Borscht Belt: Roscoe

Join the Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project on Saturday, July 11 as they unveil their 17th historic marker in Roscoe!

Known as Trout Town USA, Roscoe has long served as a gateway to the Catskills. Once celebrated in the O&W Railway Vacation Guide for scenery likened to the Swiss Alps, Roscoe was also a stop on the famed Kodak Trail, a network of scenic destinations promoted to motorists by the Eastman Kodak Company. The hamlet later became part of the northern Borscht Belt with more than a dozen hotels and guesthouses welcoming generations of Jewish vacationers. 

The afternoon begins at 4:00 PM with a historic marker dedication at the Roscoe O&W Museum. Speakers include Fred Holtz, PhD, who spent 25 summers at Roscoe‘s Campbell Inn and will share memories of the town’s resort heyday. 

Then, at 5:00 PM, join photographers Isaac Jeffreys and Marisa Scheinfeld at the Roscoe Collective for Greetings from Roscoe, an illustrated conversation with moderator Ahu Terzi of The Hound Books. 

Drawing from photographs, postcards, brochures, and other ephemera, they’ll explore Roscoe‘s place in the Borscht Belt story, illuminating the destinations and summer culture that helped define the town. The program will also feature a preview of both artists’ upcoming book projects, and Isaac Jeffreys will exhibit a selection of his work. 

Free admission.  

Complimentary food and cocktails will be served. 

SATURDAY, JULY 11 – ROSCOE 

4:00 PM
Marker Dedication
Roscoe O&W Museum, 7 Railroad Avenue  

5:00–6:30 PM
Greetings from Roscoe
Roscoe Collective, 57 Stewart Avenue