Mount Morris has old-school charm near Letchworth State Park
Mount Morris is a small town with historic roots and an active pulse, settled at the northern entrance of New York’s best state park. About 4,500 people call the community home, which includes the village of Mount Morris and several smaller hamlets. The town has a thriving downtown district, cost-efficient homes and scenic beauty at the gateway to Letchworth State Park, known as the “Grand Canyon of the East” for its deep gorges and tumbling waterfalls. “We’re in the country, but it’s a beautiful area,” says David DiSalvo, a lifelong resident and town supervisor. “It’s mostly a farming community with a lot of farmland. It has the quietness and the small-town feel; you know everybody and hear everything. It’s just a great community to live in.”
Letchworth’s beauty draws visitors and locals year-round
Letchworth State Park is renowned for its spectacular waterfalls and sheer cliffs. “It’s in our backyard next to the Genesee River,” DiSalvo says. “It has three waterfalls, and you can actually walk down [hundreds of steps] to the falls.” But proximity to Letchworth State Park is a double-edged sword: residents have easy access to one of the best state parks in the U.S., but traffic surges during peak fall foliage. “We get a lot of tourists, so a lot of people are passing through,” DiSalvo says, adding that Canadians driving to southern New York typically pass through town. “I live on the main drag of [Route] 63, and some weekends I can’t even get out of my driveway,” he says.
The Mount Morris Dam and Recreation Area offers playgrounds, a visitor center and free tours of the dam. Kayakers can launch onto the Genesee River from John Wesley Powell Riverside Park. Little League players compete at Francis Bellamy Memorial Park, while families gather at Al Lorenz Park for picnics and play dates. Locals also enjoy hiking, biking and horseback riding on the 90-mile Genesee Valley Greenway Trail.
Homes at a lower price than nearby Geneseo
Most of the town’s homes date back to the early 20th century and feature styles like National, Colonial Revival, Victorian and bungalow, but buyers can also find some postwar ranch-style and split-level homes. Sidewalks line the low-traffic streets, and driveways and detached garages are common. The median sale price is about $150,000, much lower than Geneseo’s median of $300,000. Homes sell after 36 days on the market on average, which is less than the national average of 52 days. “There’s really no houses for sale. Once one goes up for sale, somebody’s buying it,” DiSalvo says. “We’re a small town, so we don’t have the $400,000 homes; we’ve got the $100,000 to $200,000 homes. It’s affordable living.”
Main Street features vintage finds and cozy cafés
The quaint Main Street is filled with locally owned shops and eateries. There are antique stores galore, with Allegiance Antiques, Finders Keepers and Trailside Treasures all on the strip. Hobbyists can stop by Retro Rehome or Nerd Store for video games and collectibles. Wendy’s Pantry is reminiscent of a five-and-dime store with old-fashioned candy and bulk food items, and the attached Country Mouse Tea House offers a proper tea party experience. Locals enjoy craft beer at High Banks Tavern, Italian fare at Questa Lasagna and sweet treats at Suzea's Gluten Free Café. Dollar General has necessities, but most people drive to Geneseo to shop at Wegmans and Aldi.
Local clubs organize community events
The Mount Morris Kiwanis Club organizes the annual fall craft and vendor show and Music in the Park, a free summer concert series at Francis Bellamy Memorial Park. The Rotary Club hosts Christmas in Mount Morris, a day-long celebration that kicks off with breakfast with Santa and ends with a parade and tree lighting downtown.
Schools in town and higher education at SUNY Geneseo
Kids can attend Mount Morris Elementary School, rated C by Niche, before heading to Mount Morris Junior/Senior High School, rated C-plus. With a total enrollment of less than 600 students, “We have a small community school with small graduating classes,” DiSalvo says. The district is undergoing a $16.5 million improvement project, focusing on infrastructure updates and sports facilities enhancements. Students can continue their education at the State University of New York College at Geneseo, or SUNY Geneseo for short.
About 45 minutes from Rochester
Nearby Interstate 390 leads to Rochester and Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport about 40 miles away. Emergency medical care is 15 miles away at Noyes Memorial Hospital in Dansville. Most drive, but two Regional Transit Service (RTS) Livingston bus stops offer service to surrounding towns once in the morning and again in the evening. The Genesee Valley Greenway Trail connects to 16 towns and provides an off-road transportation alternative.
American Rock Salt, the largest employer in Livingston County and the nation’s biggest operating salt mine, uses a rail line through town that occasionally causes delays. Mount Morris is also home to New York’s first grid-scale solar project, part of the state’s long-term plan to use 70% renewable energy by 2030.
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Written By
Leslie Klosterman
