Freeville is a unique village popular with commuters
There are cities and towns across the United States with the same name, like the city of Athens in New York and in Georgia. Freeville is a one-of-a-kind, though, as it's the only incorporated municipality named Freeville in the nation. The village is a small area in the Town of Dryden, about halfway between Ithaca and Cortland. “I had clients in a dual-income household situation there,” says Brian DeYoung, a licensed associate real estate broker with The Next Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “One works in Ithaca and the other works in Cortland.” Freeville’s small-town atmosphere, quiet streets and proximity to busy cities are draws, but the prices also catch people’s attention. “Dryden is not as inexpensive as Groton, but it’s cheaper than the overall Ithaca area,” DeYoung says.
Freeville was incorporated in 1887, and the farming community grew in importance when the Lehigh Valley Railroad passed through the area. While the railroad is gone, there are still reminders. There is the Dryden Rail Trail and Freeville Station Park, a pocket park designed to look like a train station that doubles as a bus stop. Despite the changes in transportation, Freeville has always been a small place to call home with proximity to notable New York cities.
Older homes with plenty of space between neighbors
Colonial Revivals, Queen Annes, bungalows and manufactured homes make up Freeville’s housing stock. The average home value is nearly $270,000, whereas Dryden homes have an average value of about $350,000. People who move to Freeville stay for years, so homes don’t often go on the market. The homes are spaced out from each other, many featuring detached garages and limited shade trees. Many of the properties are older, with driveways that extend along the side of the homes. Residents have access to municipal sewer systems through the village, but they have to use well water systems, as there is no municipal water.
Easy commuting to Ithaca or Cortland for work
Downtown Dryden is about 4 miles away by car, while Ithaca is closer to 12 miles away when using state Route 13. Some people drive 9 miles to the Ithaca Tompkins International Airport, but more people prefer to drive about 50 miles for roughly an hour to the Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Residents who need to visit Groton or Ithaca can wait for the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit buses that pick up passengers at stops along Railroad Street, including one near Station Park. Buses come through Freeville about every two hours. DeYoung points out that Dryden and Freeville residents can expect to drive in snow during the winter, as Freeville sees about 41 inches of snow annually.
Small parks and the Dryden Rail Trail to Dryden Lake Park
Freeville’s parks are small green spaces to spend a moment in nature or catch up with neighbors. Groton Ave Park has baseball fields near the playground and basketball court. Part of the area is fenced off for the community garden, which any resident can use if there is space. Mill Dam Park overlooks Fall Creek and features a playground and benches. The Dryden Rail Trail offers bikers, hikers and walkers a path from Freeville down to Dryden Lake Park. “Dryden Lake has over 100 acres of water,” DeYoung says. “You can pull right up and park. It’s easy to get to. Most people go to all the big lakes, so there’s usually a small handful of people at Dryden Lake.” The Town of Dryden is working to build a passenger bridge that will connect the trail to a part of the trail that extends into Ithaca, which will make the 10-mile trail 14 miles long. Amy Dickinson is an advice columnist who grew up in Freeville but found success in Chicago. She moved back to Freeville and revived the Freeville Literary Society, a small building on Main Street where anyone can stop in to read or visit for movie screenings.
Small class sizes at Freeville Elementary
Freeville is a part of the Dryden Central School District, which receives a C-plus from Niche. The Freeville Elementary School welcomes kindergarten through third-grade students and earns a B-minus. With fewer than 100 students enrolled, one teacher may be responsible for about nine kids. Dryden Elementary School offers prekindergarten through fifth grade and gets a C-minus. Students later attend the C-rated Dryden Middle School and then the B-rated Dryden High School.
Ordering Italian at Bravo and ice cream at Toad's
Bravo is one of two restaurants in Freeville. Anyone unfamiliar with the area may drive past the restaurant, but locals know to call ahead to see if the owner, Gus, can open the dining room. Many people order Greek and Italian dishes for takeout. Toad's Too Ice Cream Oasis is across the street and sells sherbet, frozen yogurt, soft serve and traditional ice cream. The small shack is open seasonally, and people park before walking past the white picnic tables to order at the window. “There are tons of ice cream shops in and around the area,” DeYoung says. “I had my insurance guy, who lives in Lansing, tell me we’ve got to go to ones in Dryden.”
The Freeville Farmers Market venue is tucked behind the Freeville United Methodist Church. Every Sunday from May to September, vendors set up booths to sell locally grown produce, homemade desserts and crafts. The market also hosts special events, like the plant sale in May, the Artisan Fair in July and Fiber Fest in September. Anyone who needs a wider selection of groceries visits stores in Dryden, including Clark’s Food Mart or Dedrick's Farm Market. Locally owned businesses are mainly farms and auto shops, so people visit boutiques in Ithaca or the Target in Lansing.
