Historic Sleigh Finds its Way Back to Richmondville

An Olendorf Gooseneck sleigh that recently became a new exhibit at the Bunn Tillapaugh Mill museum in the Village of Richmondville. Photo by Chris English.

Jake Peck and Joan Sondergaard with the Olendorf Gooseneck sleigh donated by Peck that will be an exhibit at the Bunn Tillapaugh Mill museum in the Village of Richmondville.

By Chris English

RICHMONDVILLE — A Civil War-era sleigh built in Richmondville more than a century and a half ago has found its way home.

Jake Peck made the trip East from his home in Minerva, Ohio to donate the Olendorf Gooseneck sleigh to the Richmondville Historical Society. It was gratefully accepted during a brief, informal reception Friday, July 12 at the historical society's headquarters, the Bunn Tillapaugh Mill museum on High Street in the village.

"We're delighted," said museum curator Joan Sondergaard. "Anything we get that is original Richmondville and part of its history totally delights us."

The sleigh, made by Jake Peck's great great grandfather Alfred Olendorf, will stay on exhibit at the museum.

"We're so glad," Richmondville Historical Society Vice President Ann Lape exclaimed. "Wow, it's so historic, and it has come home."

Alfred Olendorf, a millwright, operated the Olendorf Sash and Blind factory and the Olendorf Mill in Richmondville, according to information provided at the reception. The sleigh spent many years in Richmondville before Jake's father Roger Peck took it to Ohio, where it was restored by Amish craftsmen and eventually gifted to Jake.

Jake Peck is the nephew of the late Doug Peck, a long-time Richmondville resident. Among Doug's children _ all daughters _ and Jake's cousins is Richmondville Town Historian Susan Rightmyer.

"My uncle Doug said it would be a good idea to donate the sleigh back to Richmondville," Jake Peck explained. "He kept saying its history was all there. We debated and I eventually said 'OK, I'll part with it.'"

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New Honor Roll Banners in Cherry Valley

By Alexis Pencar

CHERRY VALLEY — The new Honor Roll Banners for our servicemen and women will be coming to Cherry Valley to a flagpole near you soon! These banners are periodically changed to honor those who served their country and sacrificed so much.

These local heros being honored this year are the following: Morris W. Brigham - Army (1945-1946, WWII), Russell L. McCall - Air Force (1966-1970), Steve Vargo - Navy (1943-1945, WWII), Robert F. Whiteman - Army  (1970-1973), David W. Herr - Marines (1977-1981), and Kyle M. Flint - Marines (2012-2016, Afghanistan).

Please recognize these brave servicemen next time you drive through Cherry Valley. 

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Richmondville Village Board Seeks Grant for Pool Improvements

Major upgrades could be coming for the Richmondville Village Pool. Photo by Chris English.

By Chris English

RICHMONDVILLE — Major upgrades could be coming to the Village of Richmondville swimming pool if officials are successful in their bid for a grant from the New York State Parks and Recreation Department or finding another source of funding.

At the Monday, July 15 village board meeting, Mayor Carl Warner Jr. and Trustees Garry Davis and Robert Hyatt voted 3-0 to apply for a $300,000 grant from the parks and rec department. Engineer Brendon Becker explained that the grant would be a 70/30 proposition, with a 30 percent match required from the village that would amount to $90,000.

That match could come in the form of cash or in-kind services or a combination of both, Becker explained. The in-kind services could include any work done by Village Department of Public Works Director Eric Jones and his crew, Becker added.

He said he believes the village has a decent shot at being approved for the grant and would find out by about the second week in December. Another possible source for the grant match would be some or all of the approximately $58,000 the village has left from its American Rescue Plan Act grant, Davis suggested. The village has to allocate the remaining ARPA funds by the end of the year though it's not required to actually spend it by that deadline.

Work on the pool complex that includes a main swimming pool with a diving board and a kiddie pool would include installation of a spray or splash pad, new apron, repair or installation of new pipes and a new fence, Becker outlined. The pools are located behind The Radez School on Main Street in the village.

Davis pointed out that a previous estimate on pool improvements had come to about $75,000 and he wondered about the steep jump up to $300,000. Becker and Warner said the previous estimate did not include as large a scope of upgrades.

"We've been talking about this for two or three years," Davis said of swimming pool improvements. "I think we should move forward."

The three board members _ Trustees Milan Jackson and Cynthia Miller were unable to attend the meeting _ also voted to approve a resolution for a bond anticipaton note in the amount of $37,600 to be used toward the purchase of a 2023 Ford Super Duty F-350 truck from Van Bortel Ford Inc. The total cost of the truck is estimated at $47,000.

The bond anticipation note carries an annual interest rate of 5.47 percent, with the note maturing on July 18, 2028.

Fire Chief Floyd Seales reported that the village's volunteer fire department is hoping to obtain a $5,000 grant that would help fund training and equipment to prepare the department for a possible train derailment or other HazMAT incident.

Seales continued that the volunteer department is now up to 39 active members, news that got a "good" response from Warner. The fire chief commended the firefighters' efforts in controlling and putting out a recent blaze.

"Everyone said it was impossible to save that home but we did," Seales said. "I'm proud of the guys."

There was a brief discussion on work being done on new village regulations regarding short-term rentals, including Airbnbs.

"Our planning board has some work to do in showing us what needs to be done in regard to how our zoning laws should be changed," Davis said. "It's a process. I don't think it should take them that long."

Appointment of a village attorney was on the July 15 agenda but no action was taken on that item because board members need some more information, including clarifying some things with an applicant for the position.

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2024-25 Hunting & Trapping Licenses On Sale Starting Aug. 1

By Elizabeth Barr

ALBANY — The hunting and trapping licenses, the license year runs from September 1st – August 31.  Deer management permits -DMP’s will be available via instant lottery from August 1 till the close of business day October 1, 2024. Lifetime license holders should receive their annual tags prior to September 1, however, they do not need them in hand to apply for DMPs.  Lifetime holders of trapping and/or fishing privileges will not have annual privilege panels mailed to them.  They should already have a credit card style license.  That is all they will need to trap or fish.  

DEC has changed the type of paper used for sporting licenses and carcass tags from special license stock to plain paper.  This will allow quicker access to recreational activities as hunters, trappers, and anglers will be able to print their licenses and tags at home.  All licenses and tags should be printed on separate sheets of paper not double sides, as carcass tags will need to be cut out to be attached to a harvested deer, bear or turkey.  You can still go to your local license issuing agent to get your license or call 866-933-2257. The DEC call center is accessible from 8 am – 7 pm Monday – Friday, and 9 am – 5 pm Saturdays until October 1, then regular call center hours will resume on October 2.  If you need a replacement for a lost license, it will still cost $5 for licenses, privileges and permits, while the cost for carcass tags will be $10. Customers can avoid replacements fees by reprinting at home from their DECALS account or from the PDF documents that were emailed to them with their original purchase.  

DEC’s General Sporting Information webpage is 

https://dec.ny.gov/regulatory/permits-licenses/sporting-and-use/sporting/general-info

To get a copy of the online version of the 2024-2025 Hunting & Trapping Regulations Guide, go to http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/37136.html. Hard copies are still available through agents but are in limited quantity.   

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Possible October Hearing on Carlisle-Seward Solar Project

By Chris English

CARLISLE/SEWARD — A public hearing might come in October on the proposed 20 MW Rock Creek solar project for about 124.5 acres at 190 Brown Road by Cyprus Creek Renewables LLC. The land is located both in the towns of Carlisle and Seward.

"Cypress Creek asked us today about a public hearing in (Carlisle) Town Hall In October," Carlisle Town Supervisor John Leavitt said via telephone on Tuesday. "We said that should work."

The matter now rests in the hands of New York State's Office of Renewable Energy Siting after Cypress Creek switched its approach and filed with ORES for approval after initially going through the two towns. In December of 2022, Carlisle Town Planning Board Chair Jennifer Regelski signed a statement stating "this project will result in no significant adverse impacts on the environment and, therefore, an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. Accordingly, this negative declaration is issued."

This was before Cypress Creek changed tracks and filed with ORES for approval. Signing off on the negative declaration has since become a point of contention between the planning board, other town officials and members of an activist group called Schoharie County Citizens Against Solar Assault. Planning board and CASA members went back and forth on the issue at the July 9 Carlisle Planning Board meeting.

Marjorie Lawston, a CASA member, pressed PB members to state that they now believe the project might have negative impacts based on information received since the matter was switched to ORES for consideration of approval and since the issuance of the negative declaration.

While saying they agreed with much of what Lawston was saying, PB members said the matter has been withdrawn from their consideration and is out of their hands. 

"We want the Carlisle town planning board, who was the lead agency at the time, to write a letter to ORES stating their error in signing the negative declaration," wrote Lawston and fellow CASA members Bill Toohey and Tracey Metz in an email to this newspaper on Wednesday.

"We want the board to address the negative declaration concerning the environmental impact stating there is no environmental impact, which is untrue....We want this recognized through a letter from the planning board to ORES stating there IS an impact. The planning board signed impulsively believing the Cyprus Creek documents only without regard to public comment."

Planning Board members said at the July 9 meeting the negative declaration was issued based on their best effort evaluation of information they had at the time. Both Carlisle and Seward are now fighting the project through legal channels, and CASA and others in both towns feel the project will have negative impacts in regard to tearing up roads, stormwater management and others.

"This is a whole new process now that it's going through ORES and all that other stuff is out the window," said Leavitt in the Tuesday telephone conversation. "At this point, there is nothing the planning board can do because it's been taken out of their hands. Impact on real estate values and all these other issues will be discussed at the public hearing."

Phone messages left with the ORES office from this newspaper were not returned. Cypress Creek media representative Angeli Chandler did not responded to multiple emails from this newspaper seeking comment on various issues with the project, including the possible October public hearing.

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Richmondville Fires Dog Control Officer, Hires Replacement

Town of Richmondville officials are planning an addition to Town Hall. Photo by Chris English.

By Chris English

RICHMONDVILLE — Jillian Smith is out and Morgan Kraemer is in as dog control officer in the Town of Richmondville.

The town board voted unanimously at its Thursday, July 11 meeting to terminate its relationship with Smith in regard to both her dog control officer and constable roles. Board members then hired Kraemer as DCO by the same unanimous vote.

Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun and Councilmen Eric Haslun, Harry Rode, George Horning and Todd Sperbeck all voted yes on both motions. The actions came late in the meeting after a 20-minute executive session to discuss the DCO situation.

Earlier in the meeting, town Clerk Maggie Smith read a letter from a resident that indicated rather serious dissatisfaction with Smith's response to a dog biting incident on Franzen Road. In the letter, the resident recounted how a neighbor's dog _ running loose _ lunged at him twice and broke skin on the second try. "The dog had behaved aggressively toward me in the past," the man wrote in the letter. He added that the dog's owner could not control the animal.

The resident who had been bitten wrote in the letter that Smith took a long time to return his calls and that when she did, she left a message indicating that her intended course of action _ in the resident's opinion _ was not nearly strong enough to meet the situation. He called that situation "dangerous and unacceptable."

Smith had little to say in an emailed response to this newspaper soon after the July 11 meeting.

"I was not requested to be at the town board meeting and therefore do not know what was discussed and cannot make a comment due to lack of information provided to me," she wrote. After being given a summary of actions regarding her at the July 11 meeting by this newspaper, Smith did not respond further.

Smith is also DCO for several other nearby towns and Jeffrey Haslun said it would be up to those towns to decide what to do about Smith's continued services. Haslun declined to comment further on the matter after the July 11 meeting. He added that Kraemer's hiring is only for the DCO job and that town officials are not sure yet what to do about the now vacant constable position.

The news from Richmondville comes at a time when control of dogs and other problem animals has become a frequent topic of discussion throughout Schoharie County. Some have suggested hiring a county-level animal control officer.

In other news from the July 11 Richmondville meeting, Jeffrey Haslun said he is optimistic about his request for $1 million from the state for 2025 that would help fund the town's planned $13 million sewer project that would provide public sewer service to much of the Town of Richmondville.

"We should know by the end of the month," Haslun said of the $1 million request. He added the town will have $5.7 million from a federal program for the project, $300,000 from Schoharie County and is seeking other sources of funding.

There was also a brief discussion of a planned expansion of Town Hall of about 1,000 square feet that would provide more efficient access to both town and court operations, and also provide more storage space for both.

Jeffrey Haslun said the town will try for $30,000 in grant money for the project through the state of New York court system. He added there is not yet a firm estimate on the total cost of the addition.

The town will move forward with a free computer program called Helixintell through its insurance company NYMIR. The program should help Highway Superintendent Brian Manchester keep track of the age and mileage of the department's equipment and aid in tracking road work and with other areas, Haslun noted.

"Sounds good, sounds like a good program," Sperbeck said.

Manchester and Haslun reported that a large new plow truck ordered by the town at a cost not to exceed $325,000 should start production by the end of August and, hopefully, be delivered early in the first quarter of 2025.

In his report, Manchester said town crews have recently replaced several cross culverts and installed shoulders on several roads. Haslun said there have so far been five applicants for the vacant court clerk position.

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Schalmont, Cobleskill BOCES Seniors Named SKILLSUSA Students of the Year

SCHOHARIE – Seniors from Schalmont and Cobleskill high schools have been named SkillsUSA Students of the Year on the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education Center – Schoharie Campus.

Nichole Clark and Cole Carman were presented the honor during the campus’s graduation and awards ceremony on June 13.

The SkillsUSA Student of the Year honor is given to the student(s) on each Career and Technical School campus who best exemplifies SkillsUSA by their leadership and service to others, participation in all facets of the organization, and dedication and diligence to their vocation.

Clark and Carman are graduates of the Capital Region BOCES Criminal Justice who also served as officers of the SkillsUSA chapter on campus—Clark as president of the morning session and Carman as vice president of the same session.

Besides serving on the SkillsUSA organization, Carman and Clark are also two-year members of the National Technical Honor Society.

Principal Matt Ward praised the students and their willingness to give back to the school and community.

“Cole and Nicole are dedicated to the SkillsUSA mission and willing to help wherever possible. They are motivated, responsible, professional, but most importantly, leaders.  We are proud of their accomplishments at Schoharie CTE,” Ward said.

Both student leaders are heading to college in pursuit of careers protecting the public. Carman will be attending the University of Tampa to study cybersecurity, and Clark will attend Coastal Carolina College to study engineering science. Clark said the college credits will allow her to pursue her dream of being a K9 officer for the New York State Police.

“I need the 60 college credits to become a New York state trooper,” she said. “I want to be a K9 trooper because I like dogs and I like the idea of making the area safer.”

Both students praise BOCES for preparing them for the next steps of their lives.

“I have learned a lot of skills that will apply to a career in law enforcement, and the people at BOCES are great,” Clark said. 

“I have learned different types of analysis and skills that will be helpful as I pursue this for a career," Carman said.

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“Sharon Things - Local Happenings for Sharon Springs”

By Alexis Pencar

Hey Neighbors!

What a crazy bit of weather these last few days! There were lots of areas affected by the severe weather that moved across the State on Tuesday. Areas of Ames to Springfield and everywhere in between were badly affected by the initial front wall of the storm. Power was out for many and damages ranged from down trees to flooding.

Keep in mind the Klinkhart Hall Concerts in the Park on Wednesdays at 7 PM through the end of July! Visit their website for more information!

The Sharon Pool is officially open! The Pool will be open daily from 1:00 - 5:00 PM and Tuesdays & Thursdays from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. There is a concession stand offering drinks and snacks too! If you would like to donate to the Rec Center, please contact Daniel Cornwell or Valerie Jay.

The next Bison Island Ranch Days is coming up on Saturday July 27th from 11:00 - 3:00 PM. Get your heart healthy bison ground, bison patties, bison hot dogs, and bison steaks! There’s always family friendly activities at The Ranch! Visit @bisonislandranch on Facebook for more information or visit Bisonislandranch.com.

Wren’s Earth Refillery is now open for business Thursdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The shop is located at 277 Stage Coach Road, Sharon Springs, NY. You can shop anytime at WrensEarth.com. 

Parsons Vegetable Farm has all your gardening and spring needs AND The Outrageous Snack Snack is also now open Friday through Sundays from 10-4 PM serving up specialty handcrafted donuts and more! Located on Route 20 across from the Walmart DC. 

The American Legion Post 1269 of Sharon Springs is looking for new members! If you are interested in becoming an American Legion member, volunteering, or even donating to the many wonderful causes the Legion supports, please contact Commander Paul Todd at (518) 649-0024 for more information.

Sharon Springs Free Library News: 

It's "MVLS-GO" time! Every library in the Mohawk Valley Library System has its own Summer 2024 Trading Card that can be collected. Stop in to our library to check out our unique and limited-edition trading card for Sharon Springs. We challenge you to try to collect all 14 from every library! Check out the map of all the participating libraries by visiting mvls.info/trading-cards/. 

Storytime on Thursday, July 18th will be extra magical with our special guest, Magician Kyle. The adventure begins at 10 a.m. 

We welcome you to attend our monthly Board of Trustees meeting on July 25th, 2024 at 7 p.m. in the library. 

The Library is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays from 3:00 - 8:00 PM, Mondays & Thursdays from 10:00 - 6:00 PM, Saturdays 10:00 -1:00 PM, and Sundays - Closed. 

For more Library information please contact (518) 284-3126.

The Sharon Springs Food Pantry is an excellent local resource for all! They are located in the United Methodist Church on Route 20, across from the school (511 US Route 20, Sharon’s Springs, NY 13459). They are always accepting donations! If you or someone you know is in need of the Pantry, the hours are Thursday 9:00 -10:30 AM and 5:00 - 6:30 PM. For more information please contact (518) 284-2687 or follow them on Facebook.

Worship Services

The Sharon Reformed Church (6858 State Route 10, Sharon Springs, NY 13459) offers weekly service at 10:30 am. Contact at (518) 234-2387 for more details.

The Sharon Springs United Methodist Church (511 State Route 20, Sharon Springs, NY, 13459) offers weekly service at 10:30 am. Contact at (518) 284-2200 for more details.

The St. Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church (24 Maple Avenue, Cherry Valley, NY 13320) offers weekly mass at 10:00 am. Reminder: confession is available 30 minutes before every mass. Contact at (607) 264-3779 for more details.

The Zion St. John’s Lutheran Church Seward (114 Mesick Ave, Cobleskill, NY 12043) offers weekly service on Sundays at 9:00 am. Contact at (518) 234-3222 for more details.

Cornerstone Baptist Church (7274 Route 10, Ames, NY 13317). Sunday Service is at 10:00 am. All are welcome. Contact (518) 673 3405 for more details.

Sharon Sr. Congregate Meal Site

Local residents are invited to enjoy good company and a noon-time meal year round (except holidays) at the Schoharie County OFA’s “Spa Ritz” Sr. Congregate Meal Site at the Firehouse at 137 Beechwood Rd. M-W-F. 8 oz of 1% milk is served with each meal. Orders for meals must be called into the OFA office at (518) 295-2001 before 2 p.m. for the following day. Effective January 1st the suggested donation for those 60 years old and older is $5.00 per meal. Under age 60? You’re welcome to participate for a fee of $7.50 per meal.

To share community news, upcoming events, business specials, adjusted hours, birthdays, anniversaries, or even an outstanding resident, please contact me directly at (772) 971-1410 or alexis.pencar@gmail.com. Have a great week! Thanks!

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Schoharie County Has Fun for Everyone this Summer!

By Elizabeth Barr

SCHOHARIE COUNTY — Hiking in the Summer is not only fun but is great exercise.  In Schoharie County you will find great hiking areas like Vroman’s Nose Trail in Middleburgh. It is famous for the breathtaking view of Schoharie Valley.  It is a 1.5-mile loop trail and is a 485’ climb, has free parking and is open year-round. Camping is available. You can also have a picnic.   The Farmhouse Under the Nose is an AirBnB located at the entrance of the hiking trail and is a fully remodeled farmhouse surrounded by nature's beauty.  It is equipped with many modern conveniences. They also have a floral shop on site for all your floral needs. For more information call 518-669-2752.

Mine Kill State Park in North Blenheim has another stunning view of Schoharie Valley and has a 6-mile hiking trail, free parking and is open all year. There is an Olympic size pool, wading pool, and diving pool.  They have playgrounds, mountain biking, athletic fields, motorboating, kayaking, water skiing and outdoor games.  There is also a picnic area and fishing.  For more information call 518-827-6111.

If hiking for a long distance, be prepared with a few essentials.  A map, compass, matches in a waterproof container, a flashlight, a whistle and pocket knife or multi-tool, duct tape, sunscreen, bug repellant, some high protein snacks and extra water is a good idea to help keep you safe and make your experience more enjoyable.  Always let someone know where you are going.  Be realistic about your abilities and skill level.  Also, you should check the weather and air quality before going.  Happy Hiking!

Underground Adventures are also available in Schoharie County. 

The second most visited in the state, only surpassed by Niagara Falls is Howe Caverns in Howes Cave. The Caverns were created millions of years ago during the Devonian Period.  The caverns are a cool and constant 52’ year-round.  This makes it a great summer retreat to escape the hot days of Summer.  You will be descending 156’ beneath the Earth’s surface by elevator and enter into beautiful caverns with various rock formations and a guided boat tour. This will be an unforgettable journey to the depths of the earth.  Tours can be paired with an overnight package at the Howe Caverns Motel. For more information call 518-296-8900.

A bit off the beaten path, you will find Secret Caverns also located in Howes Cave. It is another rare and remarkable natural beauty.  When going down the 85’ descent, there will be 103 stairs used to enter and exit the caverns. The cave features a 100’ waterfall. It is 50 degrees year-round so a jacket is recommended and good footwear. You will see and be able to touch the fossils, formations, walls and water. Please don't touch the calcite dripping down the walls and covering the rocks.  Calcite forms at an incredibly slow rate of one cubic inch per every one hundred years. Your experienced guide will point out a large honeycomb coral, crinoids and all the Brachiopods. For more information, call 518-296-8558 or email secretcavernsrocks@gmail.com.

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Wrestling Championship Aug. 6 at the Fairgrounds

By Matthew Avitabile

COBLESKILL — The Cobleskill Fairgrounds will host a wrestling event on Tuesday, August 6th at 7:00 pm. The main event will pit Garrett Holiday against Shayne Stetson for the loser who leaves Immortal Championship Wrestling (ICW) during the Last One Standing event.

We interviewed Robert Benning, who goes by the stage name Garrett Holiday, who will be facing off next month. In Utica this past Saturday, Holiday offered his hand in friendship, only to be struck in return. Holiday and his father Derek won the tag team match against Stetson and his father Chip. Father Derek and Garrett Holiday won the match.

Doors open at 6:45 and the show starts at 7:00 pm. 

There were two matches at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds last year, with this being the first match set during the fair itself.

“It’s 50-50. Me and Shayne are heavily-talented and what the odds with Shayne in his favor, nobody truly knows,” said Holiday.

Also that day will be the first-ever Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be put in place during intermission.

Former WWE stars Dirty Dango, Primo, and Epico Colon will all be there. 

Other matches will taking place during the event are:

• Adrianna Fury vs. Christina Marie for the women’s championship

• Rob the Giant vs. Short Sleeve Samson

• Blaze Haram vs. Pat Sawyer for the Northeast Title

• Matt McCoy vs. Dirty Dango

• Bill Collier will be in a gauntlet match

• Anthony Greene vs. Vince Valor in the ICW Heavyweight Title Match. Greene has returned from Japan and is a tag-team champion there

• Primo and Epico Colon vs. Team Friendship (Mike Skyros and Adam Stone) in the tag team championship match

For more information or to consider sponsoring an ICW event, contact immortalchampionshipwrestling.com.

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THE CATSKILL GEOLOGISTS BY PROFESSORS ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS - The Devil’s Kitchen

Have you ever been to the Devil’s Kitchen? That’s an especially picturesque landscape at the uppermost and steepest slope of Plattekill Creek in Platte Clove. You get there by taking Greene County Rte. 16 (Platte Clove Road) east from Hunter or west from the bottom of the Hudson Valley. At the very top of the road there is a small red cabin. Park nearby and follow the trail that starts at the cabin and go downhill until you get to the view of Plattekill Falls. That’s where we are going today. See our photo.

                                     

It’s commonly said that there are 17 waterfalls along Plattekill Creek. Collectively, they make this such a beautiful, even magnificent location. It’s very difficult to hike this rugged canyon bottom to top but, if you do, then you can see (and count) all those falls for yourself. But naturally, although we love the gorgeous landscape here, we also seek to look into it, deeply into it. What is the geological history that lies behind all this beauty? We looked up at that waterfall and began to see its past. That’s when we stopped being hikers and we came to act as geologists and started to genuinely understand what was there, right in front of us.

We have written about waterfalls many times over the years. We almost always speak of there being a capstone at the top of each fall. That’s a sizable mass of very solid rock, resistant to the effects of weathering and erosion. That capstone allows the falls to stand out as an often-towering landscape feature. Add a stream and, presto, you have a waterfall. In the Catskills we typically speak of that capstone being composed of ancient, Devonian aged sedimentary rocks. About 380 million years ago all the Catskills were part of a gigantic delta complex, something called the Catskill Delta. There were enormous masses of sand, silt and clay being deposited by each of the Catskill Delta’s many rivers. That ancient delta had numerous ponds, swamps and thick soils. But what any delta is especially good at is river deposition, river sands which would harden into river sandstones. Those make very good capstones. That’s of course, exactly what we thought when we first looked at this falls – but there was more, much more.

Take another look at our photo. We have outlined what we think are the cross sections of two Devonian streams that once flowed by right here. We think that there used to be a lot of streams that were up there so long ago, and that all of them combined to produce the sand that now makes this capstone, but those two river channels really stand out. We stood there and looked left and right. Then we turned around and looked east. We were transported all those 380 million years into the past that had once been right here. We looked around and saw those swamps. Then we saw those ponds. There was, all around us, a forest of primitive trees. But mostly there were rivers. We returned to the present and turned around again and looked at that waterfall – and the delta top that had once been here. Then we looked down the canyon. All this was repeated about 16 more times in each of the falls that are down there. There is a lot of history here.

Contact the authors at randjtitus@prodigy.net. Join their facebook page “The Catskill Geologist.” Read their blog at “thecatskillgeologist.com.”

                                   

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