Arson in the Gunks

Kerhonkson in 1909 Ellenville Public Library

Every day I drive through the Minnewaska State Preserve where the great fire of 2008 burned thousands of acres. It was one of the most spectacular natural events I have ever witnessed and helped contain as a firefighter. While driving that stretch of the mountains, I sometimes start to think about past fires such as the fires which occurred in the summer of 1909.

Library of Congress Cliff House from Wildmere Hotel

In August 1909, residents who lived in the Shawangunks and communities that surrounded it were concerned about the drought that had griped the mountains. It was a very dry summer. It would not take much to ignite the dry underbrush of the mountains. Fire was no stranger to the “Gunks.” Berry pickers periodically lit monster blazes to ensure a good crop of berries the following year. They mostly burned away brush that choked out the berry plants.

Berry Picker Courtesy of Hudson Valley Resort

When a fire broke out in early August 1909, people felt it was just a berry picker fire. Even as the fire grew out of control it was felt that some berry pickers had probably neglected it. This had happened before. It was felt, as in years past, eventually rains would come and help extinguish the blaze. However, as the fire continued to grow consuming more and more acreage, local residents were reminded of May 1906 when a fire raged from Lake Minnewaska to Wawarsing consuming thousands of acres. The 1906 fire came close to consuming Kerhonkson. It was halted by citizens and firefighters under direction of Fire Warden Fluckiger.

Huckleberries

When the Minnewaska mountain houses were threatened by this latest fire, firefighters responded from New Paltz, Mohonk, and Kerhonkson in order to protect the mountain houses. It became apparent that the 1909 fire between Minnewaska and Awosting was different. Firefighters began to suspect foul play when a new fire started in a stand of chestnuts which was not berry habitat. Furthermore, it was too far from the main fire for embers to have drifted and ignited the stand of trees. Arson became suspected as the cause of these wildfires; not berry pickers. Stoking these fears was a suspicious fire at Wildmere, one of the mountain house on Lake Minnewaska, a barn caught fire late at night.

Wild Blueberries 🫐

Firefighters were eventually able to bring the fires under control. In an effort to contain flare-ups, they hauled hogsheads of water by wagon to the fire locations. The barrels would be left there as a water source if the fires rekindled. Just as expected, it was reported that some of the fires had rekindled. Firefighters hiked up to the fire confident that they could extinguish it with the water they had earlier positioned close to the fire. What they discovered when they finally reached their destinations was that someone had emptied all the barrels and thrown them into the fire. If there was any doubt that fires were the work of an arsonist, this confirmed it. Residents demanded action from the authorities who tried to reassure citizens that the culprit would be apprehended. Frustrated, citizens formed patrols threatening that if anyone was seen looking like they were lighting new fires or were where they did not belong they would be shot dead.

Overlook Fire of 08′-Author

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry 1932

There are no indications that the arsonist or arsonists were ever caught. Just as quickly as the suspicious fires started is how quickly they stopped. The fires were eventually brought back under control and with the help of heavy rains, which broke the drought, were finally extinguished.