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by Cindy Vasko (Author)
For decades, the New York Catskills and its resplendent mountains was one of the most favored vacation destinations in America. Once a bustling playground, the Catskills boasted mega-resorts, over 500 hotels, and 50,000 cottages. The luster of the Catskills' Golden Era started to fade in the late 1960s. So many regional residents were tethered to the mantle of tourism, and consequently, all suffered negative consequences when the Catskills hospitality sector crashed. The force of abandonment, however, seems to have seized the Catskills environment at the speed of light. One observes so many deserted edifices that were once proud markers defining this part of New York. Scattered throughout the territory are former majestic resorts suffering vandalism and endless graffiti, along with furniture strewn about, broken glass, tall weeds, and swimming pools filled with junk. Amusement parks once echoing the laughter of children are silent. Medical facilities, previously important to the community, are forlorn caverns of neglect. The remains of peoples' lives are still where they left them when they abandoned their homes. As destruction and nature claim so many of these structures, be a silent witness to a bygone era.
