For most of tourism's history on the Shawangunk Ridge, the Mohonk Mountain House was one of three Smiley family-owned vacation destinations for the well-heeled. All were set above pristine, glacially- formed lakes and astride the Shawangunk white conglomerate cliffs, each hotel's magic drawing parched thousands every year to "take the air."The other two hotels, the Lake Minnewaska houses, Cliff House and Wildmere, suffered the fate of many of the state's "mountain houses" and large 19th century hotels—hard times and hot fires. This is part of their story, the memory of their last "care-taker," Sam Lewit.


