I had the pleasure of spending last weekend (7 July) in historic Delaware County, New York.

While I spent most of time in the village of Stamford, NY, we spent an afternoon of fun in nearby Roxbury, NY.

From the official township of Roxbury website:

The township of Roxbury — all 90 square miles of it! — consists of the village hamlets of Roxbury and Grand Gorge, and the Denver/Vega Valley.

Population (year 2000): 2,509,
Est. population in July 2004: 2,459 (-2.0% change)
Males: 1,238 (49.3%), Females: 1,271 (50.7%)

Median resident age: 44.6 years
Median household income: $32,214 (year 2000)
Median house value: $78,200 (year 2000)

But, this doesn't give you a near enough picture of this quaint little town.

Last weekend was truly a "trip into Yesteryear". Three-times a year, Roxbury "turns back the clock" to the year 1898. There were horse-drawn carriage rides, lectures and demonstrations by 19th-century experts, and plenty of treats, historic and modern-day in nature, served happily by residents of the town.

Financier and railroad-developer Jay Gould ("The Dark Genius of Wall Street" and "King of the Robber Barons") was born and raised in Roxbury, NY, and his influence on the town can be seen, today. His summer estate, Kirkside, is now an elderly-housing facility.

The Jay Gould Memorial Reformed Church stands today, next door. This church was rebuilt with money donated by Mr. Gould's eldest daughter Nellie Gould, and her siblings.

Jay Gould is one of the wealthiest Americans of all-time, coming in 9 in today's New York Times' article on "The Wealthiest Americans Ever" list (adjusted for inflation).

If you visit Roxbury, I highly recommend staying overnight at the Roxbury Motor Inn, which, despite it's name, is really a very upscale and chic hotel.

When you walk into your room at The Roxbury, we want you to smile. Whether you call it “cool design,” “whimsical elegance,” or our favorite &8212; “decadently over-the-top” - we’re all about design at The Roxbury and how it makes you feel. We designed our first whimsical suite, “The Shagadellic,” not knowing how people would respond to a lot of orange and yellow and a furry zebra-print couch. Will it be too bright? Will they think it’s silly? Will it give them a headache? Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?

Well, que sera sera, the response has been so overwhelming that it gave us the guts to design an entire expansion around fun, (yet elegant - one must never forget elegance) “theme” rooms” inspired by a famous TV series, film or cartoon of the 1960’s or 70’s. The key word here is “inspired by.” We did not wish to recreate sets or exact replicas of the shows. We just allowed ourselves to get lost in the colors and textures and moods and whimsy of the shows. And we admit, yes, some of it had to do with fantasizing about what it would be like to be inside a genie’s bottle or on top of a cloud or in a cartoon space home.

The Public Lounge, a bar and restaurant located not more than 100 yards from the Inn, is a local watering-hole worth visiting at least once a day, while you're enjoying your holiday.

And, no trip to upstate New York would be complete without a trip to nearby Hobart, known internationally as the "book capital of the Catskills". The New York Times ran an article on the hamlet, a couple years' ago.

"This part of the state, North of the Catskill Park proper in rural Delaware County, rich in scenic views framed by undulating lines of hill, field, and sky, is known more for quiet than for commerce. But drive down into Hobart on rural Route 10 and you'll find an adventurous group of entrepreneurs who have decided to make Hobart ... a destination for book lovers."

Resources:

Roxbury Motor Inn

The Public Lounge

Jay Gould Memorial Reformed Church

Jay Gould's Roxbury - By Edward J. Renehan, Jr.

The Wealthiest Americans Ever

Delaware County, NY - Wikipedia.org

Roxbury, NY - Wikipedia.org

Roxbury, NY - official town website

Stamford, NY - Wikipedia.org

Hobart Book Village

A Visit in the Country: Fresh Air, Old Books - By John Motyka