Catskill Crew #051

🪵 The Tanneries of the Catskills

In the 19th century, the Catskill Mountains became the heart of New York’s booming leather tanning industry. Hemlock bark, rich in tannin, was crucial for tanning hides, and the abundance of these trees fueled the rise of large tanneries like Zadock Pratt’s in Prattsville, which became one of the largest in the world.

However, the industry’s success came at a devastating environmental cost. An estimated 70 million hemlock trees were cut down during the tanning industry's peak. The trees were stripped of their bark, and the trunks left to rot where they fell. This wasteful deforestation destroyed habitats, killed wildlife, and caused severe soil erosion. Tanneries also polluted nearby rivers and streams, harming water quality and the native brook trout populations, which depend on clean, cold water to survive.

By the 1870s, the depletion of hemlock forests caused the tanning industry’s decline, leaving behind a scarred landscape. The damage was so extensive that many doubted whether the Catskills could ever recover.

Despite this, the region has shown resilience. Conservation efforts over the past century have restored parts of the forests and waterways. While the native brook trout are not yet thriving, their populations are improving, and the Catskills’ ecosystems are gradually recovering.

The history of the Catskill tanneries is a reminder of the delicate balance between industry and nature. Though the old-growth forests may never fully return, the region’s ongoing recovery offers hope for a more sustainable future.

🌄 Crew Creations

Arcs and Angles, Waterfall, 2024. Created and submitted by Crew Member, Mariella Bisson. Want to share what you are working on? email me

💫 Moment of Zen

🐕️ Adopt Winchester

Our Pet of the Week is Winchester! He’s a 1 year old Labarador Retriever up adoption at the Kingston SPCA adopt

💳️ Crew Cards

Many moons ago, we launched the Catskill Crew Card, a collection of 10 one-time discounts for local businesses across the Catskills. Should we do a second card?

If you have a business and are interested in being on the card reach out 

Deer Mountain Inn, Tannersville - Movie night in the garden with Lost Highway at 6pm

Tubbys, Kingston - Tube Alloys + Pyrex + TVO + Dauber at 7pm tix

Unicorn Bar, Kingston - Live music with Jonathan Richman at 7pm tix

Keegan Ales, Kingston - Trivia Break Tuesdays at 6:30pm

Tinker Street Cinema, Woodstock - The Warriors is playing at 8pm get your popcorn

Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale - Classic Film Series: The Ghost And Mrs. Muir (1947) at 2pm tix followed by Music Fan Series: Round Midnight at 7pm tix

The Pines, Mount Tremper - The Steve Almaas Selection from 7-9pm info

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Sleepover Trading Co. Presents: Ghost Watch from 7-9pm tix

Mountain Top Arboretum, Tannersville - Yoga for Gardening with Pamela Martin from 3:15-4:15pm down dog

Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock - The Devil Makes Three at 8pm tix

Tubbys, Kingston - Julie Beth Napolin + Tom Carter + Wednesday Knudsen at 7pm tix

Catskill Center, Spruceton Road - Lark in the park: Hunter Mountain from 10am-2:30pm get outside

Pearl Moon, Woodstock - Thursday Open Mic night from 6-9pm

Rough Draft, Kingston - Read Like a Writer Book Club from 6-7:30pm info

Tubbys, Kingston - Angry Blackmen + Skech185 + afk at 7pm tix

West Kill Supply, Kingston - Trivia and pizza truck at 6:30pm

The Pines, Mount Tremper - Game Night from 7-9pm

Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre, Hurleyville - live music with Shane Rennison from 5-9pm

Deer Mountain Inn, Tannersville - The Catskill Seat, a multi-course food and wine prix-fixe featuring the original trio that first put Nashville on the culinary map tix

Park Theatre, Hudson - Open Mic / Open Jam: Hosted by Mike Billera at 6pm info

Trout Unlimited, West Kill - Tree Planting with DEC along the banks of the stream followed by beers at West Kill Brewing from 10am-4pm volunteer

Deer Mountain Inn, Tannersville - The Catskill Seat, a multi-course food and wine prix-fixe featuring the original trio that first put Nashville on the culinary map tix

Wylder Hotel, Windham - Live music with Joseph James from 6-9pm info

Muddy River Taproom, Oneonta - Vinyl Night from 6-10pm

Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown - Fire Pit Friday featuring “Hop City Hellcats” from 6-10pm tix

Arnold House, Livingston Manor - The Last Splash at 3pm info

Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, Livingston Manor - Reception for Aileen Gunther from 4-6pm info

The Local, Saugerties - John Street Jam at 7pm info

Catskill Visitor Center, Mount Tremper - Science Friday x Catskill Visitor Center from 10-11am RSVP as well as a hike at Platte Clove from 10am-1pm info

Return Brewing, Hudson - Beer BBQ Pizza with Meat Hook, Roberta’s Pizza and a Dj set with Uncle Rudy from 2pm until they sell out info

Sugar Loaf, Chester - Sugar Loaf Fall Festival details

The Tin Barn, Clermont - Country line dancing with link dance instruction and dj Doubledee Duke from 6-9pm get to it

Scribner's Lodge, Hunter - Fall Mini Market info

Hunter Mountain, Hunter - Oktoberfest info

Belleayre, Highmount  - Annual Fall Festival at 10am details

Pine Hill Community Center, Pine Hill - Live concert from 7-9pm info

Catskill Brewery, Livingston Manor - Manor Flea at 12pm info and Apple Pie Palooza at 3pm info

Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum, Livingston Manor - Fly Tyers Roundtable from 10am-3pm tight lines

Roscoe Mountain Club, Roscoe - Ugly Flannel Contest - Fall Festival Series from 11am-5pm info

Hawk and Hive, Andes - Ann Lee Fuller: Inward Eye info

West Kill Supply, Kingston  - Aqua Cherry Band from 2-5pm

Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - Rachael Yamagata: Unseen Hearts Tour at 8pm tix

Tinker Street Cinema, Woodstock - Time Bandits at 7pm tix

Westwind Orchard, Accord - LIVE MUSIC: THE HOLY SEA from 5-8pm

Delhi - Maple Shade Hootenanny from 10am-5pm info

Sugar Loaf, Chester - Sugar Loaf Fall Festival details

Belleayre, Highmount  - Annual Fall Festival at 10am details

Wayside Cider, Andes - Community Apple Pressing from 1-3pm cheers

Bushel Collective, Delhi - Cine Sonica: Eraserhead Film Concert Live from 7-9pm info

The Lost Book Shop, Delhi - Writing the Woods from 3-4pm info

Callicoon - Callicoon Artwalk 2024 from 12-8pm info

Weiss Ferments, Gilboa - Last Sunday pizza popup for the season at 12pm

Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock - Bearsville Center’s Music & Arts Fair at 12pm details along with Jeff Tweedy (Solo Acoustic) at 7:30pm tix

Catskill Center, Elka Park - Hike Huckleberry Pt from 10am-1pm details

Hunter Mountain, Hunter - Oktoberfest info

Return Brewing, Hudson - Live music with Graztopia from 4-8pm info

Senate Garage, Kingston - Chamber Music on the Hudson Presents: Vienesse Romance from 4-6pm tix

Do Good Spirits, Roscoe - Live music from BJ Hendrickson from 1-4pm

Angry Orchard, Walden - Live Music: Black Dirt Bandits from 2-5pm info

Angry Orchard, Walden - Live Music: Hillbilly Parade from 2-5pm details

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Chuck Johnson / Saapato from 8-10pm info

Do Good Spirits, Roscoe - Live Music: Albi Beluli from 12-3pm details