Town of the Week: Stuyvesant

  |  August 13, 2012

Legend has it that when Henry Hudson stopped by Stuyvesant, in the northwest corner of Columbia County, on his way up the Hudson, he was struck not only by the beauty of the place, but by how friendly the natives were. Well, sorry natives. You were probably too friendly. The town followed the trajectory of New York City itself: first fur trading, then farming, then an active shipping waterfront. It had a well-used ferry service at one time, and was part of the town of Kinderhook until 1823.

It did not, however, become a booming metropolis. It has around 2,000 people now, 100 less than at the 2000 census. It’s a small town which contains several hamlets, including Stuyvesant Falls and the National Register-listed Stuyvesant Falls Mill District. And, yes, there are some falls.

NYFalls.com

What will you get for your money here? Beautiful old farmhouses, with river views, for less than $300,000. The town has a good supply of real estate, including a contender for five-figure-fridays and a couple of high-end houses that we know our readers will enjoy ogling. So stay tuned for a good week of real estate.

It’s close to the Hudson train station — 10 miles — and just across the river and a couple of miles north of Coxsackie. There’s not much more than a post office in town, and a couple of churches. If you want to be close to hip and happening Hudson, but want to be in the country, this might be your spot.

The beauty of the town you’ll have to see for yourself. Type in “Town of Stuyvesant” in Google images, and you’ll mostly get mugshots. Guess maybe that’s something to ponder, too.

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