Grossinger’s was one of the most prominent resorts in that area.
New Delhi:
A part of the resort that inspired the cult classic “Dirty Dancing” had to knocked down due to a fire on Tuesday near the village of Liberty, New York, The New York Times reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Liberty Fire Department crew had to cut through a gate to get to the fire in Grossinger’s Catskill Resort hotel which took several hours to control, News12 The Bronx reported.
On Tuesday, one of the main buildings on the property was demolished after the fire consumed a three and a half story wooden building located deep within the grounds of the old resort.
In a statement the Liberty Fire Department said, “Over a 1000 feet of 5 inch Hose was laid from the fire back down a hill where tankers were able off load water. Liberty FD Tower Ladder 17-41 was put in operation for several hours to bring the fire under control.”
Additionally, they said that the cause of the fire was under investigation by the NYSP and Sullivan County Bureau of Fire. “Liberty FD and mutual Aid Depts operated on scene for approximately six hours,” they said.
Grossinger’s was one of the most prominent resorts in that area and thrived in the early and mid-20th century.
According to their website, the Grossinger family came to the United States around 1910 from a section of Poland that was part of the Austrian Empire. In 1919, the Grossinger’s purchased the Nicolas Farm one mile away from their property and called their new establishment Grossinger’s Hotel.
Eleanor Bergstein, the screenwriter of “Dirty Dancing,” has spoken frequently in interviews of her childhood vacations to Grossinger’s and the impact they had on the film, The New York Times reported.
At its height, Grossinger’s was so encompassing that it had its own airport and post office (Grossinger, New York).