German Flatts provides small-town living close to daily comforts
Located along the Mohawk River’s southern banks, German Flatts offers a slow pace of life in rural Central New York. “It’s a quiet, rural farming community,” says Clyde Diedrich, owner and broker of Diedrich Associated Valley Realty, who has called the Mohawk Valley home for 40 years. “It’s small-town America, where half the people here are either related or know each other.” The community offers a mix of historic and newly built homes, alongside proximity to the shopping and dining options of central Ilion and Herkimer . Its natural setting also informs most of its recreation, which ranges from the Erie Canalway Trail to hunting and fishing.
Outdoor fun ranges from hunting and fishing to the Erie Canalway Trail
There are abundant ways to spend time outdoors in and around German Flatts. Weller Park offers open green space for picnics, pickup games and fetch with the pup. The Erie Canalway Trail also passes through town and past landmarks like the Historic Fort Herkimer Church. “It gets extensive use,” Diedrich says. “In the nice weather, we walk a few miles a day on it, and it has beautiful sunsets.” Ilion Marina rents boat slips and has a municipal boat ramp for launching watercraft onto the river. Several nearby streams and lakes also make for short trips to cast a line. Glimmerglass State Park is a 20-mile trip southeast and sits on Otsego Lake, where visitors can fish, swim and hike wooded trails. Diedrich notes that hunting is another popular activity among locals, particularly during the fall season. “There’s lots of deer hunting, along with some turkey, coyote and the occasional bear,” he says. Other regional attractions include Maple Crest Golf Club, which has a 9-hole public course, and Herkimer Diamond Mines, located 15 miles north.
Mix of historic and newer homes along forested country roads
The market in German Flatts primarily consists of single-family homes. These range from early 19th-century cottages and National Folk-style homes to New Traditional styles built during the early 2000s. These rest along hilly roads lined with forests of red maple, eastern white pine and other native trees, and many back up to sprawling grassy meadows. Plot sizes range from half an acre to 4 acres, with some larger lots featuring adjoining barns and work sheds. Homes typically sell between $50,000 for a home in need of repair to $350,000 for a recently built home. The community also has a CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, well below the national average of 4.
Residents do most shopping and dining in neighboring communities
Several locally owned restaurants dot Mohawk’s Main Street. Tren De Villa Mexican Restaurant serves staples like fajitas and enchiladas. The stretch is also home to a Family Dollar for essentials, and Aldi covers groceries in Ilion, directly northwest. “The area has a strong Italian history, so there’s a lot of fresh, local Italian available,” Diedrich says. He notes Sorrento Pizzeria and Restaurant and Cacciatore’s Italian Steakhouse and Primo Pizzeria in Ilion as frequented spots. Herkimer, located less than a mile north, offers a Hannaford for a more robust grocery selection and a Walmart Supercenter.
Central Valley Academy offers career and technical education courses
Students begin at Harry M. Fisher Elementary School, which enrolls prekindergarten through first grade and earns a C-plus from Niche. Barringer Road Elementary School teaches students in second through fourth grades and has a B-minus rating. Gregory B. Jarvis Middle School welcomes students in fifth through eighth grade and has a C-plus rating. Central Valley Academy earns a B rating. The high school offers a selection of career and technical education courses.
Local events and houses of worship offer ways for residents to connect
The German Flatts Car and Truck Show brings residents together in late June. The annual event takes place at Historic Fort Herkimer, where car enthusiasts showcase their shiny rides and local vendors sell food and drinks. Longstanding houses of worship, such as Fort Herkimer Church and Holy Trinity Monastery, also provide a way to find community.
Major roadways are easily accessible and support regional travel
State routes 28 and 5S run through the community, linking residents to surrounding areas like Mohawk and Herkimer, directly northwest and Utica , a 22-mile trip west. Interstate 90 also cuts through the community’s north side, linking residents to Syracuse , 70 miles west and Albany , 83 miles southeast. Griffiss International Airport is 33 miles northwest, and Little Falls Hospital is closer to home, 13 miles northeast.
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Written By
Matthew Simmons
