Antwerp is a quiet community outside Fort Drum
The town of Antwerp, located in upstate New York, covers over 100 miles and was named after the Belgian city from which its original European landowners hailed. Established in 1810, this town has largely retained its rural character over its 200-plus years of existence. Today, some homes are clustered around Antwerp's namesake village, but many properties cover acres of rural farms, woods and rocky ridges in little-known hamlets. The village, intersected by the Indian River, has historic buildings housing a post office, library and a handful of churches. The Fort Drum Army installation and conveniences in neighboring towns are a quick drive away as well.
Fixer-uppers in the village and spacious properties on the outskirts
Residential streets in the village area are lined with traditional-style homes, farmhouses and Italianate houses. Many of these homes were built in the 1800s and early 1900s. Some have been carefully restored, while others are in need of significant repairs. The village also has senior housing. Homes built between the late 20th century and today include New Traditional and ranch-styles. Fixer-uppers typically sell for between $40,000 and $100,000, while turnkey properties usually range from $100,000 to $370,000. Buyers can find more secluded properties covering acres of land on the outskirts of town as well, and hunting and recreation land occasionally comes up for sale. Antwerp has a CAP Index Crime Score of 1, lower than the national average of 4.
The Indian River Central School District serves Antwerp
Students typically attend Antwerp Primary School, which has a B-minus rating from Niche, for pre-K through third grade. Children continue schooling down the road in Philadelphia, New York. They're zoned for B-minus-rated Indian River Intermediate School, B-rated Indian River Middle School and A-rated Indian River High School. The district offers over three dozen sports teams for seventh through 12th graders, as well as high school student groups such as Ski and Snowboard Club, Newspaper Club and Science Club.
Community anchors along Main Street and necessities a drive away
Mainstays along Antwerp's Main Street include the post office, the First Congregational Church of Antwerp and the Crosby Public Library. The library, which has operated for over 100 years in the town, puts on movie nights, story times, themed kids' activities, adult craft nights and more. The Antwerp American Legion is a chapter of the veterans organization in the village. Each year, the group sponsors the Tractor Parade and Chicken BBQ in August and the Memorial Parade along Main Street in May. Many storefronts in the village currently sit vacant, but Robbins Plumbing, Heating and Hardware continues to serve the community from its Main Street location.
The nearby town of Philadelphia has a handful of restaurants, including the casual Cook's Family Diner and Brenda's Pizzeria. From the village, major grocery stores like Aldi and Walmart are about 15 miles southwest in Evans Mills, and Price Chopper is 13 miles northeast in Gouverneur.
Rural scenery around Antwerp
Nearby, unfrequented public lands like the Yellow Lake State Forest and Pulpit Rock State Forest allow for hiking, fishing and hunting among scenic lakes, ponds, creeks and woods. Oxbow, a small hamlet within the town abutting Pulpit Rock State Forest, has a boat launch for kayaks on the Oswegatchie River and on Payne Lake. From the lake, anglers can throw out a line from the shore or their kayak and take in views of the craggy shoreline. Nearby Philadelphia Town Park has a playground and walking trail.
Quick commutes to Fort Drum from Antwerp
The Fort Drum military installation is a major area employer, and the base is about 15 miles southwest of Antwerp. Drivers can get there on U.S. Route 11, which cuts through the town. Watertown is about 25 miles southwest and is home to the Samaritan Medical Center and Watertown International Airport. The Rochester Regional Health Gouverneur Hospital is about 13 miles northeast.
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Written By
Faith Wakefield
