FERNDALE – As cars traveled along Ferndale Road on an overcast Sunday afternoon, many drivers passing by may not have realized history was being both recognized and preserved in the small park across from the Mobil station on Ferndale Road: the unveiling of the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project’s 16th marker, honoring Ferndale’s place in Catskills history.

The afternoon began with a rare glimpse inside the newly renovated Shelburne Playhouse before the official unveiling. The marker recognizes Ferndale’s role in the once-thriving Catskill Resort era, honoring the families, workers, visitors, and especially the hotels that became regional landmarks and destinations for generations.

As part of the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project, the Ferndale marker is the 16th in a series of 20 markers dedicated to preserving the history and cultural impact of the Jewish resort communities that once shaped the region.

Founder and Director of the Borscht Belt Marker Project Marisa Scheinfeld explained that Ferndale’s significance in the Borscht Belt story goes far beyond its size compared to larger resort communities like Monticello and Liberty.

“Long before neon signs, sprawling resorts, and packed dining rooms, Jewish immigrant families were welcoming summer guests into their homes and farms here,” Scheinfeld said. “When I think about those early years, it’s not the glittery era that so many people associate with the Borscht Belt. It’s winding dirt roads, farmhouses, chickens wandering through yards, families excitedly coming up by train and settling into creaky spare bedrooms. It was a simpler world. It was unpolished, and it was where something extraordinary began.”

It was the dedication of countless families who opened their homes, boarding houses, bungalow colonies, hotels, and businesses that allowed Ferndale to flourish during that era.

Scheinfeld highlighted how Grossinger’s Resort Hotel — a nationally-famous Borscht Belt locale — had its humble beginnings in Ferndale in 1914 as the Longbrook Farmhouse before eventually moving to Liberty.

Alongside Grossinger’s, resorts including Stier’s Hotel, Pollack’s Hotel, Upper Ferndale Country Club, and the Shelburne Hotel helped shape the identity of the community.

“These places formed the fabric of this corner of the county,” Scheinfeld said, noting that each location added its own “thread to the tapestry” that unfolded over more than a century.

From the beginning, Scheinfeld emphasized that the marker project has never been about mourning the loss of the Borscht Belt, but rather celebrating the life, culture, and memories that remain.

“These markers give history a place,” Scheinfeld said. “They stand here in the landscape and they say, ‘This happened here. These people were here. These stories matter. The Borscht Belt Ferndale Historical Marker would not have been possible without the generosity and vision of Maurice Gerry, who, together with his brother, owns the property on which the marker stands."

"A true steward of local history, Maurice has devoted decades to preserving Sullivan County’s heritage through historic preservation, community leadership, and countless civic projects. Known for his dedication, tenacity, and meticulous attention to detail, Maurice’s unwavering commitment to honoring the past has left a lasting mark on the region, making him one of Sullivan County’s most respected and influential champions." added Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project Public Relations and Visual Coordinator Isaac Jeffreys.

The unveiling also featured descendants of former hotel owners and families who shared personal memories of the Borscht Belt era and the impact these resorts had on both their families and the wider community.

Marc Stier, grandson of Stier’s Hotel founder Frank Stier and son of M.W. Stier, reflected on his family’s connection to the property and the larger meaning behind the resort era.

Operating as a successful hotel for more than half a century, Stier explained that the family business provided opportunities not only for his own relatives, but also thousands of employees who worked there.

He recalled how many young workers used their earnings from hotel jobs to pursue higher education, with some telling guests they planned to become doctors while earning enough money to continue their studies.

However, Stier emphasized that the Borscht Belt was about more than business.

“The success of this business community was built on mostly New York working-class Jews who had nowhere else to go because they were not welcome at other resorts,” Stier said.

He noted that these hotels became safe havens where immigrant families could build lives while creating places where visitors could connect, escape, and form lifelong memories.

Also speaking was Mitchell Ivers, grandson of Ben and Rachel Golant and grandnephew of the Smith family, who owned and operated the Upper Ferndale Country Club.

For Ivers, the hotel represented far more than a business.

“It wasn’t just a place that they owned and worked,” Ivers said. “It wasn’t just a place that they loved. It was life to them.”

Describing his family’s connection to Upper Ferndale as a “Camelot,” Ivers shared how deeply rooted his family was in the property. His mother, Harriet Golant, worked as a receptionist at the hotel, while his father worked as a busboy. The two eventually fell in love and married there.

He expressed gratitude to the Marker Project for ensuring those memories remain accessible for future generations.

Author Eileen Pollack, granddaughter of Pollack’s Hotel founders Elias and Anna Sklar Pollack, also reflected on the importance of preserving the Borscht Belt’s history.

Pollack spoke about the challenges Jewish immigrants faced before creating communities throughout the Catskills, explaining that these resorts became places where families found opportunity, belonging, and connection.

“It was not only a safe space for American Jews, a place away from the city,” Pollack said. “It was where American Jewish immigrants learned to be American.”