Ulster County Hotel is One of America’s Most Endangered Historic Places

An Ulster County, NY, hotel has just been named one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Hudson Valley is home to numerous attractions and historic landmarks, including Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh, NY, Mills Mansion in Staatsburg, NY, and the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, NY, to name a few (more below).

Did you know that one of the longest-standing resorts and hotels in the Hudson Valley has just earned some national recognition after it was recognized as one of the country's "Most Endangered Historic Places"?

America's Most Endangered Historic Places

Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation releases a list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places across the United States that the Trust considers the most endangered, and this year, an Ulster County, NY hotel/resort has made the list.

Wellington Hotel in Pine Hill, New York

The Wellington Hotel (first known as The Ulster House Hotel), a wood-frame resort in Pine Hill, NY, has just been recognized by the Trust as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, according to News 10. The hotel, which was built in 1882, has been deteriorating for years, and the foundation is in danger of collapse, according to the Trust.

New Owners

Back in 2022, the Wellington was purchased by twenty Pine Hill community members concerned about the building’s future. The group, now called Wellington Blueberry, had plans to rehabilitate it and add affordable housing for the Pine Hill community, along with adding a grocery store and café.

SEE ALSO: Massive Black Bear Causing Havoc in Ulster County, NY Neighborhood

The group is hoping that by being designated on this year's list, it will attract potential partners and funding sources, while also spotlighting the many challenges folks face when they attempt to renovate and reuse buildings like the Wellington.

Save the Wellington Hotel

To save the hotel and bring it up to code, it will require approximately $7 million worth of work, including interior and exterior work, a new fire suppression system, flood mitigation measures, and a foundation replacement.

Carol Quillen, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, explained to News 10 how important it is to save the hotel. She stated,

"The community-based effort to save the Wellington will not only help preserve the history of the Catskills region but will also provide tangible solutions to the issues of food and housing insecurity that face the community today."

 

For more information on the Wellington Hotel and the other 10 endangered places on this year's list, visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation online here.