Save Lake Jeff

Save By Lauren Seikaly Lake Jeff Life at Lake Jeff was healthy and monastic. The greatest joy of all was swimming in the placid lake, where there might be an occasional fisherman lounging in a rowboat but no motorboats or jet skis to threaten the unwary swimmer.” –Oliver Sacks

Not all that long ago, Lake Jefferson was a bustling little hang‑out spot one mile outside of the village of Jeffersonville. People gathered for swims, boat rides, fishing, and relaxing on its shores. Lake Jefferson Hotel stood on one of the banks and featured a dance hall, a barber shop, and even a bowling alley. Writer and neurologist Oliver Sacks discovered the spot in 1965 and wrote about it in his biography “On the Move.” “After I moved to New York in 1965, I took to exploring the country roads on my motorbike, looking for a suitable place to get away for occasional weekends. One Sunday, driving through the Catskills, I found a picturesque old wooden hotel perched by a lake, the Lake Jefferson Hotel. It was owned by a genial German American couple, Lou and Bertha Grupp, and we soon got to know each other. After a dozen or so weekends, I came to an agreement with the Grupps: I would rent a room in the basement of the hotel, come and go when I wanted, and keep my things ‑ basically a typewriter and swimming gear ‑ there. Life at Lake Jeff was healthy and monastic. The greatest joy of all was swimming in the placid lake, where there might be an occasional fisherman lounging in a rowboat but no motorboats or jet skis to threaten the unwary swimmer.” But in 1998 the hotel closed and four years later it burned to the ground. Then in 2005, the Briscoe Dam upstream from the lake gave way in a flood. A torrent of water and silt was sent downstream and the spillway of the Lake Jeff dam was damaged. Small repairs have been made since then, but if more significant (and costly) repairs are not made soon, the dam will have to be torn down and Lake Jeff will be gone. In its place will be a swampy floodplain. Naturally, residents with homes on the lake are very eager to try to save it. In 2019, a few organized themselves and formed the Lake Jefferson Conservation Association

(LJCA). Their task is multi‑pronged. They must navigate and negotiate with various government agencies on the requirements of the dam structure to ensure safety, work in conjunction with the private owners of the dam and the private owner of the lake, and find the money necessary to pay for the project, which not only includes repairs, but also engineering studies, assessments, additional improve‑ ments, ongoing maintenance, and perhaps the purchase of the dam itself. The price tag could reach $2 million. So for those of us who don’t live on the lake, why should we care about saving it? This was a question I had to consider when Andrew Weinstein, the President of LJCA, asked me to join the board and help in their efforts. Since then, it has become quite clear to me how we all benefit from this lake and why it must be saved. As the owner of a few businesses on Main Street in Jeffersonville, I see the lake as having the potential to solidify a healthy economic future for Jeffersonville and the surrounding towns. Our area has experienced so many financial ups and downs over the past 20 years and while we are currently on an upswing and the future looks quite bright, we would be remiss if we didn’t use this opportunity to make sure that things don’t deteriorate again. Over the past few years, the opening of a variety of businesses has not only revitalized our Main Street, it has also created good jobs, kept spending money local, brought visitors, and encouraged new families to relocate to our area, adding much needed tax revenue to our county’s base economy. But we need to go further and think bigger if we want to ensure long‑term viability. One of the most effective and substantial types of economic pillars for any town is a recreational spot, especially one that can be visited any day of the week and during all four seasons of the year. These spots are a draw for visitors who are looking for a place to spend the weekend and who will also support our businesses while they are here. And the entire community benefits from having a place to spend time out‑ doors, meet up with family and friends, get some exercise, and take a break from screens!

Go on a quick visual journey with me of what Lake Jeff could be:

At the spot of the overlook and grassy shore right off of Route 52 where the old hotel used to stand, there is a park with tables and benches and shade trees. There is a tackle stand that rents fishing poles, chairs, and picnic blankets in the summer and skates and hot chocolate in the winter. There is a dock where row boats are rented and on one sunny afternoon you decide to take your kids, your parents, your friends, or just yourself out on the lake to explore. It’s calm. There are no motor boats or jet skis or water skiers out on the lake. Your kids take turns rowing and one of them spots a snapping turtle that looks a little like a dinosaur. Beavers and muskrats are grazing in the lake weeds. And then suddenly there is movement ahead and out in front of you soars one of the majestic bald eagles that calls Lake Jeff home.

It’s worth it for everyone in our area to get involved in the community effort. We will need generous donors. Grants and government funds are available but we will need people to help us secure those funds. We will need volunteers to organize and assist with fundraisers, large and small. And we will need to spread this message succinctly, effectively and powerfully. LJCA accepts donations of any size on its website, www.LJCA.org and all of its events, fundraisers, and updates are posted on their social media pages. Search @savelakejeff on both Facebook and Instagram so you can follow and share and tag your own Lake Jeff memories. If we can ensure the survival of the lake, we can ensure a very bright future for Jeffersonville and all of its neighbors.

Photo by Lauren Seikaly

John McGee and his sister Eunice on Lake Jeff in the summer of 1934. They spent many summers on the lake and enjoyed their great adventures in the country. The photo above shows the beautiful grassy area where the Lake Jefferson Hotel once stood.

Q&A

with Jon Thorndike and Kelly Lawler, owners of

TELL US a little about yourself, why you chose Sullivan County and specifically Jeffersonville for your new business?

We have enjoyed our home in Sullivan County for the past 10 years and decided to make it our permanent residence. We chose our location in Jeffersonville because by a cyclists point of view, Jeffersonville is a great center point to start your ride, with so many different directions to choose. There was space available that worked for us, we really like Jeffersonville and felt it was on an upward swing.

Can you tell us what goods and services can be found at Catskill CycleWorks?

Everything cycling related you can find at the shop which includes accessories and apparel. We also provide service, tune-ups and repairs. Given the environment we are in at this time, bike inventory has been hard to come by. We do have a decent range including care balance bikes for toddlers, small children bicycles to high performance road and mountain bikes. We also have hybrids and touring bikes with racks and occasionally the single speed. If there is a certain bike a customer would like and available with our suppliers, we can usually have it within 1-3 business days. If you have an exact bike you are looking for, there is a longer wait time.

Jon, you’re an avid cyclist, how did you get started on this journey and what are some of your favorite routes?

I love the roads, for me it’s a big playground. I started riding when I was four and I have been riding ever since. I have been training more seriously for the past four years and have increased the amount of time riding but only for my own personal goals. I do not really have aspirations to participate in competitive events, for me, I enjoy riding on my own. There are so many detours that can be taken that even changing a quarter of your ride can create a whole new experience and I love that.

I really do not have a favorite route. The landscape is so beautiful in our surrounding areas it would be hard to choose. I have a handful that I really enjoy and that is somewhere between North Branch and Callicoon to Pepacton Reservoir and into Andes. Jeffersonville is the main gateway as it’s centrally located, you can start here and go in so many directions. When time allows, some routes I take can be 6 hours, but typically I do a three hour route almost daily.

What helpful information can you share for a beginner cyclist? And what would be a good distance or duration to start riding?

Getting started is quite simple, all you need is a bike and a helmet. I would also recommend a water bottle for longer rides or if its very hot. After a while, if you feel cycling will become a regular in your life, then I would recommend finding a bike that you are really comfortable with. The right bike is the one that fits you physically, you will find your riding experience much more pleasant.

As for a distance to start out with, it is really up to each person to decide. Small circles are best to start and from there test your limits, how long you are comfortable with a certain distance. The terrain runs a big part. A flat place would be best to start and always remember how far you cycle away from home, you do have to get back.

Is there anything else you would like to add? And the best way to stay up on news from your store?

In the Future, we do plan on group rides. These will probably be based on skill, fitness level, a certain pace and elevation over the course of a ride. This way, cyclists who would like to participate can view the ride on an app ahead of time to decide if they will be comfortable for that particular ride.

For right now, the best way to keep up on the shop’s news is to follow us on Instagram and Facebook @catskillcycleworks. You can also email us at info@catskillcycleworks.com or call the shop at 845-482-2431. Our shop is located at 4920 State Route 52 (Main Street).