Quote Of The Day

"The Catskills have a way of making you feel that the land remembers everything — the glaciers, the hemlock tanners, the dreamers who came up from the city looking for something they couldn't name."

Interesting Facts

Ulster County, New York holds some genuinely unexpected distinctions that most locals and visitors overlook entirely.

• First American patent for cement: Natural hydraulic cement was discovered near Rosendale in Ulster County in the 1820s, and Rosendale cement was later used in the construction of the base of the Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument — prized for its slow curing and exceptional durability.
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• A county older than the United States: Ulster County was established by the British colonial government in 1683, making it one of the original twelve counties of New York and over 90 years older than American independence.
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• Home to America's oldest surviving stone houses: The Huguenot Street historic district in New Paltz contains a row of stone houses dating to the early 1700s, recognized as one of the oldest continuously inhabited streets in the United States.
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• Underground bluestone capital: Ulster County was the dominant global supplier of bluestone — the flat, grey-blue sandstone used for sidewalks across New York City and beyond — during the 19th century, an industry that defined the region's economy far more than agriculture did.
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• Site of a crucial Revolutionary spy network node: The county town of Kingston served as New York's first state capital, and was burned to the ground by British forces in October 1777, just days after the nearby Battle of Saratoga — a deliberate act of retaliation.

🎪 5 Family Events You Don't Want to Miss This August - Plan your family's August across Ulster County and the western Catskills

Joke Of The Day

Someone asked me what Ulster County, New York is known for. I said, "Breathtaking mountain views, farm-to-table food, and at least four people at every farmers market who will explain why their kombucha is different."

They handed me a business card for their kombucha.

The article highlights various activities to do during a 24-hour day trip to Pine Bush, New York.

The activities include exploring the Pine Bush Preserve, visiting local shops and restaurants, hiking nearby trails, and stargazing at night.

The town is known for its unique charm, diverse wildlife, and vibrant arts scene.

Visitors can also check out local events and festivals happening in Pine Bush throughout the year.

Overall, Pine Bush offers a relaxing and enjoyable destination for a quick day trip in the Hudson Valley region.

The Town of Gardiner, New York is moving carefully before allowing large-scale battery energy storage systems — known as BESS sites — to take root in the community. At a special Town Board meeting, officials closed a public hearing on a moratorium extension and agreed on a draft framework for a future law governing these industrial-scale facilities.

Board member Jim Ulvestad presented proposed restrictions covering zoning, noise levels, and building heights, noting that the town's current zoning law, adopted in 2008, simply has no rules for such technology.

The board approved a six-month moratorium extension, with a full draft law expected this fall and a potential vote in December.

Q/A Questions

Q: Why does Ulster County have such an unusually large land area compared to other Hudson Valley counties?

A: Ulster County covers roughly 1,161 square miles, making it one of the largest counties in New York State by area. Much of this size comes from the inclusion of the Catskill Mountains and vast stretches of protected forest preserve land, which were never broken up into smaller municipalities the way more densely settled lowland areas were.

Q: What role did Ulster County play in supplying the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War?

A: Kingston, the county seat, served as New York's first state capital and was a critical hub for the patriot cause. The region supplied iron, grain, and timber to Continental forces, and its strategic position on the Hudson made it a target — British troops burned Kingston to the ground in October 1777, just days after the nearby Battle of Saratoga turned the tide of the war.

Q: Is there a connection between Ulster County and the global spread of a particular style of architecture?

A: Yes — the Hudson Valley, and Ulster County in particular, was the home base of painters and thinkers in the Hudson River School movement, whose romanticized landscapes influenced the design philosophy behind the American Rustic and Craftsman architectural styles that later spread across the country and beyond.