They had their reasons, most of them likely well-meaning, but our forebears were decidedly shortsighted at times when it comes to preserving America's past. The colossal error New York City committed in demolishing the spectacular Penn Station, for example, that cannot help but make all who care about the past feel a profound sense of loss.

The same can be said about our own area.

Imagine what it would be like if the D&H Canal had been continuously maintained over the years. Small family canal boats, RVs on pontoons, might plow the waters from the Hudson River at Kingston, all the way up the Rondout Valley and beyond to Honesdale, Pennsylvania along the D&H Canal.

But the canal was only one of the things we lost.

Imagine the impact of having a rail line in our area. People could easily commute to the city, leaving their cars at home, making the Rondout and Wallkill Valleys as economically vibrant as the New York metro area.

Sadly, the railway put the canal out of business, and much of the canal was then filled in. Then the railway was driven out of business as well, as the automobile seized control of America. Back then, nobody gave much thought to the future use, or even value, of canals and railways.

And, imagine, all the great hotels and resorts that once dotted the mountains and the hills. From the glories of the Yama Farms Inn, to the more prosaic joys of the Nevele Grande, they were all economic engines, generating jobs for our local population.

Imagine what our local economy would be like today, if we'd been lucky enough to save more of this heritage.

That old attitude that has ruled here so long: "if it's original purpose is gone, get rid of it," has not served the inhabitants of the present century particularly well, as we see strip mall after strip mall pop up like so many toxic mushrooms.

It is so easy to sacrifice our historical heritage for more immediate, practical purposes. Why bother to keep an old, obsolete building like the Hunt in Ellenville or the library in Stone Ridge standing when it is cheaper and easier to tear them down? The answer may not satisfy those looking for short term profits, but the value in preserving the past has much in common with the value of preserving open space and the natural beauty of the region — they enrich and deepen our appreciation of where we live.

But there are much more practical reasons, too. All we have left of the rail lines that once connected Kingston, Ellenville, Pine Bush, and Wallkill with the world beyond is a disconnected series of overgrown railbeds, some converted to passable trails, others barely distinguishable from the surrounding forest. There are currently a number of efforts underway to create an integrated system of trails throughout our area. In the (hopefully) not-too-distant future, it may be possible to ride a bicycle, or hike, all the way from Kingston to Ellenville, barely touching pavement along the way.

A rail trail system as envisioned here will not get you to midtown in 90 minutes, but it will provide an attraction that could be the starting point for a sorely needed economic revitalization in the Rondout Valley. With the proper vision, the past can be used to create a brighter future.