Sneak Peek: Sullivan County Secrets

SULLIVAN COUNTY SECRETS

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

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SULLIVAN

COUNTY ‘A look at local treasures’ AUTUMN SCHANIL | DEMOCRAT

The Beaverkill Valley Inn is set on 60 acres within the Catskill Park and is a comfortable 19-room Inn that rests close by the upper Beaverkill.

‘Close to the source’

BY AUTUMN SCHANIL

I

t’s no secret that the Catskills are a highly-coveted destination for anglers and fly-fisherman from all over the world. The well-known Upper Delaware River and the many reservoirs that provide New York City its water abound with fishing sites, although some are permit-only.

Our very own Town of Roscoe has been dubbed “Trout Town USA” – a place where the Willowemoc Creek and the Beaverkill River come together at Junction Pool.

So where does the secret lie?

On a long, winding road that runs along the banks of the Beaverkill, past old beautiful farmhouses that have since been abandoned, continuing deeper into the Catskills and the wooded countryside, you round a corner to see a petite bridge on the left that crosses over rushing water to a sweet boarding-style house tucked into the trees: The Beaverkill Valley Inn. “The Beaverkill Valley Inn is privately owned by the Mountain Club Membership,” said Sales and Hospitality Manager Kathy Bryant. “What I think is absolutely lovely is that originally the Beaverkill Valley Inn was called the Bonnie View Inn. It was built by Mr. Towse in 1895 on the banks of the Beaverkill River as a sporting lodge. It has since gone through three private ownerships but it has always been open to the sporting public.”

In 1980, Larry Rockefeller purchased the Inn, modernizing it to the splendor that it is today – a pristine example of classic Catskill architecture – and the original owners were wise when building it. They

built it high enough so that at certain times of the year when the river rises, nothing gets flooded or goes underwater.

“It’s just a beautifully maintained building,” Bryant said, “and we’re on the National Historic Register, so we’re pretty proud of that.”

According to Bryant, the Beaverkill is well sought out, a kind of ‘bucket list’ item for avid anglers from around the world for its free-flowing water that’s never been dammed, it’s year-round cold temperature that maintains healthy trout, and because it’s shaded.

Heavy tree coverage is important to the health of a stream because of the food chain that is created from falling leaves, insects, and more.

“The Beaverkill springs out of the Balsam Lake, so we’re close to the source, and the Upper Beaverkill River where we are, is flanked by two sections of private water from two different private trout clubs, so anyone who isn’t part of a club is able to stay here and fish the

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY THE BEAVERKILL VALLEY INN

Two fly fishermen set up their rods prior to casting a line on the famed Beaverkill one mile of river that is available to our guests only,” Bryant said. “We’ve had people come from New Zealand, Australia, Japan, England, and all across the United States.”

“Of course, not every person that stays at the Inn fishes, although we do hope they try it out,” Bryant added. “We have a lot of comfortable amenities for spouses or family who are staying with us, like hiking

trails, an indoor pool and tennis courts. We even have a hockey rink in winter.”

And if that’s not enough, just upstream from the Beaverkill Valley Inn is the Wulff School of Fly-Fishing that Joan and Lee Wulff opened in 1979 at 1924 Beaver Kill Rd. Also in 1979, Elsie Darbee, with the help of nine dedicated individuals, opened the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and

Museum (CFFCM) further down the valley on 1031 Old Route 17, between Manor and Roscoe.

“CFFCM is absolutely a hidden gem in the Catskills,” said CFFCM Business Development Director Robert Ceccarini. “We’re located right on the fabled Willowemoc where the fishing is superb.”

What most people don’t know is the CFFCM is now the world’s largest center dedicated to the fly fishing community, and aims to be a focal point in the community in preserving tradition and history while continuing to encourage a new generation of fly fisherman.

“The Catskill Fly Tyers Guild meets at the Center monthly for those interested in tying, and they’ve partnered with us on Kids on the Fly to teach anyone who wants to learn how to tie a fly,” stated CFFCM’s Executive Director John Kovach. “We have events like Summerfest, and we’ll be expanding our offerings to have regular lessons on our

grounds.”

CFFCM is also broadening the scope of their events and will be welcoming the Zane Grey Plein Air Painters for arts events, and looking to have author talks and movies. Most of their events are open to the public.

So if you’re here in the Catskills, get on some thigh high waders and give fly fishing a try.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BY THE BEAVERKILL VALLEY INN

Taking a break after a morning of fly fishing on the Beaverkill.

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The stretch of the Willewemoc River the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum bridge crosses is called the Wulff Run, named after Lee Wulff, the father of "Catch and Release Fishing."

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Preserving a legacy and vision

BY AUTUMN SCHANIL

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His photographs from his series Boat of No Smiles helped bring 200,000 Vietnamese refugees asylum in the United States.

But his gallery of work and legacy is so much more than that one photo. Adams shot a series of photographs of Vietnamese refugees that were sailing to Thailand in a 30foot boat that was eventually towed back out to the open sea by the Thai Marines.

“Eddie got on a plane when he was working with AP, and flew to Thailand. When he got there, he saw the boat of South Vietnamese refugees that were just offshore. Eddie went and grabbed bags of rice and water, and he jumped on the boat,” Alyssa said.

“The refugees were just floating out on the ocean, and Eddie was with them,” she added. “He was with them for most of that day before AP got word that he was on that boat and the Thai police went out to get him. Although he was there for just a few hours, he made some incredible images and called the series, ‘Boat of No Smiles.’”

Alyssa explained that Adams had said wherever in the world it was that he went, whether there was starvation or disaster, the children always mugged for the camera.

They were always smiling and they always wanted their photo taken, but on these boats, the children didn’t smile. The families were out in the hot sun and there was a shortage of water. He said their situation was so desperate, not even the children cared about the camera. “[Jimmy] Carter was President back then, and people had been lobbying to help bring Vietnamese refugees to

the United States,” stated Alyssa. “At some point Eddie’s photos made it to Congress, and his images helped in making the decision for the refugees to be brought here, and of course, he felt really good about that.”

Adams won the Robert Capa Gold Medal from Overseas Press Club for his series, and the photographs helped in persuading the President to grant more than 200,000 refugees asylum.

According to Alyssa, the other key element to Adams’ career was when he included editorial portrait photography into his style of work.

“In the beginning he was a photojournalist, so he wasn’t setting up photos – he wasn’t altering anything – it was all very pure. He was out in the field capturing things as they were, the way he was experiencing them,” Alyssa said, “But then he did a story on these coal miners in West Virginia for AP and took a photo of a Vietnam Vet coal miner standing next to a donkey, and it was the first portrait that he made that Eddie said his subject made direct eye contact with the camera,” she continued. “From there he went on to start doing more portrait work.”

In 1980 Adams became a PARADE magazine photographer and from 1982-2004 he was a special correspondent for them, making portraits of high profile figures such as Mother Teresa, Fidel Castro, Bette Davis, Ronald Reagan, and Jerry Lewis.

Adams’ photos of the Vietnam War changed the face of war and combat photography.

During his time as a PARADE photographer, Adams photographed many high-profile figures.

So where does all of this fit into the Catskills?

From a small town himself, Adams was looking for property in the countryside close to his then current home in New Jersey.

He specifically wanted property with a barn on it. In 1976, Adams purchased the old dairy farm in Jeffersonville and with the help of some of his closest colleagues and friends, converted the barn into what it is today: a place where 100 students get the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the photojournalism world over the course of four days, forming bonds with the families and people in Sullivan County that they spend two days photographing.

“Eddie really wanted to give back,” Alyssa said. “He grew up in a small town, started small in his career, and through people he was meet-

Eddie Adams is most well known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph, Saigon Execution. ing and based on the merit of his photographs, he got to where he did. He wanted to give other people, from all around the world, that same chance and in a shorter time period. Students are meeting photographers here that they may not otherwise get the opportunity to meet.”

And Alyssa, with the help of friends, volunteers, staff, and returning alumni, has kept the Workshop going, even after Adams passed in 2004, to preserve his legacy and his vision.

She’s also created two books highlighting Adams’

work as well as donated his archive, which includes slides, prints, negatives, audio and video materials, diaries, news stories, notes and more, to the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin.

“It’s an ongoing project,” Alyssa added. “There’s a lot that I still want to do, places that I want to give to.”

So if you haven’t already, take a moment to look up Eddie Adams and read a little bit about his life and work. It’s full, complicated, and beyond inspiring.

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t’s not everyday you come across a prestigious photojournalism seminar where students are hand picked each year, attend tuition-free, learn from top photographers and photojournalists in the industry, and is located in the mountainous countryside of a small rural community.

That workshop is known as Barnstorm: The Eddie Adams Workshop and it’s located right here in the Catskills on what was once an old dairy farm in Jeffersonville.

The late Eddie Adams was born in 1933 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, growing up with an interest in photography and photographing weddings. Shortly after graduating high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps and spent three years as a combat photographer during the Korean War. After leaving the Marines, Adams began working at the Evening

Bulletin in Philadelphia for about four years.

“After the Marines, Eddie worked at some smaller newspapers around the country. During that time he became a photographer for AP (Associated Press),” said Adams’ wife Alyssa Adams, who he met at a birthday party in 1983. “That opened up a whole world to him. At that time AP was the largest news photo agency and becoming an AP photographer was key to his success.”

Adams is most known for the photograph he took covering the Vietnam War. The photo was of police chief General Nguyen Loan executing a Vietcong prisoner named Nguyen Van Lem, winning a Pulitzer Prize for the Spot News Photography as well as a World Press Photo award.

“That really put him on the map,” Alyssa said, “and even to this day that’s still how people recognize who he is.”

SULLIVAN COUNTY SECRETS

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

SULLIVAN

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‘A look at local treasures’

COUNTY

Arts standing the test of time

BY AUTUMN SCHANIL

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Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Glen Spey is located at 329 High Rd., Glen Spey. Built in 1972, it is under the authority of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.

Far from home STORY AND PHOTOS

BY AUTUMN SCHANIL

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len Spey was named for the spring-filled glens, or ravines, that occur naturally in the area. It’s a hamlet that still appears very wild, with roads lined with shady Hemlock trees and typical river valley terrain.

But driving through, surprising markers showcasing the history of the area pop into view every now and then like the historical Gate House or the Mountain View Manor.

Even more impressive, yet also odd, is rounding the corner on High Road to come upon a massive wooden Church and Bell Tower of Eastern European architecture set back from the road and towering amongst the trees.

The St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Church is striking, bold, and beautiful. Built in 1967, the church was designed

by Ukrainian architect Apollinare Osadca in the style of churches built in the Carpathian Mountain region of Ukraine.

And just one mile down the road?

Another church that towers above the trees, standing alone on clear land, known as

the Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church established in 1971.

Both of the churches were established and built by Ukrainians, who had emigrated during World War II. Glen Spey deeply reminded them of the land and country they had left behind, and with such an influx of Ukrainians in the area, the community began calling it a “Little Ukraine.”

The churches were a way for them to continue to practice their faith, whether Orthodox or Catholic, in a land that was so similar yet so far from home.

It was a way of keeping their community together and supported, eventually blossoming with events, summer camps, and a three-day Ukrainian festival that was hosted throughout the 80s and 90s.

Although the community has dwindled over the years, both churches still hold mass on Sundays, bringing families from Ukraine, Russia, and even Belarus, together.

If mass on Sundays isn’t your thing, the churches are still a magnificent site to behold amongst the old mansions and Hemlocks on this back country road.

et back away from the hustle and bustle of town or city, tucked into the trees and surrounded by blossoming gardens, stands a classic weathered barn and a large sign that reads “Forestburgh Playhouse.”

The drive to the Playhouse is something out of an old storybook — beautiful tall trees lining the roads and barely anyone in sight, except for the occasional wildwood creature. Parking the car and stepping out, you first hear the birds chirping and then the colors of the flowers and the gardens unfold before you. The renovated and wellkept barn seems quiet and normal, but walking through its doors, it’s anything but.

Imagine rows of theater seats that slope down to a stage filled with light and well-executed backdrops.

People are whispering quietly as they’re taking their seats, some for the first time, while others have been sitting in these seats for years.

“One of the things that people don’t really know about the Forestburgh Playhouse is that it has been in continuous operation for 73 years,” said Forestburgh Playhouse Producer Franklin Trapp. “It truly is a Sullivan County landmark that stood the test of time. It’s tucked away in the mountains, so it’s pretty exciting that a little theater like this has been flourishing for so long, creating such great art

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Although Franklin Trapp announced the Forestburgh Playhouse will not reopen this summer, he is already making plans for 2021's season. for the community, and visitors.”

The Forestburgh Playhouse initially had been named the Forestburgh Summer The-

atre, a dream born into life by John Grahame and Alexander Maissei, who had bought what was originally known as the Klebs farm in the early

1940s.

With the help of actors, apprentices, and their wives, they renovated the old Kleb barn into a theatre, officially opening in July of 1947 with their first production, “Blithe Spirit.”

For its first 25 years of life, the Playhouse operated as a theatre and school, teaching apprentices daily classes in acting, speech and movement.

The theatre repertoire in those days was very different than what it is now. Performances such a Shakespeare, Ibsen and Shaw graced the stage along with musical productions consisting mostly of Gilbert and Sullivan.

But as life went on, and death took its toll on its founders, the Summer Theatre was left in the hands of Alexander’s wife, who found it harder and harder to keep things going. So in 1980 the property and barn were sold and the Forestburgh Summer Theatre became the Forestburgh Playhouse, ushering in a new era of musical productions and comedies.

Now run by Producing Director Norman Duttweiler and Producer Franklin Trapp, the Playhouse is a center of life, entertainment, and joy with close to 35,000 patrons attending each year.

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forest,” Trapp said with a smile.

“We’re bringing performers in from all over the country, and performers with Broadway credit from NYC, so our directors are working in professional theater all over the world,” he continued, “so the quality of talent that comes in every summer and how quickly we’re able to produce 8 productions in just twelve weeks, is a really massive undertaking. It takes the entire rest of the year to prepare for those three months, it’s quite a process.”

This year the Playhouse will be celebrating its 74th season, continuing to grow in popularity and fun.

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The Forestburgh Playhouse recently made the difficult decision to cancel their 2020 season. about the Playhouse is that when people come, they’re not just seeing a show, they’re having a whole experience,” Trapp stated. “They can walk around the gardens, enjoy a meal or a

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cabaret at the Tavern. There’s plenty of activities for kids.

There’s just so many experiences to be had, not only coming to see a show, so that’s really fun.”

According to Trapp, the Playhouse is a place where family is created since its beginnings between the artists that come in, the supporters, subscribers, patrons, and the amazing base of people who have been around them for years.

“Live theater, live entertainment, is so crucial for us as a society because not only does it provide an emotional escape or an emotional elevation but it also makes people think and grow and learn,” Trapp added.

“In addition to that it’s also an incredibly educational medium that is wonderful for young people to come and participate in. Especially right now, in times like this. The arts are so needed.”

And the arts can be found all around Sullivan County, if you’re really looking. Places like Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, not far from the Playhouse, where you can enjoy concerts of some of the world’s top performers, educational programs for both kids and adults, events and festivals year round, and their museum dedicated to the ‘60s and Woodstock. The North American Cultural Laboratory, or NACL, that’s home to incredibly innovative performing arts; the Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre; The Callicoon Theater; The Rivoli Theatre and many more.

So if the performing arts are your thing, you’ll find it here, or perhaps, it’ll find you.

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