The Catskill Mountains have long been a favored vacation destination. Even before highways and fast cars, city residents would make the trip up to the Catskills for a retreat. Unlike today’s vacation craving for non-stop activity, many travelers once went to unwind, escape, or restore their body and mind, with a bit of excitement mixed in.
A notable location was in the Town of Shandaken, near Big Indian and Oliveria. This area was once known as Vacation Valley, offering weary city dwellers an opportunity to take in the natural beauty of the area, enjoy the fresh air, and marvel at the clear lakes and streams. Here is a video that takes you back in time, offering a glimpse of what it was like.
This movie of the Big Indian Oliveria Valley was made in 2019 by Chris Van Cleeck of Winnisook Club with special help from Kathleen Myers of the Shandaken Historical Museum.
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