Neversink Gorge
Encyclopedia
The Neversink Gorge is located in the town of Forestburgh, New York
, USA, and is one of the more outstanding features of the Neversink River
. A portion of the western side of the The Gorge, above Denton Falls, through High Falls, to the entrance of Eden Brook, is a private nature sanctuary called The Turner Brook Reserve
; the entire eastern side and the remaining western property is a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC) controlled Unique Area
often called the Neversink Gorge Unique Area.
The current borders of the Neversink Gorge Unique Area and the private lands in the Neversink Gorge were amassed as a 10000 acres (40.5 km²) private game preserve by Ambrose Monel in the late 1890s through the early 1900s. Monel, who was president of International Nickel and patented Monel
Metal, was inspired by the conservation ethic established by John Burroughs
and John Muir
to purchase farms, tanneries and even entire towns, demolish the buildings and revert the land to its wild state. Within this sportspersons paradise the greatest names in American fly fishing, Edward Ringwood Hewitt, George M. L. La Branche, Justin Askins , Phil Chase, Theodore Gordon
and many others have practiced their passion, refined their techniques and wrote about their adventures.
When Monel died the property passed to the Bradford family and was then purchased by the Wechsler family in 1939. The Wechsler family, having made their fortune in coffee distribution founded Restaurant Associates that at its peak owned 50 eateries in New York City. With this wealth Philip Wechsler hired architect Eugene Schoen to build 5 homes on Gilman Pond in Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian style with the turn of the century stone structure that was Monel's mansion as the central "Lodge" named by Monel, The Four Way Lodge. They dubbed this family compound The Philwold Estates (Phil Wold = Phil's Woods in German). The extended Wechsler family resided there for a time and gradually sold the homes off.
Forestburgh, New York
Forestburgh is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 833 at the 2000 census. It is where the Neversink River enters the Neversink Gorge and flows over High Falls....
, USA, and is one of the more outstanding features of the Neversink River
Neversink River
The Neversink River is a tributary of the Delaware River in southeastern New York in the United States...
. A portion of the western side of the The Gorge, above Denton Falls, through High Falls, to the entrance of Eden Brook, is a private nature sanctuary called The Turner Brook Reserve
The Turner Brook Reserve
The Turner Brook Reserve, located in Forestburgh, New York, United States is a nature preserve. The Turner Brook Reserve was established in 1968 by Ben Wechsler, who died on July 21, 2011. Today the reserve totals more than . Its western boundary runs along the Cold Spring Road in Forestburgh, NY,...
; the entire eastern side and the remaining western property is a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
(DEC) controlled Unique Area
New York State Forests
New York State Forests are administered by the Division of Lands and Forests of the Department of Environmental Conservation . There are four classifications:#Reforestation Areas#Multiple Use Areas#Unique Areas#State Nature and Historic Preserves...
often called the Neversink Gorge Unique Area.
The current borders of the Neversink Gorge Unique Area and the private lands in the Neversink Gorge were amassed as a 10000 acres (40.5 km²) private game preserve by Ambrose Monel in the late 1890s through the early 1900s. Monel, who was president of International Nickel and patented Monel
Monel
Monel is a trademark of Special Metals Corporation for a series of nickel alloys, primarily composed of nickel and copper, with some iron and other trace elements. Monel was created by David H. Browne, chief metallurgist for International Nickel Co...
Metal, was inspired by the conservation ethic established by 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,...
and John Muir
John Muir
John Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions...
to purchase farms, tanneries and even entire towns, demolish the buildings and revert the land to its wild state. Within this sportspersons paradise the greatest names in American fly fishing, Edward Ringwood Hewitt, George M. L. La Branche, Justin Askins , Phil Chase, Theodore Gordon
Theodore Gordon
Theodore Gordon, a consumptive hermit, was a writer who fished the Catskill region of New York State in the late 19th century through the early 20th century. He wrote articles for the Fishing Gazette from 1890 on and published works in Forest and Stream from 1903, sometimes under the pseudonym...
and many others have practiced their passion, refined their techniques and wrote about their adventures.
When Monel died the property passed to the Bradford family and was then purchased by the Wechsler family in 1939. The Wechsler family, having made their fortune in coffee distribution founded Restaurant Associates that at its peak owned 50 eateries in New York City. With this wealth Philip Wechsler hired architect Eugene Schoen to build 5 homes on Gilman Pond in Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian style with the turn of the century stone structure that was Monel's mansion as the central "Lodge" named by Monel, The Four Way Lodge. They dubbed this family compound The Philwold Estates (Phil Wold = Phil's Woods in German). The extended Wechsler family resided there for a time and gradually sold the homes off.