Catskill Mountain House

The Catskill Mountain House, in the second half of the 19th century, was one of the most popular resorts in New York state. Built atop South Mountain, it offered extraordinary views of the surrounding scenery. It became a favorite destination for artists, including Jasper Cropsey, who first sketched the hotel in 1852.

Cropsey portrays the hotel as if it were surrounded by uninhabited wilderness. Yet just a few decades prior, the area had been home to one of the largest leather-tanning industries in the country. This industry depended on the bark of Eastern hemlock trees, which contains an acid used to toughen animal hides. As loggers depleted available hemlock, most Catskills tanneries closed or relocated. By the time that Cropsey completed this painting, in 1855, the local economy had shifted to sightseeing and tourism.