Town of the Week: Franklin

  |  June 17, 2013
Upjohn_Church_at_Franklin_NY_Mar_09

Upjohn Church, Franklin; via Wikipedia

Upstater’s love affair with Delaware County is no secret. Time and again, we come back to these Catskill Mountain towns and marvel at their natural beauty, the warmness of the residents, and their abundance of hidden treasures. The town of Franklin, located in northern Delaware County, is no exception. While the sparseness of the population may lead you to believe that Franklin is just another mountain burg surrounded by farmland and not much else (town population is around 2,400, and the population of the village is around 370), upon further investigation, we found that this isn’t exactly the case. Yes, Franklin is a small town in the mountains. Yes, there’s plenty of farmland around; in fact, it was once a major agricultural center until the railroad bypassed the area, which prompted an economic downturn that lasted through the latter part of the 20th century.

However, Franklin isn’t some cultureless backwater. In fact, not only does the village (which is recognized on the National Registry of Historic Places) have a great farmers market, it’s also home to a theater company called the Franklin Stage Company, which provides residents and visitors with free performances during the summer months. In our humble opinion, any community that’s serious about the performing arts is ahead of the game, no matter where the town is located.

franklin farmers market

Franklin Farmers Market at Chapel Hall, via LocalHarvest.com

Granted, if you’re looking for a hopping bar scene, Franklin isn’t for you. There are plenty of businesses in the village, plus the essentials like groceries, a library, schools, and places to get an oil change. Lots of churches, too; many of them quite breath-taking to behold. But if you need to get your drink and mingle on, Oneonta, a fairly happening SUNY college town, is just minutes away. Franklin’s pace is slower, and, like so many of its neighbors in Delaware County, its residents are interested in enjoying some quietude, or communing with nature by spending time pursuing outdoor recreation, like fishing at Ouleout Creek, which borders the village, boating on East Sidney Lake, or even playing a round at the Ouleout Golf Course.

While the real estate inventory is pretty light these days in Franklin, we love the uniqueness of the properties currently for sale. Lots of village Victorians, of course, not to mention Federals and Colonials, but also some sweet woodsy retreats tucked away in the mountains. Houses are inexpensive, with the average listing price and median sales price well under $200,000, not to mention those famously-low Delaware County taxes.

The town of Franklin is located approximately 15 minutes from Oneonta, a half-hour from Cooperstown, 90 minutes from Monticello, and 2 hours, 52 minutes from NYC.

franklin capture

GMAP

 

About Kandy Harris

Kandy is a writer and musician/music teacher living in Saugerties, NY.

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