Catskill

The local and mythic roots of Irving’s timeless tale

Rip Van Winkle: The local and mythic roots of Irving’s timeless tale

"When I moved to Saugerties, one of the first places I explored was the old library. At the far end of the room, hidden behind the shelves, there was a reading alcove with some wooden chairs gathered around a fireplace with a tiled mantle. The tiles, with their sculpted relief in the historic arts and crafts style, illustrate what is probably the most famous fable to come out of the Hudson Valley, Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle. Here in a series of images, we find the familiar tale of a henpecked husband, who, looking for peace of mind, hiked with his dog, Wolf, and his fowling-piece to the mountain source of Kaaterskill Creek. Once there, he met the short, stout ghosts of Henry Hudson and his men and accepted an evening drink that took 20 years to sleep off. "

Anti-Jumper Sign

Along the approach to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. The sign is so tacky, that I can't imagine a suicidal person would obey it or for that matter use one of the call phones for help.

Taken on Saturday January 16, 2010 at Rip Van Winkle Bridge.