Farming, hunting and fishing are ways of life in Amboy
Amboy, home to around 1,300 residents, is a rural, remote community in eastern Oswego County. Crops, state forests and tributaries of Oneida Lake take up most of the town’s rolling terrain, and it’s this natural setting that appeals to homebuyers. “This is an area where just about everybody farms, fishes and hunts,” says Teri Arney-Scheirer, a real estate agent with Hunt Real Estate who has sold several homes in the area. Though the town is 30 miles northeast of Syracuse and 15 miles from the nearest big-box grocery store, Amboy’s secluded location is another draw. “People either live here because it’s where they’ve been their entire lives, or they were looking to get out of the city and be somewhere quiet,” Arney-Scheirer says.
Houses can be on forestland, farmland or lakes
Housing includes mobile homes, cabins and Colonial Revivals. Forests of hemlock, pine and beech trees often block homes from Amboy’s winding roads. Some properties back up to the area’s lakes with boat slips and docks, and others sit on farmland with grain crops and cattle. Houses needing renovations may start at around $40,000, while homes on significant acreage can reach about $500,000. Empty plots typically cost between $25,000 and $99,000, depending on land size. Houses closest to the town’s tributaries and ponds may be at risk of flooding.
Locals can hunt and fish all year long at Stone Hill State Forest
Several state forests surround Amboy. “People can spend almost every day outside here if they want to, and most do,” Arney-Scheirer says. Primitive camping and hiking are allowed at the 1,025-acre Stone Hill State Forest in the northwestern part of town. Trails for snowshoeing, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing stretch under the hardwood tree canopy. Hunters may find deer, rabbit and turkey here, and anglers can catch largemouth bass from the streams and ponds flowing through the woods. With other outdoor spaces like Klondike State Forest and Orton Hollow State Forest, Amboy’s rugged location also brings out-of-towners to the town’s multiple campgrounds. “This is the countryside of Syracuse, so people come up for the weekend for hunting and fishing trips,” Arney-Scheirer says. Leeman Memorial Park, at the center of town, has a basketball court, a picnic pavilion and a playground. Marinas and boat launches sit along the shore of Oneida Lake, about 11 miles south. Other waterfront recreation spots dot Lake Ontario, including the beach at Selkirk Shores State Park, 23 miles northwest.
Career Exploration Sessions are at the local junior high
Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Central School District serves Amboy. Kids can attend Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Elementary and Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Junior-Senior High, both of which earn C-minuses from Niche. The junior high school offers Career Exploration Sessions, where alumni, parents and community members give presentations about their jobs.
Amboy has a motorcycle bar and a snowmobile dealerships
Beer signage hangs on the wooden walls of Happy Valley Inn, a bar and restaurant serving wings, nachos and pizza. Located on State Route 69, the small restaurant is a popular hangout spot for motorcyclists, and it has an outdoor concert pavilion that hosts Rumble in Happy Valley, a rock music festival, every August. Aside from a snowmobile dealer and a few municipal buildings, Amboy doesn’t have much else. “It takes a bit of a drive for everyday essentials,” Arney-Scheirer says. More restaurants are in Williamsport on Amboy’s northern edge, and downtown Camden, about 10 miles east, has hardware stores, delis and a Dollar General. Central Square’s Walmart Supercenter, about 15 miles southwest, is the closest big-box grocery store.
State Route 69 stretches through town
Amboy is a car-dependent community with state Route 69 at its core. The highway connects with Interstate 81 to reach Syracuse, home to Syracuse University and Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Around 70 inches of snow falls here annually, and the local highway department does plow main roads. The Oswego Hospital is about 32 miles west, but the West Amboy Volunteer Fire Department also provides the area with some emergency services.
