Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel

Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel was a renowned resort located in the Catskill Mountains of New York, United States, which was a popular destination for Jewish Americans and other New York City residents during the mid-20th century. The hotel was founded by Jennie Grossinger and her husband, Harry Grossinger, who were Austrian Jewish immigrants, and it quickly became a favorite among Hollywood stars, New York Yankees players, and other celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Jerry Lewis. The resort was also a popular spot for weddings and bar mitzvahs, with many Rabbis and Cantors performing ceremonies on the premises, including Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson and Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt. The hotel's success was largely due to its proximity to New York City, making it an ideal getaway for people like Woody Allen, Joan Rivers, and Sid Caesar.

● History

The history of the resort dates back to 1919, when Jennie Grossinger and her husband, Harry Grossinger, purchased a small farm in the Catskill Mountains and converted it into a boarding house, which quickly became a popular destination for Jewish Americans from New York City, including Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, and George Jessel. Over the years, the resort expanded to include over 1,200 rooms, a golf course, a swimming pool, and a variety of other amenities, attracting visitors like Milton Berle, Henny Youngman, and Red Buttons. The resort was also a popular spot for conferences and meetings, hosting events for organizations like the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Jewish Federation of North America, with speakers like Elie Wiesel, Abba Eban, and Golda Meir. During its heyday, the resort was a major employer in the region, providing jobs for thousands of people, including many Holocaust survivors like Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau and Elie Wiesel, who worked at the resort alongside other notable figures like Isaac Bashevis Singer and Chaim Grade.

● Architecture and Amenities

The resort's architecture was designed to resemble a European-style hotel, with a grand lobby, a dining room, and a variety of other amenities, including a theater, a nightclub, and a casino, which hosted performances by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.. The resort also featured a range of outdoor activities, including golf, tennis, and swimming, as well as a spa and a fitness center, which were popular among guests like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Rock Hudson. The resort's golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, a renowned golf course architect, and it hosted several golf tournaments, including the New York State Open, which was won by Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson. The resort's swimming pool was also a popular spot, with many guests, including Esther Williams and Johnny Weissmuller, enjoying the water sports and pool parties.

● Entertainment and Notable Guests

The resort was known for its vibrant entertainment scene, with a range of performers and acts appearing on stage, including comedians like Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, and Carl Reiner, as well as musicians like Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Glenn Miller. The resort also hosted a range of theme parties and events, including New Year's Eve parties, Fourth of July celebrations, and wedding receptions, which were attended by guests like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Jerry Lewis. Many notable guests stayed at the resort, including Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Rock Hudson, as well as politicians like John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Hubert Humphrey, who often met with world leaders like Nikita Khrushchev and Fidel Castro at the resort. The resort was also a popular spot for sports teams, with the New York Yankees and the New York Giants often holding spring training sessions at the resort, with players like Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays.

● Decline and Abandonment

The resort began to decline in the 1960s and 1970s, as the Catskill Mountains region experienced a decline in popularity, and many of the resort's traditional Jewish American clientele began to assimilate into mainstream American culture, with many opting for more exotic vacation destinations like Miami Beach, Las Vegas, and Hawaii. The resort's owners attempted to revamp the property, adding new amenities and attractions, but it was ultimately unable to compete with newer, more modern resorts, and it closed its doors in 1986, after a bankruptcy filing, which was followed by a foreclosure sale, with the property being purchased by a developer who planned to redevelop the site into a condominium complex, with units being sold to buyers like Donald Trump and Ivan Boesky. The resort's closure was a significant blow to the local economy, with many businesses and residents affected by the loss of the resort's jobs and tourism revenue, including local merchants like Klein's Department Store and Gertz Department Store.

● Legacy and Preservation Efforts

Despite its decline and abandonment, the resort's legacy lives on, with many former guests and employees still nostalgic for the resort's heyday, and efforts have been made to preserve the resort's history and cultural significance, including the establishment of a museum and archive dedicated to the resort's history, with exhibits featuring artifacts and memorabilia from the resort's past, including photographs by Ansel Adams and Dorothea Lange. The resort's story has also been documented in several books and films, including Tania Grossinger's memoir, "Growing Up at Grossinger's", which provides a firsthand account of life at the resort, and the documentary film, "The Catskill Mountains: A Jewish Resort Legacy", which explores the history and cultural significance of the Catskill Mountains region, including the role of Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel in shaping the region's identity and heritage. Category:Defunct hotels in the United States