Kerhonkson, census designated place in New York
Kerhonkson is an unincorporated community in Ulster County, New York, situated in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. The area is made up of scattered houses, small local roads, and stretches of forest and open land that give it a rural character.
Kerhonkson developed around a canal route and a railroad line in the 1800s, when it was still known as Middleport. Over the following century, farming gave way to tourism as resorts opened to welcome visitors from New York City.
Kerhonkson was once part of the so-called Borscht Belt, a cluster of resorts in the Catskills that drew Jewish families from New York City for summer holidays. Traces of that era are still visible in the landscape, and some longtime residents carry memories of the resort years.
Kerhonkson is easiest to reach by car, as public transport connections to the area are limited. Visitors planning to explore the surrounding trails should know that some access roads are unpaved, so checking conditions before heading out is a good idea.
Peg Leg Bates, a tap dancer who lost his leg as a child, ran a resort here from 1951 to 1987 that became one of the few in the Catskills to welcome Black guests at a time when many nearby resorts turned them away. His venue drew performers and visitors from across the country.
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