Guide to the Lake Mohonk Mountain House Records,
1870-1968

Collection Number: 2835

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library

Contact Information:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-3530
Fax: (607) 255-9524
rareref@cornell.edu
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
EAD encoding:
Martin Heggestad, January 2004
Date modified:
RMC Staff, October 2012

© 2002 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Lake Mohonk Mountain House records, 1870-1968.
Collection Number:
2835
Creator:
Lake Mohonk Mountain House.
Quantity:
80.0 cubic ft.
Forms of Material:
Correspondence, bills, bank statements, payroll records, insurance politices, guest accounts, ledgers, farm records, and other materials.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
Records of Lake Mohonk Mountain House, a resort hotel in the Shawangunk Mountains near New Paltz, New York, owned and operated by the Smileys, a Quaker family. Albert Smiley bought a tavern near Lake Mohonk and 280 acres, including the lake, in 1869.
Language:
Collection material in English

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

Lake Mohonk Mountain House is a resort hotel in the Shawangunk Mountains near New Paltz, New York, owned and operated by the Smileys, a Quaker family. Albert Smiley bought a tavern near Lake Mohonk and 280 acres, including the lake, in 1869.
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Letters and letterbooks, including house correspondence, Smiley and Benjamin S. Helmer correspondence; bills and bank statements; employee time books and payrolls; insurance policies; guest accounts and ledgers. Also includes records and accounts concerning provisions and maintenance, workman's compensation and unemployment, the golf course and tennis courts, dining room, laundry, and power house. Also, Brook Farm and Spring Farm cattle and milk production records, guest records and correspondence.
SUBJECTS

Names:
Lake Mohonk Mountain House.
Helmer, Benjamin S.
Smiley family.
Smiley, Albert.
Smiley, Alfred.

Subjects:
Hotel management.
Hotels--Employees.
Hotels--Finance.
Resorts--Employees.
Resorts--Finance.
Resorts.

Form and Genre Terms:
Ledgers.
Insurance policies.
Bills (financial).
Guest registers.
INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:
Lake Mohonk Mountain House records, #2835. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
CONTAINER LIST

Description
Container
B letters 1905 , P letters 1905, 1905 letters
Box 1
1908 letters, 1915 letters, 1921 letters
Box 2
House Correspondence 1913-1914 C-J
Box 3
House Correspondence 1913-1914 K-P
Box 4
House Correspondence 1913-1914 Q-W
Box 5
House Correspondence 1915 A-D
Box 6
House Correspondence 1915 E-K
Box 7
House Correspondence 1915 M-Q
Box 8
House Correspondence 1915 Q-V
Box 9
Correspondence, Smiley 1916-1925
Box 10
Benjamin S. Helmer Correspondence 1922
Box 11
Benjamin S. Helmer Correspondence 1913-1920
Box 12
Benjamin S. Helmer Correspondence 1933-1937
Box 13
Form letters and miscellaneous correspondence, 1918-1965
Box 14
Job inquiries, Bellboy records, miscellaneous correspondence, Post office information, Railroad information, 1905-1911
Box 15
Gold Records and Unemployment Records, 1953-1971
Box 16
Guest Accounting - telephone 1964 , and night auditor's reports 1964-1966
Box 17
Bills, Registration sheet, banking notes, blank forms, sundry, 1883-1968
Box 18
Internal accounts
 Box 19
Charge slips 1944-1959
Box 20
Workmen's Compensation, Room charges 1954-1963
Box 21
Bank Statements 1961
Box 22
Bills 1899 F-K, Bank Statements 1937 , Telephone bills, 1910 A-F
Box 23
Bills 1910 G-Z, 1911
Box 24
Bills 1912
Box 25
House Bills, 1905-1915
Box 26
Mohonk Salesrooms bills 1912 , Western Union Bills 1917 , Freight bills 1905, 1912, 1913
Box 27
Bills 1913
Box 28
Bills 1915 , Room charges 1954
Box 29
Dining room records 1909-1948
Box 30
Spring Farm Records, rates and accommodations of other resorts, Milk Production Sheets, 3 wage ledgers 1894-1913
Box 31
Cattle Records 1943-1953
Box 32
Insurance records, 1926-1936 , Kleinehill, Brook and Spring Farm Cattle and Milk Production Records and correspondence 1906-1915
Box 33
Brook Farm Records 1932-1939, 1950-1956 , Spring Farm 1932 , guest records 1955-1965
Box 34
Employee Time Books mostly 1950's, few 1890's
Box 35
Employee Time Books mostly 1958-1965, few 1888-1899
Box 36
Employee Time Books 1941-1965
Box 37
Employee Time Books 1915-1960's
Box 38
Employee Time Books 1915-1960's
Box 39
Employee Time Books 1915-1960's
Box 39a
Employee Time Books 1909-1943
Box 40
Invoices 1892 , purchase records of newspapers 1898 , Post Office 1893-1896 , school accounts 1922
Box 41
4 editions and one duplicate of the History of Mohonk Book, brochures for Lake Mohonk Mountain House, anniversary booklet
 Box 42
Room Occupancy Record (work sheet) for the years 1932-1940
Guest Account Ledgers for the years 1916, 1919-1922
Insurance policies boxed in chronological order by expiration date
1920-1925
Box 43
1930-1932
Box 44
1933
Box 45
1934
Box 46
1935
Box 47
1936-1938
Box 48
1938-1939
Box 49
1939-1942
Box 50
1943 , 1 policy for 1946, 1949 and auto policies for 1950-1956
Box 51
1950-1953
Box 52
1954-1956, 1958-1962
Box 53
Rustic Work 1919-1947
Box 54
Dining Room and Meal Books 1916-1946 , Laundry 1915-1927
Box 55
Transportation and Garage time books 1909-1945 , Stewards 1917-1921, 1942-1946 , Tennis Courts 1919-1920 , Bowling Alley 1941-1942 , John Yeaple wage books 1918
Box 56
Brook Farm, Spring Farm 1922-1935 , Powerhouse 1915-1947 , Carpenters 1920-1924 , Phil Countryman 1921
Box 57
Painters 1916-1925, 1945 , Guest Housekeepters 1904-1928, 1937-1941 , Bell Boys 1918-1925 , Ira Smith 1918
Box 58
Hugh Smiley wage books 1915-1919 , Francis Smiley 1920 , Rachel Smiley 1939 , other wage books 1914-1935
Box 59
Miscellaneous wage books and chores 1907-1933
Box 60
1 vol. of Guest charges 1906 and miscellaneous guest bills 1930-1965
Box 61