HILLBILLYWOOD HISTORY

Or FATBELLYWOOD or HOLLYWOODCHUCK, call it what you will the Catskills are once again becoming the destination of choice for the hipster/celeb set. It's not the first time. Those of you who are old enough will remember the big cartoon billboard of Jerry Lewis along Rt. 17 (Future 86) exclaiming "BROWNS- My favorite resort!". Our little corner of paradise is what used to be known as the "Borsht Belt". In the late 19th century predominently Jewish dairy farms in these hills opened their doors to city friends and family in the summer time, giving them a break from the oppressive conditions of the L.E.S. These boarding houses paved the way for the hotels. Prohibition kicked into high gear giving the hotels a real reason to exist. Illegal booze and casinos? What a combo. Babe Ruth, Peg Leg Bates and Al Capone all partied here. The Italian and Jewish mob joined forces and an entire resort community was formed. From the 40's into the 60's the Borsht Belt was in full effect. The Concord, Browns, Grossinger's, The Pines, Homowack, The Raleigh, are now either all gone, or barely hang on in some mutated state. Only Kutsher's keeps it's hip cred hosting ATP every year. Iggy's coming this year.

Then in the sixties, cheap airfare and air conditioning combined to throw a monkey wrench into the works. The Ratpack esthetic gave way to The Beatles and Psychedelia. Why go to the Catskills when it was almost as cheap to go to Miami or Vegas? Dark days were ahead. WOODSTOCK put the final nail in the coffin. By the 70's property values had crashed. Corrupt local government allowed Hassidic bungalow development to sprawl unchecked and locals either sold off and left or hunkered down for the long depressed haul.

I consider myself a local who left and came back. By 1995 these mountains were once again obscure, depressed and very unhip. I loved it. Property was cheap and nobody knew what a cappuccino was. Let the others have Woodstock or the Hamptons or Hudson. I was happy to drink bad java, heat by wood and listen to the radio. But nothing remains the same. In 15 years others have discovered the beauty of living in these gnarled mountains. Who am I to keep it all to myself? City folk are coming up more and more. The hotels are gone and Indian casinos have been trying for 20 years to set up shop. Don't hold your breath. Sure I love my isolation, but if I'm going to open the church I do need a congregation. Right now we have a small base of locals, transplants, supermodels and celebs- sinners all. It's becoming just like the old days. Remember- Bring a friend. Burn a Buck. The Little Green Hillbillywood is waiting.