OTTO HILLIG

Otto’s pays homage to German-born, Otto Hillig, who moved to New York City in 1874 when he was 16. He was a bartender and a trolley car operator before heading north to Sullivan County where he eventually opened a portrait studio on Main Street in Liberty - now home to Liberty Press. He is considered to be one of the greatest photographers in Catskills history.

He gained more fame as one of the first owners of an automobile in the entire County and as an internationally known passenger on a two-man transatlantic flight from the U.S. to Europe, which took off from the Sullivan County Golf Club in June 1931 with aviator friend Holger Hoiriis, pictured here with Hillig.