Kutsher’s Resort

Built in 1907 by brothers Max and Louis Kutsher, Kutsher’s was the inspiration for the hit film “Dirty Dancing” and last surviving reminder of the Catskill’s Borscht Belt hotels.

The Stardust Room at Kutsher’s Resort.

The 1,300 acre property was demolished in 2014 — to make way for a future Yoga retreat.

At its peak, Kutsher’s was considered the finest property on the Catskill scene.

The resort property featured hundreds of acres of manicured lakeside grounds speckled with bungalows and high-end resort facilities.

The property offered year-round vacation activities headlined by an 18-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor pools, multiple snow ski lifts, an indoor ice skating rink — and a ballroom capable of seating 5,000 and hosting headline acts like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.

Kutsher’s also served as an offseason hive of sports activity, with star athletes like Muhammad Ali and Wilt Chamberlain using the resort as their offseason residences.

Kutsher’s featured an indoor ice skating rink.

Kutsher’s was shuddered in 2008 and later demolished in 2014. The photos that follow demonstrate the faded state of the decaying grand dame in the last days before its razing.

The remains of Kutsher’s famous ice skating rink.

Photos by John Margolies courtesy of United States Library of Congress Digital Collection.

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