Rick's Club American was originally built in 1895 by a group of German immigrants and was called The Paradise Inn. It served as a summer resort and fishing retreat. The hotel rented boats and sold bait for fishing across the street at Congers Lake, then famous for large mouth bass. When Freddy Caramatti bought the hotel in 1948, it became the Congers Hotel. In 1958, the reservoir was being built in New City. Sixty Cherokee Indian workers made the hotel their home. More "Spirits" were sold at the tavern than anywhere else in Rockland County.