Customer Reviews

To the Mountains by Rail: People, Events, and Tragedies... the New York, Ontario and Western Railway and the Famous Sullivan County Resorts

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This book is the definitive history of Sullivan County's famed "borscht belt" resorts, as well as its tuberculosis sanitariums and the vital New York, Ontario and Western Railway which brought clientele to the mountains. It is currently available from Purple Mountain Press in Fleischmanns, NY as a reprint. It was originally printed in 1970 by Wakefair Press. Used editions show up from time to time in the $80 to $100 range, especially those signed by the author.

This book covers the history of Sullivan County very well. You can't get a better source of reference to the Railroads that went through Sullivan County, New York. I live in the town of Grahamsville, NY where the author was from and I think this book should commemorate the author whom I wish I had known. He was also the Sullivan County Historian so I have heard.

(. . .) The book has been out of print (approximately) since 1995. The last printing was 1989 with 2500 copies being issued from Purple Mountain Press. Although slightly smaller in size this edition was not reprinted from the original plates, but is still a faithful reprint. If you are looking for the 1970 1st ed. or 1976 1st ed., 2nd printing be prepared to spend some money (. . .). If you are a serious collector of Sullivan County material the cost will not be an issue. One of the main reasons that this book is so important is that it contains many rare photos from private collections from long deceased families of Sullivan County. Many photos of early boarding houses, hotels, private family residences, landscapes, etc. abound.

This work picks up where James Eldridge Quinlan's 1873 'History of Sullivan County' leaves off. It is a "bible-type book; one which you keep going back to, over and over again. It takes you back to a simpler, bucholic, pioneering time. An excellent book....