May 2022
An interesting roadside attraction can be found in the Borscht Belt town of Swan Lake, New York. The Stone Castle is a miniature version of a medieval castle, complete with a stone wall and a moat. The castle is hand-crafted and sitting atop a pedestal.
Built by Italian stonemason Joe “Jojo” Moshini circa 1930, it served as the focal point for a sunken garden attached to the Commodore Resort Hotel, one of the many hotels that were once found in Sullivan and Ulster counties, colloquially known as the “Borscht Belt” or the “Jewish Alps.”
Moshini had been contracted by the owners of the Commodore, the Siegel family, to build the stone wall that stretched along the main entrance to the hotel property on Briscoe Road, something he would also do for other hotels in the area.
The sunken garden was meant to serve as a connection between the Commodore property and the Stevensville Hotel, immediately to the east. Moshini’s work was so popular that he was also contracted three other miniature castles in the area.
The Commodore Hotel is long-gone, having closed in the late 1960s. The Stone Castle sat neglected for many years, but has been restored and serves as a unique roadside attraction. It’s one of only two Moshini Stone Castles that remain in the area.
Moshini’s stone wall along Briscoe Road also remains, a tribute to the quality of his work. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have been documented what became of the Italian craftsman after he left the area to ply his trade elsewhere.
Read some of my other articles on the Borscht Belt:
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Sources: Swan Lake, NY – Tiny Stone Castle of Swan Lake (roadsideamerica.com), The Moshini Stone Castle of Swan Lake – Exploring Upstate.
