The Recreation Farm Society, later called The Meadows, is an abandoned convalescent home in the Catskill Mountains of New York.

History

The Recreation Farm Society ² began as a convalescent home circa 1880, ⁴ operated by the Workmen’s Benefit Fund for the underprivileged who could not afford the often high costs of a sanitarium. ⁵ Rates were listed as low as $3.50 per week for tuberculosis patients, $7 per week for others, including room, board and professional care in the 1950s. ⁵

Infirmary Building

Dining & Social Building

Aerial from the 1960’s

Improvements were made with new buildings in 1960 and 1974. ⁴ The Recreation Farm Society was closed by 2000. ⁴

The Meadows resort later reopened the site and offered shuffleboard and other outdoor activities, and cocktails and refreshments in the lounge and family-style meals in the dining room. ¹ Lodging included The Maples, a motel style building with 20 rooms, The Juniper, a country-style inn with 12 rooms, The Sycamore, with four rooms, and The Birches, with three rooms.

In 2004, Simon Gelb brokered a deal to turn the closed Recreation Farm into a synagogue with a hotel and food on behalf of the Satmar community of Hasidic Jews. ³

Gallery

A view of the check-in desk at The Maples.

A view of a key rack at The Maples.

Inside a typical room at The Maples.

A view of a wash room at The Maples.

A view of the different siding used on the Infirmary over the years.

Inside the Infirmary.

Inside the Infirmary.

Inside the Infirmary.

Inside the Infirmary.

Inside the Infirmary.