For nearly a decade, the historic hamlet of Roxbury has taken its historic and scenic treasures and showcased them in its Labor Day Weekend “Turn of the Century Days,” when natives and visitors alike immerse themselves in 19th century architecture, food, base ball, crafts and pastimes. This once-a-year experience in “time travel” has now expanded into three summer Saturdays (June 21, July 5, August 30) with more shopping, history, exhibits and local color than ever before. Partnering with the Delaware & Ulster Railroad, Roxbury’s “Railride into Yesteryear” brings its guests to town in true 19th-century style via the train. “Railride” departs from the Arkville Depot at 11 am and arrives in Roxbury after a leisurely, scenic 45-minute ride along the East Branch.

On June 21, July 5, and August 30, you can hop off the train in Roxbury and be greeted with a welcoming fanfare from the Roxbury Brass or old-time mountain fiddlers. Most of the 19th century depot interior has been left just as it was in the days of daily passenger travel, except that the interior is now furnished with an exhibit of Catskills railroad history. Step out onto Roxbury’s Bridge Street and the clock has spun back to 1898, with the horse-drawn surrey and coach sauntering by, market carts and chatty vendors dotting the street with summer produce, arts and crafts, and a “spinster” at work at her wheel. Local eateries will advertise their country period offerings on sandwich boards to fortify your stroll to Main Street. Or, travel in style by hopping aboard the comfy “two-horsepower” hotel coach.

Roxbury Nine Defends its Keator Cup Once Again
When you reach the elegantly restored 14-acre Kirkside Park, the 19th century will be in full swing, with food, fashion, children’s old-fashioned pastimes and of course, hometown sportsmanship: vintage base ball. The reincarnated Roxbury Nine plays strictly by 1898 rules—only the catcher gets a mitt and the wooden bats are turned by hand by team members. But the hometown boys are also good sports and will often play by the rules of the “vintage” year of the visiting team, be it 1864 or 1891. One year or the other, you will see the history of base ball come to life in an unbeatable mountain setting. By August, the Roxbury Nine is fully warmed up to defend themselves in the Harry M. Keator Cup Vintage Base Ball Tournament, held each Labor Day Weekend during the two-day “Turn of the Century Days” festival. Two full days of vintage sport give eight base ball teams a chance to vie for the silver cup—a trophy that the Roxbury Nine has never relinquished.

“When Roxbury received the ‘Preserve America’ designation in 2005 and then the highly competitive Preserve America grants for the past two years, it graduated our heritage tourism programs from a homegrown diversion to a robust economic engine. For almost a decade, we supplied the sweat equity to showcase our hamlet as she was 100 years ago,” said Parks Director Margaret Ellsworth. “This year, we’ll be able to educate even more student docents, and host regular historic walking tours in addition to expanding some of the summertime heritage fun into the fall and holiday season.” In addition to a comprehensive walking tour brochure to explore Roxbury’s architecture and history, Roxbury will bring students, scholars and media professionals together to collaborate on a DVD that will give potential visitors a real immersion in and vivid invitation to “Railride into Yesteryear.”

Building a Viable Future from the Past
Roxbury’s Main Street is a living gallery of Victorian architecture with the entire hamlet listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places, from farmhouse vernaculars to opulent Victorians. For two decades, the townspeople have had the vision and sense to restore the 14-acre gem of Kirkside Park. The stately historic barns, once part of the Gould household estate, are now being revived as exhibit and community space. The town is also welcoming new restaurants, artists, cottage industries and is home to the award-winning boutique motel, The Roxbury, which attracts visitors from around the world.

Heritage tourism also allows visitors to harken back to skills and folkways we may be needing in our energy-crunched future. “We’re lucky to live in the Catskills, where people still know how to make a pie that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, or heat your home with a woodstove, or take sheep’s wool and spin it into a sweater,” said Roxbury’s longtime Supervisor Tom Hynes. “You come to Roxbury during heritage tourism days and watch the kids running with hoops, hopping around on stilts or building a birdhouse and you see they’re having a grand time, even without video games.”

By highlighting organic, local foodways, community collaboration, and practical handcrafts, visitors and residents alike take back something from the past that could enrich the future. “People always have a great time—you can actually see them slide into a more relaxing pace, enjoying the architecture and the sports and the spirit of life 100 years ago,” said Ellsworth. “If they want to take some of those mountain folkways home with them too, all the better.”

Come on board “Railride into Yesteryear” on June 21, July 5 or August 30. “Railride” departs from the Delaware and Ulster Railroad’s Arkville depot at 11 am and arrives in Roxbury at around 11:45 am. You’ll depart from Roxbury at 3 pm and arrive back in Arkville around 4 pm. Visit www.roxburyny.com or call 607 326 3722 for more details.