Fleischmanns, NY - the inner workings of an upstate local government

Early settlers came from Germany, England, Holland and Ireland. To reach this mountainous place, they traveled by horse and wagon, later by stagecoach, over rough, dusty roads in summer and rutted, muddy paths in winter. Eventually the road was resurfaced with planks from Kingston to Pine Hill, the cost of maintenance covered by tollgates along the way; but it was still a difficult journey until the railroad reached the village on May 23, 1870.

Griffin Corners was named in honor of Matthew Griffin, a prominent lawyer (he was admitted to the bar in 1851) and businessman (he owned a store and later a hotel). He also helped to secure the village's first post office in 1848. Griffin died January 11, 1903.

Originally part of the towns of Woodstock and Rochester in Ulster County, the area known today as Fleischmanns became part of Middletown in Delaware County on March 3, 1789. At that time vast tracts of land were owned by a few individuals and farmed by tenants. All 8,000 acres of Fleischmanns land was owned by General Henry Armstrong. The Anti-Rent War, an uprising of Catskill tenant farmers in 1844-'45, lead to reforms which put an end to the unfair lease system, and the area began to grow under private ownership.

According to available local sources, it was in 1883 that Charles F. Fleischmann , (born near Budapest, Hungary, educated in Vienna and Prague, founder of the Fleischmann Company famous for its yeast and whiskey) bought property west of the village near the Ulster & Delaware railroad station from John M. Blish. Mr. Blish, an astute local businessman, sold the property at a cheap price to the Fleischmann family recognizing that a summer colony would bring prosperity. Soon summer families built beautiful summer homes abounding with porches, turrets, and terraces and costing $30,000-$40,000 (an enormous sum in those days). They also constructed a deer park, a riding stable, a heated pool filled with spring water, and a trout pond, all luxuries unheard of by the people in this valley. The Fleischmann family even outfitted the Gleischmann-Griffin Corners band with uniforms so that the band could greet the family's private railroad cars at the station.

From 1890-1912, the present community actually went by two separate names. From the east end of the village to Division Street (now Bridge Street) was Griffin Corners and from Division Street to the Ulster & Delaware Railroad was Fleischmann (no "s"). When the village incorporated in 1913 it became Fleischmanns.

Fleischmanns Park , which dominated the north side of Wagner Avenue, was a gift to the village in May 1914 from Julius Fleischmann, son of Charles. Among the many interests of the Fleischmann family was major league baseball. The park, formerly known as the Mountain Athletic Club, was where their players came to get in shape before the start of the regular season. One player in particular stood out - John Peter "Honus" Wagner, known by his fans as the Flying Dutchman. He was admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Stipulations of Julius' gift were and still remain: that it always be used as a park and athletic grounds, that it always be kept in good condition, that it never be sold or sublet and always be of free access to the public. However, in 1934 the village obtained from the heirs a release from the word "free" so that for certain events a fee could be charged.

It was during this period that the little village began to grow. Many rich and famous people built summer homes here, among them: Herbert Lehman (Governor of New York, 1932), the Leibman family (owners of Leibman Brewery), and Anton Seidel (conductor of the Metropolitan opera). Nearby on Highmount were the palatial summer homes of coloratura soprano Amelita Galli Curci and Shakesperean actress Julia Marlowe. Fleischmanns was also home to the beloved Molly Goldberg (Gertrude Berg) of radio and early television.

Wagner Avenue, our principal residential street, named after the famous ball player, had many lovely homes which were built in the late 1800's. This street, in particular, retains much of its Victorian charm. A note of interest: Attorney Eugene Howe aspired to become governor of this state and had a balcony built on the second floor of his home, the Whitehall. It was from here that he intended to make his speeches. Although Howe never made it to the governor's mansion, his balcony remains to this day.

Lake Switzerland was built not only for boating and swimming, but also for the harvesting of ice during the winter. At a time when refrigeration was unheard of, ice blocks were cut from the lake, packed in sawdust and stored in ice houses. This ice also made possible the shipment of milk by train to city pasteurization and bottling plants. Top pay for laborers was about $1.50 per very cold ten-hour day.

The lake was the brain child of Charles H. Vermilyea and Theodore Floyd. Construction was started in 1906 using teams of horses and oxen for power. The official opening was just one year later when the gate was closed and the lake allowed to fill. The damleaked like a sieve, and the following year repairs were made. A few years later, townspeople, fearing dam failure would inundate the community, insisted that the dam be lowererd by four feet to decrease the pressure against it.

Skene Memorial Library was founded by Dr. and Mrs. Alexander Skene, a celebrated surgeon and his wife, who were summer residents of Highmount for many years. It was through the influence of Mrs. Skene that a $5,000 donantion was obtained from Andrew Carnegie, making construction of the free public library possible. The cornerstone was laid in November 1901. The two war memorials located in front of the library honor those who fought in World War I & II (dedicated Memorial Day, 1954) and those who fought in Korea and Vietnam (dedicated Memorial Day, 1987).

Prior to 1909, the only school was a one-room schoolhouse located on the Old Halcott Road. Increased enrollment made it necessary to add on more rooms and eventually necessitated the erection of Griffin-Fleischmanns High School on upper Wagner Avenue. The name of that school was changed to Fleischmanns High in 1928. After consolidation with Margaretville in the fall of 1969, grades 1-4 remained in the Fleischmanns building. Declining enrollment in the district forced the closing of this building in June of 1984. Put on the auction block in 1985, it was purchased by a local businessman (Pete Ballard) and former student who converted the old wooden part of the structure into apartments. The art deco brick addition dates from 1935 and currently houses a day center of the Delaware County Association for Retarded Children. The school's gymnasium remains intact and is still used for concerts and public functions. The building is now called nancy Ballard Enterprises.

Fleischmanns began to prosper as a summer boarding colony in the late 1800's. The mountains, the fresh air, the spring water, and the time factor involved in reaching the mountains from the city led to a building boom. As more boarders came, more homes and hotels were built or enlarged and they all competed intensely for tourists. It is said that during the 1940's, the permanent population was 500; but by the Fourth of July, there would be 10,000 in town.

What happened to this yearly influx of visitors? Richard Severo, in a New York Times article dated July 27, 1976 said it all in one headline: " Rash of Fires in Catskills Points Up Growing Decline." Grand hotels were no longer grand with their peeling paint and cracked plaster. A new generation of tourists abandoned the Catskills in favor of the European, Caribbean, and Hawaiian vacations their parents could not afford. Hotel owners reasoned it was better to sell and leave than remain in the mountains and wait for tastes to change. And arsonists set fire to many older buildings.

Of the fifty some great lodging places within the village and surrounding area, only a few remain: The Regis, Mathes Hotel (Kosher Plaza), Alpine, Lorraine, Fleischmanns Hotel (Roberts' Auction), Meinstein Lodge (Highland Fling Inn), and the Palace Hotel. Motels and real estate offices now dot our village, but nothing replaced the once bustling summer resort.

Nevertheless, Fleischmanns is experiencing a new building boom. Again seekers of mountain air and recreation are building second homes. Old farms are being subdivided and contractors are busy. Planning boards at the village, town and county level concern themselves with the impact of this new construction on the environment. Support for sensitive land use comes from those who have made the mountains their home and are grateful that a balance between man and nature is being sought for the benefit of future generations.