11 Most Endangered Historic Places

The Wellington

Constructed: 1882
Location: Pine Hill, New York

Built in 1882, The Wellington Hotel (first known as The Ulster House Hotel) is one of few surviving examples of the large-scale wood-frame resorts built in the Catskills region of New York in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Hotels like the Wellington were significant to the development of tourism as a major resort industry in the Catskills. At one time, the Wellington was one of fourteen hotels in the hamlet of Pine Hill.

Today, Pine Hill still relies on tourism as its economic driver, but the Wellington’s condition has undermined its ability to serve visitors or the community. It has been deteriorating for years, and the foundation is in danger of collapse.

Historic photo of the Wellington, Pine Hill, New York — Historic photo of the Wellington in Pine Hill, New York.

Temporary stabilization measures are not projected to last more than a few years. Saving the Wellington will require foundation replacement, flood mitigation measures, and a fire suppression system, as well as major rehabilitation of the interior and exterior. Full restoration costs are estimated at around $7 million—an amount hard to reach for a small community of 339 people.

Interior staircase of The Wellington, Pine Hill, New York — Interior staircase of the Wellington.

Cupola of The Wellington, Pine Hill, New York — Cupola of the Wellington.

In 2022, the Wellington went up for sale. Twenty community members concerned about the building’s future banded together to raise funds to purchase the hotel, clean up the property, and begin investigating feasible reuses. A community-based multimember LLC now called Wellington Blueberry is pursuing plans to rehabilitate the Wellington using Federal and State Historic Tax Credits.

Based upon community needs, the Wellington will house a grocery store and café, with 10 workforce apartments. The project is supported by the Town of Shandaken, Ulster County, Restore NY, and nonprofit housing developer RUPCO, Inc. However, the coalition requires significant additional funding towards the $7 million needed to not only save an important historic property but also activate the Wellington Hotel to serve its community while providing a model for other projects in rural areas.

The Wellington was named to the National Trust's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list for 2025.