Barn at original Woodstock farm in Bethel, NY destroyed in fire

The barn on the farm that hosted the original Woodstock in 1969 has been destroyed in a fire. Bethel, NY’s Russell Farm, which previously belonged to Max Yasgur, wrote that no one was injured in the three-alarm fire, which Mid-Hudson News reports shut down Route 17B in the area. First responders told M-HN that the fire started while the first cuttings of hay were being brought into the barn.

A statement from the farm reads, “The tremendous support that we have received from our community is so appreciated. A huge thank you to all of the firemen who worked through yesterdays heat, to the first responders who made sure everyone was ok. A thank you for all the donations to keep these men and women hydrated while they fought to extinguish the fire. Thank you to our friends and neighbors who have offered their support and their kindness. Every encouraging word and hug has been appreciated. We are grateful that no one was injured. While we lost so much, our loved ones are ok and the animals are fine. From our family to all of you-Thank You.”

White Lake Fire Company also released a statement, writing:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
There are so many people to thank from yesterday, We would first like to thank our amazing White Lake Fire Company Auxiliary who made sure we had cold drinks and food and walked around for hours, making sure we were alright.
Next we would like to thank the Kauneonga Lake Fire Department , not only did they send everything to help including cases of water and multiple coolers full of ice and drinks, and after hours of operating side by side on scene they crewed up while we finished on scene to meet at our station and pressure wash every length of hose we had. We are forever grateful for your help. We also would like to thank every fire department that responded out in such a timely manner, We had 2 engines on scene 5 minutes after dispatch and once we started pumping water we never lost water in a 4 1/2 hour time frame. We estimate the tanker shuttle moved over 500,000 gallons of water. Extraordinary work by all. Thank you to John Hauschild (53-1) and Mike Bastone(BC4) for your help at the command post. Thank you, Joe Mall, Alex Rau, and the rest of the Sullivan County Rehab team, who played such a big role in helping keep our firefighters safe. Thank you, Bethel EMS, who was with us from the very beginning and continuously walked around checking on all of us and providing cold drinks and food. We are proud to serve with you. Thank you to NYS DOT, NYSP, Sullivan County Sherrifs Office, NYSEG, Bethel Constables, and our Sullivan County Fire Investigators. John Bernas for the excavator. Town of Bethel Highway Department. Thank you to Hector’s Inn for the Gatorade, Gerry at Sorella’s for the pizza, Mike with Servpro, Liberty School for the fruit, the countless good Samaritans for the ice, water, food donations, WE THANK YOU ALL!!!!
AND OF COURSE WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE ANY OF THIS WITH OUT OUR 911 DISPATCHERS!
Sullivan County, NY 911 Thank you!

Yasgur, who leased one of the fields of his farm to Woodstock, also famously provided food and water to attendees. He spoke to the crowd ahead of Joe Cocker’s set on the third day, saying, “I’m a farmer. I don’t know how to speak to twenty people at one time, let alone a crowd like this. But I think you people have proven something to the world — not only to the Town of Bethel, or Sullivan County, or New York State; you’ve proven something to the world. This is the largest group of people ever assembled in one place. We have had no idea that there would be this size group, and because of that you’ve had quite a few inconveniences as far as water, food, and so forth. Your producers have done a mammoth job to see that you’re taken care of… they’d enjoy a vote of thanks. But above that, the important thing that you’ve proven to the world is that a half a million kids — and I call you kids because I have children that are older than you are — a half million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music, and I – God bless you for it!”

Yasgur sold the farm in 1971, and passed away in 1973.

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