Mount Hope and Otisville

The town of Mount Hope and the village of Otisville are located in a picturesque area of Orange County, nestled in the shadows of the Shawangunk Mountains. In 1846, the arrival of the Erie Railroad in Otisville changed the sleepy town into a center of commerce for the surrounding area. While the railroad sparked a decline in trade within Mount Hope, many citizens in Otisville had railroad-related jobs and relied on the railroad for transportation. In the early 1900s, Otisville became a chief supplier of butter for the New York City market. The vintage images in this book chronicle the changing history of these two communities, from the introduction of the bustling railroad to a simpler time of summer strawberry festivals and winter sleigh rides, when life revolved around the village.