Ellenville

Book excerpt: Surrounded by the beautiful Shawangunk Mountains, Ellenville, New York, is a gateway between the Catskills, the Hudson River Valley, and New York City. Its people and places are what make Ellenville special. Artists, laborers, entrepreneurs, and national figures are among Ellenville's citizens. Its architectural gems include the Ellenville Post Office and Hunt Memorial Building, located in the heart of the village on Liberty Square; both are in the National Register of Historic Places. The original site of the Ulster County Fair, Ellenville has been home to vital American industries. The Delaware & Hudson Canal and early railways gave rise to tanneries, glassworks, a production pottery, and a knife manufactory. Resorts, boardinghouses, and inns welcomed travelers along some of the nation's oldest roads. Originating over 200 years ago as Fairchild City, Ellenville retains its small-town character to this day.