In February, 1956, rumors began to circulate in Patterson and Pawling that a Putnam County fairgrounds might be established in Patterson, possibly at the 500-acre farm owned by former New York State Assemblyman and present chairman of the Putnam County Republican Committee, D. Mallory Stephens. The Stephens farm had been in the family for decades, and was located on NYS Route 22 at Birch Hill Road. The property was also the location of Patterson's Little Red Schoolhouse, before it was moved to its present location on South Street. Stephens confirmed that the farm was for sale, and that he had been contacted by a developer who indicated that the site was under consideration for use as a fairground or game farm, similar to the popular Catskill Game Farm in Catskill, NY. A Putnam County Fair had operated in Carmel for many years on the old Fairgrounds on Fair Street, near NYS Route 52, but the fair was abandoned over 25 years earlier. The Game Farm grew into a project financed and organized by over 60 Putnam County residents and businessmen.
The Birch Hill Game Farm opened on Saturday, September 1, 1956, on over 100 acres on the former Stephens Farm. The site was an easy one-hour drive from New York City, and offered woods and fields for hiking and picnicking, and animals that could be observed in natural surroundings. The location of the Farm at the top of Birch Hill offered spectacular views of the surrounding area. The Farm had a feeding and petting zoo and a safari area with deer, llamas, sheep, goats, and other small animals. Little brown bear were kept in a pit to keep them a safe distance from curious children. There were also monkeys, fox, bison, elk, pheasants, and kangaroo. There were over 250 animals and birds at the Park, many of which were tame and were allowed to wander the park freely to be petted by visitors. The farm also had rides for children, one of the most popular being a miniature train ride, the Sky Chief Express, that traveled through the park, over a trestle, though a pine tree grove, and through a natural tunnel. Other popular rides included "Sky Fighters", a boat ride, and a large merry-go-round for younger children. Picnicking was free and there were many outdoor barbeque grills. The park had acres of parking spaces.
By it's first anniversary in September, 1957, the attendance at the Game Farm had reached record levels, and the park had expanded to 200 acres. The first summer season drew 75,000 visitors. Paul Lundelius, president of Birch Hill Inc. and also Putnam County Treasurer, announced a further expansion of the Game Farm to include a winter sports area. This would become the Birch Hill Ski Area.
The 1958 season for the Game Farm introduced new attractions and services. In August, 1958, the Game Farm added a golf driving range with 22 tees located at the foot of the ski slopes, known as the Birch Hill Tee Park. In September, the Game Farm announced that it would build a 20 unit, Swiss chalet style motel to be called the "Alpine". The motel was to be built directly opposite of the Birch Hill Ski area, and would be completed by the time the Game Farm closed on November 17, and ready for the coming ski season.
The 1959 season opened Thursday, April 16. New for 1959 was summer skiing, a miniature model-T automobile ride, a toboggan, archery, and a mule team ride. The season would run until November. The park expected an attendance of 5,000 for the Memorial Day weekend, an indication of the continued popularity of the park. On June 1, 1959, the Game Farm welcomed a celebrity visitor, actress Tina Louise, who, besides a long film career, may be best known for her role as "Ginger" on the CBS television series, "Gilligan's Island", which ran from 1964-1967. Louise was an animal and nature lover, and was interested in visiting the park before leaving for Europe on June 3.
The Birch Hill Tee Park was renamed the Patterson Driving Range, and was owned by Blanche and Norman Mai. The Mais were summer residents of Putnam Lake until 1949, when they became full time residents. Blanche Mai was a member of the Putnam Lake Community Council for many years, and served as its president for six years. She was also a member of the Putnam Lake Boat Club, a founding member of the Southeast Museum in Brewster, a member of the Putnam Lake Fire Dept. Ladies Auxiliary and its Parade Unit, and a member of the Republican Party of Patterson and Putnam Lake. She was a vocal opponent of the effort to separate Putnam Lake from the town of Patterson in the early 1950s, and she played an important roll in the dedication of Memorial Field in Putnam Lake. Blanche Mai was born in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1906, and attended schools in Bogota. She died on August 20, 1967 at the age of 61, after a long illness.
Animals of a different sort attracted attention to the Birch Hill neighborhood in October, 1962, when it became known that nearly a dozen lions and tigers were being kept in a barn on Birch Hill Road, about one quarter mile from NYS Route 22. The barn was owned by Game Farm manager Paul Lundelius and his wide, Bodina, and was located on a part of the old Stephens Farm that was adjacent to the Game Farm. The animals were owned by Evelyn Currie, an animal trainer who performed with the animals in circuses around the world. The barn was intended to be winter quarters for the animals, and a trailer was moved onto the property next to the barn for the use by the animal's caretaker, Roberto Frangi. The animals were kept in separate cages and were exercised in a large circular cage. Birch Hill residents were stunned to learn of the existence of the animals, and cited safety and zoning concerns. The animals were apparently in the barn for two months before Lundelius applied for a zoning variance. The hearing on the Lundelius request for a special use permit was lively. While many neighbors spoke against the permit, the Patterson Chamber of Commerce, Patterson Building inspector Anthony Corinna, and a few Patterson residents spoke in favor of the permit. The Zoning Board of Appeals inspected the barn, and on October 18, 1962, denied the special use permit by a 3-2 vote. Building Inspector Corinna was instructed to enforce the current zoning regulations. Town attorney Joseph Van Keuren noted that Mr. and Mrs. Lundelius could sue the Town in New York State Supreme Court if they wished to overturn the Zoning Board ruling. The dispute did go to court, and the case went before Putnam County Supreme Court in January, 1963, after the Lundelius attorney asked for a change of venue. Joseph Van Keuren acted as prosecutor. The animals did not remain.
By December, 1964, financial problems began to impact the Game Farm, and shareholders of the Birch Hill Game Farm, Inc. voted to sell the Birch Hill Ski Area. A new corporation would be formed, known as the Birch Hill Ski Park, Inc., which would take title to the 100 acres used for the ski facility. The Game Farm would retain another 100 acres. The new corporation would issue $200,000 worth of new stock, to be sold initially at $100/share. Anyone purchasing ten shares of stock would receive a season pass to the Ski Park. Purchasers of 20 shares would receive a family pass. Management of the Birch Hill Game Farm, Inc. hoped that the sale would provide money to pay existing debt, and provide capital for new attractions, such as a swimming pool and new play areas.
In 1966, the condition of the animals became controversial. An action was brought before Patterson Justice of the Peace Walter Carey in May, 1966. Agents of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals investigated, and the case was postponed until June after one of the investigating ASPCA agents came under suspicion.
In November, 1966, the firm of Barbarita and O'Connell purchased the entire 200 acre Game Farm and Ski Area from the Birch Hill Game Farm, Inc. Barbarita and O'Connell paid $118,850 at a foreclosure sale. The Game Farm would have more bad luck in April, 1967, when fourteen of thirty-two passengers on the Sky Chief Express train ride were injured when the train left the tracks and flipped over. Most of the injured were taken to Putnam Community Hospital. State police investigated the accident, and defective brakes were thought to be the cause of the accident.
The condition of the animals was in the news again in August, 1972, as some Game Farm visitors complained about how the animals were kept. The complaints concerned the small, barren cages in which some of the animals were kept. Many zoos, including New York City's Central Park Zoo, had heard the same complaints. The trend among zoos was to build larger habitats for the animals that more closely resembled their natural habitats. These improved habitats improved the morale of the animals and allowed them to exercise. Marjorie Jenkins, director of the Putnam County Humane Society, said that the Game Farm was operating its zoo within the requirements of the law, but that the law only covered the feeding and shelter of animals, and not whether the conditions were the best for the animals. The animals in the Game Farm zoo were thought by some to look bored and lonely, but were properly fed.
The Game Farm eventually became a casualty of poor finances and the popular and expanding Ski area, which built longer trails that reached to the top of Birch Hill, onto the Game Farm grounds. Most of the Farm's animals were rented or leased, and returned to their owners after the Game Farm closed. The others were sold.
A Pre-grand opening photo from the August 30, 1956 edition of the Putnam County Courier is followed by two late 1950s postcards. Children were able to feed the very tame animals. Pictured in the plaid shirt is Dennis Keith. The two boys feeding the deer in the next photo are David Keith (in blue) and Dwight Keith (in red).
Two ads follow from the September 6 edition of the Courier, followed by a third from the May 30, 1957 edition. None of the ads mentions the town of Patterson, the actual location of the Farm. The Sky Chief Express train ride leaves the "Birch Hill Park Station" for its trip around the park, in the first of three postcard photos. Two postcard views of the other rides follow. An ad from the August 14, 1958 edition of the Courier announces the opening of the golf driving range. The ad from the August 21, 1958 edition of the Courier announces a photo contest for amateur photographers. The next ad announces the opening of the 1959 season. It appeared in the Courier on April 16, 1959. In the next photo, Lisa Adams of Montrose meets a newborn fawn at the Game Farm. The photo was published in the June 9, 1966 edition of the Courier. Game Farm souvenirs are displayed in the next two photos. The first is a pennant and the second is a unique bullet shaped pencil.
Big Birch Ski Area
The Birch Hill Ski Area opened for business on Saturday, December, 28, 1957. Warm weather and rain prevented an earlier opening. The ski area utilized 10 acres of land within the Game Farm grounds, and featured three tows, snow making equipment, and a ski school headed by Swiss skiing pro Hans Thorner, who also acted as the manager of the ski area. Thorner was certified by the Swiss Ski Association and the United States Eastern Ski Association. He was a former director of the Franconia Ski School in Canon Mountain, New Hampshire, and had appeared in several ski movies for Paramount Studios. He also appeared on television.
The ski area featured beginner and intermediate trails, and was geared towards families. The ski lifts included two electric powered tows and one motor driven tow. A lodge at the base of the hill featured a cafeteria with large picture windows, a large, open, round fireplace, a ski shop, ski rental shop, office, and first aid station. The ski area was open daily throughout the season. A successful business was expected since the region had an estimated 300,000 skiers within a population of ten million. Plans for an expansion were announced for the following season, to include a steeper trail with a T-Bar lift, convertible to a chair lift for summer use.
The 1958-59 season began in December, 1958, and Big Birch now featured a new 2,000-foot expert slope in addition to the existing beginners and intermediate slopes. Four tows were operational along with portable tows for children, and floodlights enabled four nights of skiing per week. Big Birch wanted to be the largest recreational center within easy reach of the New York metropolitan area. The trails were designed with Austrian influences, with banked curves and contoured with moguls, which were small, hard mounds in the trails. The Big Birch Austrian Ski School taught the Wedlin technique, which was used by top rated skiers around the world. The children's school was given its own instructor, tows, and lodge. The new 20-unit Alpine motel and ski lodge was near completion. Big Birch also initiated a Junior Ski Patrol, and ski director Gosta Truedsson tested 28 youngsters aged 12-17 on general skiing proficiency and the ability to use emergency tobaggans. They had previously taken the American Red Cross junior and standard first aid classes taught by Grace Conklin, a member of the National Ski Patrol system. The patrol candidates were from Putnam and Westchester Counties, and from Fairfield County in Connecticut. Summer and fall use of the trails included skiing on plastic mats, and physical conditioning classes for skiers was offered year round.
In January, 1960, the Birch Hill Ski Lodge was destroyed by fire. All of the rental ski equipment was also lost. The Patterson Fire Dept. responded, but the building was consumed by flames by the time fire engines arrived. Ironically, only the fireplace remained. The Lodge building measured 91 feet by 38 feet, and contained a recreation room, first aid room, kitchen, two bathrooms, an office, and a recreation room. Losses were estimated at $16,000. The Ski Area immediately purchased a prefabricated building, and expected to have it constructed in about a week. Skiing continued without interruption. Birch Hill had just opened for the new season with many improvements, including a T-Bar installation.
By December, 1964, financial problems started to impact the Game Farm, and shareholders of the Birch Hill Game Farm, Inc. voted to sell the Birch Hill Ski Area. A new corporation would be formed, known as the Birch Hill Ski Park, Inc., which would take title to the 100 acres used for the ski facility. The Game Farm would retain another 100 acres. The new corporation would issue $200,000 worth of new stock, to be sold initially at $100/share. Anyone purchasing ten shares of stock would receive a season pass to the Ski Park. Purchasers of 20 shares would receive a family pass. Management of the Birch Hill Game Farm, Inc. hoped that the sale would provide money to pay existing debt, and provide capital for new attractions, such as a swimming pool and new play areas.
The 1965 season opened on December 15 with a new group of managers. DeLong O. Kellogg and William D. Spain of Mahopac, and Mario DiGregorio of Carmel leased the Birch Hill Ski Area, and planned several improvements for the 1965-66 season. The new managers had extensive experience is ski operations, and planned to enlarge the ski operation at Birch Hill. Plans included longer ski runs, new snow making equipment, better ski tows, and a refurbishing of the ski lodge. The ski school would be under the direction of a member of the Professional Ski Schools of America who would be certified as a ski instructor. A pre-season promotion included reduced cost ski passes.
In November, 1966, the firm of Barbarita and O'Connell purchased the entire 200 acre Game Farm and Ski Area from the Birch Hill Game, Inc. Barbarita and O'Connell paid $118,850 at a foreclosure sale. Bob Blenis became the new general manager in January, 1968.
Carl Moberg became director of the ski school in 1963, after teaching at Mt. Storm and Otis Ridge. In 1968, Moberg noted that the new chairlift at Birch Hill allowed the Ski Area to use more of the mountain for skiing, and that added snowmaking equipment was extending the ski season. He led a team of fourteen instructors who taught the American Ski Technique. Moberg was also ski coach at the John F. Kennedy High School In Somers, New York. He was a member of the National Ski Patrol, the U. S. Eastern Amateur Ski Association, and the Professional Ski Instructors Association. His wife, Elin, was also a certified ski instructor, and assisted Carl as assistant director of the Birch Hill Ski School. The Mobergs made their home in Patterson.
By the late 1960s, the ski area had been purchased by Emil Santinelli, and the name would be changed to the "Big Birch Ski Area" to disassociate it from the Birch Hill Game Farm. The Santinelli family would operate Big Birch until the mid-1990s. The ski operation became a matter of contention with neighboring residents of Birch Hill, especially those in the Alpine Village subdivision, who complained about the noise from compressors and traffic problems. In December, 1970, Emil Santinelli appeared before the Patterson Planning Board and appealed for permission to complete the construction of a ski lift before the current ski season ended. The Town, citing violations of Town code, had issued a stop work order. At the meeting, Planning Board chairman Ernest Mendel echoed the sentiment of many attendees from Alpine Village, when he stated that no one was opposed to the ski operation, but that Town regulations must be followed. The Planning Board requested a site plan for the chair lift construction project from Santinelli. Santinelli's attorney, Joseph Burchetta of Carmel, stated that his client would agree to post a compliance bond if the Town would agree to lift the stop work order and allow the construction to continue, and accept the site plan at a later time. Chairman Mendel agreed to conduct a special Planning Board meeting to decide on the chair lift project, but insisted that no meeting would be held unless a site plan was submitted. Burchetta agreed to produce a site plan as quickly as possible. The Planning Board then listed its other requirements, which included the granting of a fifty foot right-of-way to the Town for construction of a road, and the construction of a fence along Birch Hill Road. Mr. Burchetta asked for further discussion of those two requirements. After weeks of discussion, the Planning Board accepted Santinelli's site plan and approved the project, allowing him to apply to the Town Building Inspector for the necessary permits. Santinelli posted a $45,000 performance bond, and agreed to build the fence, pave two parking areas, erect signs, and improve drainage. The agreement called for the project to be completed by September 1, 1971.
A new ski lodge was built at the end of 1971. In February, 1975, the Santinellis announced that special rooms in the lodge would be made available for catered functions, such as business meetings, luncheons, business meetings, and other private functions. The picturesque setting of the lodge had generated many requests for the use of the lodge, and the Santinellis decided to add full-time catering to the offerings at Big Birch. Catering would extend the Big Birch season into the summer months, generating more revenues for the owners on property that would otherwise be idle.
The photo from the April 2, 1959 edition of the Putnam County Courier shows young skiers ready for their final checkouts as members of the Big Birch Junior Ski Patrol on Saturday morning, March 21. An ad appearing in the June 28, 1960 edition of the Putnam County Courier announces the new T-Bars and the new ski lodge. The next photo shows the Birch Hill Ski School directors. On the left is Carl Moberg, director, his wife Elin, assistant director, and Bud Silverblade, assistant director. The photo appeared in the February 8, 1968 edition of the Courier.
The Birch Hill Inn was an upscale eatery. The ad appeared in the December 18, 1969 edition of the Courier. The Birch Hill Inn became the Ming Hoy Restaurant in 1977, and featured Polynesian and Chinese food. The next ad appeared in the January 15, 1970 edition of the Courier. The next photo shows the Santinelli family celebrating the opening of their new lodge with its new sun lounge. Pictured left to right are son-in-law Michael Castelli, owners Adelaide and Emil Santinelli, Diane Santinelli, Robert Santinelli, and Lorraine Santinelli Castelli. The photo appeared in the December 8, 1971 edition of the Courier. A Big Birch patch is pictured next.
On December 29, 1971, New Years Eve activities at the lodge were promoted in an advertisement. The convenience of Big Birch is the theme of the next ad, which appeared in the December 20, 1972 edition of the Courier. The next ad is from the February 12, 1975 edition of the Courier. An ad from the March 12, 1975 edition of the Courier announces Birch Hill Caterers. The Santinellis celebrate America's bicentennial in an ad from June 30, 1976. The next ad is for Ming Hoy Restaurant, the former Birch Hill Inn, and announces a special New Year's Eve party package. It appeared in the December 14, 1977 edition of the Courier.
Boot Hill presented vignettes of frontier life using actors to portray cowboys and Indians. Visitors utilizing the post office, for example, could watch a pony express rider retrieve their mail and to take it, presumably, to a real post office. A holdup of the Wells Fargo office was also presented, and visiting children were encouraged to join the sheriff's posse in pursuit of the outlaws. The sheriff always caught the bandits, and they were led away to the jail. A "High Noon" gunfight on Main Street was also very popular. "Pat", billed as the "world's only trained buffalo", performed before excited audiences. Buffalo were considered untrainable, and Pat was a novelty. The animal had also made television performances. Pony rides were offered. Once the novelty of Boot Hill faded, attendance dropped dramatically. Boot Hill was closed by 1960.
The Boot Hill ad appeared in the July 3, 1958 edition of the Putnam County Courier. The Town of Patterson Recreation Department sponsored an annual block party on Front Street to benefit Recreation Dept. programs. The 1958 party included actors from Boot Hill, who gave rides in a stagecoach drawn by a team of white mules. This ad appeared in the June 27, 1958 edition of the Courier.
L'Auberge-Bretonne
The first ad appeared in the Putnam County Courier on August 22, 1968. The second ad appeared on August 16, 1978. The last photo shows the exterior of L'Auberge-Bretonne from the late 1960s.
The first ad appeared in the April 23, 1959 edition of the Putnam County Courier. The second ad, published in the April 25, 1963 edition, celebrates Claire's 20th anniversary.
The Elms Restaurant
In the mid-1930s, three first aid stations were opened along the major highway routes in Putnam County as a service to long distance travelers. One was in Garrison and another was in Carmel. The third station was opened in the Elm in July, 1938. Dr. Frank C. Genovese provided the first aid training for a group of Patterson residents, who attended the classes at the Patterson Union School during the previous winter-spring months. Elm's owners Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lindstrom were certified as first aid providers after completing the class.
In the mid-1950s, according to newspaper reports, the Elms was owned by Jack Giaccone, and specialized in Italian food. Giaccone had learned his cooking skills on a ship at the age of 12. A newspaper report in 1961 listed the owners as Mr. and Mrs. Barthalomeu Giancone. On January 23, 1961, the Giancones were involved in a tragic automobile accident in Georgia, while traveling back to Patterson from a vacation in Florida. Mrs. Giancone was killed in the crash, while Mr. Giancone survived, only to die of his injuries two days later. They had two adult children.
A suspicious early morning fire destroyed The Elm in April, 1973. State Police investigators from the Brewster barracks took plaster castings of tire tracks found outside the building. It was suspected that a gas bomb might have ignited the blaze, which destroyed the building. The building was uninsured, and the losses were estimated at $50,000. Firefighters from Patterson, Putnam Lake, and Brewster fought the fire for three hours. The Lake Carmel Fire Department sent an engine to cover the Patterson firehouse. The restaurant owner was James Zucaro of East Branch Road in Patterson. The Elms was rebuilt, but closed in the late 1990s, and the remodeled building reopened as the Putnam Diner.
The first photo, taken in 1935, shows "The Elm" owned by the Lindstroms. (The Patterson Historical Society) The second photo, an undated postcard, shows the restaurant from a different angle. The Elm was destroyed by fire. Next, "The Elms" is seen in a 1965 postcard. The ad appeared in the Putnam County Courier on June 17, 1948.
Patterson Golf Center added a nine-hole golf course to the other golf attractions with the addition of the Par-3 Golf Course in the summer of 1963. Patterson Golf Center was located approximately across NYS Route 22 from the ski area. Par-3, which opened on July 20, 1963, was the first of its kind in Putnam County, and featured nine holes with regulation greens and holes of varied lengths with different challenges to the golfer, including sand traps and water hazards. Frank Bowers, attorney for the town of Patterson, owned the facility from approximately the late 1960s until the early 1970, when Bowers sold it to the DeBourbons, who owned the large mansion and property on NYS Route 311 opposite Locust Street. The DeBourbons were the last owners.
The photo shows the opening day ribbon cutting ceremony in June 1963. Pictured are Mike Bennet, son of the Patterson Golf Center corporation president Edison Bennett, David Bruen, Putnam County Treasurer who later became the first Putnam County Executive, Putnam County Sheriff Frank Lyden, Patterson Supervisor William Millar, who also owned the Hillside Service Station in Patterson, Putnam Town clerk and future Supervisor Donald Smith, Patterson Town Councilman John Schlump, William Shilling, president of the Birch Hill Game Park, and Ed Gardner, golf pro at the Golf Center. (The Putnam County Historian) The ad announces the future opening of the golf course, and appeared in the Putnam County Courier on April 18, 1963.
The photo of Rednicks was taken in the 1938. (The Patterson Historical Society)
The ad appeared in the June 16, 1971 edition of the Putnam County Courier. In the next photo, Herb Schech receives an award from actor and former Olympic swimming champion Buster Crabbe, at a convention of dealers in Caracas, Venezuela, in February, 1972. Schech was one of seven dealers to receive awards from among the sixty dealers attending. The photo was published in the February 23, 1972 edition of the Courier.
The ad appeared in the May 14, 1959 edition of the Putnam County Courier.
