To reach this mountainous place, they traveled by horse and wagon (and later by stagecoach) over rough, dusty roads in summer and rutted, snowy paths in winter.

Eventually, the road was resurfaced with planks from Kingston to Pine Hill with the cost of maintenance covered by tollgates along the way.

The Anti-Rent War, an uprising of Catskill tenant farmers in 1844-1845, led to reforms which put an end to the unfair lease system, and the area began to grow under private ownership.

Mr. Blish, an astute local businessman, sold the property at a cheap price to the Fleischmann family, recognizing that a summer colony would bring prosperity.

They also constructed a deer park, a riding stable, a heated pool filled with spring water and a trout pond: all luxuries unheard-of by the people in this valley.

Stipulations were added, which still remain: that it always be used as a park and athletic grounds; that it always be kept in good condition; that it never be sold or sublet and always be of free access to the public.

Nearby on Highmount were the palatial summer homes of coloratura soprano Amelita Galli-Curci and Shakespearean actress Julia Marlowe.

Lake Switzerland, just north of the village, was built for boating and swimming in the summer and for harvesting ice during the winter.

It was through the influence of Mrs. Skene that a $5,000 donation was obtained from Andrew Carnegie, making construction of the free public library possible.

Increased enrollment made it necessary to add on more rooms and eventually necessitated the erection of Griffin-Fleischmanns High School on upper Wagner Avenue.

Put on the auction block in 1985, it was purchased by a local businessman (and former student) who converted the old wooden part of the structure into apartments.

An art deco brick addition dates from 1935, and currently houses a day center of the Delaware County Association for Retarded Children.

[3] The Amelita Galli-Curci Estate, Congregation Bnai Israel Synagogue, Maxbilt Theatre, and Skene Memorial Library are listed on National Register of Historic Places.

[7] The Dead Don't Die, a 2019 movie starring Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloe Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez and Steve Buscemi, was filmed in Fleischmanns, which was recast as the fictional town of Centerville.

[8] Fleischmanns is located on the north side of NY 28 a short distance west of the Ulster County line.