America's first great mountain house, the Catskill Mountain House, was a unique blend of civilization and savagery. The film documents the Northern Catskills as America's 19th century vacation land and its first wilderness. It features the work of Hudson River School Painters and American writers who celebrated the area's natural beauty, including Kaaterskill Falls and North Mountain. The story also explores the "Chicken War" and the competition between steamboats and railroads that brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region. Over time, the Catskills shifted from the mountains to the Borscht Belt in the south, with vintage film, photographs, art, and music from the 19th and early 20th centuries bringing the era to life.
The Catskill Mountain House and the World Around
America's first great mountain house blended refinement and wilderness, offering a glimpse into the 19th century's most coveted vacation spot in the Northern Catskills.
