Town of the Week: Palenville

  |  July 22, 2013

Old Studio of Artist Hall, Palenville, 1906

We’ve been lingering over the Greene County hamlet of Palenville as a Town of the Week contender for ages, just waiting until the real estate market there becomes robust enough to make it worth your while. Alas, we are starting to realize that people aren’t interested in selling their homes and leaving Palenville, so it seems that inventory is doomed to be light for the time being. Palenville is still worth exploring, however, even if there’s not much for sale. It’s one of those ideal places in the Catskills that doesn’t try to mess with its stunning natural surroundings, with a leisurely pace that you can feel coming off the quiet neighborhood streets that make up the hamlet.

A well-established artists’ colony from way back, Palenville lies at the crossroads of Routes 32A and 23A: Hang a left on 23A, you’ll wind up in Tannersville. Hang a right, and you’ll find yourself in Catskill. It’s funny if you think about it; from Palenville, you can either go to the river, or head to the mountains. Or you can just park it and stay in Palenville, maybe stop and have yourself a hot dog at Pippy’s Hot Dog truck, parked right in the firehouse parking lot. Or, you can head over to the Circle W General Store to get all the provisions you need before making your way to the North/South Lake campground for a little overnight stay. There are swimming holes galore in town, all along the Kaaterskill Creek. Talk to a local for suggestions. Normally, most people are tight-lipped about their favorite spots, but the folks in Palenville are so friendly, they might hip you to a good one if you hang around and have lunch in town afterward. Stranger things have happened. If you’re passing through around dinner time, stop at the Fernwood for a bite and perhaps catch a live local band, or have a seat outside and listen to the roar of the creek in the ravine below. Palenville may be small, but don’t mistake it for an amenity-less burg in the middle of nowhere. It’s busting at the seams with charm and warmth, not to mention plenty of places to find great local fare. We even heard a rumor that a wine store may be forthcoming.

palenville waterfall

Some falls near one property we’ll be looking at this week

As we mentioned, ain’t much on the market in Palenville these days, but there are about a dozen or so to choose from, including a handful of Victorians, one or two more contemporary homes, and plenty in the five-figure range that need work, but are oh so worth it. While Palenville’s famous castle is still for sale (the price is now firmly under the one-million mark), most of what’s for sale is under $100,000.

Palenville is located approximately 15 minutes from both Saugerties and Catskill (in different directions, of course), and 1 hour, 52 minutes from NYC.

palenville capture

GMAP

About Kandy Harris

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

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