Local History by Dede Terns-Thorpe - Stony Clove

An interesting story on Stony Clove, NYS Route 214 sheds more light on the Clove's history.

STONY CLOVE

“Stony Clove forms the entrance and exits to and from Hunter from the south. Many years ago, this place was known as AWAGHWIC, in honor of an Indian Chief who led a band of warriors through here. The sides rise in colossal mountain walls, towering high in the air, and growing with all their mighty strength beneath the weight of their dense forest.

In this Clove we find two pretty settlements – Edgewood and Lanesville containing several pleasantly located summer resorts. STYGIAN LAKE, a pond of water of a darkish color; Maiden’s Cliff, from which, so tradition says, an Indian maiden in her flight with her lover threw herself and was killed; Pic Nic or Pulpit Rock; Devil’s Tombstone and other interesting places. Ice may be found in the crevices among the rocks in this Clove throughout the year.” (Besides Edgewood and Lanesville there was Neillsville, Saxe Corners, and Higgins Hollow, when the article was written in 1910).

Stygian Lake also means dark, which it probably did before the area around the lake was widened for the roadway and the railroad. The article said the word Stygian comes to us (by way of Latin stygius and Greek stygios) from Styx, the name of the principal river in Hades, the underworld of Greek mythology. English speakers have been using stygian to mean ‘of or relating to the river Styx’ since the early 16th century.’

The Mountain Top’s history is aided by little tidbits such as this. My summer jobs, many years ago, as Hunter Mt. Fire Tower Observer and Superintendent of Devil’s Tombstone Campsite have given me a special interest in the Stony Clove area. Many of the Town of Hunter’s industries began in this Clove.

This 1910 story is from an unknown local newspaper.

Thanks so much for reading.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Stay safe and be careful.

Dede Terns-Thorpe/Hunterhistorian@gmail.com.