, and Bellevue Hospital. He began practicing medicine in 1917, and was … more

In October of 1899, Stephen Crane’s short novel, “Active Service” was published to mixed reviews. The book’s tepid reception by both critics and the public was a major … more

The long defunct Flagler Hotel in Fallsburg had a rich tradition as one of Sullivan County’s premier resorts, and for decades was a trendsetter in the industry. After operating for decades … more

The heavy late September rains that are still falling as this column is being written are a stark reminder of the destruction floods have caused along the Delaware River over the years. For … more

It was late September in 1965, and the Sullivan County Democratic Committee was in complete disarray. As the party prepared for its reorganizational meeting at the Hotel Lenape in Liberty on … more