Sharon Springs, NY
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5/17/2014
Sharon Springs is a tiny little rural town, located in Schoharie County, NY. It is found between the Schoharie and Mohawk Valleys, about 40 miles southwest of Albany. Sharon Springs is as beautiful in the summer and fall as it is treacherous to drive in the winter. It is surrounded by rolling hills and winding roads. It used to be quite famous during the 19th century as a place for the rich and famous to come and partake of the healing waters that burst forth from several natural springs in the village. Sharon Springs is currently experiencing a renissance of sorts with people moving out of NYC, mainly Manhattan, and into the country. This began directly after the 9/11 disaster. Sharon Springs is now home to "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" of recent televison fame. The weather in the winter can be minus 20 degrees. 2-3 feet of snow is possible overnight during a Nor'easter. In the summer it can run to the mid 90's, but usually high 80's and very humid. Winters are very long and dreary. Summers are very short. There is a saying here --"we have 2 seasons, winter and 4th of July". Sharon Springs is a farming community with a right to farm law in effect. This means that if you find the odor of cow manure offensive, don't move next door to a dairy farm. There will be no compassion. Rural, hardworking farmers don't take kindly to whiners. You will find chickens pecking along the side of the road, and ocassionally a horse or other livestock may wander out of their barns and into the roadway. There are plenty of white tailed deer who also enjoy jumping in front of your vehicle, especially after dark in the fall and winter. Driver beware.
Sharon is located about 25 minutes from Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame. James Fenimore Cooper wrote his book "The Last of the Mohicans" about this area. Hiking, swimming, boating, skiing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and biking, are moments away. Real Estate is affordable as are taxes; however, there are no jobs in Sharon Springs except at a Walmart warehouse, so a long commute can be expected unless you can work from home or start a new agriculture based business, preferably organic.
The school is tiny. pre-k thru 12th grade in one building. About 25 students in a graduating class. Natural disasters are relatively unheard of, as is crime. Someone did rob the bank last summer though. We don't steal things from our neighbors or beat them up. Most of us don't buy, sell or use illegal drugs. There is no fast food,and no movie theater. The grocery store is 30 minutes away in good weather. There is one beautiful and historic hotel, The American Hotel, in the center of the village. This is a must see. There are a few B&Bs in town as well. I recommend the New Yorker. Quaint shops are springing up all over. Sharon Springs is a very small town with a single traffic light, lots of history and friendly, fearless people who work hard for a living and know their neighbors by their first names. Check it out.
SadieJ | Sharon Springs, NY