Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, New York

The History of Mohonk:

Mohonk Mountain House, located in New Paltz, New York, was the dream of the Quaker twins Albert and Alfred Smiley after they first saw Mohonk Lake in 1869 and purchased 310 acres with a modest tavern on its northwestern shore. The House opened for its first season on June 1, 1870. It could accommodate 40 guests, who were mostly close friends of the two brothers at the time.

Soon notables among the guests, such as U. S. Vice President Schuyler Colfax, spread testimonials that would attract more of the well-to-do and the educated to a mountain scenery which he described as “most beautiful and picturesque.”

The growing numbers who patronized Mohonk during its first decade and a half necessitated expansion and improvement of the Mountain House. The house was enlarged in 1871. The laundry and ice house were enlarged in 1875. The Rock Building, a wooden structure built on the outcrop of rock by the edge of lake, and the oldest existing section of the current complex, was constructed in 1879.

In 1869, a setting of rocky cliffs rising above a crystal-blue glacial lake in the Hudson River Valley inspired twin brothers Albert and Alfred Smiley to create Mohonk Mountain House, a haven where guests can experience rest, relaxation, and renewal of body, mind, and spirit in a beautiful natural setting. More than 138 years later, it is still owned and operated by the Smiley family.

What began as a small guesthouse has since evolved into a rambling assimilation of fanciful turreted and crenellated local stone and gabled-frame constructions, spanning the late Victorian Revival through the Arts and Crafts periods of American architectural design. Mohonk Mountain House now sprawls along the Shawangunk Ridge along the northwestern corner of Lake Mohonk, or “Lake in the Sky.” The building actually butts up against the half-mile-long, 60-foot-deep lake and spreads out across 2,200 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds abutting the 6,400-acre Mohonk Preserve.

This pastoral setting puts 85 miles of hiking trails at the doorstep of each of its 265 guest rooms, including 18 tower units and suites, and 125 summerhouses. Mohonk also offers tennis, golf, lake swimming, boating, horseback riding, carriage rides, rock climbing, ice-skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, a full-service spa, a fitness center, children’s programs and more. But its location may be Mohonk’s biggest asset, inviting invigorating outdoor recreation and year-round relaxation.

Mohonk is surrounded by thousands of acres of wilderness, formal gardens and trails with exquisite vistas.

Original photography along the surrounding region of Mohonk

deletereply starfishred wrote on Oct 24, ’08 Beautiful pictures, and very interesting history thanks.

deletereply entenglim wrote on Oct 24, ’08 i love the aerial shots…beautiful colors…!

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Oct 25, ’08 Thanks, these are scanned photos, not digital.

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Oct 25, ’08 The colors are so bright and beautiful !

deletereply entenglim wrote on Oct 25, ’08 lauritasita said Thanks, these are scanned photos, not digital. nonetheless, they are beautiful…!

deletereply forgetmenot525 wrote on Oct 25, ’08 those colours are beautiful, just the forest on its own is an art work in itself ……….such colours!!

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Oct 25, ’08 I think autumn is the best time to take pictures !

deletereply nemo4sun wrote on Oct 26, ’08 so beautifull 🙂

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Oct 26, ’08 Thanks Nemo !

deletereply nemo4sun wrote on Oct 26, ’08 you’re welcome 🙂

deletereply wickedlyinnocent wrote on Oct 26, ’08 Beautiful pictures, such amazing colours, autumn really is the best time of the year to take photos. Thanks for the information on Mohonk Mountain House too. Have a wonderful week.