woodbourne

What would become one of the most progressive hotels in the Catskills, Chester's Zunbarg (Zunbarg was later dropped as it sounded too German) started out with humble beginnings. Founded by two sisters who married two brothers, Chester’s began during the Great Depression when one of the brothers became ill, suggesting the family get away from the tension of the city and move into the farmhouse they owned in Woodbourne, NY.
 

Even though this was during the Depression, they decided there was no better time to build a resort. Sam Chester, one of the founders, was a well-known Jewish writer and so the first clientele were from the Jewish Intelligentsia: writers, painters, puppeteers, literary critics, theatre people, and such, which would thus set the image of Chesters.
 

After a few years, the resort was taken over by one of the sisters, Anne Chester who created a unique and vibrant hotel and who saw it through to the end of the Borscht Belt heydays. The resort catered exclusively to adults, primarily singles, creating a vibrant atmosphere with ads stating: Chesters, an informal adult resort for the nicest people ever.
 

Chesters had a unique point of view, Anne offered her guests what she would like in a vacation, and so were fortunate in appealing to people interested in the Arts and good company, aside from the general vacation pleasures which they were equipped to offer: swimming in the Olympic pool, tennis on championship courts, and boating on a lovely little lake, Herman Chester named "Lake Godsend" for when they were converting a very lively brook into the lake, he said it would be a Godsend if it worked out.
 

Chester's was a balanced vacation destination, as Anne ensured that besides sports, including yoga and meditation, the hotel also included a program of good music, painting, sculpture, crafts, discussion groups...all headed by people well known in their fields.
 

Anne Chester also ensured that Chester's felt like home to both the guests and to the staff. This started as a resort built by family and ended as a resort run by an extended family. Her personal friends grew to encompass guests, staff and performers.
 

One of her friends, Ray Lev, an internationally acclaimed pianist wanted to assemble well known musicians to play chamber music together...which would become a cultural hub and drew a wide range of talent each year including Harriet Wingreen who was featured in Sonato Recitals at Townhall, the Metropolitian Museum Concerts; Leonard Posner - 1st Violin with Casals Festival Orchestra in France and then Concert Master for the Dallas Symphony; and David Nadian who was the 1st Violinist and for years the concert master of the NY Philharmonic.
 

After the hotel closed, Anne spoke at the New School and fondly remembered some of her friends that used to entertain at Chester's:

- Anne Bancroft who was married to Mel Brooks and in The Graduate
- Harry Bellefonte who left from Chester's for his first Hollywood
engagement. Jack Rollins, his manager then, brought him up to take him
to Kennedy Airport...Jack Rollins just produced, with Woody Allen,
Annie Hall.
- Alan Arkin who started out as a folk singer and arrived to Chesters'
very late for their engagement, apologized and explained he was
waiting for his son to be born
- Alex Dobkin
- Norman Atkins
- Sam Levinson
- Jack Gilford
- Martha Schlamme
 

Chester's was not just about the hotel, but also about the woman who many looked up to and admired - Anne. So this is not just a story about a hotel but a piece of family history as so many of the Catskill hotels were.
 

As Anne closed her speech at the New School, she said: "I have to add that a small group was expected due to unusually hot weather. Because of this Arnold called to ask me if I was sure that I wanted to give the paper. I said that I was really writing so my grandchildren would know about Chesters' but thanks for calling. When I arrived at The New School, so many people had come to hear my talk that we moved to the main auditorium. At the end of my talk I was given a standing ovation.