This story was sent to us from Dakin Morehouse. It is a choice piece of WV history.
"Written and first submitted to the Catskill Center by my Uncle Tryon Miller, this was rejected and later resubmitted and published by his brother Phil Miller. The story I was told by the third brother, Paul Miller, was that while boarding at the Beech residence (currently Twerdaks), my Grandfather Wilmot Morehouse (far right) encouraged the weakened Miller (seated) to join the rigerous hike which he said would “either cure you or kill you”.
It apparently did the former because he went on to found ‘The Roxmor’ in 1897 and my grandfather, Woodland Park Association’ in 1906."
- Dakin Morehouse
Woodland Valley Adventure - 1894
by Edward Tryon Miller
"This New Years Day finds me here in the mountains. Instead of being pent within masonry and tapestry, I breathe free air in Nature's Wonderland; instead of pondering on what calls to make, I sit here and idly gaze upon a charming landscape dressed up in winter glory. Below, only a few feet off, the Woodland Creek is singing a single toned but wonderful song in its tumultuous dashing; in the distance the the Wittenberg towers above its less formidable brother peaks; every object is decorated with the pure snow and the sun and clouds have set up a delightful little game of peep and hide. A glorious New Years Day indeed. "
So wrote Edward B. Miller to his brother Rudolph P. Miller in Richmond, Va. on January 1, 1894. Then 27 years of age, he was living and working in his native New York City. He had been losing weight, and had been told by his doctor that his lungs were weak; that they were dangerously susceptible to tuberculosis. He was advised to go to Asheville or some other health resort, but preferred being nearer home. Through a friend he learned bout the Beach family, who had room for a few paying guests at Woodland Valley in the Catskills.
His letter continues, "You may know, by this gush of enthusiasm, that I am in a beautiful country. It is the wildest sort of place, our neighbors are few and far between. Phoenicia, the nearest railway station, is three and a half miles away, over a road that beats the one in Stafford County, Virginia, all to pieces for roughness. The Woodland Post office is in this very house."
Feeling better after his two week vacation was over, Miller wanted to return as soon as possible. The last week in January found him back in Woodland, hardly prepared for the adventure he describes from a letter dated from Woodland, January 7, 1894.
"I have had one experience of a long journey; a rather adventuresome and thrilling one it was. I joined a midwinter expedition over Slide Mountain (4300 ft. high, the highest in the Catskills). Anton Schroeter and myself, with camp packs, provisions, ax and gun left here on Saturday morning and on the train met the three others of the party." (N. Addison Cornell, Alfred Dudley, and Wilmot L. Morehouse, all of Brooklyn, who had come by the train from Weehawken.) At Big Indian we engaged a stage sleigh and rode to the foot of Slide, ten miles away. There, in the wilderness, we took possession of 'Camp Dynamite' as shelter for the night. Next morning we climbed to the summit of the mountain, a distance of three miles, through unbroken snow, varying from fifteen inches to five feet in depth. It took all morning to do this and quite a feat to perform you may be sure. We were overtaken by a snow storm which made us feel a bit discouraged but we soon found we would have a rare treat for it. As we approached the summit, the snow and ice-covered evergreens and birches presented a glorious sight; every one of us felt enchanted, we were indeed in a fairyland. I cannot find words to describe this grand work of nature and I am sure such a spectacle is only to be found in lands of the sky. We saw only this - the landscape was entirely obscured by the storm; we felt fully repaid for the labor and difficulties the journey had cost. "
"On the summit of the mountain two of our men - Morehouse and Cornell - determined to camp and see the sunrise the next morning, the other three, I among them, descended to Woodland, the descent is steep and difficult, without path or trail, from ledge to ledge, for about 2000 feet and then a mile or more over rock and debris to the nearest logging road. Now it is not easy to get down a snow covered mountain side of this description and it is quite risky also. One moment we would be buried in snow up to our shoulders, then we would slide ten or fifteen feet to the next shrub or landing place, again roll along to an anchorage, or by easy jumps or steps make a way to a point."
"Slide mountain takes its name from the track left by a great landslide into Woodland Valley. Our descent was along the border of it; it is a great plane of smooth and shining icy snow, perhaps 1000 feet long and fifty or sixty feet wide. The most difficult and arduous and dangerous part of the trip was the rocky woods that had to be crossed to reach the wooden road, it was uneven, rock strewn, and full of holes. It is just eight miles from the summit of Slide to the house, and we covered it by five that afternoon. We had good appetites for dinner that evening. "
"On Monday afternoon our companions who camped appeared, worn out and dirty. They had seen a grand sunrise, for it cleared up beautifully during the night; but they almost froze to death, for it became very cold during that night, several degrees below zero. From my point of view, our expedition was an adventure, somewhat hazardous; with extra hazards and foolhardiness on the part of the two who camped to see the sun rise. I think I am perfectly satisfied on winter mountain climbing for a while."
Epilogue: The strenuous adventure had no ill effects. Convinced that he should leave New York City for good, Miller visited the beach house several more times, and in 1897 bought 50 acres of Beach property. He married, built the boarding house known as Roxmor, developed the Roxmor Colony, and raised a family of four children. The original Roxmor was destroyed by fire in 1908. Undiscouraged, he built and managed a new Roxmor Inn, a well known resort from 1915 through the 1920s. He lived a long and active life, and died in his 81st year.
(This article was originally written for the Catskill Quarterly by Edward B. Miller's son, Edward Tryon Miller.)
Blogmistress Note: Thinking of people hiking up to Slide and camping out overnight in the last week of January, makes me feel like a huge cry baby for complaining that I have to go outside for an hour in the cold to shovel the snow!
