So now, a century and a half later, this billboard appears on Route 9G at a gateway to Hudson.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Reviving an Ancient Rivalry?
Back in 1867, there was fierce competition between Hudson and Catskill. The editor of the Examiner in Catskill declared that Hudson was "finished" and "should be fenced in." The editor of the Daily Register in Hudson countered by calling Catskill, disparagingly, an "ancient borough" and hinting that the Catskill editor was both a provincial and a tippler.
So now, a century and a half later, this billboard appears on Route 9G at a gateway to Hudson.
Is it meant to revive the ancient trans-river rivalry between the village and the city or just get people to cross the river and discover what's on the other side?
So now, a century and a half later, this billboard appears on Route 9G at a gateway to Hudson.
I know what's on the other side . . . the Pacific Ocean! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Catskills are nice, but a good 30 minutes drive from Catskill, which has about as much to do with the Catskills as a McDonalds hamburger.
ReplyDeleteRivalry? Nope. Pacific Ocean? How clever. The Village of Catskill is an opportunity on the west side of the river for those savvy enough to recognize it. The comments above are why the billboard exists, i.e. Get over yourself. I know. I wrote it. Hey, check out the website while you're at it.
ReplyDeleteI just saw the billboard today for the first time. As I sped by I thought, "What the ...?"
ReplyDeleteIt stuck in my mind though; it was clever copy!
It reminded me of another previous cross-river rivalry which I can't find in Margaret Schram's book, so maybe I saw it in Stephen Miller whose book I do not own.
I believe that it was the Common Council that had decided on a new cut across the Middleground Flats, but it needed Athens' support which was not forthcoming. As best as I can recall from the account, Athens seemed to enjoy letting Hudson fall on its face, although I believe the same dredging proposal later came from Athens.
(Does anyone know the reference? As I recall, the details were kind of funny and suggested a rivalry.)
This rivalry with Athens was unwittingly revisited during the LWRP process, after a member of the Athens Waterfront Advisory Committee, John Franzen, registered Athens' concerns about "an elevated conveyor(s)" as part of an expansion of industrial port activities.
The official Response to his comment came in May 2011, from Corporate Counsel Cheryl Roberts. She wrote that "[t]he Draft LWRP does not mention, contemplate or countenance an 'elevated conveyor' at the riverfront."
The joke on Athens was that along with the Responses to the public comments, a new "Draft LWRP" simultaneously projected a zoning proposal which has since become law (i.e., §325-3).
This law actually DICTATES the requirement of a conveyor system as the alternative the city worked out for aggregate trucks to avoid use of the Broad Street railroad crossing.
The official denial and the proposed law which contradicted it were delivered in the same document on the same day.
Take that, Athens!
Used to ride through middle ground flats back in the late 60s, only at high tide. Most of the dredging has returned to the channel and the trees now fall inward...
DeleteIs it polarizing? Yes. Is it provocative? Hope so. Is it attention getting? Definitely. Is it clever? You bet. Is it meant to stoke ancient cross-river rivalry? Absolutely not. But we love the fact that people are talking about it. We're just trying to attract new blood and re-brand the Village of Catskill so people stop asking, "Where in the Catskills?"
ReplyDeleteIf need be, we'll jump Hudson's fence and swim over to Dink's annual this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI totally dig this. When my partner and I started looking for a house in Hudson, our realtor quickly realized we weren't going to find what we wanted in Hudson and had the foresight to take us to Catskill where we eventually ended up buying. Before buying we asked out friends in Kinderhook for their opinion and they said, "oh you want to be closer to Hudson than that, there is a place here in Kinderhook you should look at." We mapped it out:
ReplyDeleteKinderhook to Hudson = 20 Miles
Catskill to Hudson = 5 miles
It became obvious it wasn't a physical barrier, everyone drives upstate and it doesn't matter to me if I drive a mile over a bridge or a mile on a road, instead it really was a psychological barrier, plus Catskill is closer to the Thruway, which is great for weekenders like us. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be on the Taconic in this morning's downpour.
Anyhow, we patronize businesses on both sides of the river and love driving over the RIP, the views are stunning. To this day we still don't get what the big deal is, crossing the bridge is $1.25, except we do think real estate in Catskill is totally undervalued and I love kayaking through the Audobon preserve in Catskill and seeing the Bald Eagles that nest their fly above. Living in the Hudson Valley... it's nice to feel connected to the Hudson River.
Catskill is an interesting river town with it's own merits. I was pointing out in my previous comment that promoting Catskill, the town, as part of the Catskills, the mountains, is a bit disingenuous. I've live much of my life in the Catskill Mountains. Catskill the town isn't in the Catskills. The only part of the Catskill Mountains in Catskill, the town are the people from Woodstock who could not afford to live there anymore and moved to Catskill.
ReplyDeleteSlow Art. The sign says "NOT the Catskills. Catskill" I don't think there is a claim that says Catskill the village and town are part of the Catskills, actually the contrary. We bought in Catskill as we wanted to be on the River, but it is an added bonus that we have mountain views.
ReplyDeleteThat's good, still it befuddles me when someone uses negativity to promote themselves. Why not say something good and positive about yourself instead? To me this is just a laundered insult, no different than if a group from Hudson put up a billboard right at the Thruway exit leading into Catskill that said, "Catskill sucks, come to Hudson." People from Catskill would be offended and rightly so. About the same level of sensitivity here as the Rock Solid billboard that proclaimed Jesus the Lord of Hudson. Is it the same billboard? That would be ironic.
ReplyDeleteWhy not visit the website's home page to at least see what the campaign is about?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone on this list have any sense of humor? This is a witty billboard.
ReplyDeleteOn Saturday, September 28, at 4 p.m., I'll be giving a reading from my memoir, Riptides & Solaces Unforeseen, at the Greene County Council on the Arts Gallery, 398 Main Street, CATSKILL.
You're all invited.
Get over the river.