The Catskill Game Farm grew from one man's collection of animals into the largest privately owned zoo in the United States and an incredibly popular tourist attraction that hundreds of thousands of people visited over the course of several decades. In this episode of the Abandoned America podcast, we'll talk about how the Catskill Game Farm became such a legend in the area, what factors ultimately led to its closure, and the huge controversies that erupted in its final days. I'll also talk with Cathy Ballone who, along with her husband Ben, purchased the property after the zoo closed and worked for years to open a bed and breakfast that honored the fond memories so many people had from their visits there. I'm joined for the interview by Matt Lambros of the After the Final Curtain book series and podcast, and together we'll find out how they managed to beat the odds and succeed. 

Show Notes: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-catskill-game-farm-abandoned

View The Catskill Game Farm Gallery on Abandoned America: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/catskill-game-farm

Hire Cathy Ballone as Your Wedding Planner: http://www.cathyselegantevents.com/

Support the Abandoned America podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

Follow Matt Lambros' work on After the Final Curtain: https://linktr.ee/Mattlambros

Visit Route 1 Views: https://route1views.com/

Intro/Outro music credit: Odyssey by Rival Consoles