Catskill Game Farm

Catskill Game Farm
Entrance sign in 2006
Date opened	1933
Date closed	2006
Location	Catskill, New York, U.S.
Land area	914 acres (370 ha)
No. of animals	2,000 (2006)
No. of species	150 (2006)

Catskill Game Farm was a zoo in the town of Catskill, New York, United States, which operated from 1933 to 2006. The Game Farm closed permanently on Columbus Day October 9, 2006, after seventy-three years of operation.

In 2012, the property was sold to new owners, Ben and Cathy Ballone, who have established The Old Game Farm. They have been working to reopen the site as a family-oriented establishment once again, with the addition of a B&B, campground, and RV resort with animals. They have developed The Long Neck Inn, a new boutique hotel, through the adaptive reuse of the former Giraffe Barn. The Inn opened on Tuesday Oct. 1, 2019, following an extensive renovation of the existing building..

History (1933-2006)

The Catskill Game Farm was opened in 1933 by Roland Lindemann, and was still owned by the Lindemann family, as Catskill Game Farm Inc., at the time of its closing. At first, it held only deer, donkeys, and sheep. In 1958, the United States Department of Agriculture recognized Catskill Game Farm as a zoo, and it became the first privately owned venture to achieve such status. The collection was then allowed to grow more exotic, and at the time of its closing, it hosted roughly 2,000 animals representing over 150 species, imported from around the world.

The zoo spanned more than 914 acres (370 ha), most of which was used to breed animals for other zoos worldwide. Only about 136 acres (55 ha) were available for public viewing, and then only in the summer and autumn.

Closing (October 9, 2006)

On August 2, 2006, the Catskill Game Farm announced that it would be closing on Columbus Day of that year, ending its seventy-three years of operation. Its owners attributed the closing to mounting financial difficulties, dropping attendance, and legal regulations leading to the shutdown of its Splashdown attraction, though Splashdown itself never violated regulations.

Auction (October 2006)

The auction was organized and conducted by Norton Auctioneers of Michigan, Inc., a worldwide auction group based in Coldwater, Michigan. Norton's is known for auctions of tourist attractions of every shape and kind – amusement parks, carnivals, carousels, family entertainment centers, museums, zoos, and unique collections.

The two-day Catskill auction attracted over 1,000 potential bidders from across the nation, Canada, and Mexico. Selling the first day were the amusement park rides, restaurants, gift shops, and related items, and on the second day over 900 animals, vehicles, and farm and construction equipment.

A 1951 Herschell Merry-go-Round with aluminum horses sold for $39,500; a Venture Lady Bug ride sold for $8,800; a Kiddy Helicopter for $7,000; a Kiddy Car Ride for $8,300; and a Venture Himalaya for $7,700. Additionally, over $12,000 worth of picnic tables and benches were sold.

Animal highlights included the sale of two rhinos, for $6,000 and $9,250, to an organization that placed them for the International Rhino Association. A bull elk sold for $1,325, and five female elks sold for $3,600. A small group of Dall sheep sold for $2,500; 10 alligators for $1,350; a white elk for $1,950; pygmy donkeys ranged from $825 to $1,650 each; and a female warthog astonished animal dealers as she sold for $9,900. Five fallow buck deer fetched $3,600, and two groups of Barbados sheep sold for $2,200 each. A pair of bison sold for $1,925; a lot of three wisent for $6,600; a pair of African porcupines for $1,220; an African spurred tortoise for $1,100; and a lot of five guanacos for $7,150. Vervet monkeys sold between $1,375 and $2,200 each. Nilgais averaged $1,350 apiece, and five reindeer fetched $4,725. A lot of three pot bellied pigs sold for $990; a male shetland pony sold for $1,980; llamas ranged from $400–$1,000 each; a male red deer sold for $2,200; ostriches were sold for $900–$1,200 each; and a pair of East African crowned cranes went for $2,300. Also sold were birds, reptiles, and snakes.

In addition to the above list, a southern white rhino named "Boom Boom" was bought by Marc Ecko, founder of the rhino-branded Ecko apparel line, for the Out Of Africa Wild Animal Park in Camp Verde, Arizona. "Boom Boom" died on Thursday, March 22, 2012, at the age of 41, from cancer. A giraffe named April was sold to Adirondack Animal Land, then to Animal Adventure Park in 2015. April later became an Internet sensation when a live video of the late stages of her pregnancy, along with her birth, were published on the Internet.

History (Beginning 2012)

The Old Game Farm (Established 2012)

In 2012, the former Catskill Game Farm property was sold to new owners, Ben and Cathy Ballone. They have established The Old Game Farm on the property. They have been working to reopen the site as a family-oriented establishment once again, with the addition of a B&B, campground, and RV resort with animals.

The Long Neck Inn (In the former Giraffe Barn. Opened October 1, 2019)

Ben and Cathy Ballone, have developed The Long Neck Inn, a new boutique hotel, through the adaptive reuse of the former Giraffe Barn. The Inn opened on Tuesday October 1, 2019, following an extensive renovation of the existing building..

The Inn features five Guest Rooms and four Campsites.: The Giraffe Room features a three-person jacuzzi, and overlooks the former giraffe pen. The Elephant Room has a balcony overlooking the former elk pen. The Zebra Room has a balcony overlooking the former elk pen. The Rhino Room also overlooks the former giraffe pen and has a balcony. The Menagerie Room overlooks a rock outcropping. Three of the five Guest Rooms are pet-friendly. All of the Guest Rooms have access to the communal spaces, including: hot tub, kitchen, wet bar, game room, common area, pond room, and coffee station. Inn guests have access to explore the former Catskill Game Farm property and trails, during daylight hours. The property features 3.5 miles of paved walkways, and 130 structures. The property connects to a more than twenty mile mountain biking/hiking trail system, with mountain views, waterfalls and swimming holes. The Long Neck Inn also features an exhibit of memorabilia highlighting the history of the former Catskill Game Farm.

External links

• Official Catskill Game Farm website (archived on October 4, 2006, five days before its closing)
• The Old Game Farm (Established 2012. Current owner's website)
• Photographic essay of the adaptive reuse of the former Giraffe Barn as The Long Neck Inn Property and Surroundings; The Long Neck Inn (opened October 1, 2019); Pre-construction/renovation of The Long Neck Inn; Construction/renovation of The Long Neck Inn (2018-2019)]
• The Long Neck Inn (Opened October 1, 2019. www.greatnortherncatskills.com)
• Catskill Game Farm Set To Open Long Neck Inn (February 7, 2019. hudsonvalleycountry.com)
• Get Married in the Giraffe House at the Old Catskill Game Farm (February 8, 2019. bigfrog104.com)
• Catskill Game Farm (www.abandonedamerica.us)
• Cathys Elegant Events, LLC

Further reading

• Beckius, Kim Knox. "Welcome to the Catskill Game Farm". About.com. Archived from the original on 2007-03-03. Retrieved 2007-03-09.(Catskill Game Farm Photo Tour)
• D., Simone. "Marc Ecko finds permanent homes for rescued rhinos". Care2.
• Leavitt, Marco (August 3, 2006). "Catskill Game Farm to close". The Business Review. Albany.
• Young, Constance (Spring 2007). "Where the Animals Went: The End of the Catskill Game Farm". AboutTownGuide.