Trip to Kings Lodge resort in Otisville, NY
Still Image
CH_CA_2021_SC_006_051
Community Archive
A color photograph of Fannie and Thelma Wilson, and two other unidentified women during a trip to Kings Lodge resort in Otisville, NY. The group of women are all dressed in casual attire and are kneeling in front of a sign that reads "Welcome to Kings Lodge.”
"Kings Lodge, another mountain resort tucked in the hills of Otisville, New York, opened in 1937 by M.C. Owens and his wife,. Chester Grundy (1947 - ), founder of the National Black Holistic Society, held the annual meetings of the National Black Holistic Society there: 'King Lodge was owned by three generations of a black family, the Owens family. And, they bought this site and bought this resort, I guess during the heydays of resort vacationing in New York… King Lodge was to black people would say, the Poconos, and some of these other famous resort sites were to... the white vacationing community. So, during this time, King Lodge had a number of people who visited, people like A. Philip Randolph and… Ralph Bunche .'1 Kings Lodge resort passed through the hands of several owners, becoming a retreat center in 1980, which was renamed after Betty Shabazz in 1997. It unfortunately had to close its doors in 2001." (It's Summertime! Black Resorts & Beaches, HistoryMakers, June 24, 2020.)
[1] Chester Grundy (The HistoryMakers A2002.228), interviewed by Larry Crowe, December 9, 2002, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 5, story 1, Chester Grundy talks about the National Black Holistic Society's retreats.
"In 1937, M.C. Owen, a successful, black businessman from NYC & his wife decided to look into upstate NY (Orange County) for a summer home. After visiting several locations, they decided on a property on Shoddy Hollow Road in Otisville. At the time, there was one building and a swimming hole. They then purchased the farm across the road & 200 acres from the railroad shortly thereafter. The Owen's wanted a place for their family to enjoy the summers, but as more & more friends visited, they opened a guest house. The summer resort grew out of the realities of segregation and the desire for upper-middle class blacks to cut loose & enjoy time off with family. Other Catskills resorts (Black, Jewish, etc.) declined in popularity after integration, however, two following generations continued to expand & keep the family tradition of providing friendly service, comfortable accommodations and excellent food a priority until Kings Lodge finally closed its doors in 2001." (http://www.findglocal.com/US/Otisville/147526521991658/Kings-Lodge)
1970sEnglish
original photographs
African American Vacation Destinations
Vacations, African American women, Women Otisville