New-York tribune., 1919-06-29
Have You Ever
Motored Up to
Bear Mountain?
II Not, You Have a Very De-
lightful Time in Pros.
pect, Scenery and Roads
Making Trip Worth While
By c. E. T. Scharps

4 eral had any idea of the natural beau
ties OF the Palisades Interstate Park
,lthere would be a great many thou
sands more of them visiting this Won
derful playground not only on Satur-
days and Sundays but during the week
as we'll. A truly remarkable work is
heing accomplished in the way of
building a through highway along the
l. west shore of the Hudson to Bear
Mountain and beyond by the commits
sioners of the Palisades Interstate
Park, of whom George w. Perkins is
president.
Mr.. Perkins, by the way, has de-
voted his Saturdays and Sundays
chiefly for the past nineteen years to
this project, in which he. is deeply in
terested. and has accomplished Won
derful good for the benefit of the peo.
nile in providing playground and
camping place for any number of chill
dren as we'll as for grown-ups.
This article is concerned with the
automobile phase of the Interstate
Park proposition and therefore does
not 20 into the detail of what has been
accomplished on behalf of the nom
sutomobiling public. 1t would take
considerably more space than this page
affords to detail not only what has
been accomplished but what are the
plans of Mr.. Perkins in providing a
playground and recreation place for
the people of New York State.
To reach Bear Mountain, cross the
ferry at Dyckman Street and then run
through Englewood to Pearl River,
Manuel and Tuxedo, where the en-
, trance to the reservation is found.
ho ooI- re nj o9
along the river, skirting back to Hav-
erstraw and down into Nyack, where
the ferry across to Tarrytown may be
taken. Great things are to be accom-
plished with this part of the west
I shore road, which will be known as
the Henry Hudson Drive when it is
completed.
The project is to build road from
Fort Lee along the river to the New
York State line, then merging with
state road No. 3 to the villages of
Palisades, Sparkill and Nyack, and
from Nyack along the face of the
Hook Mountain to Haverstraw. There
bgain it picks up the state road back
OF Haverstraw and runs through that
Village, Stony Point and Tompkins
Cove around Dunderberg Mountain.
A part of this route 8 is the Storm
King Highway, which is being cut
around the base of Storm King Noun
tain and which when completed will
make through route from New York
to Albany on the west shore of the
Hudson, afording direct view of the
water nearly all the way, and doing for
the west shore what was not done for
the east shore, but should have been.
1t will make the Henry Hudson High
way in way the Corniche Road of
America. Three large viaducts at
Sparkill, Stony Point and Montgomery
(the latter already completely will
obviate bad turns and detours on the
highway.
Mr.. Perkins calls Bear Mountain "The
/ Twenty-four Hour a Day Park" and
speaks thus of the states great play
ground:
Nowhere in the world exists a
greater variety of historic and scenic
beauty spots than here in New York,
and nowhere is this more strikingly
shown than in the great State Park at
Bear Mountain. Situated along the
Hudson River-the Switzerland of
America-within two hours reach of
ten million people, this great recrea-
tional centre offers to unique degree
attractions that have made this health
with the throngs of motor tourists who
visit there.
How to make this wonderful play
ground, which is maintained Jointly by
the states of New York and New jersey,
vital recreational and health -promot-
ing factor, has been the single aim and
task of the comm missinners, an unpaid
non-partisan board, devoting itself to
the management of this park. No more
natural or convenient outlet for the
millions of motorists can be found, nor
does one exist Offering finer specimens
OF highway engineering. A funda-
mental principle in its government is
that its function lies beyond the mere
setting up OF place where people may
come to shift for themselves, usually
the prey of commercialized concession
aires.
ITO meet the need for supplying food
to over half million people who each
year visit the park, Bear Mountain Inn
was established, its sole purpose being
TO furnish nourishing food at a reason
able cost The commission itself oper-
ates the inn, providing self-service
restaurant ca fete ria-where for 35 or
90 cents tourist may be substantially
led. For those desiring more elab-
crate service table d'hote department
provides lunch for $3.50 and a dinner
served however in the three depart
ments is practically the same, the diff
terence IN price being chiefly the diff
1 Terence IN service.
+ Overlooking the waters of Hessian
Lake, at the foot of Bear Mountain
tae commiss' IS have constructed 3
large circuIar rustic dance pavilion
accommodating about 500 couples at a
Time. Music is provided, and no charge
Whatever is made to those who wish to
dance: A natural corollary to the es-
adjustment Of the good roads through
ont the park was to provide an oppor-
unity for motorists to enjoy the vari-
Gus rest pavilions and refreshme mt
booths which haye been erected at i'm
portant points
1T was not enough to provide the
opportunity merely for the days out
.hg IN the park, as there was need for
Iaciiites whereby a larger usefulness
could come from the establishment of
camps. plan WAS entered upon for
she utilization Of all the buildings
aoaptable for this purpose, and large
sInmoer OF rustic camp plants have
enn oesn established with mess halls, log
.~Dins for sleeping purposes, docks,
s"Nnm'ng. etc. During the last year
tsp"ard Of 10000 people enjoyed the
ss.eiifs Of vacations in the park, and
~. single fatality or serious accident
''a[ted a.rd the seasons Joy.
n,nes last year extensive improve