40th Anniversary of “The Last of the Handmade Dams,” PMP’s First Book
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Bob Steuding’s masterful work on the building of the Ashokan Reservoir: The Last of the Handmade Dams. As the new custodians of Purple Mountain Press, we were also delighted to learn (recently!) that this book was the very first book PMP printed under its own imprint, after having been in the printing business for more than a decade prior. As PMP founder Wray Rominger wrote:
“Actually, we really did dream of publishing and it took us until 1985 to get out our first book, which was called The Last of the Handmade Dams: The Story of the Ashokan Reservoir. That book became an instant bestseller. We sold 500 copies in the first couple of weeks and another thousand copies in the first month. I thought: ‘why isn’t everybody doing this?'”
The book was an instant success and has remained in print all these decades later, a testament to Bob’s meticulous research, his deep understanding of the region and its history, and his ability to write in a way that sweeps the reader right into the heady atmosphere of constructing this incredible feat of engineering at the dawn of the 20th century. Bob’s book cover all aspects of the reservoir’s construction, as well as the social and political fallout. While New York City gained its primary water source, many in the Catskills lost their homes and communities. It’s a legacy that continues to shape the region today, making Bob’s book as relevant as ever.
To celebrate this milestone, Kaatscast: The Catskills Podcast visited Bob in his Olivebridge home to discuss how this book came to be. Listen on your preferred podcast player, at Kaatscast.com, or here:
A native of the Catskills, Bob Steuding is the author of several books, including two other regional histories with PMP: Rondout: A Hudson River Port and The Heart of the Catskills. In addition to his writing, Bob has served as a teacher, a town historian, and Ulster County poet laureate.
