| The Village of Hunter was incorporated in 1896. Colonel William Edwards built a tannery close to the Schoharie River to form the nucleus of the settlement first known as Edwardsville. In the early years it was famous for wood products produced in the factories located along the river. The arrival of the railroad caused a shift of emphasis to tourism. Hotels, boarding houses and stores that provided food and dry goods for both summer visitors and year-round residents were built. |  |
| The nearby Catskill Mountain House, Laurel House and Hotel Kaaterskill attracted tourists from all over the world. The arrival of two railroads, Catskill & Tannersville and the Ulster & Delaware brought hordes of summer visitors each year and dozens of hotels and boarding houses were built to house them. Great emphasis was given to nature and the scenic wonders of the area. Artists, painters, writers, as well as Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Chester A. Arthur stayed at the Catskill Mountain House, the most famous and luxurious of all the hotels.
The character of Haines Falls village has changed since those early days but the natural wonders of the area still attract thousands of people each year. North and South Lake campsites offer camping, fishing, boating and swimming as well as breath-taking vistas and hiking trails in summer and cross-country skiing in the winter. It is one of New York State's most popular campsites. In the winter, many people come to Haines Falls for downhill skiing at Cortina Valley, the only mountain in the area that also offers night skiing. The Haines Falls Library is famous for its vast and unusual collection of local history materials. The railroad station, owned by the Mountain Top Historical Society, hosts an Annual Open House one day a year and plans are underway for renovation. On property recently purchased by the Mountain Top Historical Society, an Information Center will be open weekends to provide visitors with material on events and places of interest in Greene County. |
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