1972 Picture of Ridge from New Paltz

[Ridge70]

Stumbled upon this picture a few days ago.

Here is the original url: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wikipaltz.com/images/4/43/Sunset.jpg&imgrefurl=http://newpaltzjournal.com/%3Fm%3D200608&h=855&w=1266&sz=56&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=nH-H8-FTYPqbJM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddennis%2Bo%2Bkeefe%2Bnew%2Bpaltz%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rlz%3D1T4SUNA_enUS226US226%26sa%3DN

So, you can clearly identify Skytop Tower. I assumed that since this was 1972, the other structure was either Wildmere or Cliff House. Both hotels were still standing at that point. However, it looks too close to Mohonk in this shot. The area to the left looks like the Trapps to me. Therefore, either hotel would be well to the left of that. Could you actually see either hotel from the valley?

Was there something else up on the Ridge at that time? I'm baffled...

[Mark Schaefer]

When I look at the full photo via the URL link, I conclude that you are correct in these respects; the Trapps are on the left, the mystery building is in the center, and Skytop is on the right. However, the scale of the mystery building is massive in comparison to Skytop. Therefore it could not be a building on the ridge. It must be a building somewhere in the valley, probably New Paltz. I do not have any specific guesses. Perhaps it is one of the college buildings. There were no other buildings on the ridge between the Trapps and Skytop.

I recall having seen the Cliffhouse from the top of Millbrook Mountain in the early 1970s. Even from that high vantage point the top of the Cliffhouse was only marginally visible above the trees. I do not believe it could have been visible from the low perspective of New Paltz. It would have been blocked by the Trapps and Millbrook Mountain. Wildmere would have been even more hidden from view. The location of both would have been to the left of the Trapps in the photo.

[Ridge70]

Hmm...Thanks Mark, I never thought of that. It would help if I knew where this shot was taken from. I'm probably heading up to the Ridge this week so I'll swing by Suny and see if any of the buildings look familiar. I don't know what else it could be. It's not like New Paltz or Wallkill are large cities with tons of buildings. Plus, the vantage point of the photo looks like it had a clear view of the mountains. The article also mentioned that the photographer was a Suny NP student. The more I think about it, it makes sense. He probably took this pic when he was at NP.

[Old Girl Scout]

It may be taken from the roof of the art building (Smiley, the original one). In '78 I took a photography course, and spent most of the summer in the darkroom. You could easily get out there on the roof. Darkrooms and photo labs were on the top floor. The teacher took us out on the roof to expose cyanotypes to sunlight. There was an excellent view of the mountains.

Or it could be taken from the top floor or roof of the SUB (Student Union Building) or adjacent Administration bldg. I remember when they were being built. I never ventured on those roofs but anything's possible, especially during construction. The mystery roof in photo might be the Faculty Tower. Or even McKenna Theatre? Very interesting. But where on that URL does it say it's from 1972? I missed something. I didn't see a word about it.

[Ridge70]

But where on that URL does it say it's from 1972? I missed something. I didn't see a word about it.

It's at the end of the article:

"...Accompanying one reminiscence of Dennis at WikiPaltz is a photograph he took in 1972 that is easily among the best of a spectacular New Paltz sunset ever taken."