Quote Of The Day

"The Catskill Mountains are full of a material for study, which hundreds of years will not exhaust — a material for pictures, for science, for poetry and romance."

— Thomas Cole

Interesting Facts

Ulster County, tucked in the Hudson Valley, has a history full of overlooked surprises worth knowing about.

• America's first authenticated cave: Howe Caverns is often cited, but Snyder's Cave near Rosendale in Ulster County was explored and documented earlier by local settlers, making the county home to some of the region's earliest recorded spelunking history in North America.
  
  
• Natural cement capital: In the 19th century, Ulster County's Rosendale produced a special slow-setting natural cement that was used in the construction of the base of the Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument — a local industry that once dominated world supply before Portland cement took over.
  
  
• A county older than the United States: Ulster County was established in 1683 by the British colonial government, making it one of the original twelve counties of New York and nearly a full century older than the Declaration of Independence.
  
  
• Bob Dylan's creative retreat: After his 1966 motorcycle accident, Dylan retreated to a house in Woodstock in Ulster County, where he and The Band secretly recorded what became the legendary Basement Tapes — recordings that circulated as bootlegs for nearly a decade before official release.
  
  
• Surprising linguistic legacy: The town of Marbletown still contains stone houses built by Huguenot and Dutch settlers in the 1600s, and Ulster County place names like "Esopus" preserve the language of the Lenape people, who called the region home long before European contact.

Big Monthly Swing Dance w/the Grand Boubousse and Lesson

Kick off Labor Day Weekend with a fantastic night of swing dancing at White Eagle Hall in Kingston! This special Friday edition of the Big Monthly Swing Dance features The Grand Boubousse, an early jazz collective led by Jonathan Greene and packed with some of the finest swing musicians from the Northeast.

A beginner lesson runs from 7:30–8:00 PM, so no partner or prior experience is needed — just bring your energy and enthusiasm. Dancing continues until 10:30 PM.

Arrive early for an optional Technique Clinic on Intro to Balboa from 6:00–7:30 PM at a discounted bundle rate. Admission is $25 at the door (cash, check, Zelle, or Venmo — no credit cards). All are welcome!

Secret Little Hack

Unlock Free Expert Hiking Advice at Ulster County's Trailhead Kiosks — Before 9 AM

Most visitors wander into Ulster County's popular trailheads around mid-morning, completely missing the window when Catskill Center trail stewards do their early rounds. These unpaid volunteers arrive at kiosks between roughly 7 and 9 AM on weekends to prep signage and restock maps — and they carry unposted, word-of-mouth knowledge about which trails have washed out, where the black bears have been active that week, and which unmarked side paths lead to the genuinely spectacular views the tourist maps never highlight. Strike up a conversation, and you'll get a personalized route recommendation that no app or guidebook can replicate.

The trick works especially well at the Slide Mountain and Peekamoose Blue Hole trailheads. Arrive early with coffee and genuine curiosity, and you'll essentially get a private local briefing that transforms a good hike into an unforgettable one — while everyone else is still sitting in Kingston waiting for the diner to open.

The YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County is calling on community members to support its Strong Kids Campaign — an annual fundraising effort that ensures no child or family is turned away due to inability to pay.

Donations of any size go directly toward memberships, swim lessons, day camp, school care, and farm education programs for local youth and families in need.

To put it in concrete terms: just $52 can give a child eight weeks of lifesaving swim instruction. All contributions are tax-deductible, and every dollar stays local — invested where it's needed most.

A sweeping federal change to food stamp funding is about to hit New York counties — and local taxpayers may end up covering the tab. President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" shifts more SNAP administrative costs to states starting this October, with states also picking up a share of direct benefits beginning in fall 2027 — a combined burden estimated at over $1.1 billion annually for New York.

Rather than absorbing the costs at the state level, New York is passing most of the increase down to counties, putting it among just three states to do so. Counties serving more than 2.7 million enrolled New Yorkers are now weighing property tax hikes, staff cuts, and service reductions.

Some counties, like Warren County, have already exceeded their tax caps. Others, like Ulster County, are pursuing alternatives — including a proposed income tax surcharge on high earners. Governor Kathy Hochul's office has offered little relief, while county leaders continue lobbying Albany and Washington for help. "We're going to plan for the worst and hope for the best," said one county social services commissioner.