Yama Farms Inn

Please wait while we redirect you to our new site".

The Beginning

Welcome to the Yama Farms Inn web site

Yama Farms Inn of Napanoch, NY, Yama-No-Nchi (Home in the Mountains)

Frank Seaman

1858-1939

Founder of

Yama Farms Inn

The Beginning

by Anita Foraste

1907-2004

My parents came to Napanoch around the turn of the century. They purchased land on which

buildings were neglected and they tore down and built two sizable new buildings where they

could accommodate 60 guest in their Swiss Cottage. Later when our father lost his sight,

they sold their property to Frank Seaman who enlarged the buildings considerably and

joined my parents two buildings. My brother, an older sister and I were all born in the room ad-

joining the main entrance. All this became the famous Yama no Uchi or Yama Farms which

opened in 1913. Just before Yama was opened for it's first guests, my parents and we

children moved to the gate house at the entrance where Mr. and Mrs. Adelbert Reynolds also

lived and we lived there on. When my husband and I were married on May 1,1937, we

had our wedding reception at Yama Farms and we are the only couple who ever had a wedd-

ing reception there. It was in the dining room which my parents had built .The employees, in-

cluding the cook, did an outstanding job in honor of my mother, who was much admired by

all there and because I had lived there my entire life by then. My brother, Arnold Schonbachler,

lived his entire life in Napanoch. When we had trouble finding a place for our wedding re-

ception, my fiance asked Mr. and Mrs. Seaman and they were delighted to do it for us.Yama

was a fun place to be with so many interesting people . On arrival everyone was greeted,

usually by my mother, but occasionally I did it, including when Nelson Rockefeller arrived for

his honeymoon there. I also was privileged to hunt butterflies with John Burroughs and I

have some mounted that he gave me. Anita Foraste, April 21, 1990

The Swiss Cottage

Another view of the Swiss Cottage

Anita Foraste's mother, Anna Imhoff Schonbachler (1873-1939).,

at her desk at Yama Farms Inn. Early 1900s.