DELA-WHERE? Delaware County's charms are off the beaten path

Delaware County is actually southwest of the Albany area and south of Schoharie and Otsego, the two counties that border it. Located in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, it stretches all the way to the Pennsylvania border.

A place where you can do a lot or nothing at all, it's especially well-known for its fishing, hiking and biking -- and its abundance of quaint little 19th-century villages.

Setting off

We began with a tedious drive down the Thruway to exit 19 at Kingston. It was typical rush hour through Albany and then for the next 60 miles quite pleasant. We were lucky to have a sunny and cool day, and the Catskill Mountains looked very lush and beautiful as we drove south.

At Kingston, the traffic again picked up. We were looking for Route 28 west, and after one wrong turn finally found it. Now it was a 40-mile trip to our first planned stop in Margaretville, located approximately 10 miles inside the Delaware County border.

Back in time

The road began to ascend as we passed the sign that welcomed us to Delaware County. Many beautiful purple, yellow and red wild flowers decorated the roadside, and the views of the old Catskills are stunning.

Every few miles, it seemed, we'd cross a tiny bridge over a white-water stream that looked perfect for fishing or canoeing. I knew from my research that the east and west branches of the Delaware River and the Beaverkill are among our country's legendary trout streams, and that the Pepacton and Cannonsville reservoirs were famous for the trophy fish they supplied.

American fly-fishing was born in those regions, so I'd like to come back and try my hand at catching some trout. I also want to bring our kayak and explore the peace and tranquility of the East Branch down near the town of Hancock.

First stop

Judy and I wandered up and down the street, walking inside a few stores. The people all seemed cheerful, and there was a sort of sleepiness prevalent in the town, a complete lack of stress. It was the kind of town where you just felt like breathing slower.

We entered The Cafe on Main Street for a muffin and tea. The cafe is located in the Commons Building, which also contains The Bookmark Bookstore; Home Goods, a store for gourmet cooking; Frog's Leap, a store of handcrafted furnishings and gifts; and the Kicking Stones Antique Store, which specializes in antiques, art and jewelry.

Judy and I sat in a part of the cafe that overlooked Main Street. It was quiet, but we could hear laughter coming from the counter where many of the locals were drinking coffee and reading the paper. Our muffin and tea were just what we needed as Judy and I spread out the map of Delaware County to plan our day's schedule.

Friendly advice

"This is a beautiful area," said Julie, who is especially happy with the Catskill Forest Preserve, which is state property fixed by law to be forever kept as wild forest lands.

"That law keeps the rural and the wild quality alive and well in this area," she said. "That's what attracts me to the place. The people are very nice, as are all the local communities, but predominantly what attracts me to this area is the natural beauty. I want to see that maintained and preserved."

Mrs. Carney also feels that Delaware County is a wonderful place to raise a family. The close-knit communities have active civic and church organizations that promote wholesome activities and festivals.

Pointing the way

"Walton and Stamford are also nice towns," she said, "and Route 30, the road that goes from Arkville up to Grand Gorge, is one of the most beautiful in the whole county. There's another turn-off there that goes down a road called Roxbury Run, which is very beautiful, especially in the fall."

Judy and I were beginning to realize that we needed more than six hours to do a real in-depth feature of this beautiful area.

Riding the rails

All trains depart from the town of Arkville, just a few miles south of Margaretville, and you can travel to Halcottsville, which is a one-hour round trip, or Roxbury, which is a one-hour-and-45-minute round trip.

The train leaves an 1871 depot, and the ride in the open train cars meanders through some beautiful Catskill wilderness. (For information about the ride, call 1-800-225-4132).

To Andes

Andes looks a little like Bedford Falls, the town in "It's A Wonderful Life." Most of the houses are vintage 1800s with wrap-around front porches. The Main Street contains Hogan's one-pump gas station and general store, which stocks anything from Valentine chocolate hearts to early model Ford fan belts.

At Cassie's Kitchen, you can order delicious homemade soup or tasty pie, and Temming's colonial-style inn has an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Historic site

The Delaware County Deputy Sheriff Osmon N. Steele, after boasting that "lead cannot penetrate Steele!" was mortally wounded in a confrontation at Moses Earle's farm near the village. After the event, 200 men were imprisoned and threatened with hanging, but not one of them gave any information about the shooting.

On Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., you can visit the newly restored Hunting Tavern Museum, which offers exhibits that illuminate the Anti-Rent War. (For more information, call 845-676-3775).

Transplanted

"I live here seasonally," she said. "My store is open from Memorial Day to Columbus Day and then I go back to Pasadena, California. It's an absolutely beautiful 19th-century village. The architecture is pretty much unchanged since the late 1800s, and it's a very friendly town."

Beverly loves doing business in a town where "we get a lot of business from people passing through on their way to Cooperstown. Weekends are really festive and nice."

Far enough away

"We're just far enough away from the city that we're not overwhelmed with McDonald's and WalMart," she said, and then encouraged us to visit the Pepacton Reservoir. "And Perch Lake is very beautiful. There are beautiful trout streams all through the county and many different fly-fishing schools. We also have some very nice bed-and-breakfasts in town, and it's really easy to rent a house for the summer."

She pointed across the street to Brooke's Variety, a store that carries everything from Mexican antiques to vintage housewares, furniture and unique toys. Brooke Alderson, the owner, has lived just outside of Andes for over 20 years. She also has a place in New York City.

"I feel so incredibly lucky to live in both places," she said. "I miss New York when I'm up here for long stretches, but then I'm very happy to get back."

Selling the charm

Brooke is encouraged that the economy will improve because more and more middle-class families are buying second homes in the area.

"In the last four years, we've gone from attracting people in Margaretville and Fleischmans to doing business with travelers from New York City. We're trying to get them to stop here, have lunch and do some shopping." she explained.

Delhi drop-by

We wished we had brought our bikes because the wonderful road reminded us of Vermont. This area seemed a lot like New England.

We passed through a little town called Delaney with a general store and soon entered the much larger town of Delhi. The first thing I noticed was the stop light. We hadn't seen one for over 40 miles since we had entered Delaware County.

Delhi, which is much busier than any other area we had seen, serves as the county seat and the home to Delhi College, a state university that specializes in technology courses. Brooke Alderson had encouraged us to eat lunch at Good Cheap Food, "the best cafe in town. It's also a book store."

The cafe was small, only consisting of a handful of tables, but we enjoyed our sandwiches and soup, right next to a bookshelf filled with many different types of fiction and non-fiction books.

Our waitress, Sharon Rutnick, encouraged us to look through the books as we ate our tasty meal. Everyone seemed to know each other, and I suspected that many of the other patrons were associated with the college. In fact, Sharon is an adjunct English professor at Delhi.

"I like the feeling of safety," she said in describing the pluses of Delhi. "I like the 'small-town America' environment. I don't have to worry about my children here. They go to school, attend after-school activities and I never fear they're in any danger.

"We're a little town," she continued, "and everyone knows each other. Sometimes, I yearn for a bit of anonymity. It's very quiet here despite the college. In fact, many of the college kids stay on campus because it's so quiet in town."

Touch of history

Fitches Bridge, 3.2 miles north, was built in 1870. It is 100 feet long and spans the West Branch of the Delaware River. A few miles south on Route 10 is the Hamden Covered Bridge; and 16 miles south of there, near the town of Downsville, is the Downsville Covered Bridge, which is currently the longest covered bridge (174 feet) in operation in New York State.

The mission of the Delaware County Historical Association is to preserve the region's history. The 60-acre site includes visits to the Gideon Frisbee House, the Frisbee Barn, an old schoolhouse and a wooden gun shop. There is also an exhibit area of local artifacts and papers. (For more information, call 607-746-3849.)

Last stop

We passed through the picturesque town of South Kortright and came to the village of Stamford, known as the Queen of the Catskills when it was the destination for many wealthy New York City vacationers, who would take the train from the city and spend days in the mountains.

The village retains many of the beautiful Victorian homes that were vacation residences and hotels in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Deer, me

"I went to the Swiss Alps and the Canadian Rockies," she said; "and when I'd get back home to Stamford, I'd always think that my hometown looked just as beautiful. I could never understand why there's so much talk about going to Vermont in the fall when Delaware County and Schoharie County have colorful leaves and views that are just as beautiful."

She grew up on a 15-acre farm and remembers as a child lying in the fields, reading a book, when suddenly two deer jumped over her.

"They didn't even know I was there," she said. "As a kid, I was always in the woods, and I miss that now. Stamford was also a friendly community. I'd know everyone when I'd go to the grocery store. It's a weird feeling today to buy groceries and not know everyone there."

Stamford is also the location for the Catskill Scenic Trail, which lies on top of the former railbed of the Ulster and Delaware Railroad. This 19-mile trail offers a hard-packed surface perfect for hiking, biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. The grade is very gradual so people of any age are able to enjoy it. (For information, contact the Catskill Revitalization Corporation at 607-652-7581.)

Simple life

"Life is a little more simple here," he said. "We still have stress, but life seems to be less hectic and much slower. We rarely have traffic problems in this county. I usually only have one or two cars ahead of me."

After living in Delaware County for 14 years, he said, "I never get tired of seeing the green fields of grass. At different times in my life, I've lived in the city and all I used to see were roads. It's a nice area if you enjoy golf and hiking and fishing. We get a lot of hunters up here in the fall. Stamford is also a good ski area, and we're beginning to get a lot of people who are buying second homes to enjoy the outdoors.

"The people in our parish take a lot of pride in the community," he noted. "They're always putting out flower barrels to make the town look nice, and they even try to help the local businesses any way they can. It seems that this area is beginning to do a lot more planning for the future. I think that's very positive."

Escape route

"A lot of the people in this parish have moved here to escape the busy-ness of the city," he said. "We're located in the Susquehanna Valley, and the area reminds me very much of the Adirondacks with its rolling hills and beautiful views. We're not a tourist area. There aren't a lot of places to visit or theaters or halls of fame, but if you like the outdoors you'll like it here.

"This is a great place to raise a family," he said. "We're losing many of the farms, but we're still maintaining a very rural character and that's nice."

Going home

We both decided that Delaware County was a place we wanted to explore in more detail. This fall, instead of driving into New England to wait in traffic and try to glimpse the foliage, we've decided that a nice bed-and-breakfast in Delaware County would be perfect.

(For more information about any of the Delaware County bed and breakfasts, contact 800-Del-Inns. To learn about other events in Delaware County, contact the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce at 800-642-4443 or visit www.delawarecounty.org.)

(06-29-00) [[In-content Ad]]