Railride into Yesteryear
Roxbury via the Delaware & Ulster Railroad 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
“Railride into Yesteryear” takes you back in time to “all the agreeable pursuits of 1898” (including arriving on the train in style) on three summer Saturdays (June 21, July 5, and August 30) as well as Sunday, August 31. Leave your car (and your parking hassles) behind in Arkville, hop aboard the Delaware & Ulster Railroad at 11 a.m., and arrive at the Roxbury Depot for an afternoon of leisure, fun, and sport, just as visitors did 100 years ago.
It's a "No-Gas Mileage" Holiday
On June 21, July 5 and August 30 and 31, you can be back in 1898 the moment you step into Roxbury’s 19th century depot and get a fanfare welcome from the Roxbury Brass or some fiddling mountain boys. Enjoy an exhibit of Catskills railroad history before venturing on to Roxbury's Bridge Street, with a horse-drawn surrey and coach breezing by, market carts and chatty vendors dotting the shady street, with summer produce, arts and crafts, and of course a snake oil salesman lurking somewhere. Local eateries will feature authentic country fare, from casual to hearty, to fortify your stroll to Main Street. Or, travel like a Gould by hopping aboard the elegant “two-horsepower” hotel coach.
Roxbury has made interactive, immersive heritage tourism in the Catskills its trademark, winning the the prestigious “Preserve America” designation from the White House in 2005 to recognize its skill at presenting living history as a fun and educational excursion rather than an moribund museum.
This history is more than spectator sport -- you can be part of the action, too. Characters (in proper period dress of course) are welcome to join in “Railride to Yesteryear” festivities. Contact the Roxbury Parks Department (www.roxburyny.com or 607 326-3722) if you’d like to play a part in any Railride or if you have the perfect mountain-made wares to offer visitors.
Vintage Base Ball: our guts, your glory
Glorious Kirkside Park brings home vintage base ball with games scheduled for every Railride. The revitalized Roxbury Nine plays by 1898 rules — you won’t see many gloves on the field and the wooden bats are turned by hand. And the players are local fellows — a plumber, a carpenter, a lawyer, a teacher or two. These guys play like they mean it, while maintaining a gentleman‘s 19th century sense of decorum. (Otherwise, the umpire will fine them a nickel.)
On August 30 and 31, Railride into Yesteryear will also host the Harry M. Keator Vintage Base Ball Tournament, when more than half a dozen of New England’s fiercest vintage teams converge on Roxbury for two full days of hard fought ball. The Roxbury Nine will be defending the coveted Keator Cup once again and the championship game will be that Sunday, August 31.
July 5: the best shopping of two centuries
On Saturday, July 5, "Railride" will team up once again with another popular Roxbury tradition, the Sidewalk Festival. Street fair festivities will line Main Street, with vendors galore. Cloggers, lots of music, BBQ, ice cream, base ball, and dozens of unique shopping opportunities will provide fun for everyone in the family. There will even be an old-fashioned parade in the morning.
Lessons from the past we can “fast forward”
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, showcasing everything from humble farmhouse vernaculars to opulent late Victorians. For two decades, the town has dedicated funds and muscle to restoring the 14-acre gem of Kirkside Park, and the gradual restoration of the historic barns as exhibit and community space is now underway. But this trip back in time also includes all the visitors' amenities you could wish for, including a new restaurant opening this summer, and an expanded cocktail and tapas lounge to compliment the cutting edge boutique lodgings at the The Roxbury motel. “Roxbury offers all the comforts and fun of the 21st century right here in town, even when folks come to visit the good old days,” said Ellsworth.
Railride also offers villagers and visitors a thoughtful foray into a time when almost everything, even entertainment, was powered by the people and resources right at hand. “Come have a pie that doesn't need to be refrigerated, or see folks working with wood or making practical everyday things, like soaps or quilts,” said Roxbury Supervisor Tom Hynes. “The kids run around with hoops, hopping around on stilts or building a birdhouse and they have a grand time without one bit of modern technology."
Come on board Railride into Yesterday on June 21, July 5, August 30 and August 31. Railride departs from the Delaware and Ulster Railroad’s Arkville depot at 11 a.m. and arrives in Roxbury at around 11:45 a.m. You'll depart from Roxbury at 3 p.m. and arrive back in Arkville around 4 p.m. Visit roxburyny.com or call 607 326-3722 for more details.