Greenville is a supportive rural community 40 minutes from Albany
Tucked away in the Catskill Mountains, Greenville is a one-light town with a spread out but well-equipped town center. “When you’re coming down Route 32 and you see the Catskill Mountains and the light is hitting them just right, it is the most beautiful sight,” says Tracy Boomhower, a licensed real estate broker/owner of Country Views Realty. She’s lived in Greenville her entire life, and moments like this still manage to awe her.
In many ways, though, it’s the people living in Greenville who define it. “I think I’m just truly speaking from the heart and how much I truly love my community,” Boomhower says. “I love the people in it. Everyone kind of knows everyone. I’ll tell my husband, ‘I’m running to the grocery store for 10 minutes,’ and he’ll be like, ‘Okay, see you in an hour.’ And it’s true. You walk in and you run into people, and you start having a conversation. People care, and we make sure that comes across.” Volunteerism helps run the town, from its fire company to park maintenance. But despite its rural atmosphere, Greenville is only 35 to 40 minutes from Albany, so many residents commute to work in the capital.
Locally famous hotdogs and essentials along Route 32
Greenville’s restaurants and essentials are stretched along state Route 32. “I know this is going to sound really weird, but we have the best hotdog stand this side of the Mississippi,” Boomhower says of Tommy’s Hot Dog Stand. “The historical society literally just did a whole write-up on it. It’s been three generations, potentially going on four generations now, and it’s the go-to.” Nearby, The Tasting Lab has burgers, a wide selection of beer and live music on the weekends. Greenville has a library, a thrift store and even a wellness center that offers everything from chiropractic care to palates to reiki. There are a bunch of auto and farm supply stores, from locally owned spots to Tractor Supply Co. Residents often get fresh produce from local farms or their own gardens. Tops Friendly Markets has groceries, and residents pick up prescriptions at Walgreens.
Country houses with room for chickens or homesteading, a few townhomes
Most of Greenville’s ranch-style houses, Cape Cods and colonials sit on an acre or more. “So you can have some privacy, you can do some gardening — you can do your own thing on an acre of land,” Boomhower says, adding that many residents have chickens; she herself has a flock, a large garden and bees. “We actually even allow chickens right in the village as long as you don’t have any roosters. So people can do a little bit of homesteading, which is nice.” Most homes cost between $240,000 and $470,000, but houses with extensive acreage can climb to $610,000. For those who don’t want land, Greenville has a small development of townhomes. Prices range from $250,000 to $280,000.
Hiking and sports at Greenville Town Park, nearby golf and skiing
George V. Vanderbilt Park, often called Greenville Town Park, has a dog park, a hiking trail and cross-country skiing in the winter. Its soccer and baseball fields also make it a center of activity. “There’s a lot of peewee leagues and little leagues and things along those lines; sports in the community are big,” Boomhower says. Golf is also popular in Greenville, which has three courses. For more serious hiking, areas like the Hannacroix Creek Preserve are about 20 to 30 minutes away. During the winter, skiers head to Windham or Hunter Mountain; both are under 40 minutes away.
Sports, art and theater at Greenville schools
The Greenville Central School District has a B-minus on Niche. Scott M. Ellis Elementary School has a C-plus and Greenville Middle School has a B-minus. Greenville High School has a B and an extensive International Baccalaureate program, including IB art classes. “We have a great sports program, a great art program, a great music program,” Boomhower says. “The plays that our school district puts on are just amazing. They’re literally like Broadway level, they’re really, really great.”
Greenville Day and an annual fundraiser starring ducks and art
Greenville Day is the biggest of the town’s many annual events. “It’s a huge two-day festival in the town park,” Boomhower says, adding that the free event features vendors, carnival rides and fireworks. “It’s really a lot of fun, especially for the kids.” For the unique, annual Quack Quack Duck Fundraiser, local artists paint duck statues — covering them in sunsets or galaxies, painting them like blue collar workers or putting them in bathtubs — and station them throughout town. People hunt down the ducks and publish maps showing where they all are, and in the fall, the ducks are auctioned off to raise money for renovating Prevost Hall, a historic church, into a community center.
Commuting to Albany for work, hospitals and the airport
Route 32 connects Greenville to nearby communities and provides a straight shot to Albany 26 miles away. The city has a whole host of amenities, including Albany International Airport and the Albany Medical Center. To the east, Hudson has Columbia Memorial health about 24 miles from home.
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Written By
Christina Norwood
