Town of the Week: Hillsdale

  |  July 15, 2013
hillsdale church

Photo via Hillsdaleny.com

There are places all over Columbia County that compel you to pull over, get out of your car, and walk around town. Chatham is like that. Kinderhook is like that. Even Valatie is like that to a certain degree, thanks in part to the Beaver Kill Falls. These towns are dripping with curb-appeal and charm, with specialty shops, little town parks, and wonderful local restaurants. Hillsdale, on the other hand, located in eastern Columbia County, isn’t quite like those other places that hit you over the head with cute upstate-yness.

Hillsdale is different. It’s embraced its rural flavor and stays quiet, humble, and tucked away. The town isn’t interested in becoming a giant tourist attraction flooded with downstaters, but it does offer itself up as a retreat from the craziness of the downstate lifestyle, making a popular second home destination. But don’t be fooled by Hillsdale’s subtle charms: The town has everything you need, including restaurants, like the locavore farm-to-table spot Crossroads Food Shop. There’s a conventional grocery store located in Hillsdale, as well. They have a fabulous wine store, antiques galore, and Rodgers Book Barn, which offers rare and unusual books.

One quick glance at the town’s homepage shows that offer a multitude of events throughout the summer, including nature walks, live music, and even a zydeco dance party at Roeliff Jansen Park. Speaking of Roe-Jan, it’s the area’s best place to go out and wander around among nature, explore the local flora, and catch a glimpse of the lovely scenery. Roe-Jan also hosts Hillsdale’s local farmers market held every Saturday until mid-October, as well as the giant town-wide flea market during Memorial Day weekend every year.

hillsdale flea market

Hillsdale Flea Market, via Hillsdaleny.com

Given Hillsdale’s proximity to Massachusetts, the town offers unparalleled views of the Berkshire Mountains from the Hudson Valley. Copake Lake is nearby, and so is Bish Bash Falls. There’s certainly no shortage of outdoor recreation in all of Columbia County, and Hillsdale is no different.

The properties on the Hillsdale real estate market are nothing short of breathtaking. In fact, due to the hamlet of Hillsdale’s preponderance of 19th century architecture, the whole she-bang has been placed on the National Historic Registry. While home prices have been climbing steadily over the past ten years, in some cases doubling asking prices, there’s still a bargain here and there. The average listing price is nearly $700,000 (it’s actually taken a slight dip recently), while the median sales price is around a much more reasonable $385,000. While you probably won’t find any five-figure properties, there are plenty of multimillion dollar homes on the market.

Hillsdale may not get the press that other towns in Columbia County seem to garner (although there was an article about it in the NYT back in 2005), it’s truly a hidden gem packed with surprises, and a relaxed rural pace that makes it all the more attractive.

Hillsdale is located 26 minutes from Hudson, 18 minutes from Great Barrington, MA, and approximately 2 hours from NYC.

 hillsdale capture

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About Kandy Harris

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

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