Boonville embraces terrain with a variety of outdoor recreation
Whether snowmobiling through fresh snow or camping under summer night stars, Boonville provides space for outdoor adventure year-round. This community of roughly 4,400 in the foothills of the Adirondacks features a quaint downtown dotted with restaurants, and residents are close to multiple ways to enjoy the natural environment. “In the wintertime this is a very attractive area. And also in the summer,” says area broker Heidi Westcott, who’s the owner of Deep Rooted Realty and has about seven years of industry experience. “I mean, we’ve got many surrounding lakes. It’s not far just to get to a lake or a boat launch or a place to throw in your kayak. And we’re surrounded by a lot of state land to get to a quick hiking trail. You can drive 20 minutes and be surrounded by hiking trails and mountains.”
Parks and forests offer trails, fishing and fields
Boonville has an abundance of public green spaces, from the center of town and beyond. Erwin Park, near downtown, has a playground, tennis and basketball courts, and a softball diamond. “My grandkids love, love, love Erwin Park,” Westcott says. “They’ve got pavilions, bathrooms. They’ve got grills. You can just have a family day there.” Robert Smith Sports Complex, located down the road, has multiple additional ball diamonds. Boonville’s 2,532-acre Sand Flats State Forest offers roughly 9 miles of hiking trails, over 6 miles of snowmobile trails and Fall Brook, a waterway known for its trout fishing. The hilly Pixley Falls State Park features a nature trail and a picnic space by a 50-foot waterfall. Area lakes include Kayuta Lake, located 8 miles away and open to kayaking, canoeing, boating and fishing. The Stysh's Brown Barn Campgrounds is a place to set up shop by the Black River.
Diverse landscape lends to a mix of properties
Many of Boonville’s homes are well-established, some dating back to the late 1800s. The area’s diverse range of settings can cater to a range of buyers. “You have a variety,” Westcott says. “Because you can be in town, where you’re closer to Main Street and the shops and everything. But, within a short distance, you could be in a more secluded, more private area.” Lots around the center of town, near Main Street, are often around a quarter of an acre, and properties toward the outskirts are sometimes several acres. Architectural styles range from Gable-front to ranch. Houses needing work can sell for less than $100,000, but most properties go for $110,000 to $290,000.
Logging to snowmobiling, community events celebrate the area culture
Oneida County, including Boonville, is home to hundreds of miles of snowmobiling trails. Boonville, in particular, has a decades-long history of snowmobile racing, a tradition so deeply rooted that it’s nicknamed "The Snowmobile Capital of the East." Boonville hosts the Boonville Snow Festival II at the Boonville Fairgrounds in January with ice-oval snowmobile racing. “Snowmobiling brings a lot of people,” Westcott says. “In the winter, it’s a hopping area.” NYS Woodsmen's Field Days takes over the fairgrounds in August, a celebration of the region’s logging heritage with axe throwing, speed chopping and other competitions. The Boonville-Oneida County Fair, at the fairgrounds in July and August, draws crowds for live music, rides, a demolition derby, truck and tractor pulls, and more.
Area restaurants offer a blast from the past
Boonville’s downtown offers an assortment of places to eat, whether someone wants to pick up pizza and wings at Capri Pizzeria or sit down for a meal at The Boonville Hotel. Open since 1853, The Boonville Hotel features a Colonial Revival-inspired exterior and an Art Deco-style interior. The French onion soup is a popular item in the restaurant, and the second floor features a handful of hotel rooms. Freddy's Diner is another step back in time in Boonville, a 1950s-style spot complete with checkerboard floors. There’s also a Tractor Supply Co. downtown for home, yard and farm needs, and a Tops Friendly Markets just south of downtown for groceries. The grocery store anchors a shopping plaza that also includes a Family Dollar.
Schools include an active PTA and student activities
The Adirondack Central School District covers Boonville and some surrounding areas, and gets a C grade from Niche. The C-plus-rated Boonville Elementary has an active PTA that’s behind events like an ice cream social in September and a movie night in December. Adirondack Middle gets a C grade and offers extracurricular activities including a sewing club and a student council. The C-plus-rated Adirondack High has a jazz band and a Model UN group.
Boonville has public transit and access to regional hubs
New York state Route 46 provides a direct path south to the city of Rome , about 25 miles south. The city’s Rome Health hospital is one of the closest medical centers. Air travel is available at the Watertown International Airport, which is roughly 55 miles north using state Route 12. The Lewis County Public Transportation bus runs through downtown Boonville, too, a system with several routes.
![Wayne Epps Jr.]()
Written By
Wayne Epps Jr.
