Mohonk Mountain House
Encyclopedia
The Mohonk Mountain House also known as Lake Mohonk Mountain House, is a historic American resort
hotel located on the Shawangunk Ridge
in Ulster County, New York
. Its prominent location in the town of New Paltz is just beyond the southern border of the Catskill Mountains
on the western side of the Hudson River
. Two important policy conferences of domestic and international significance have taken place at the hotel.
in 1986, was built by Quaker twin brothers Albert and Alfred Smiley between 1879 and 1910. It has 266 guest rooms, including 28 tower rooms, an indoor pool and spa
, and an outdoor ice-skating rink for winter use. The picturesque setting of the resort on the lake was once featured in an original picture print by Currier & Ives.
The property has been owned and operated by descendants of the Smiley brothers since 1869. It consists of 2200 acres (890.3 ha) and much of it is landscaped with meadows and gardens. The property adjoins 6400 acres (2,590 ha) of the Mohonk Preserve
, which is crisscrossed by 85 miles (136.8 km) of hiking trails and carriage roads. The Smiley Family conveyed portions of their property into the Preserve; they have received awards for the stewardship of their land and their early environmental awareness. A reciprocal agreement allows Preserve members and day visitors to visit the resort grounds, and there is a network of well-maintained trails that visitors can follow in all seasons.
Both the original Smiley brothers were temperance advocates, and banned liquor, dancing and card playing on the premises. The hotel obtained a liquor license in the 1960s. http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/02/24/travel/24mohonk.html?pagewanted=2&sq=mohonk%20mountain%20house&st=cse&scp=7
There is a library in the main building; several books written by regular Mohonk guests are included in the collection. The hotel also has special rooms for viewing television and using the internet. Supervised children's activities are available for adults who want privacy or free time to explore the resort on their own.
All overnight guests at The Mohonk Mountain House are on the "Full American Plan." Three meals and afternoon tea are provided daily as part of the room rate. Guests checking into the resort are first offered tea and cookies in the late afternoon, followed by dinner, and breakfast the next morning. Check-out time is 2:00 p.m; lunch on the day of departure is included. Guests may substitute a pack lunch so that they can have a picnic after leaving the hotel. The main dining room provides guests with a view of the Catskill Mountains
to the north. In the summer a lunch buffet is available at the outdoor "Granary" perched on a cliff overlooking Lake Mohonk. Day guests may make advance reservations to purchase meals in the hotel or to spend the day hiking in the hotel's grounds and the Mohonk Preserve.
, naturalist John Burroughs
, industrialist Andrew Carnegie
, and American presidents Theodore Roosevelt
, William Howard Taft
, Rutherford B. Hayes
, and Chester A. Arthur
. Guests have also included Former First Lady Julia Grant
, Thomas Mann
and religious leaders such as Rabbi Louis Finkelstein
, Reverend Ralph W. Sockman, Reverend Francis Edward Clark
and `Abdu'l-Bahá
, the eldest son of Bahá'í Faith
founder Bahá'u'lláh
, have also stayed there on one of his journeys to the West.
From 1883 to 1916 annual conferences took place at Mohonk Mountain House, sponsored by Albert Smiley, to improve the living standards of native American Indian populations. These meetings brought together government representatives of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
and the House and Senate committees on Indian Affairs, as well as educators, philanthropists, and Indian leaders to discuss the formulation of policy. The 22,000 records from the 34 conference reports are now at the library of Haverford College
for researchers and students of American history.
The hotel also hosted the Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration
between 1895 and 1916, which was instrumental in creating the Permanent Court of Arbitration
in The Hague
, Netherlands. Those conference papers were donated by the Smiley Family to Swarthmore College
for future research.
and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations as well as the television program "America's Castles" on the A&E Network
, among other programs. The resort was the setting of a 1994 feature film, The Road to Wellville
, starring Anthony Hopkins
and Matthew Broderick
. The Mountain House was featured on The Today Show
on September 28, 2006 for a teambuilding adventure for Meredith Vieira
and Ann Curry
.
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
hotel located on the Shawangunk Ridge
Shawangunk Ridge
The Shawangunk Ridge , also known as the Shawangunk Mountains or The Gunks, is a ridge of bedrock in Ulster County, Sullivan County and Orange County in the state of New York, extending from the northernmost point of New Jersey to the Catskill Mountains.The ridgetop, which widens considerably at...
in Ulster County, New York
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
. Its prominent location in the town of New Paltz is just beyond the southern border of the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
on the western side of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. Two important policy conferences of domestic and international significance have taken place at the hotel.
History
The historic resort is located on the shore of Lake Mohonk, which is half of a mile (800 m) long and 60 feet (18.3 m) deep. The main structure, which was designated a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1986, was built by Quaker twin brothers Albert and Alfred Smiley between 1879 and 1910. It has 266 guest rooms, including 28 tower rooms, an indoor pool and spa
Destination spa
A destination spa is a short term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters...
, and an outdoor ice-skating rink for winter use. The picturesque setting of the resort on the lake was once featured in an original picture print by Currier & Ives.
The property has been owned and operated by descendants of the Smiley brothers since 1869. It consists of 2200 acres (890.3 ha) and much of it is landscaped with meadows and gardens. The property adjoins 6400 acres (2,590 ha) of the Mohonk Preserve
Mohonk Preserve
The Mohonk Preserve is located in the Shawangunk Ridge, a section of the Appalachian Mountains, north of New York City in Ulster County, New York, USA. The Preserve is west of the Village of New Paltz...
, which is crisscrossed by 85 miles (136.8 km) of hiking trails and carriage roads. The Smiley Family conveyed portions of their property into the Preserve; they have received awards for the stewardship of their land and their early environmental awareness. A reciprocal agreement allows Preserve members and day visitors to visit the resort grounds, and there is a network of well-maintained trails that visitors can follow in all seasons.
Both the original Smiley brothers were temperance advocates, and banned liquor, dancing and card playing on the premises. The hotel obtained a liquor license in the 1960s. http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/02/24/travel/24mohonk.html?pagewanted=2&sq=mohonk%20mountain%20house&st=cse&scp=7
Recreation and other activities
Resort guests may ride horses, go boating on the lake, play tennis, croquet, and shuffleboard, tour a historic barn and greenhouse, take carriage rides, swim or fish in the lake, receive spa treatments, visit the fitness center, play golf, listen to concerts and lectures, hike mountain trails, stroll through formal gardens and a maze, ride bikes, or go rock climbing. There is a gift shop that carries apparel, accessories, snacks, and beverages. Winter activities include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ice-skating. Many of the recreational activities are provided as part of the room rate. The resort is open year-round.There is a library in the main building; several books written by regular Mohonk guests are included in the collection. The hotel also has special rooms for viewing television and using the internet. Supervised children's activities are available for adults who want privacy or free time to explore the resort on their own.
All overnight guests at The Mohonk Mountain House are on the "Full American Plan." Three meals and afternoon tea are provided daily as part of the room rate. Guests checking into the resort are first offered tea and cookies in the late afternoon, followed by dinner, and breakfast the next morning. Check-out time is 2:00 p.m; lunch on the day of departure is included. Guests may substitute a pack lunch so that they can have a picnic after leaving the hotel. The main dining room provides guests with a view of the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
to the north. In the summer a lunch buffet is available at the outdoor "Granary" perched on a cliff overlooking Lake Mohonk. Day guests may make advance reservations to purchase meals in the hotel or to spend the day hiking in the hotel's grounds and the Mohonk Preserve.
Notable guests and important conferences held at Mohonk
The Mohonk Mountain House has hosted many famous visitors over the years, such as industrialist John D. RockefellerJohn D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
, naturalist John Burroughs
John Burroughs
John Burroughs was an American naturalist and essayist important in the evolution of the U.S. conservation movement. According to biographers at the American Memory project at the Library of Congress,...
, industrialist Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
, and American presidents Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
, Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
, and Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
. Guests have also included Former First Lady Julia Grant
Julia Grant
Julia Boggs Dent-Grant , was the wife of the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, and was First Lady of the United States from 1869 to 1877.-Background:...
, Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann
Thomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, known for his series of highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual...
and religious leaders such as Rabbi Louis Finkelstein
Louis Finkelstein
Rabbi Louis Finkelstein was a Talmud scholar, an expert in Jewish law, and a leader of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and Conservative Judaism.-Brief Biography:...
, Reverend Ralph W. Sockman, Reverend Francis Edward Clark
Francis Edward Clark
Francis Edward Clark was an American clergyman, born of New England ancestry in Aylmer, Quebec, Canada. He was the son of Charles C. Symmes, but took the name of an uncle, the Rev. E.W. Clark, by whom he was adopted after his father's death in 1853...
and `Abdu'l-Bahá
`Abdu'l-Bahá
‘Abdu’l-Bahá , born ‘Abbás Effendí, was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1892, `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed in his father's will to be his successor and head of the Bahá'í Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá was born in Tehran to an aristocratic family of the realm...
, the eldest son of Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
founder Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
, have also stayed there on one of his journeys to the West.
`Abdu'l-Bahá's journeys to the West
`Abdu'l-Bahá's journeys to the West were a series of trips `Abdu'l-Bahá undertook starting at the age of 67 from Palestine to the West from 1910 to 1913. `Abdu'l-Bahá was imprisoned at the age of 8 and suffered various degrees of privation most of his life...
From 1883 to 1916 annual conferences took place at Mohonk Mountain House, sponsored by Albert Smiley, to improve the living standards of native American Indian populations. These meetings brought together government representatives of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
and the House and Senate committees on Indian Affairs, as well as educators, philanthropists, and Indian leaders to discuss the formulation of policy. The 22,000 records from the 34 conference reports are now at the library of Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
for researchers and students of American history.
The hotel also hosted the Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration
Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration
The Lake Mohonk Conference on International Arbitration was founded in 1895 to support the cause of international arbitration, arbitration treaties, and an international court, and to generate public support on behalf of the cause...
between 1895 and 1916, which was instrumental in creating the Permanent Court of Arbitration
Permanent Court of Arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration , is an international organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands.-History:The court was established in 1899 as one of the acts of the first Hague Peace Conference, which makes it the oldest institution for international dispute resolution.The creation of...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Netherlands. Those conference papers were donated by the Smiley Family to Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
for future research.
Publicity
In recent years the Mohonk Mountain House has been featured on The Travel Channel's Great HotelsGreat Hotels
Great Hotels is a television show on the Travel Channel. The show, hosted by Samantha Brown, travels around the United States to show some of its most renowned hotels...
and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations as well as the television program "America's Castles" on the A&E Network
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
, among other programs. The resort was the setting of a 1994 feature film, The Road to Wellville
The Road to Wellville
The Road to Wellville is a 1993 novel by American author T. Coraghessan Boyle. Set in Battle Creek, Michigan during the early days of breakfast cereals, the story includes a historical fictionalization of John Harvey Kellogg, the inventor of corn flakes....
, starring Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
and Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
. The Mountain House was featured on The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
on September 28, 2006 for a teambuilding adventure for Meredith Vieira
Meredith Vieira
Meredith Louise Vieira is an American journalist, television personality, and game show host. She is best known for her roles as the original moderator of the ABC talk program The View and co-host of the long-running NBC News morning news program, Today...
and Ann Curry
Ann Curry
Ann Curry is an American television news journalist and co-anchor on NBC's morning television program Today. She is the former news anchor on Today, a role she began in March 1997, and was the host of Dateline NBC from 2005-2011.Curry is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Biography:Curry was born in...
.
External links
- 89 b&w photos and 14 color images at Historic American Buildings SurveyHistoric American Buildings SurveyThe Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
- Mohonk Mountain House Official site
- Photos of Mohonk Mountain House
- Lake Minnewaska history
- NY-NJTC: Mohonk Mountain House Trail Details and Info
- Travel: Resort: Sneaking a Spa In: Mohonk Mountain House