Catskill Crew #050

🪨 Bluestone: The Stone That Built New York

Back in the 1800s, the Catskills held a treasure that shaped cities far beyond these mountains: bluestone. This tough, blue-gray rock wasn’t just a natural resource; it was the backbone of cities like New York and Philadelphia. While bluestone built the sidewalks and grand facades of these cities, its journey started in quarries scattered throughout our hills.

One of the most famous quarries was the Ulster Bluestone Company, which operated in Saugerties and helped put the region on the map. And then there was Ashokan Quarry—another major player in the bluestone boom. These quarries employed local workers who spent long days cutting massive slabs of stone by hand, braving the rugged Catskill terrain. Imagine the sound of chisels striking stone, the clatter of oxen-drawn carts loaded with bluestone, and the slow churn of riverboats on the Hudson.

The demand for bluestone skyrocketed, with notable architects like Richard Upjohn using it to create iconic structures like Trinity Church in Manhattan. Even the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted—the man behind Central Park—saw the value in the stone, incorporating it into his designs.

So why all the fuss over this simple stone? Bluestone’s strength and its signature blue-gray hue made it perfect for sidewalks, building facades, and curbs. Walk around lower Manhattan or Philadelphia today, and you’ll still see it—Catskill bluestone beneath your feet, quietly telling the story of the mountains it came from.

As the 19th century came to a close and concrete took over, the demand for bluestone began to fade. But the legacy of those quarries and the people who worked them still stands strong. Every slab that made its way to the city carried a piece of the Catskills with it—solid, enduring, and true.

Next time you find yourself on a bluestone sidewalk, take a moment. That stone has history, and it’s forever tied to the mountains we call home.

🌄 Community Creations

In the past, we dabbled with sharing art, poetry, and other works from the folks that call the Catskills home. I’d love to see that come back bigger and better than ever before. Have something you want to share? Hit me up anytime

🎣 Angler Report

After a 4 day pursuit of a very particular trout, who in the end evaded me, I put away the streamers and started swinging wet flies. One of my favorite and one of the most productive ways to spend time on a river. Looking to learn the technique? No better person to learn from than the legend Tom Rosenbauer tight lines

🐷 BBQ Success

What an event! Big thanks to everyone that came out to Shandaken Inn to mix and mingle. Shoutout to Chef Byron Lopez for cooking up a feast.

💫 Moment of Zen

🐕️ Adopt Morticia

Our Pet of the Week is Morticia! She’s a 16 week old pup for adoption at the Walden Humane Society adopt her

P.S. last weeks dog, Batter, was adopted 😍 

Catskill Crew partnered up with The Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association to showcase the best events happening in Sullivan County. Check out the link below to discover more.

Trout Unlimited: Ashokan-Pepacton Watershed Chapter
Fall Fund-Raising Dinner at Phoenicia Diner
Saturday, October 26th 6:30-9:30pm

Glen Falls House, Round Top - Industry Night: Tuesday Take Over from 4-8pm details

Big Eddy Brewing Co, Narrowsburg - Open Mic Night 7-10pm

Rewind Kingston, Kingston - Free Guided Nature Walks from 4:30-5:30pm get outside

Senate Garage, Kingston - Capital Vintage Clothing Swap from 12-6pm go

Tubbys, Kingston - Holy Motors + Sam Zalta + Faccia Brutta + DJ Trip Warner from 7-11pm details

Tinker Street Cinema, Woodstock - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversary at 8pm spooky season

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Upstairs Wednesdays info + Open Mic Night w/ Ryder Cooley from 7-9pm details

The Pines, Mt. Tremper - Music Night with Echo Rhythm Band from 7-9pm double smash burgers

Cabernet Frank's, Parksville - Cab'raoke Returns at 8pm

Roxbury Arts Group, Roxbury - Delaware County Arts Grant Information Session – Zoom from 6-7pm check it out

Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale - WTF Wednesdays: Eraserhead at 7pm deets

Tubbys, Kingston - Puke + Oceanator from 7-11pm check it out

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Queer Trivia Wednesdays with Diana Dysentery from 7:30-10pm info

The Local, Saugerties - The Habibi Festival Hudson Valley: Tarek Yamani and Yacine Boulares at 7pm tix

The Pines, Mt. Tremper - Art opening for Nikki Gerakos from 5-7pm

Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - Victor Wooten & The Wooten Brothers at 8pm lets go

Park Theatre, Hudson - Literary Night: A Galère of Poetic Autopsies from 7-10pm check it out

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Sound Patterns: A Night of Experimental & Ambient Music from 7:30-10pm tickets

Rough Draft, Kingston - Trivia with DJ Maxwell from 6-9pm

Keegan Ales, Kingston - Skip Owens at 6pm (Free) info

Ashokan Center, Olivebridge - New England Bladesmith's Fall Blade Seminar info

Athens Cultural Center, Athens - The Light in our Eyes : Youth Visions of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse at 5pm info

Starlite Motel, Kerhonkson - Catskills Cocktail Club hangs from 5-9pm

The Fullerton, Newburgh - Archtober Newburgh, 25+ events focused on the city’s architecture, preservation, and community check out the schedule  

Hudson Hall, Hudson - The 2024 Hudson Jazz Festival tix and schedule

Andes Hotel, Andes - Karaoke with DJ Tito from 8-11pm

Angry Orchard, Walden - Men Wear Pink: Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser from 5-9pm f*ck cancer

Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock - Hiss Golden Messenger at 8pm tickets

Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - Birdtalker at 8pm info

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - On the Fly Story Slam: Angels and Demons from 7-9pm info

Catskill Mountain Foundation, Hunter - Theater: Old Jews Telling Jokes at 7pm (until Oct.5) deets

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Julie's Girls Club - Speed Dating/Friending from 6-9pm check it out

West Kill Supply, Kingston - DJ Whippoorwill cheers

Belleayre, Highmount - Fall Festival from 10am-5pm see you there

Catskill Center - Lark in the Park: Hike to Echo Lake from 9am-3pm lace up followed by the Fall Benefit from 5:30-9pm info

Mountain Top Arboretum, Tannersville - Poetry Potluck with Mermer Blakeslee from 10-11:30am details

Hudson Hall, Hudson - The 2024 Hudson Jazz Festival tix and schedule  

The Old Foundation, Kenoza Lake - Foundation of Funk from 9:30pm onwards funky

Westwind Orchard, Accord - Live music by Adam Fitch from 5-8pm sip sip

Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale - Saturday Creature Features: House Of Dark Shadows (1970) at 4pm deets

The Fullerton, Newburgh - Archtober Newburgh, 25+ events focused on the city’s architecture, preservation, and community check out the schedule  

Bushel Collective, Delhi - Symbiocene Era: Artists Envision Environmental Symbiosis from 4-7pm it’ll be good

Pine Hill Community Center, Pine Hill - Ricky Zia Holi-Daze Art Opening Reception from 2-4pm info

1053 Gallery, Fleischmanns - Magicians, Musicians, and Mystics from 4-7pm (until Nov.17) check it out

Scribner's Lodge, Hunter - Fall Fest Mini Market in the Garden from 1-5 PM details

Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, Livingston Manor - Saturday Fly Tyers Series - John Apgar from 11am-3pm tight lines

Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - The Helm Family Midnight Ramble at 8pm tix

Roxbury Arts Group, Roxbury - Still Life Photography with Peter Pioppo from 110am-2pm info

Catskill Recreation Center, Arkville - Cross Mountain Crusher 2024 from 8:30am-6pm info

Tubbys, Kingston - Mong Tong (Taiwan)) along with Lea Bertucci and Cleek Schrey from 7-11pm deets

West Kill Supply, Kingston - Live tunes from Spaceheater and No Shelter from 5-8pm

West Kill Brewing, West Kill - Live music from The Hilltown Ramblers

Woodstock Outpost, Woodstock - Phoenicia Flea from 11am-4:30pm

Belleayre, Highmount - Fall Festival from 10am-5pm see you there

Opus 40, Saugerties - Mindful Birding with Molly Adams of the Feminist Bird Club from 10:30am-12:30pm spotted

Kitty’s, Hudson - Live tunes with NYC-based Wayne Tucker and The Bad Mothas 5:30-8pm tickets

Hudson Hall, Hudson - The 2024 Hudson Jazz Festival tix and schedule

Park Theatre, Hudson - Molly Parden, Eliza Edens, and Louisa Stancioff w/s/g Keenan O’Meara from 8-11pm tix

The Local, Saugerties - Kavita Shah's Cape Verdean Blues at 5pm more info

Ashokan Center, Olivebridge - Build a Bug Hotel more info

Catskill Center - Hiking, Painting, and Drawing 10am-4pm info

The Fullerton, Newburgh - Archtober Newburgh, 25+ events focused on the city’s architecture, preservation, and community check out the schedule  

Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown - Fall Car Show from 12-4pm rev up

Tubbys, Kingston - Sachiko Kanenobu + Sammy Weissberg + Ben Seretan from 7-11pm details

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Piano Nights with Paul from 7-10pm learn more

West Kill Brewing, West Kill - Outdoor Yoga from 10:30-11:30am down dog

Catskill Center, Claryville - Mushroom ID Walk to Red Hill Fire Tower 10am-2pm info

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Quivers / Field Guides / Lea Thomas from 8-10:30pm more info