Rediscover the Historic Bear Mountain

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Newly restored Bear Mountain Inn lobby

ALBANY, NY (10/26/2011)(readMedia)-- After nearly six years, the historic Bear Mountain Inn will soon reopen its doors to the public. To celebrate the occasion, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, together with its fundraising partner, the Palisades Parks Conservancy, and the Inn's management group, Guest Services, will mark the reopening with a black tie gala dinner at the Inn on Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. To purchase tickets for the gala, to become a sponsor, or to receive additional information about the event, please telephone (845) 786-2701, ext. 281 or visit: www.palisadesparksconservancy.org/becomeafriend. Proceeds from the black tie gala will be used to help fund the final steps of the Inn's refurbishment, including landscape work and exterior restoration. Monies for the renovations have been raised from a mix of public and private funds, including a donation of more than one million dollars from the family of the first President of the Commission, George W. Perkins, Sr. in honor of his initial investment that led to the construction of the Inn.

One of the architectural jewels of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission and a familiar landmark for generations of families, the extensive five year renovation program has restored the Inn to its original rustic splendor. This renowned structure is an historic landmark, listed on the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places. Located at the base of Bear Mountain overlooking both the Hudson River and historic Hessian Lake, park employees began crafting the three-story stone and heavy timber building in 1914, using native material found on-site. On the interior, heavy chestnut log posts and beams support large stone fireplaces in a room decorated with timber framing and light fixtures fabricated of native birch and hand-hammered iron.

The first floor has been completely renovated to bring back the 1930s rustic design. The spectacular lobby is bordered by the 1915 Café where you can purchase a drink or a sandwich designed from fresh and local grown meats and produce and the Bear Mountain Trading Company, a shop that offers park souvenirs and gift items including jewelry, candles, Bear Mountain foodstuffs, crafts and decorative items.

Upstairs, the great lounge remains the fabulous iconic room it has always been, featuring an immense fieldstone fireplace framed by twin bronze bears and spectacular views from the large plate glass windows. The second floor banquet rooms have been refurbished. The new restaurant area has that rustic feel and will include a bar and outdoor patio. The west wing conference room has one of the best views in the building, taking in the scenic Hessian Lake and the mountain in the background – breathtaking in every season. All bathrooms have been upgraded and designed with the arts and crafts color scheme. From a warren of small guest rooms and offices, the third floor of the Inn has been renovated to create 15 comfortable suites, and will also feature a small conference room.

In addition to the two restaurants, the Bear Mountain Inn offers professional catering services led by award-winning executive chef Michael Matarazzo, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. For the reopening celebration dinner, chef Matarazzo will fire up the sparkling new kitchen burners to create an unforgettable meal to be served in the restored south dining room.

The 75,000 square foot Inn has held historic meetings, reunions, and events and has been host to dignitaries such as President and Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It has also welcomed the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, and Notre Dame Football teams, champion boxer Jack Dempsey, and entertainment headliners Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, and Kate Smith.

When the Inn was opened in 1915, The American Architect declared the Bear Mountain Inn to be one of the "finest examples of rustic Adirondack architecture in America." Commission President George W. Perkins Sr., who himself paid the $100,000 to finance the construction of the Inn, described the building as a "rugged heap of boulders and huge chestnut logs assembled at the base of Bear Mountain by the hand of man and yet following lines of such natural proportions as to resemble the eternal hills themselves."

The Inn is part of the Bear Mountain State Park, about 45 miles north of New York City, in the Hudson Highlands. Facilities include playing fields, picnic groves, rowboat docks, swimming pool and bathhouse, hiking trails, including the first segment of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, an ice skating rink, basketball court, Trailside Museums and Zoo, and the delightful Bear Mountain Merry-Go-Round and pavilion. The four season park is accessible by car and bus.

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Contact:

Susan E. Smith

Director of Cultural Resources and development

Palisades Interstate Park Commission

Administration Building

3006 Seven Lakes Drive

PO Box 427

Bear Mountain, NY 10911

T: 845-786-2701, ext. 239

F: 845-786-1784