| Utsayantha Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Utsayantha Mountain Observation Station | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,209 feet (978 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 534 ft (163 m)[2] |
| Listing | Catskill Top 102 #62 |
| Coordinates | 42°23′57″N74°35′23″W / 42.3992472°N 74.5895953°W /42.3992472; -74.5895953[1] |
| Geography | |
  Utsayantha Mountain Location of Utsayantha Mountain within New York Show map of New York Utsayantha Mountain Utsayantha Mountain (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | ESE ofStamford,Delaware County,New York, U.S. |
| Parent range | Catskill Mountains |
| Topo map | USGSStamford |
Utsayantha Mountain is a 3,209-foot-tall (978 m)mountain in theCatskill Mountains ofNew York. It is located east-southeast ofStamford inDelaware County. Variant names include Utsayanthe Mountain, Utsayanthia Mountain, Utsayantho Mountain, and Utsyantha Mountain.McGregor Mountain is located southeast of Utsayantha Mountain andChurchill Mountain is located southwest. Utsayantha Mountain is named after Utsayantha, the daughter of Chief Ubiwacha, chief of theLenape Indians.
In 1934, a 59-foot-3-inch-tall (18.06 m) steel fire lookout tower was built on the peak. The tower was ceased fire lookout operations at the end of the 1989 fire lookout season. In July 2005, restoration work that began in 2004 was completed. The tower is on the National Historic Lookout Register and is open to the public.
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Utsayantha Mountain is named after Utsayantha, the daughter of Chief Ubiwacha. Chief Ubiwacha was the chief of theLenape Indians. Utsayantha had a baby fathered by a non-tribal settler. The chief being furious killed the settler by driving a hatchet in his skull. The chief then threw the new born into the lake. Utsayantha drowned herself in the same lakeUtsayantha Lake after seeing her son thrown in. In 1862 a grave was discovered on the mountain, that was believed to be the grave of Utsayantha. The identity of the person in the grave still remains unproven to this day.
In 1889, a prominent citizen who lived in the village ofStamford purchased 20 acres (0.031 sq mi) on the top of Utsayantha Mountain. After purchasing the land he built a four-story observation house and deeded the property to the town as a park for public use. In 1934, theCivilian Conservation Corps built a 59-foot-3-inch-tall (18.06 m) International Derrick steel tower on the peak. The tower was closed at the end of the 1989 fire lookout season, and was one of the last operating fire towers in the state. In 2003, negotiations were completed which allowed for the transfer of ownership of the tower to the Village of Stamford. That year, a group was formed to plan for restoration of the tower as well as all other improvements on the mountaintop site. In 2004, restoration work began and was overseen by theForest Fire Lookout Association. The restorations were completed in July 2005, and a dedication ceremony held. The tower is still maintained and is open to the public. The tower was added to the National Historic Lookout Register on January 3, 2015.[3][4]