Hebron has a country atmosphere with farms and mountain views
Right at the edge of New York’s border with Vermont, Hebron is a farming town surrounded by other farming towns like Granville and Argyle. It’s deeply rural, and many families have worked their farms here for generations. Dairy farms are its most prominent type of agriculture today. Even those who don’t own farms or homesteads enjoy Hebron’s quiet country atmosphere and natural beauty. “It’s scenic, too, so there’s a lot of hills, valleys, mountain views,” says Lisa Ostrander, a licensed associate broker with Howard Hanna Real Estate who has sold homes here for 20 years. “You can see the Green Mountains in Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains in New York in different parts of it. It’s really pretty. If you drive around there in autumn leaf peeping, it would just knock your socks off. The Adirondack Mountains are just spectacular.”
Hiking in the Pember Nature Preserve, kayaking on small ponds
Pember Nature Preserve is a well-known spot to enjoy nature. “It’s 125 acres of forest, streams and wetlands,” Ostrander says. The park has over 2 miles of hiking trails, and its nature center offers activities including mushroom foraging and tracking lessons. There are several other hiking trails in the community, some of which lead into Vermont. People also head to the small ponds scattered throughout Hebron for kayaking and fishing. In July, Hebron Camp offers free swimming lessons to children, but the pool isn’t otherwise open to the public. Hebron is also about equidistant from two popular skiing mountains; Bromley Mountain is 30 miles away and West Mountain is 34 miles away.
Rural and waterfront homes with space to spread out
Set along winding country roads, Hebron’s homes vary from historic colonials to Cape Cods and contemporary-style homes. Some farmhouses date to the 1700s or 1800s and are full of unique, original features; Ostrander says she’s even sold one with a hiding space behind a built-in cabinet that was once used as part of the Underground Railroad. A few of these houses sit on just under an acre, but most have at least an acre. Hebron’s little mountain ponds are also ringed with waterfront homes offering private docks and easy access to fishing or kayaking. Fixer-uppers on smaller lots or tiny cabins typically start at about $170,000, but homes with farming space can climb to $570,000. Occasionally, truly large properties with working farms can hit the market for closer to $1 million.
Students are split between Granville or Salem schools
The northern portion of Hebron is served by the Granville Central School District, which gets a C from Niche. Children in this district attend Mary J. Tanner Primary School, which also has a C, and Granville Elementary School, which has a C-plus. When they reach seventh grade, they move to Granville Junior/Senior High School, which has a C and offers career and technical education programs on subjects like cosmetology and criminal justice. Hebron’s southern end is served by the Salem Central School District, which has a C-plus. Salem Elementary School earns a B-plus and teaches students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, while Salem High School has a B-minus. The district collectively refers to the two schools, which are located in the same building, as Salem Washington Academy. The high school offers extracurriculars like a literary magazine, drama club and mock trial club.
Winding country roads and Route 22 to nearby communities
State Route 22 is the main thoroughfare in this heavily car-dependent town; most of its other streets are narrow, winding country roads. Following the road north leads toward Granville and all the way to Lake Champlain, while following it south takes residents to Salem and Cambridge. The Granville Medical Center offers primary care about 16 miles from home, but it’s a 25-mile drive to Glens Falls Hospital. Albany International Airport is about 63 miles away.
Celebrating Hebron Day with live music and barbecue
Local churches, the Hebron Community Vision group and the Hebron Preservation Society host little gatherings throughout the year. Hebron Day is one of these, bringing people together for live music by local singers, a quilt show and a chicken barbecue thrown by the Hebron Volunteer Fire Department.
Farm stands provide fresh food, but it’s a drive to grocery stores
A few of Hebron’s farms and homesteads run stands. Bogtown Baked Goods sells produce and bakery items on an honor system, and Wilson Homestead Old Books and Antiques is small enough that visitors should call before they drop in. Other farms provide easy access to fresh meat, eggs and produce, like the popular Grazin’ Acres Farm. “They have beef, pork, lamb, chicken, vegetables. Their food is really good, I get a lot of meat from them,” Ostrander says. “It’s a family farm.” Residents drive out of town for other groceries. Stewart’s Shops is about 8 miles away in Salem, and there’s a Price Chopper 14 miles away in Granville. Ostrander says many residents make bigger trips to Hudson Falls or Queensbury — 20 miles and 29 miles away, respectively — for bigger stores like Hannaford, Market 32, ALDI and Walmart. Queensbury also has major retailers like T.J. Maxx and Petco.
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Written By
Christina Norwood
