Gilboa rebuilt after disaster and uncovered prehistoric roots
In the 19th century, Gilboa thrived as an industrial town, with mills lining the banks of Schoharie Creek. But after a flood in 1869 destroyed most homes, businesses and infrastructure, the town had to rebuild. By the 1920s, construction began on a dam that would create the Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir. During the project, workers uncovered remnants of the sunken city, along with fossilized Wattieza trees, which grew around 380 million years ago. Today, several recreational spaces and cultural centers surround the reservoir, and a local history museum preserves the fossils. “We really care about two things here: our nature and our history,” says Dorothy Pickett, a town councilperson who moved to Gilboa as a teenager in 1958. With a population of around 1,100, a remote location in the Catskill Mountains and one public school serving every grade level, Gilboa also offers a close-knit environment. “I know if I ever have car trouble and I call one of my neighbors for help, they’ll be there in minutes,” Pickett says.
Houses may sit on forestland or farmland
Gilboa’s oldest homes include farmhouses dating back to the late 1800s. Ranch styles and cabins built between the mid-20th century and the ‘90s are also common. Maple, pine and beech trees often densely shade homes, and some properties have hay fields. “So many people grow hay here, including myself, but nobody really sells it,” Pickett says. “We just give it to local dairy and beef farmers if they come to cut it and bale it themselves.” Smaller homes and renovation projects can cost between $90,000 and $280,000, while larger homes with more acreage may range from about $335,000 to $855,000. Properties near the Schoharie Creek and its tributaries may be at risk of flooding. The area also gets several feet of snow every year.
A state park and museums surround the Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir
The 500-acre Mine Kill State Park sits on the Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir in the northern part of town. Visitors can launch boats onto the waterway and catch fish like walleye and trout. Some of the park’s forested hiking trails stretch alongside an 80-foot-tall waterfall. The Olympic-sized pool is open every summer, and sleds and snowshoes are available to rent in the winter. Also on the reservoir, Historic Lansing Manor is a 19th-century Federal-style home filled with period-accurate furniture. The property’s old dairy barn is now the Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center, featuring exhibits on the adjacent hydroelectric power station. Tree fossils and antique farm equipment are on display at the Gilboa Museum and Juried History Center near the center of town. “It’s basically a community center to us locals,” Pickett says. The museum hosts movie nights, art shows, and a farmers market on some Friday afternoons. Gilboa’s campgrounds are popular places for tourists to stay while visiting the state park and the museums. “Outdoorsy people, history buffs and paleontologists — they all come to visit,” Pickett says. “I know people who volunteer at Mine Kill and every museum we’ve got because they love talking to out-of-towners.”
Gilboa-Conesville Central School has small class sizes
Kids can attend Gilboa-Conesville Central School, which earns a D-plus from Niche and serves less than 300 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade. Every grade level shares one building on the east side of town. “I think I could still name every person I graduated with because most of them still live here and the class sizes were incredibly small, even back then,” Pickett says.
Middleburgh and Cobleskill have more stores and restaurants
Sunken City Cider, Gilboa’s only commercial establishment, has a tasting pavilion with mountain views. Patrons often enjoy live music and a rotating selection of food trucks as they sip flights with flavors ranging from orange to peanut butter. Though a few convenience stores and restaurants are closer, locals typically drive less than 30 miles north to Middleburgh or Cobleskill for a wider selection of shopping and dining options. “That seems like a long drive, but you can get to either town in under 30 minutes because there’s usually not a lick of traffic,” Pickett says. Bakeries and bars fill Italianate-style buildings in Middleburgh, while Cobleskill is home to a Walmart Supercenter and the Cobleskill Regional Hospital.
State Route 30 connects with other towns
Gilboa is a car-dependent community with winding, steep roads. State Route 30 runs through the town’s core and takes drivers to places like Middleburgh and Cobleskill. A 49-mile drive northeast reaches Albany, home to the Albany International Airport.
