History
The community was named after Maurice and William Wurts, brothers who built the Delaware and Hudson Canal, the first United States company capitalized at $1,000,000, and predecessor to the Delaware and Hudson Railway. Wurtsboro was formerly known as Mamakating Hollow.
At the turn of the 20th century, Wurtsboro became popular with many first-generation German and Russian immigrants from New York City, attracted to the area by its rusticity, and its resemblance to the high mountain villages in the countries from which they originated. They came up from the city by train. Remnants of the old tracks and a restored railroad station can still be seen in the village.
Wurtsboro Hills, just north of Wurtsboro, is the site of more than one hundred 1920s-1940s era cottages. The hills are steep and one will find wild blueberries, locally known as huckleberries. The area is still rather wild, populated with coyotes, deer, opossum, rabbits. The Hills still had party line telephones as recently as 2002; only in 2006 did cell phone signals reach the Hills.
Since 1927 the area has been served by Wurtsboro-Sullivan County Airport.
Wurtsboro is notable for a store in the business district called the Canal Towne Emporium. The store is well-known, and has a long history in the village. Wurtsboro Hills was the home for 50 years of La Mingotiere, a family owned French restaurant. Author E. K. Gordon lived in Wurtsboro and then Wurtsboro Hills from the ages if two to ten. She didn't write about it much.
From Spring through the Fall, the area provides a scenic back drop and destination for many motorcyclists in conjunction with several events sponsored by the Wurtsboro NY Chapter of the Harley Owners Group and O'Toole's Harley-Davidson which is located at the foothills of the Village's Main Street.
The Mamakating Park Historic District and Masten-Quinn House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Read more about this topic: Wurtsboro, New York
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