Hannibal offers quiet living between Lake Ontario and Fulton
The quiet town of Hannibal includes a smaller village of the same name as well as villages like North Hannibal, South Hannibal, Hannibal Center and Fairdale. The town's location among the creeks and farmland of Oswego County helps separate it from Lake Ontario tourism and bigger cities like Oswego and Fulton . The smaller communities are spread out and separated by a few miles of fields and forests. “We like the country feel of it,” says resident Kim Malone, the town supervisor. “We don’t want our neighbors too close. I don’t want to hear them snoring at night.” While Hannibal has a peaceful, isolated feel, it's still close to amenities, restaurants and grocery stores. The area also receives a Cap Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.
Historic and midcentury homes on multiacre properties and farms
Nationals, manufactured homes and ranch-style homes sit off Hannibal's narrow country roads. There’s also the occasional log cabin. Streetlights and telephone wires hang over the streets, and views from the road are either thick lines of trees or open fields. Like many other Oswego County towns, homebuyers can find more land in Hannibal than in cities like Syracuse , Oswego and Fulton. “My husband and I have 20 acres,” Malone says, “but you can go from 1 acre to 50.” With the additional space, homeowners can keep horses or use the space for farming. Manufactured homes typically cost between $50,000 and $80,000, while ranch-style homes, Nationals and cabins range from $100,000 to $380,000.
Hannibal's small community parks and nearby Lake Ontario
Hannibal Veterans Park is a small grassy area with a war memorial for local armed forces. The park overlooks Ninemile Creek, where locals stop to fish. The Hannibal Community Center doubles as the local public library and a senior center. Outside the community, Stone Creek Golf Club is an 18-hole course open to the public. Hannibal is also about 10 minutes from Fair Haven and Lake Ontario. Fair Haven Beach State Park includes a stretch of sand along the lake. On shore, there’s also hiking and biking. Hannibal and Oswego County’s proximity to Lake Ontario means the area has intense winters and heavy snowfall, but locals make the most of it with snowmobiling and ice fishing.
Hannibal High School students can earn early college credit
Fairley Elementary School and Kenney Middle School both receive a C-minus grade from Niche. Hannibal High School receives a C-plus. Students can enroll in Early College High School, where they can simultaneously earn high school and college credits. Hannibal High’s program specifically focuses on health sciences. Malone says sports are a big deal at local schools and a great way for newcomers to meet their neighbors.
Local American restaurants and groceries available in Hannibal
The Village Tavern Hannibal offers a mix of American and Italian cuisines, with entrees like pasta, steak and seafood. Coffee Bean Bistro’s menu spans from pancakes and omelets at breakfast to sandwiches and soups for lunch. It also updates the daily specials on Facebook. Hannibal has a Tops Friendly Market and a Dollar General for grocery and convenience trips. The Walmart Supercenter in Granby is about 7 miles away.
New York Routes connect Hannibal with nearby cities
Hannibal is a car-dependent community, linked to bigger cities through a few state routes. New York Route goes east to west, toward Fulton, about 8 miles away. New York Route 104 heads north to Oswego, 11 miles away, where Oswego Hospital is also located. Syracuse is on the same route, about 35 miles from Hannibal. Syracuse Hancock International Airport is about 30 miles away.
From summer celebrations to winter holiday traditions in Hannibal
In mid-August, Hannibal Field Days celebrates the town with carnival rides and games, food vendors and a parade. The town builds up to Halloween with Demon Acres Haunted Hayrides on the weekends in October. Hayrides with jump scares and haunted houses sit along the 25-acre property. For the winter holidays, the grounds host Deck the Halls, a wagon ride through over 250,000 lights and displays. It goes for weekends in November and December, but Malone also says the town has an annual tree lighting where Santa makes an appearance.
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Written By
Caroline Ernst
