There’s a common idea that history has already happened. In fact, nothing really ends. We live in a continuum where history perpetually unfolds. Legacy may live in the past, but it’s experienced in the present. Each era rewrites what it inherits. History is always happening.
Here in the Hudson Valley, a historic pandemic spurred a historic wave of New York metro transplants to migrate here, causing a historic increase in real estate prices. The NoVo Foundation made and continues to make historic investments of its vast fortune into Hudson Valley nonprofits and municipalities.
If you’re not a longtime homeowner, wealthy real estate developer or recipient of a six- or seven-figure grant, it can be easy to complain about the challenges these historical changes have wrought. The fabric of local culture, community and commerce is transforming at a historic rate. Long-established locals feel lost in the tides of change, while recent transplants seek to make meaningful connections amongst their new environment and its native inhabitants. How to keep up?
“Read more, learn more, or don’t complain,” says Black Dome Press owner/publisher Steve Hoare. “Understanding history gives us the tools to make sense of the world—and to make it better.”
Top-shelf local history books
Black Dome Press has a rock-solid reputation as a premier publisher of local history and culture. Spanning more than three decades and over 100 book titles, this independent press has been an essential resource for locals and newcomers alike, providing a window into the rich heritage of the Hudson Valley, Catskills, and surrounding areas. Through its carefully researched and crafted books, Black Dome Press has preserved the rich stories, rare artifacts and natural beauty that have shaped this historically significant region.
These books are needed perhaps more than ever, as the aforementioned sea change within our culture and community offers the opportunity – if not necessity – of newly arrived residents to appreciate who and what were here before they adopted the Hudson Valley as their home.
“If someone moves, say, from Brooklyn to Catskill, New York, they could just bring their Brooklyn experience with them and associate only with others who did the same,” Hoare reflects. “But wouldn’t it be more meaningful to truly learn about where you are? For instance, if I were to move to Mexico, I’d want to learn the language fluently and then dive into the history and culture of the area. I have a natural curiosity about history—it’s something I’ve always been interested in.”
Fortunately, Hoare reports that newcomers have been flocking through Black Dome Press’s gateway to local history since the pandemic-era New York City exodus began.
“As we pulled out of the pandemic,” he says, “I did see a lot of the books, like Ulster County, New York: The Architectural History and Guide – all of a sudden they were doing very well again. I took that as a sign that people moving here did want to learn about the area, not just, you know, to have a place to escape from New York City. They actually wanted to become more entrenched in the area and a part of it.”
The history of the history
Black Dome Press was founded in 1990 by Deborah Allen, a passionate advocate for documenting the unique history of the Hudson Valley and its surroundings. In 1993, she hired Hoare, then a dedicated and meticulous editor with a love for local history, to help expand the press’s reach.
Hoare quickly became integral to the company’s success, shaping its editorial direction and forging relationships with local historians, architects, and writers. In 2011, when Allen retired, Hoare purchased Black Dome Press, continuing its mission and solidifying its role as a cornerstone of regional publishing.
Through his leadership, Black Dome Press has endured the many trials and tribulations of independent publishing, adapting to the decline of local media outlets and the rise of digital platforms, all while maintaining its unwavering focus on preserving the Hudson Valley’s history.
“I’ve had to be flexible,” Hoare says. “Publishing is a tough business, but our books fill an important niche. People want to know about the places they live, and we’re here to provide that context.”
To this end, Hoare operates Black Dome Press largely as a one-man operation. He does all the editing and proofreading, sourcing manuscripts from a wide network of established historians, field experts and academics. He works with this braintrust to ensure high quality and factual accuracy in his books before taking them to print. “Most of them have been quite generous with their time and are willing to read a manuscript and give me an opinion,” he says.
He then works with a designer to lay out the cover and inside of each book, often sourcing historical photos and illustrations to enhance the text. Once the book is ready to be published, Hoare turns to his sprawling network of retailers and distributors to gauge demand and ultimately stock each title. Hoare often travels throughout the region far and wide to meet personally with independent booksellers. It’s no surprise that our interview is being conducted at the Inquiring Minds Bookstore in Saugerties.
“There are a lot of great bookstores in our area,” he says “Some of them went by the wayside, but the ones that are here are strong stores. They have knowledgeable staff. They’re friendly, they’re helpful. You can browse, they make you comfortable, and we can sit here all day. Nobody’s going to come and say, hey, you need to run along, you know. support local business. It’s our economy, you know? You spend it here. It stays here.”
Living in the past
History books sometimes have a bad rap as being dry and textbook-like, but Black Dome Press endeavors to immerse readers in compelling storytelling that draws relevance to the present day.
“History isn’t just dates and names,” Hoare explains. “It’s about understanding the context of where you are and why things are the way they are today. When you know the history of a place, you connect with it on a deeper level.”
Over the years, Black Dome Press has published a range of influential and popular books. With so many titles available, it can seem difficult to know where to start with their catalog, but a good rule of thumb is to find your region and follow your interest.
For Kingstonites, The Street That Built the City by Lowell Thing tells the epic story of Chestnut Street. This historic avenue was home to riverboat captains, industrialists, and visionaries that “were largely responsible for the construction of New York City when it rapidly expanded in the 19th century,” Hoare says. It’s a fascinating perspective on Kingston’s place in history, and transplants may feel a touch of irony to learn that the city they moved to was instrumental in shaping the city they moved from.
Other key titles about Kingston include Kingston New York: The Architectural Guide, which reveals intriguing details about local history through the lens of its historic buildings. Kingston – The IBM Years draws on multiple collaborators to tell the boom-and-bust story of the critical role IBM’s Kingston campus played in the history of not only our area, but the entire world.
For those interested in art, American Wilderness delves into the Hudson River School of painters, whose works celebrated the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley and beyond. The book serves as a concise introduction to the movement, making it ideal for newcomers looking to learn about the area’s artistic legacy.
One standout is The Catskill Mountain House: America’s Grandest Hotel, a seminal work on the history of the Catskills. The book chronicles the rise and fall of the iconic Catskill Mountain House, the region’s first grand resort hotel. Presidents, celebrities, and artists once flocked to this mountaintop retreat, which also played a role in America’s burgeoning appreciation for natural landscapes. Though currently out of print, Hoare hopes to bring the book back for a new generation of readers.
In addition to its history titles, Black Dome Press has also published a range of outdoor guidebooks, including hiking and kayaking guides that encourage readers to explore the natural wonders of the region. Books like Hudson Valley History Hikes combine detailed trail information with stories about the people and events that shaped each location, offering a captivating blend of outdoor adventure and historical education.
Back to the future
At 72, Hoare is beginning to think about winding down his publishing career. “I’d like to focus on one book a year, really giving it my all,” he says. “But I also want to make sure the press continues after I’m gone. It’s important to me that these stories don’t get lost.”
While he plans to stay at the helm for at least a few more years, Hoare is already considering how to pass on the legacy of Black Dome Press. He’s determined to ensure that the press remains a vital part of the Hudson Valley’s cultural landscape.
We may have to wait a generation before a book like Kingston – The Post-Pandemic Years is published, but in the meantime, we’ve got plenty to read.
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