Ashland blends rural charm with nearby city access
Sitting on New York's border with Pennsylvania, Ashland offers rural living with lots of recreation while staying close to shopping, dining and cultural attractions. It was the last Chemung County town to be created, formed from parts of Elmira in 1867. Though it wasn’t formed until later, the Battle of Newtown, a major conflict in the Revolutionary War, took place in the northern part of town. The battlefield is now a popular state park.
Scenic hiking, boating and camping near Newtown Battlefield State Park
Newtown Battlefield State Park is the town’s largest green space and includes monuments and informational plaques along its 2.7-mile looping trail. An overlook in the park provides a scenic view of the region’s hilly landscape. The Chemung River flows through part of the area and offers opportunities for boating, paddling and fishing. The Lackawanna Rail Trail, an 8-mile path for hiking and biking, passes through the area and more hiking is available at Two Rivers State Park. Hunting and primitive camping are about 15 miles away at Maple Hill State Forest. Farmland Animal Park gives families a chance to get close to mini horses, ponies, kittens, pigs, and goats, among others. The Chemung Speedrome is nearby and holds stock-car racing. Watkins Glen State Park and Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, are about 30 miles away and offer swimming, boating, camping, hiking and scenic waterfalls.
Prices typically fall between $100,000 and $300,000
Pre-war Nationals and newer Cape Cods and ranch-style houses are common here. The area includes the hamlet of Lowman and the village of Wellsburg, which is where most of the homes are. Properties on the outskirts, though, have lots that can range from a quarter-acre to 5 acres. Prices range from $100,000 to $300,000, though homes needing renovations can sell for under $100,000.
Elmira City Schools earn a C-plus
The Elmira City School District earns a C-plus from Niche. Students may start at Pine City School, which teaches kindergarten through second grade and earns a B, before going to Broadway Elementary, which gets a C-plus and teaches third through sixth grade. Ernie Davis Academy teaches seventh and eighth grade, has a C-minus and allows community groups to reserve spaces for meetings and events. Broadway Academy is unrated by Niche and covers ninth grade. Elmira High receives a B and offers a specialized finance academy. Elmira College is about 10 miles away and has strong ties to author Mark Twain, whose wife was an alum and area native. Twain's study, where he wrote "Tom Sawyer," is on the campus and the college has an archive of his documents. He and his family are buried nearby.
Dine in Ashland, shopping nearby
Locally owned dining spots in Ashland include the Wellsburg Diner, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner through the week, but closes at 2 p.m. on weekends. Maple Lawn Dairy is another staple for American comfort foods and homemade desserts. There's a Dollar General in Wellsburg, but the closest grocery stores are Aldi and Weis Markets in Elmira. Traveling 15 miles on I-86, Big Flats has shopping centers with more chains like Sam’s Club and Walmart. The Arnot Mall is also right off I-86 and has 100 more retailers.
Summer and holiday celebrations in Elmira
Downtown Elmira is a local hub for events. On Fridays during the summer, Alive After Five sees local spots like Brady’s Pub and the Elmira Elks Lodge transform into gathering hubs for live music, food and kids' activities. Wednesdays in the summer see the Wisner Market open with local vendors selling fresh produce, art and other crafts. In June, the Elmira Street Painting Festival invites locals to decorate Main Street while listening to live music and enjoying local food vendors. The town also celebrates the winter holidays with a parade, tree lighting and a snow globe experience.
Commuting to Elmira on Route 427, to Corning and Horseheads on I-86
State Route 427 connects to Elmira, just 5 miles north. Commuters can take Interstate 86 north 12 miles to get to Horseheads and 27 miles to Corning. St. Joseph’s Hospital is 6 miles away. The closest airport, Elmira Corning Regional, is 18 miles away and offers a limited number of flights on Delta Airlines and Allegiant Air.
![Logan Soter-Reardon]()
Written By
Logan Soter-Reardon
