The Catskill Mountains, a subrange of the Appalachians in southeastern New York, were shaped by early Dutch settlers in the 17th century. Named possibly for mountain lions, the region spans the 700,000-acre Catskill Park, a protected forest preserve. It became a cultural hub, inspiring 19th-century Hudson River School paintings and serving as a mid-20th-century vacation spot for New Yorkers, with resorts fostering comedians’ careers. The area’s history ties to the Lenape and Esopus Creek, a 65.4-mile Hudson River tributary, which supported early colonial trade and settlement despite rocky terrain.

The Winne family’s Catskills legacy began with Pieter Winne securing a large land grant along Esopus Creek in the 1692. They established farms in Shandaken, Mount Pleasant, and Woodstock, cultivating the challenging landscape. The family expanded into hospitality, operating multiple hotels and boarding houses that catered to growing tourism. Davis Winne emerged as one of the Catskills’ most successful residents, his business acumen in farming and lodging leaving a lasting mark. Their influence is preserved in sites like the Winne Family Burial Grounds near Shandaken.