When Patrick Dollard, the retired President and C.E.O. of The Center for Discovery, was growing up in Rock Hill, he recalls it was a rite of passage for a young boy to be deemed old enough—and good enough—to play softball on the town team that each summer regularly challenged the men at Cooper’s Sunrise Bungalows.

Some observers recall that Dollard, one of seven boys in his family, was a talented enough ballplayer to be granted a place on the team at a younger age than most. Cooper’s was, at that time, one of a dozen or more bungalow colonies that dotted the landscape of Rock Hill, which came alive each summer with city folk and second homeowners, providing a stark contrast to the sleepy, solidly blue-collar hamlet that existed throughout the rest of the year.

Absent a major hotel in the hamlet itself, it was the bungalow colonies-- Rock Hill Manor, Hoffmans, Bartels, Colonial Colony, Harry’s, Six Lake Bungalows, Cooper’s, et al, that dominated the tourism industry in Rock Hill during Sullivan County’s Golden Age. Of course, astute observers of the passing parade will tell you that such was not always the case. In fact, some knowledgeable local history buffs may even remind those interested that the so-called Borscht Belt actually had its start in Rock Hill.

In 1895 or 1896, John Gerson purchased the Adams farm on Glen Wild Road, as well as some adjacent acreage, and erected a large boarding house on the property, which eventually accommodated more than 100 guests. Gerson’s advertisement in the O&W Railways “Summer Homes” vacation guide in 1899 is believed to be the very first solicitation for Jewish tourists anywhere in Sullivan County.

“J. Gerson: Rock Hill Jewish Boarding House; accommodates 40; adults $6, children $3. Transients $1,” the ad read. “New house, newly furnished, prepare our own meats, raise our own vegetables, scenery unsurpassed. Jewish faith and customs throughout, fine shade, good airy rooms.”

That simply worded listing in the railroad guide was the beginning of a world renown resort area that would eventually play host to more than a million visitors every summer, and thousands more during the off season.
It is perhaps ironic that the Borscht Belt had its beginnings, humble as they might have been, in Rock Hill, which for many years was proximal to two well-known restricted developments, the Sullivan County Club and the Wanaksink Lake Club.

And despite the lack of substantial hotels in the hamlet during the time Patrick Dollard grew up, places like the Glenwood, the Lake Wood House, and the Rock Hill Inn thrived as Sullivan County’s Silver Age transitioned into its Golden Age in the early part of the 20th century.

Years later, as the Golden Age was beginning to fade, Rock Hill was in the vanguard of the next major wave of tourism: the second home development. The large cluster of homes that began as Lake Louise Marie and morphed into Emerald Green, was one of the earliest and most successful second home developments in the county.

So, while Rock Hill is likely not the first place people think of as a hotbed of tourism in Sullivan County, it has played a significant role in the development of the industry here. And now it will be memorialized for just that.
On Saturday, August 8, the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project will unveil its latest marker—number 18-- in a ceremony at 12 noon at the corner of Rock Hill Drive and Glen Wild Road. This columnist, your Sullivan County Historian, will be among the speakers at the event.

“Before the grand hotels and bungalow colonies transformed the Catskills, Jewish families in Rock Hill and nearby Glen Wild welcomed summer guests to their farms,” it is written on the marker project’s website (borschtbelthistoricalmarkerproject.org). “What began as a practical way to supplement farm income grew into a thriving agritourism economy that helped shape the Borscht Belt. Speakers include Sullivan County Historian John Conway, Assemblywoman Paula Kay, and Naomi Jaffe, great-granddaughter of Shimon and Rivl Jaffe. Naomi will share the story of the Jaffe House, her family's Glen Wild property, whose roots trace back to Gerson's, widely recognized as Sullivan County's first Jewish boarding house. Over more than 125 years, it evolved from a boarding house into a hotel, bungalow colony, and poultry farm, offering a remarkable window into the origins of Jewish agritourism in the Catskills.”

As with all the Borscht Belt Marker Project dedications, this event is free and open to the public. The website notes that the marker project was started in 2022, and comprises “a group of locals, artists & historians dedicated to commemorating the history of the Borscht Belt, a celebrated era in American Jewish life, American culture and Catskill history.”

The project’s mission “is the creation of a large-scale historic marker trail that permanently cements the famed era in its physical place while paying tribute to its legacy. Enhanced by photographs and QR codes, when complete the 20+-marker trail will be united by a self-guided audio driving tour.” Prior to the Borscht Belt Historical Marker initiative, there were no historical markers commemorating the Borscht Belt era.

John Conway is the Sullivan County Historian. Email him at jconway52@hotmail.com. He grew up in Rock Hill and will speak at the marker dedication on August 8.

Contributed photo
The Glenwood Hotel, a Silver Age resort in Rock Hill.