Hartford has a small-town country atmosphere 15 miles from Glens Falls
Between Glens Falls and Granville, Hartford is a rural community sought after for its large property sizes and quiet country atmosphere. That’s exactly what drew Pamela Armstrong, an associate broker at Coldwell Banker Prime Properties, to move here over 50 years ago. “It’s a really nice blend of hills and valleys, flat spots and hilly spots,” she says, adding that some homes have beautiful views. “You don’t have to worry about traffic jams. There’s not much to worry about in Hartford, which is kind of nice. It’s a slower pace of life, but if you wanted a faster pace of life, you can go right to Glens Falls.” Although homes can be spread out in Hartford, residents are never truly isolated. “Everybody knows everybody,” Armstrong says. “It’s got that hometown feel where if you walk down the street, you’re liable to know the person you’re walking by. And of course, the people in Washington County, I think, are probably the nicest people around.”
Country living with acreage offering room for chickens or homesteading
Hartford’s colonials, hi-ranches and ranch-style homes are dotted along winding country roads or long gravel drives. Some colonials date to the 1800s, but no matter when they were built, most sit on at least an acre — often more. “A lot of farm-type houses have a little barn where you could have chickens if you wanted, you could have goats if you wanted,” Armstrong says. “In Hartford, I’ve got eight chickens. It’s kind of nice for people who want a small, farmette-type house.” Properties with acreage in the double digits are also common, and there are several full-fledged working farms in the area. As a result, home prices vary widely. Major fixer-uppers can drop as low as $125,000, while updated houses with extensive acreage and outbuildings can climb to $590,000. Homes near the higher end of this price range can still need renovations or updating, however, depending on their acreage.
Sports at Hartford schools
Niche gives the Hartford Central School District a C. The district has just two schools, which are both in the same building. Although the district sometimes refers to these schools as a single pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school, they have separate names and Niche scores. Floyd Harwood Elementary School teaches pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and earns a C, while Hartford Central Middle/High School earns a C-plus. The school has an active athletic program, with sports like baseball, soccer, volleyball, cross-country and even golf.
Routes 40 or 149 to nearby Glens Falls
Hartford’s major thoroughfares, State Route 40 and state Route 149, are long, two-lane country roads. They connect it to nearby communities like Glens Falls, which is 15 miles away and is residents’ go-to for a lot of essentials, from shopping and restaurants to Glens Falls Hospital. While the drive to Glens Falls or other communities, like the 16-mile drive to Queensbury, is a downside for some people, others find it relaxing. “That’s my decompression time, and that’s when I’m going to get rid of whatever bothered me during the day. I’m going to get rid of it before I get home,” Armstrong says.
A few shops in Hartford, but driving for most essentials
Hartford Main Street and Route 40 are dotted with most of the town’s businesses and churches, including Stewart’s Shops, a post office, hardware store and a few little farm or auto shops. Hartford’s only restaurant, Johnson’s Cabin Grill, is known for its breakfast menu. For anything else, residents drive to nearby towns. Granville has a Price Chopper 8 miles away for groceries and a few popular restaurants, while many other essentials are found in Glens Falls. Armstrong says that Hartford is also just an hour from both Saratoga and Albany, which both have big concert venues. “So anything that we need to see or need to do, we’re pretty much within an hour of doing it,” Armstrong says.
An 18-hole golf course, nearby hiking and day trips to nearby hotspots
Hartford Greens Country Club is an 18-hole public golf course that also offers memberships. Although Hartford itself is mostly farmland and forest with no dedicated park space, there are nature trails nearby. The Empire State Trail, for example, is a paved path for walking and biking that passes along a local canal. Lake George is 22 miles — about a 35-minute drive — away. For avid skiers or snowboarders, West Mountain is also about 35 minutes away, and it’s about an hour to skiing in Killington, Vermont. “So we’re right in the middle of a lot of different things to do, but those lot of different things to do aren’t right in our community, which is kind of nice,” Armstrong says.
Hockey season in Glens Falls
During hockey season, many Hartford residents head to Glens Falls to see its local team, the Adirondack Thunder, play. “If you want to see a hockey game, you don’t have to go to New York City, you don’t have to go to Albany. You can get it right in Glens Falls,” Armstrong says.
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Written By
Christina Norwood
