Now & Then Minnewaska State Park Preserve 5281 Route 44-55, Kerhonkson

Minnewaska, translates from two Native American languages to mean "good water."

The Minnewaska State Park Preserve is a 22,275-acre preserve located on the Shawangunk Ridge in Ulster County. The park is managed by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Four of the five lakes on the Shawangunk Ridge lie within the preserve: Lake Minnewaska, Lake Awosting, Mud Pond (also known as Lake Haseco), and Lake Maratanza; Mohonk Lake is on the property of the Mohonk Mountain House. 

Originally part of Albert and Alfred Smiley's Mohonk Mountain House property, the Minnewaska Mountain House, or Cliff House, was built in 1879. After managing and developing Mohonk's early growth for ten years, twin Alfred H. Smiley purchased and developed Minnewaska separate from Mohonk. There was also a second hotel called Wildmere. In 1955, Kenneth B. Phillips, Sr., the Minnewaska general manager, bought the property from the Smiley family. Cliff House was abandoned in 1972 due to maintenance costs; it burned to the ground in 1978. Wildmere closed in 1979 and also was destroyed by fire in 1986.

New York State bought the property in 1987 and opened the Minnewaska State Park Preserve in 1993. An expansion of an additional 5,400 acres was added in 1996 when the Open Space Institute transferred acreage to the preserve from the old Ellenville watershed lands, now called Sam's Point Preserve. 

For more information visit parks.ny.gov/parks/minnewaska/details.aspx.

Seeking photos for Now & Then feature

Now & Then takes a look at places, people and landmarks in our area from a moment in time. We are looking for copies of historical photos (no originals please). Full details about the photo and the history behind it, if any, must be included. Please be sure to include the location (city, village or town) of the photo and the year, as well as a contact number or email if additional information is needed. Mail all information and photos to:

Now & Then

℅ Donna Kessler

Times Herald-Record

PO Box 2046

Middletown, N.Y. 10940

or email dkessler@th-record.com.