There’s no denying the historical beauty that South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore holds. The iconic monument is one that most make a point to visit at least once during their lifetime, a landmark known throughout the world. But unfortunately for all of us living all the way over here on the East Coast, it’s not exactly easy to make the trip to this well-known destination. Giving you the next best thing, Greene County features a one-of-a-kind attraction that has a fascinating history.
Right within the small town of Prattsville, there’s an attraction that many know for being New York’s Mount Rushmore.
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Just off of Route 23, visitors can park on the side of the road and take a short hike up to Pratt Rock.
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The short but steep hike has worthwhile views of the Schoharie Creek and beautiful valley.
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And while the hike is certainly scenic, it’s the end destination of Pratt Rock that will utterly fascinate you.
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Placed on the National Register of Historic Places back in 1992, the rock carvings are considered by many to be earliest Civil War monument in our country.
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So what exactly is the story behind theses out-of-the-ordinary carvings into this particular rock face?
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The story slightly varies depending on who you ask, but the story goes that Zadock Pratt was approached by a jobless stranger who was in search of a handout.
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Believing in the art of having to work for your dollar, Pratt asked the man what his talents were in life.
Gerard M/TripAdvisor After the empty-pocketed man explained that he was a stonecutter, Pratt had the man start carving out his life on the rock face of the cliffs that overlooked his 350-acre farm. The man would go on to carve pictures into the cliffs of Pratt, his son George, a horse and a brawny arm equipped with a sledgehammer. Continuously working on the carvings, the man wouldn’t consider the project to be complete until Pratt’s death 28 years later.
Another part of this cliff that’s interesting is visitors will find something that looks like a cutout doorway in the rock face. The story behind this is that Pratt had originally planned on being buried in a tomb that would be carved in this part of the cliff right below the carving of his own head. After cutting out all that you can see today when you visit, work on the tomb stopped after it proved to be an impossible task. Whenever it would rain, water would leak through the rock and created an impossible environment to create the tomb.
How to get here: Travel along Route 23 not far from the Prattsville Town Hall and you’ll see a green sign for Pratt Rock. There are areas for you to park on the side of the road and then you’ll hike straight up the hill that’s before you. To view the location on Google Maps click here.
Did you know about Pratt Rock? To explore more unusual places in our state, take a look at One Of The Oddest Geological Wonders That’s Located Right Here In New York!
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Wikimedia Commons
Steven K/TripAdvisor
Rebecca A/TripAdvisor
Gerard M/TripAdvisor
After the empty-pocketed man explained that he was a stonecutter, Pratt had the man start carving out his life on the rock face of the cliffs that overlooked his 350-acre farm. The man would go on to carve pictures into the cliffs of Pratt, his son George, a horse and a brawny arm equipped with a sledgehammer. Continuously working on the carvings, the man wouldn’t consider the project to be complete until Pratt’s death 28 years later.
Another part of this cliff that’s interesting is visitors will find something that looks like a cutout doorway in the rock face. The story behind this is that Pratt had originally planned on being buried in a tomb that would be carved in this part of the cliff right below the carving of his own head. After cutting out all that you can see today when you visit, work on the tomb stopped after it proved to be an impossible task. Whenever it would rain, water would leak through the rock and created an impossible environment to create the tomb.
How to get here: Travel along Route 23 not far from the Prattsville Town Hall and you’ll see a green sign for Pratt Rock. There are areas for you to park on the side of the road and then you’ll hike straight up the hill that’s before you. To view the location on Google Maps click here.
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