Generations of the Huebner family – nearly three dozen strong – gathered for their annual reunion at the campground in Narrowsburg on Saturday, July 20. 

The stars of the evening were the four Huebner brothers, all over the age of 80, and all proud veterans of the U.S. Military. Ralph Huebner joined the Navy in 1954, Bob and Ken Huebner both entered the service in 1955 for the Air Force, and Charlie “Chuck” Huebner joined the Navy in 1964.

Before the family dinner commenced, Ralph said a prayer, and the family stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.  

The Huebners first settled in Narrowsburg in a time when electricity was new, and much of Sullivan County was still living in the dark. Ralph told the story of how his grandfather, Robert, brought electricity to the region by building a dam along the Ten Mile River, creating Luxton Lake and supplying power to Narrowsburg, Yulan, Eldred, Barryville and Lake Huntington. 

At the time, Cochecton was not interested in the new technology, but eventually caught up with the times, having to run a line from Livingston Manor instead. 

With the success of the power plant, the Huebners built and ran a tavern, a dance hall and a boarding house in the area of Narrowsburg. The family business fell on hard times however, in WWII when Roosevelt ordered the closure of certain establishments to conserve fuel and rubber for the war effort. 

Today, the Huebner family has branched out, reaching all the way to the west coast. But once a year, they come together back where it all started, where great-great-grandfather Huebner built a legacy that has lasted for generations.