Town of the Week: Milton

  |  May 13, 2013
milton ny

Main Street, Milton, via Wikipedia

Just when we thought we had covered every Hudson River town there is, we remembered the hamlet of Milton, located in the Ulster County town of Marlborough. The first thing that struck us was the great old architecture in Milton, including the old West Line Railroad station. Once upon a time, the station served Milton as part of the West Shore Railroad, a passenger line that ran from Weehawken, New Jersey up north to the shores of the Hudson, all the way to Buffalo. The line was originally planned to run passengers from San Francisco to New York, but it never panned out. Still, we like to imagine how cool it would be if that passenger line existed today. We reckon it would have been quite a lengthy ride from one coast to the other, but a wonderful adventure, to be sure.

milton train station

Former train station in Milton, via Wiki

Today, the grandeur of the 19th century can still be seen in buildings like the Milton post office and many of the structures along Main Street. Buttermilk Falls Inn, one of Milton’s finer gems, is a piece of Milton history in and of itself: Originally built in 1764, the inn is a popular spot for both luxurious spa getaways and weddings, and the main house is beautifully restored while still maintaining its original 18th century feel.

milton post office

Milton Post Office, via Wikipedia

Milton is located along the west bank of the Hudson River, which, not surprisingly, makes it desirable real estate. Nevertheless, we managed to find some sweet properties that are shockingly affordable, including a few Victorians, a stately Federal-style (one of our featured properties this week, so stay tuned), Colonials, and cottages with the requisite stunning views. Along Main Street, you’ll find some places to get lunch, the public library, banks, and other businesses. A quick drive north takes you to the hamlet of Highland, and a journey of a few miles south will put you in the hamlet of Marlboro. Furthermore, Milton and the town of Marlborough are perfect places to roam if you’re looking for farmers markets. MeetMeinMarlborough.com even provides a farm trail map for your convenience and includes the local wineries. Handy! Chronogram Magazine’s January 2013 edition provides a nifty little Milton guide, as well. Check that out here on the Chronogram website.

Milton and Marlboro are often mentioned in the same breath, since they are both rural farming areas with quaint streets and houses. If we were forced to describe Milton and environs in one sentence, we would shamelessly rip off that one sentence from the Buttermilk Spa website: “A short drive from the city, a million miles away.” That sums things up nicely, we think.

The hamlet of Milton is located approximately 90 minutes from NYC.

milton capture

Town of Marlborough Official Website

Meet Me in Marlborough

About Kandy Harris

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

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