Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project

Borscht Belt Historical Marker ProjectBorscht Belt Historical Marker ProjectBorscht Belt Historical Marker Project

Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project

Borscht Belt Historical Marker ProjectBorscht Belt Historical Marker ProjectBorscht Belt Historical Marker Project
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  • Home
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    • The Borscht Belt
    • Monticello
    • Mountain Dale
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    • South Fallsburg
    • Kiamesha Lake
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ellenville

Location: Ellenville Public Library 40 Center Street

 Ellenville Marker Text: 


An eastern gateway to the Borscht Belt, Ellenville has attracted visitors since the 19th century. In 1901, the Slutsky family opened the Nevele and Fallsview hotels. Both offered a picturesque valley setting, waterfall, and extensive amenities. The Nevele’s distinctive 10-story tower, skating rink and bas-relief sculpture represent the modernist architecture movement of the mid-20th century.  


At its peak in the 1950s, Ellenville had 20 bungalow colonies and 29 hotels such as Jans, Kleinman’s, Sun Ray, Zisselman’s, Arrowhead Lodge, Breeze Lawn Hotel, Echo Hotel, and Melbourne Hotel. It was also home to Mount Cathalia, a Chinese American ski resort.  


In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson, the only sitting president to visit the Catskills, dedicated a hospital in Ellenville with Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Both stayed at The Nevele. 

Stand-up comedy originated in the Borscht Belt. Comedians such as Lenny Bruce, Red Buttons, Rodney Dangerfield, Phyllis Diller, Gilbert Gottfried, Susie Essman, Shecky Greene, Mal Z. Lawrence, Bill Maher, Jackie Mason, Marilyn Michaels and countless others performed here.    

ELLENVILLE dedication ceremony

SPEAKERS

Evan Trent: Mayor of Ellenville 


Dara Gottfried -- Film, Podcast, Album and Live Event Producer. Manager and Photography Archivist of the Arlene Gottfried collection, and wife of Gilbert Gottfried

  

David Slutsky -- one of the 4th generation of the Slutsky family that, over the years, built, owned, and operated the Nevele.


Elliot Auerbach -- a lifelong Ellenville resident, comes from a family that owned and operated Ace Hardware in the village. He served three terms as Mayor of Ellenville and brings a deep, personal connection to the Borscht Belt era from mucking stalls at the Nevele Hotel stables and working as a busboy at the Fallsview, to serving as a ski instructor at the Pines Hotel.



*This project is made possible with funds from the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson.

ellenville marker dedication photos

dedication speeches

Elliot Auerbach Speech (pdf)

Download

Marisa Scheinfeld Speech (pdf)

Download

ellenville hotels and bungalow colonies

Hotels

Arrowhead Lodge

Boxer's Hotel

Breeze Lawn Hotel

Mount Cathalia

Eagle Mountain House

Evergreen Manor

The Fallsview

Fountain Hill House

Griswold's Tourist Inn

Hastie's Mountain House

Kinberg's Castlewood Inn

Merryville Hotel

Mount Meenagha Lodge

Mountain Spring Hotel

Nevele Country Club

Orchard House(Cohen's)

Overlook Hotel

Parkway Inn

Pine View House

Rabinowitz's

Rande's Hotel

Rivera Country Club

Ritter's Sagamore Inn

Shatzin's

Sunshine View House

Terrace Hill Hotel

Wayside Inn


Bungalow Colonies

Boxer’s Dairy Farm

Brook Lake Heights

Fishman’s

Hand’s (later Jan’s)

Ideal

Jan’s (previously Hand’s)

Kleinman’s Farm

Kozan’s

Laurenkill

Luxor Manor

Mike & Ann's

Oakwood Cottages

Pine View House

Reichel

Steinberg’s

Sun Ray Bungalows

Swerdloff’s Lakefront Cottages

Zisselman’s

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