Reputation Cemented: Everything’s Coming Up Rosendale

by Erika Alexia Tsoukanelis and photographs by Roy Gumpel, June 29, 2009

Tucked alongside the Rondout Creek, the tiny hamlet of Rosendale still makes a sizable mark on Ulster County. Known historically for its production of natural cement, Rosendale’s visual character comes in part from the remnants of its industrial glory days. The Delaware and Hudson Canal’s barges ferried anthracite coal from the mines of Northeastern Pennsylvania on its way to New York City through the town in the 19th century. The defunct Wallkill Valley Railroad trestle (now a breathtaking pedestrian walkway) arches far above Main Street. Below, old cement kilns and a silo can be spotted. In the southwestern corner of town, there are caves where ice persists year round. Musicians and poets often draw large crowds for events at the Widow Jane Mine on the Snyder Estate.

Thirty years ago, locals threw the first Rosendale Street Festival. It has since become an (almost) annual summertime event. In 2009, dozens of bands and scores of vendors will fill Main Street on July 18 and 19. Volunteer-run and free to the public, this colorful grassroots celebration has drawn up to 25,000 people in previous years. Any earnings are funneled back into the community through the support of local nonprofit organizations.

Downtown stores flood with customers during the street festival. Visitors enjoy melt-in-your-mouth lemon Bundt cakes at the Alternative Baker, where everything is made from scratch by the talented Essell Hoenshell-Watson, who will tell many a story to happy customers while they float in clouds of sweet scent. Across the street, Yuval and Lisa Sterer welcome people to the Big Cheese. Shoppers may choose from a varied assortment of cheeses, Mediterranean deli items, gourmet ice cream, and unique clothing the couple hand-selects in Israel. A few doors down, a full vegetarian meal may be appreciated at the comfortable Rosendale Café. The food is solid, healthy, and satisfying; work by local artists graces the walls; and its intimate performance space has hosted the world’s best musicians for over 15 years. There’s also live music at the Bywater Bistro on the weekends. With outdoor-deck seating along the Rondout Creek, it’s a pleasing choice for dinner and drinks on a hot summer night.

The café and bistro are common places to stop before heading to the Rosendale Movie Theater. A converted firehouse, the building was bought by the Cacchio family in 1949, who run the business to this day. Having just commemorated its 60th year of operation, the theater is a Hudson Valley favorite for its gilded, old-school charm. Moviegoers can admire old Cacchio family photos in the lobby and purchase candy from antique vending machines before taking in an independent or commercial film on the single silver screen.