New York is known for some of the greatest construction projects in history. The Niagara Falls Hydro Dam, Erie Canal, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, The Egg and of course the largest gnome in the world at the time, Gnome Chomsky.
Kerhonkson New York is nestled in the Catskills between New Paltz and Ellenville on the path of the Rondout Creek. With a population under 2,000, Kerhonkson is also the home of Soyuzika, the Ukrainian cultural center. The Kerhonkson gnome is currently the third largest gnome in the world at over 13 feet. Kelder Farm, home to the gnome has been a staple in the region for 200 years. Some say most of those 200 years were spent designing the perfect gnome for the area with construction being completed in 2005. The Kelder Farm is not to be mistaken with Gnome Mountain located in High Falls, NY roughly 15 minutes away.
Some might consider the construction of Gnome Chomsky to be one of the most challenging projects in modern day considering unlike most other major construction projects it also included building mini golf and a petting zoo. Under these criteria some consider the Empire State Building to fall short of its potential due to the fact when you get to the top there is not a single goat to pet.
Based on no research the construction of Gnome Chomsky was a grueling and arduous task. Was this task as dangerous as the building of the Erie Canal leading to heavy Irish drinking to steady nerves? Was money short so newspapers reached out nationally for individuals to help fund the project like the Statue of Liberty? Did the leader of the project fall to illness and secretly have his wife finish the job like the Brooklyn Bridge? Is Gnome Chomsky a result of one of the most powerful public figures in the history of the country using his might to create something marvelous as is the case with the Niagara Falls Hydro Plant? At the end of the day, without researching we may never know…
But here is what we do know. At the completion of the job the Kerhonkson Gnome was the largest gnome in the world. Today, in 2020, it is now the second largest known gnome using cementitious construction methods. Poland, currently the world’s largest gnome was constructed with fiberglass so as a New York Native I’m eliminating it for that reason alone. So Chomsky remains the second tallest with the tallest gnome being in Ames, Iowa.
If you’re a New Yorker like myself you should feel shame to be outdone in the gnome construction industry. As a state founded by Dutch Settlers it’s a wonder we have not had a call to arms to build an even bigger gnome to retake the title. Instead we place all our hopes on Keddler Farm who single-handedly keep us in second place. With a population just under 20 million, more gnome activists must rise up in our state and together gnome construction will reach new heights. Until then, take the religious journey down Route 209 and pay your respects. See the gnome, pet a goat. Be whole.
In New York, there’s no place like gnome.