Fallsburg Expanded History
The story of the tourism industry in Sullivan County, particularly in the Town of Fallsburg, is vast and vibrant. From its boarding houses to its later large hotels and resorts, Fallsburg was a major hub of the Borscht Belt. This segment of Route 42, known as “Hotel Row,” led to about 79 hotels and 107 bungalow colonies. One of the first Fallsburg hotels was The Flagler. The Flagler family opened it as a Christian resort in the 1870s. In 1908, Carrie Flagler Angel sold the hotel to Jewish developers Fleischer and Morganstern, who retained the family name in hopes that guests would believe it was connected to the numerous luxury hotels built in Florida by oil tycoon Henry Flagler. Flagler’s Florida hotels inspired a genre of Borscht Belt hotel design. The architectural style was characterized by stucco, pastel colors, arched windows and parapets. Later known as Sullivan County Mission style, the design was favored at many resorts. Other notable area destinations were the Ambassador, Eldorado, and Lebowitz Pine View hotels, and the Phyl-Bob Colony Day Camp.
