Once the premier vacation destination in the country, the Catskill Mountains were home to over 500 hotels and resorts, alongside thousands of bungalows, just a 90-mile journey from Manhattan. Renowned as the birthplace of American comedy, the region nurtured icons like Mel Brooks and Barbra Streisand, who honed their craft amid the bustling summers that came to define the classic American vacation.

Equally emblematic of the era was the pool—an arena of leisure where resorts competed to outdo one another with ever larger, more dramatic designs. By the 1950s and '60s, the Catskills boasted an unrivaled cluster of resort pools in the country. Glass-walled solariums and sprawling outdoor complexes became architectural showpieces as well as cultural stages.

Carefully orchestrated lighting, tropical murals, and even faux plants heightened the sense of spectacle, transforming pools into theatrical environments that reflected the era’s fascination with the manmade. At Grossinger’s, the sleek indoor pool embodied midcentury luxury, while the Concord and Nevele embraced spectacle with skylit tropical themes and Modern forms.

As the resort era declined, many of these aquatic landmarks were abandoned, demolished, or repurposed, leaving behind fragments of terrazzo decks, mosaics and concrete shells. For photographer Isaac Jeffreys, these spaces have become backdrops for precisely lit night scenes that reanimate their former allure. His images transform decay into atmosphere, evoking both the elegance and the fragility of Modernist leisure.

Isaac will take attendees through a singular moment in Catskills history, featuring previously unseen imagery and contemporary photos, offering a rare glimpse into the glory days of the Catskills—followed by a short Q&A.

You can find more information on Isaac's work at www.isaacjeffreys.com, or on his Instagram (Instagram).

In addition, he serves as the Visual Coordinator for The Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project, which is creating a comprehensive marker system that traverses the Catskill region along with an array of public programming.