Having the Time of Their Life

If you were ever subjected to the horror of the movie "Dirty Dancing," then you're familiar with Grossingers, the one-time luxury hotel getaway in the Catskills whose heydey was through the 1940's, 1950's, and even the 1960's. It served as the inspiration for the Kellerman's Mountain Resort where Baby got an education in love and life from Patrick Swayze. Ugh.

But the story of Grossinger's is pretty interesting all on its own and according to the Catskill Archive, "By the time of her death in 1972, (owner) Jennie had built Grossinger's into a sprawling complex of 35 buildings on 1200 acres that served 150,000 guests a year. It had it's own airstrip and post office."

No one has checked into Grossinger's since 1986 and the "sprawling complex" now stands abandoned. While much of everything has been stripped from the interiors (and exteriors) in the intervening 25 years, there are some eerie settings that would make a great backdrop for a haunted house attraction. Below are some photos showing the buildings, grounds, and interiors that make you want start selling tickets to a dark ride.

There are lots more photos in Steven Bley's flicker stream.