Egg Creams & Spring Water

I was just speaking with a friend about delicious egg creams and how wonderful Mountaindale spring water is and it reminded me of this fun summertime 2001 posting from former resident, Harold Meyers

I lived in Mountaindale back in the 70's. I really enjoyed it there. My fondest memories had to be the timesI played basketball at the courts with Raymond and Lamont Larry. We would get there early on the weekends and play all day!! Well into the night. Then after the games I'd go to Rosenthals for a cold soda. Only real Mountaindale residents would know this...does anyone remember the pipe that used to stick out the side of the mountain that used to give the greatest coldest spring water!!! It was the best!! Right down the road outta town toward the Springs!!! I also loved to go to Helens and have a Egg Cream and she made the best Egg on Roll sandwiches!! I even worked with her husband Al waxing Floors at Rhulens in Monticello!! Shepsies Bar was where my Mom worked for a while and I even worked at the fruit store next to Frieds bakery IT was the best of times back then....And yes I remember you too Barbara Schulman and your brother Paul!! See ya!!

Harold Meyers , wildwood, FL usa - Sunday, May 27, 2001

Richard Abraham's Church Road Hike

This sweet memory by Richard Abraham allows us to relive the image he painted of a young boy walking with his Mom for a cherished annual treat in town along Church Road. In those days, the Moms stayed at the colonies with the kids all week until the Dads came up on Fridays, after working all week in the city.

Every year in the middle of the summer, if i wanted it or not, my birthday arrived. a tradition of walking from frishman's to mountaindale, with my mother, was created. early evening we would leave the bungalow colony and walk toward the four corners. from there down the snake road, past the budd farm.

no matter what time of day or how hot it was, it seemed the snake road was always shady and cool. when we near the mountaindale playhouse, i knew we were have almost arrived. a short few steps after that, the goal of our journey.... i don't remember the name of the store, but they made the best chocolate sundaes.

happy and full bellied, we made our way back to frishman's... you could never walk the full way back without almost every car stopping to offer us a lift. we never said no.... you could trust everyone then in mountaindale. back on frishman's, i would run to find, brian or mel or some of the other guys for a game of pinocle or ping pong or whatever.

how could life have been so uncomplicated? and how do we get back there?

Looking for Dance Teacher, Frances Fields

Linda Marks is trying to find info about her aunt and uncle, Frances and Monte Felder, who went by the name Fields professionally, and taught dance at one of the small Sullivan County hotels back in the late 50's and early 60's. Linda says, "I've asked my cousins if they know the name of the hotel or where it was located, but they don't know and no one else is around for me to ask. If any of you have any knowledge of them, Aunt Frances was my very favorite aunt and was a great dancer." So I tried to do a little research, thinking that if Frances Fields was well known in her day, then she might have been pals with Jackie Horner who is thought to be the prototype for the Penny Johnson character in the hit movie, "Dirty Dancing," which was set locally in the Catskills resort area. Of course, Jackie Horner is also known as the wife of Lou Goldstein, the famous Social Director & Simon Says guy of Grossinger's. Here's an interesting ancecdote that I came across from "It Happened in the Catskills," written by the husband and wife team of Myrna and Harvey Frommer as described in a very detailed Dartmouth.edu web review:

We hear from and learn about Neil Sedaka, who showed up at Esther Manor at the age of 19 with his band, the Nordanelles (for Norman, David and Neil), and ended up marrying Esther's daughter, much to the chagrin of her family; and of Eddie Fisher, who came up to Grossinger's in 1946 at 19, got "discovered" by Eddie Cantor on Labor Day 1949 and married Debbie Reynolds there in 1955.

Lou Goldstein, legendary social director at the hotel for many years, remembers the kid singer very well. "Eddie Fisher and I were roommates for a while -- the Playhouse at Grossinger's, Room 5. We were both single and looking. We made up a signal between us. If one of us was in the room with a girl, we would wrap a towel around the outside door knob so the other guy wouldn't barge in ... I had a lot of trouble getting into that room. It seemed like there was always a towel there."

Shelley Karpilow Farm

Here is a re-post from Shelley Karpilow of Berkeley, CA who had very sweet recollections of her family's summer "Farm" in Mountaindale.

My grandparents bought a "farm" with 50 acres, about 2.5 miles out of town. This was in 1925. (Unfortuntely I could not find a map, otherwise I would show everyone where it was.) It was on an obscure road, very rocky and up-hill, on the left, skirting Anderson's farm. There was one other farm on the road, which belonged to Mr. Pechter. He had chickens and cows, and his stepson was Paddy the cop. (I have this wrong somehow, but there was a relationship.) Our "farm" was about a quarter of a mile down the road. He took in boarders for the summer, as did my grandparents.

On the eave of the porch was a sign "Forest Hill Farm" which was there when they bought it, and never changed. There was also an apple orchard, a cherry tree, and wild strawberries across the road. As our family went there only for the summer, so there was not much farming done; besides we were all city people.

A few times my mother went up early and the kids went to school there. I attended the one-room school house for about a month, and another year, my brother went to the high school in town. That would have been about 1945, ( for by then, I was too old.)

Sometime in the 40s, the place was sold for a paltry sum, one thousand dollars, I believe. My brothers loved going there, and would drive up to visit from time to time. The last time I was there was in 1974 or thereabouts. The house had fallen and just left as nature took its toll. The forest was encroaching, but we could still see the baseball fields, and the gooseberry bushes, and other landmarks from our childhood.

Of course I am very excited to see Mtdale revived. There had been artists there in my time too. The Foner brothers , amateur violinists , would play with my uncle Philip Bass, who was a professional. And Nell Blaine married another uncle, Robert.

If you want to know more, just write.

shelley karpilow

berkeley, ca usa -

How to Post

I am hearing that some of you would really like to post Comments to this site but aren't completely sure how to go about it. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it and I am sure everyone would enjoy reading your thoughts and recollections as much as they did on the original Mountaindale Living History site. Thanks to all of you, we now have visitors from all around the world again! Here's how you Post. If you wish to comment on a particular story, scroll down to the word "Comments" at the bottom of each entry. When you click it, a 'Post a Comment' box opens. Log in and then type your Comments inside the box. Then, all you have to do is click the Post a Comment button & we do the rest. If you'd like to create an entirely new story, please email it to me at news@mountaindaleproject.org and then I will post all suitable material along with any additional photos you care to submit. And that's all there is to it! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

O&W Unstoppable Moment

In 2000, Bert Basner posted a great O&W story about when his dad, Harry Basner of Majestic Road in Mountaindale, was the creamery manager and an O&W 'Unstoppable Moment' was anticipated.
It was about the year 1926, on a Saturday in the summer time as two passenger trains of the O & W were going north through Mountaindale when the dispatcher got an urgent call. The message said that on a northbound freight train heading towards South Fallsburg, two coal hopper cars loaded with coal had broken loose from their coupling and were rolling backward on the north bound track. It was imperative that they be diverted from the northbound track. A quick check of the area showed that there was a short spur running to the Woodridge creamery. They called the creamery manager, Harry Basner, and told him to evacuate the building as the two freight cars would be shunted to the tracks of his building. A switchman rushed down and diverted the northbound tracks to the creamery siding. Many of the residents went to sit on the grass opposite the creamery. I think these were the Sussmans, Monroe Davis, the Langers, the Gordans, the Beckers, and lots of us kids. The two runaway cars roared down the tracks, hit the switched rails at high speed and turned over. We kids got our pails and began to load free coal.

Half & Half Cookies

Phil Padrid remembers the black & white cookies that were just like the ones on Seinfeld once upon a time. Not a story so much as a memory of the black and white, also known as half and half, cookies. They were sold in the bakery in town. We had a summer house in Community Park on the main road between Mountaindale and Woodridge. I remember vividly being so excited about going "into town to play pinball and get a half and half cookie. I also remember the pizza at crossways, so I guess my memories are all food based. Anyone else remember these things?

G&S & Crystal Bungalows

Gina Groia remembers G & S and Crystal Bungalows and all the favorite kids' hang outs of yesteryear.

There were two bungalow i was lucky to be a part of. Crystal and G & S..........first Crystal, i remember that creepy gut that no one ever know who lived outside the bungalow colony. We used to walk down the road & only go so far and turn around, remember the little grocery store by the pool, recently went by how sad & run down, but the phone booth is still there....lol Remember when Uncle Billy would get all the kids together & march thru the cemetery. Also at G & S, Paula I lived in Monroe projects too......and have lots of memories of the bungalow colony. Remember Sarah....who could forget the fun. the pool, casino, movie nite, Sat nite for the "grown-ups" the kids tried to sneek in, bingo nite. How about going to Sol's in Woodridge for ice cream, or Poppins in South Fallsburg for breakfast. And who can forget "The Falls" by Crossroads....thanks for the memories

Rosenblums in Spring Glen

Jerry Jacobs came to re-visit his childhood in 2005. From my Main Street office, I often see visitors slowly cruising, trying to find a bit of their sweet past & we frequently chat about the "good old days" they remember.

yes i too remember rosenblums in spring glen. my family had a bungalow there from 1963-66. i have many fond memories. just yesterday i headed up to utica to drop my son off at camp. on the way home i saw a sign, ellenville, so i got off and 30 min later i'm in spring glen looking for something i have not seen in 40 years, or since i was 6. but when i passed the homowack hotel i knew i was close. i turned around pulled in to a colony and started placing all the buildings/people in my mind. when i was 80% sure this was the place i turned the car around to go home this woman seemed to appear out of thin air (sounds like bull, right?) i stop the car and tell her what i'm looking for, she asks my name pauses then smiles and says "you're home." remembers me and my family asks who i remember. we start going over who's alive and who's not. she tells me she's the only one left from that era. they went co-op in the 70s. she's putting me on a list to buy one. running out of room now. if you want please comment with thoughts, answers etc. it was great being in the place i spent my childhood. the place looks the same.

Adelmans Grocery

Here is a short re-post from Sybil Adelman In the early 50's, I spent a summer in Mountaindale with my parents, who rented and ran a grocery store for the summer months. There was someone I remember being identified as "the hermit" across the street. I wonder if anyone remembers the store or the Adelmans.

Main Street Mountaindale Businesses

Frances Black was Tillie Trustman's Grandaughter and her vivid recollections of the Main Street business district in Mountaindale totally cracks me up every time I read it. Enjoy & see if you remember the same things!

So many people have mentioned the Bakery in Mountaindale. My memory is just a scrumptious as others. My grandmother would make the most wonderful sugar cookies and always have them there when I visited, but she would also give me quarter to go to the bakery. I loved the butter cookies with colored sprinkles. I think I could buy about 4 of them. And it smelled so WONDERFUL. Not such a wonderful smell was Katz's Fish store. I remember very well Benny Katz. He scared me. Maybe because he told me (and my family played right along) that he was going to take me to live with him in New York or maybe because he just smelled like a giant fish of some sort. 1980 Painting by local artist Shelley Blum

Then there was Jake Berkowitz. Anyone remember him. He owned a variety/junk store that had shelves upon shelves stocked with all kind of junk, practically falling off of the shelves. Stuff that hadn't been touched in years. He dressed like a homeless person, but I hear he had lots of money stashed away. Not to insult any living family members, but Jake used to go in the alley by his store and fart. My brothers and I had many laughs over this one and when we went by the store, they would always make farting noises. I had been to Woodstock and was eagerly awaiting the Rockfest to come to the area. My grandmother, Tillie Trustman, owned a fruit and vegetable store in Mountaindale and I planned to live with her and help her in the store for the summer (since I was having difficulty living at home at the time.) The fest was cancelled and I was very dissapointed. Went to work in Manhatten for a temporary agency, instead.

Rashkin's Falls

Neil Primack was another teen I knew in the 60's & 70's & his dad, Abe Primack was a very respected Driver's Ed & Shop teacher. Here's are Neil's recollections of the sweet summer life of Mountaindale.

I grew up in Mountaindale from 1960 to 1977. I have so many stories and memories of exploration, especially with scouting. My fondest memory is scaling the rock cliffs at Rashkins Falls and hanging out on top - long before it was developed by Dave Rashkin. I also have very fond memories of going to Engleman's day camp and making lots of friends at the bungalow colony there. Stickball and movies on the handball court were incredibly fun. The summers were joyful and the blueberry picking was quite fruitful. My dad, Abe Primack was well known as a teacher at Fallsburgh. Thankfully, my entire family is still around and doing pretty well. It's been a few years since I've been back since I recently relocated to Florida. Last time I was there, it was very quite and peaceful. The river along Spring Glen Road is still blasting away and the energy there is still special. My night dreams periodically take me back to Rashkins Falls. I'm convinced it's a power (HU) spot of one sort or another. I'd be receptive to hear from anyone that remembers me.

Charlie Roer's Luncheonette

Here is a re-post from July 2005 by Royce (Roer) Steiner, whose family owned Charlie's Luncheonette at 4 Post Hill Road, which was most recently Nonni's Trattoria.
________________________________________________
I have read most of the stories posted and, I must say, some bring tears to my eyes. Some of the greatest memories I guess I'll ever have.

My family moved to Mountaindale in 1952 and my dad opened up a luncheonette on Post Hill Road - Charlie's Luncheonette. My Mom, Norma Roer worked in Liberty Loomis Hospital as director of nursing for many, many years before transferring to the Crystal Run School in South Fallsburgh as Nursing Director. Unfortunately, they are both now deceased. My twin sister Sheryl and my brother David all attended Mountaindale Elementary School and then on to Fallsburgh Central. I just wanted to begin here, but there is so much more to share. A few stories will follow shortly. Would be great hearing from you.

More Camp Eva of Mountaindale

I just couldn't resist putting up one more Camp Eva message becuase you were always such a loyal crowd. Here's a note from April 2003 from those local camp sweethearts, Judy & Gary Knee


Anyone out their from Camp Eva? We have fond memories, including a Camp marriage of 40 years. It was 1955 that Gary Knee and Judy Rubin met. Barbara (Rubin) Gass is my sister. Names sound familiar? We are here living near Monticello and would love to hear from you. We have seen Judy Rothschild, her dad Manny was head counselor; Harriet Weissman, Stan Weissman, Jerry Friefeld. Aunt Arline (Saltman) and Uncle Aaron Berezowsky are also excited about this site. Jackie Saltman is her brother. So sign in and say hello.... There was nothing like Camp Eva. Does anyone remember my Grandmother, Pauline Berezowsky. She was the best children's waitress and also worked in the Main Dining room for the adults? I know you will be thrilled to hear these names as we are. So folks let's hear from you!

Camp Eva of Mountaindale

There are certain Mountaindale summer places that still have very strong nostalgic ties to this day. Camp Eva of Mountaindale is one of them. Edward Bieber is anxious to hear from folks who want to remember Camp Eva so please Post your Comments below. I'll start the conversation with a fabulous story from Sandra Farber from August 2001

i spent the summer in mountaindale the year that japan surrendered. august, 1945. we were in a bungalow owned by a man named recht (spelling might be off.) i was quite young, but remember that my mom and i used to go huckleberry picking in back of this bungalow. the main street was near the place and if i remember correctly, was quite small. two years ago i was in winn-dixie in west palm beach, fl with my dad and there was a man giving out samples of some kind of cooked chicken. i stopped, took a piece and the conversation somehow went to the mountains in ny of course.

i told him how i spent a summer, before i started going to camp in mountaindale also,and i mentioned mountaindale. well, he came from mountaindale and was there, of course, when i was there. we were laughing and saying mountaindale over and over. a woman pushing her loaded cart overheard us and said that she was in mountaindale also at that time. imagine this, winn-dixie in w.palm, in the meat dept. and four people, me, my dad, this man and the woman. MOUNTAINDALE in common. i do not think it gets much better.
the name of the camp was camp eva, mothers club camp. if anyone remembers any of this, please email me. it would be great.

George Corday from July 2002

I just heard from another regular visitor, George Corday, who had missed the site terribly. Here's one of his early recollections from 2002. Come back again to read Mrs. Paul McKenna's post that inspired George in the first place.

Mrs. Paul McKenna's post sure brought back a lot of memories for me. Post Hill Road, between the village and Greenfield Park Paradise was my hangout every summer during the 1940's. She mentions John Ternuck, a barber who cut hair in his home and, I think had a shop in Woodridge. John gave me my first haircut in 1934 when I was almost two. He cut my hair every summer for a number of years after that. I kind of remember him as good looking, with white hair and mustache and I know I liked him. I had many friends at Greenfield Park Paradise. Mrs. McKenna mentions the Devan and Rosenthal families as the owners. There was another partner, the Belzers of Brooklyn. The Devan's were from Gloversville, NY and had a beautiful daughter named Toby and a son, Fred. In the summer of 48, I had an enormous crush on Toby and for her birthday, bought her a locket in Jaffe's Pharmacy, gift shop and ice cream parlor, which was a couple of doors away from the Post Office. The Jaffes had a very pretty daughter, Libby who everyone liked and I still have a picture of. Toby preferred Freddy Maliga over me, and I had my first broken heart of that summer. Bernice Schwartz of Detroit, who stayed at the Willow House, was the cause of the second one. I also remember Paul Rosenthal and Alan and Marty Belzer of Greenfield Park Paradise. Everyone who ever visited Mountaindale remembers Fried's Bakery and the wonderful Saturday morning ritual of going there for rolls and cake. In 1948, there was a second bakery, Kelmachters, specializing in bagels, where I worked six 12-hour days for 25 bucks. Meyer Kelmachter was the owner and his very pretty wife was Shirley. I don't remember too much about the barn Mrs. McKenna mentions, except using the hayloft for necking. Braden Brook, known as 'the creek,' from the Ulster County line to Baxter's farm remains to this day the source of some of my most precious and wonderful memories. As a troubled teen, it was my sanctuary. The Greenfield Park Paradise pool, built into the creek was a marvel. The water was pure, no chemicals were ever used and I'm sure it was the coldest pool on the face of the earth. Whenever it rained, I trout fished in the creek and whenever I went there, I always caught a few fish right in the pool. I remember Trustman's Fruit and Vegetables and the rival Andermans across and down Main Street. As kids we would argue the merits of each like we were discussing baseball players. I preferred Anderman's because I was friends with Heshie Anderman. This post is getting too long, so though I could go on forever with Mountaindale stories, I'm going to end this one now.

Notes from the Bailin Clan - Regular Visitors

I've just spent a lot of time inviting many of our previous visitors to renew acquaintances. I still have MANY names to go through and a great many of you changed addresses over the years. HOWEVER, if you got my note - WELCOME BACK to the Mountaindale Virtual Reunion Party! Please spread the word that we are back.

2006
Barney & Lee Davidoff had a daughter Ella, who I thought was the most beautiful brunette I've ever seen. She favored her mother. Barney Davidoff, a renowned violist would team with my uncle Dave Bailin on the piano. Morris Slutsky & my (Great) uncle Sam Frishman on the mandolins would entertain us on many a Saturday evening, while my uncle Morris Bailin was filming all the entertainment with his 8 mm movie camera, & if I'm not mistaken once every so often he showed 16 mm films in the casino. My aunt Sady, I loved. I can still hear her shouting, "of all the nieces & nephews, I like Melvin the best." Maybe it was my cooking - she loved my sweet & sour chicken.

My uncle Sam E Bailin was the Chief of the Heckowwee Tribe. He always found the time to make you a peace pipe out of a corn cob, or a boat out of Birch bark & tell you stories of the Heckowwees & how their nation was founded. Whenever his wife, my other aunt Ceil, got into a hot & heated discussion, she would always end the conversation, by saying, "Rose Bailin said to me, you may not be a genius, but with your looks, who cares."

My aunt Mary was the family doctor/ psychologist /barber. Whether you were a friend, or family, when you got hurt, or needed a haircut, or advice, my aunt Mary was always there for you. My Bubbie lived with Mary, Harry, my cousins Arlene & Marty. My Bubbie was like E F Hutton, 'when she talked you listened.' My uncle Harry has the patience of a saint. I've always had & still have a great deal of respect for him. And George, . . . George Bailin is still # 1

Jeff from Community Park

Jeff Peltz is now a prominent Attorney in Brooklyn, NY and posted this in 1999

In 1959 my parents bought a house in Community Park. I spent every summer there from 1960 through 1971. I also spent many week-ends there. After 1971 I would come by every so often to visit. Community Park consisted of approximately 60 one family ranch style homes, each painted a different color. Our house was pink. I loved that house and the country. I would spend my summers mostly looking at puffy clouds in the blue sky, wandering through the woods surrounding the community, picking berries, walking on the old rail road tracks to Mountaindale or Woodridge, riding my bike even further.

Winters in Mountaindale usually emptied the town, and it seemed that most people either went back to the City or to Florida. The winters were cold and snowy. The autumn was as colorful as any in Vermont. I had good friends in Community Park: Harvey Seinfeld, Mitchell and Mark Needleman, Diane Must and Barbara (formerly Schulman) and her family. Bess, Barbara's mother was like a second mother and Barbara and her brother Paul were like my little brother and sister. I remember spending much time with them hanging out and playing.

In regard to the town of Mountaindale, I remember the old post office. It was a great place, lots of wood and very old fashioned. I remember when the new post office opened. Our box was number 19. I remember Smalls pharmacy and the old candy store (Neiderman's) next to it. I would buy penny candy and play the pinball machines. I remember the old wooden floors. I remember the Gulf station and Ford Dealer in town, Lungen. I remember when the Mustang came out in the summer of, I believe, 1965. I remember the first time I ever went to a restaurant without my parents. My friends from the Community and I went to the deli in Moutaindale, near the school. I had a hot dog, which I think was 35 cents and a soda and I was very proud of the five cent tip that I left. I used to love to go to the bakery and get the little cookies with the pink icing on top. The lady at the bakery always had them for me. I remember the year after Woodstock and the excitement about the Mountaindale Festival that almost happened. I remember the water hole outside of town on the way to Ellenville and getting drinking water in gallon glass jugs because the water in the Community was full of sulphur. I am sorry for all of this rambling, but I have lots of warm memories of Mountaindale and its people. I could really go on like this, but I will stop for how.

Original Guestbook Entry

Here is the very first post in what we originally called the Mountaindale Guestbook for the Living History section of our site. Ken still remembers Robbie as a teen singing Sam the Sham's, "Hey there, Little Red Riding Hood," and the great howling part . . .

i first came to mountaindale when i was 16 months old and i came back every summer for about 15 years. those were the best years of my life. i will never forget them. now i live 5 minutes from mountaindale and i still visit when i can. the place is magical!!! robbie posner 10/27/98.....

Mountaindale Playhouse

Re-post from Andrew Bernstein - 2006

I just wanted to let you know that I was an apprentice actor at the old Mountaindale Playhouse in 1965 and 1966. We performed shows every week, worked 20 hours a day and I don't believe anyone would have given up a minute of it. Among my personal highlights was "Threepenny Opera" which was so well received that we were asked to perform a third show (at around midnight) Bernie and Jim, who ran the theater took a vote amongst the cast and crew and it was unanimous to add the show. About 40-50 people were in the audience and it was one of the most magical moments I've ever experienced!!!