Dude Ranch Peeekskill in the 60s and 70s

[Joe Gallagher]

I am an Irishman who worked as a waiter in a dude ranch near Peekskill in the summer o 1973. I was a university student at the time and I have greaat memories of my time in Peekskill.
My ncousin John'Curly'Gallagher and a man called Mo Hersch used to run it . I have memories of a Cadillac driven by someone called Ace with 'ACE' on the reg plate.
I would love to hear from anybody at all who had a connection with the place,any photos,or history etc.
Someday I will show my kids Peekskill.but will never tell them all the stories!
Joe Gallagher Dublin Irish Republic

[Joe Gallagher]

Further to the previous, e-mail [e-mail]

[cathy ferretti decunza]

my family spent every summer vacation at peekskill dude ranch 1960 to 1970. i would cry everytime we had to leave. during that time we bought 2 horses and brought them with us and moe always gave us free board while we were there. i met my first love at peekskill. dane christopher white he was a rangler. my brother Tony use to work at the ranch as well. i can see everything as if it were yesterday.

[sandy snowcone]

I worked at the ranch a wrangler when I was 16..Lady Flash was my horse..I remember ..dougie and Donny the twins, dorthy Darlene, Matt, some dude named fox..and Tony Volpe the blacksmith,,heard about curly he knocked out a horse by punching it ..not sorry I didnt meet him ..edware the egyptian maintenance man and a dude we called fetus

[Harvey]

I knew Curly when I worked on the Ranch as a wrangler in 1974.

Some photos on www.kentgal.com/peekskill

[Howie Levine]

I worked as a waiter at the Ranch from summer 1972 (I think!) for 3 years, including during the winter (they were open weekends). It was my formative education on drugs, sex and poker. I knew Curly, and Ace, and San Marco, and Moe Hersh, and all those characters (don't forget Steve Taubmann, otherwise known as "Modoc"). Quite a cast...

Joe Gallagher wrote:

I am an Irishman who worked as a waiter in a dude ranch near Peekskill in the summer o 1973. I was a university student at the time and I have greaat memories of my time in Peekskill.
My ncousin John'Curly'Gallagher and a man called Mo Hersch used to run it . I have memories of a Cadillac driven by someone called Ace with 'ACE' on the reg plate.
I would love to hear from anybody at all who had a connection with the place,any photos,or history etc.
Someday I will show my kids Peekskill.but will never tell them all the stories!
Joe Gallagher Dublin Irish Republic

[Kevin Nelson NY]

I remember going to the Peekskillin 1968, but now have agirlfriend who lives in Peekskill. Would love to know exactly where it was located so that we could drive by, and see if it is still there. I just showed her a keychain that my aunt found with the Peekskill logo on it.

[Harry Stephens]

I worked at the ranch on two different occassions. In the late 60's I was a waiter and in the mid 70's was a bartender and then served as the social director when Bruno and Donnie had a falling out. Dirty Dancing had nothing on the Peekskill Dude Ranch! Hey Howie, do you remember the great smell in the rooms over the barn and the scent of Aramis whenever Ace walked by? How about the Powder Puff reviews?

[David]

I heard the Ranch was sold to a convent and is now run by some ministry.

Kevin Nelson NY wrote:

I remember going to the Peekskillin 1968, but now have agirlfriend who lives in Peekskill. Would love to know exactly where it was located so that we could drive by, and see if it is still there. I just showed her a keychain that my aunt
found with the Peekskill logo on it.

[David]

The Ranch was located off Furnace Woods Road. You can get a birds eye view of the joint by typing in the address on local.live.com . The place was or still is some kind of convent I heard.

[enwhycentral]

The ranch is and has been for a very long time, an orthodox Jewish seminary. It appears somewhat rundown.

[MKK]

Joe Gallagher wrote:

I am an Irishman who worked as a waiter in a dude ranch near Peekskill in the summer o 1973. I was a university student at the time and I have greaat memories of my time in Peekskill.
My ncousin John'Curly'Gallagher and a man called Mo Hersch used to run it . I have memories of a Cadillac driven by someone called Ace with 'ACE' on the reg plate.
I would love to hear from anybody at all who had a connection with the place,any photos,or history etc.
Someday I will show my kids Peekskill.but will never tell them all the stories!
Joe Gallagher Dublin Irish Republic

Joe, I remember it well. I knew Curly and Diana, Moe Hirsch, Ace,Don and Mally and the entire gang. Spent many weekends there riding. Awesome memories. The ranch was sold years ago. Ace and Moe passed away. Thanks for the happy thoughts.Do you hear from your cousin, Curly? MKK

[MKK]

Howie Levine wrote:

I worked as a waiter at the Ranch from summer 1972 (I think!) for 3 years, including during the winter (they were open weekends). It was my formative education on drugs, sex and poker. I knew Curly, and Ace, and San Marco, and Moe Hersh, and all those characters (don't forget Steve Taubmann, otherwise known as "Modoc"). Quite a cast...
<quoted text>

Modoc is a podiatrist living somewhere Newport News in Virginia. And Lady Flash was the horse I rode when I worked weekends as a wrangler. She had that front leg that she lifted when she was resting.... appeared to be a trick (more like a bad tendon). Don't forget Mac Pollay, he was part of the old guard there.... Moe, Mac, Ace, Curly, Bruno, Tony Volpe, Don... wow, there are names I haven't hear in a long while.

[Diana]

Hi,
I worked at the ranch in 1970. What a crew. I remember Burt the Cowboy, Walter Zimmer the riding instructor, and of course Ace, Curley, Bruno, Moe and his wife and his little girl and the rest of the crazy crew. I know Burt died about 15 years ago. Does anyone know about Walter or Curly?
Please post more photos if anyone out there has any.
Thanks.

[Diana]

Harvey wrote:

I knew Curly when I worked on the Ranch as a wrangler in 1974.
Some photos on www.kentgal.com/peekskill

Hi,
Do you have any other photos. Would love to see more. I worked at the rance in 1970. What an experience!!!
Thanks,
Diana

[Dave Seley]

I worked there from 1972, off and on until it closed as Head Chef, Dining Hall Manager, and a host of other jobs. I am still in touch with Andrew,(Moe's grandson, Don's son) and Joey (Bruno's son).
With some of the insane shit I pulled while there (like drilling holes in the wrnaglers room next door and shooting in bottle rockets, or riding my Harley into the dining room), I am surprized my name hasn't come up yet.
For you former wranglers out there...it was ME who always let out the horses in the middle of the night!
If you want to find me, I work at Harvard University. email [e-mail]

[Dave Seley]

Anyone remember Gunther?
(The wacko maintenence guy who chain smoked and never removed the cigarette to flick the ashes?)

[andrew san marco]

great to see that people still think about the ranch. i have many found memories of the ranch. Unfortunately, we have lost some of our family. My mother Mally passed away of cancer in 1994 and Moe passed away in 1991. I would love to know who MMK is? As Dave Seley said, we found each other a few years ago and remain friends to this day. Even though i'm younger than most of you, yes, Dirty Dancing was Disney compared to Peekskill Ranch. My father Don Lives in NJ and is retired. I live in NYC with my wife Andrea and our children Maddie and Brandon. I would love to hear from anyone regarding the Ranch, you can e mail me at [e-mail]. Best to you all...

[andrew san marco]

Diana asked about Curly. Curly lives in Fort Lauderdale near his son Michael. Bruno lives in Fairfield, Ct. To Joe Gallagher, are you in touch with "curly"?

[Howie]

Harry Stephens wrote:

I worked at the ranch on two different occassions. In the late 60's I was a waiter and in the mid 70's was a bartender and then served as the social director when Bruno and Donnie had a falling out. Dirty Dancing had nothing on the Peekskill Dude Ranch! Hey Howie, do you remember the great smell in the rooms over the barn and the scent of Aramis whenever Ace walked by? How about the Powder Puff reviews?

Yeah...my first summer I had a room over the barn. Took me until sometime in December before the smell would wash off.