Wawarsing in Cragsmoor, Route 52 Overlook in Ulster County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Borscht Belt
Photographed by Marisa Scheinfeld, September 28, 2025
1. Borscht Belt Marker
Catskills region of over 500 resorts known as vacation destination for American Jews beginning ca. 1899. This road gateway to their locations.
Erected 2025 by William G. Pomeroy Foundation, Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project. (Marker Number 1209.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Places • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1899.
Location. 41° 40.464′ N, 74° 24.207′ W. Marker is in Cragsmoor, Route 52 Overlook, New York, in Ulster County. It is in Wawarsing. It is on New York 52 (Route 52), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4153 NY-52, Pine Bush NY 12566, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York and in the Hudson Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Cragsmoor Historic District (approx. 1.1 miles away); Ulster County (approx. 1½ miles away); Glassworks Site (approx. 2.9 miles away); Borscht Belt - Ellenville (approx. 3 miles away); Walker Valley (approx. 3.3
this page online
More about this marker. This is one of two duplicate "Borscht Belt" markers placed by the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project. The other is in Sullivan County on Route 42.
Also see . . .
1. The Borscht Belt (Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project). Excerpt: From the 1920s through the early 1970s, the Borscht Belt was the preeminent summer resort destination for hundreds of thousands of predominantly east coast American Jews. The exclusion of the Jewish community from existing establishments in the 1920s drove Jewish entrepreneurs to create over 500 resorts, 50,000 bungalows and 1,000 rooming houses in Sullivan County and parts of Ulster County. The Borscht Belt provided a sense of community for working and vacationing Jews. The era exerted a strong influence on American culture, particularly in the realm of entertainment, music, and sports. Some of the most well-known and influential people of the 20th century worked and vacationed in the area. Beginning around 1960, the Borscht Belt began a gradual demise due to many factors including the growth of suburbia, inexpensive airfare, and generational changes. (Submitted on October 2, 2025, by Marisa Scheinfeld of Katonah, New York.)
2. Borscht Belt Historical Marker (Youtube, short). Unveiling and environs (Submitted on January 26, 2026.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2025, by Marisa Scheinfeld of Katonah, New York. This page has been viewed 67 times since then and 24 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on October 1, 2025, by Marisa Scheinfeld of Katonah, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
