Huron blends lakeside fun with upstate farmland charm
Huron was named after the Wendat nation, known by French settlers as the Huron, a tribe that was drawn to the region for its natural resources, including the fresh water of Lake Ontario. “It touches Sodus Bay, East Bay and Port Bay, so there are a lot of little waterfront spots there,” says Luke Cino, broker with Cornerstone Realty Associates, who has been selling homes in the region for more than 20 years. Today, homebuyers gravitate to Huron for its upstate New York lakefront lifestyle, where locals enjoy year-round water sports, even when the bays freeze over. Away from the water, Huron abounds with farmland, where apple orchards are a common sight and reinforce Wayne County as the largest producer of apples in New York.
Housing includes waterfront views and rural acreage
A large number of homes line the shores of Lake Ontario and its bays. Small waterfront properties built in the early to mid-1900s range from around $140,000 to $420,000. Larger upscale houses with water views cost between $430,000 and $720,000. Meanwhile, inland houses typically have anywhere from 1 to more than 50 acres of land while tucked away in the woods or surrounded by farms. Depending on the size of the lot and house, as well as the scope of renovations, prices range from around $125,000 to $500,000.
Water sports and scenic parks offer year-round recreation
Locals enjoy a wide range of activities on the bays and Lake Ontario. “The bays are a big draw. You have kayaking, canoeing and boating,” Cino says, adding that snowmobiling and ice fishing are a big deal in the winter. Fishing competitions attract people from all over the country. The Sodus Point Pro-AM Tournament is held every year, where anglers compete to catch king salmon, steelhead and other types of large fish. Chimney Bluffs State Park borders Sodus Bay and Lake Ontario with an overlook 175 feet high. The scenic bluffs make for beautiful views from above and out on the water. “We usually park our boat on Sodus Bay and anchor out in front of the bluffs. It’s just a pretty place to be and enjoy,” Cino says. Whistlewood Park offers more views of the lake from its rocky shoreline. It’s also home to a wooded nature trail that’s just over a mile long.
Bayside restaurants and apple orchards
Several waterfront restaurants line the eastern shore of Sodus Bay. Boaters dock at Skipper’s Landing to enjoy seafood by the water. Lunkenheimer Craft Brewing Co. is also located next to the bay, offering a selection of craft beer and cider, as well as weekly live music from local bands. There aren’t many options for shopping in Huron, but there is the Lake Bluff Campground Country Store, where locals can find various knickknacks and jarred food products. Depending on the starting location, it’s about a 1- to 9-mile drive to Wolcott , which features a Save A Lot grocery store and several locally owned shops and restaurants.
Wayne County has over 23,000 acres of apple orchards, with Fowler Farms covering more than 2,000 acres of them. The farm has been a community staple since 1858, where locals enjoy picking apples and drinking homemade cider.
Small class sizes at North Rose-Wolcott High School
Public school students attend North Rose-Wolcott Elementary School and North Rose-Wolcott Middle School, both of which receive C grades from Niche. North Rose-Wolcott High School is graded a B-minus. The high school has around 360 students and small class sizes with a student-teacher ratio of 10-to-1.
Crime score is lower than the national average
Huron is served by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. The town receives a CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
Halfway between Rochester and Syracuse
Great Lakes Seaway Trail is a highway that runs through Huron, which begins the journey to Rochester and Syracuse . It takes nearly an hour to reach the two cities, both of which are about 45 miles away in opposite directions. Travelers can choose to fly out of Frederick Douglass Rochester Greater Rochester International Airport or Syracuse Hancock International Airport.
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Written By
Nicolas Stuart
