The name "Pakatakan" is the name of the mountain near the colony. It is believed to mean "meeting of the waters" from the
Tuscarora peoples. Arkville was one of the earliest settlements in the area, originating at the beginning of the 19th century. The 1870s were the beginning of tourism in the
Catskills and hotels were built along the
Ulster and Delaware railroad. In 1886, the first structure of the Pakatakan Artists Colony was built, the Hoffman House. The Hoffman House was initiated through
John Francis Murphy's persuasion of local businessman Peter F. Hoffman to build a hotel to cater to artists. The artists who came to the Hoffman House included
Alexander Helwig Wyant,
George Smillie,
Parker Mann (1852–1918) and
Edward Loyal Field (1856–1914). These artists were associated with the
Catskill Mountain School of landscape artists whose distinct style was distinct from their predecessor,
Hudson River School. == Architecture ==