Nassau’s rural roots in Rensselaer County
Nassau is a small country town comprising of two main villages and many smaller hamlets in the Capital Region of New York. Originally founded as Philipstown in 1806, Nassau is located between the capital city of Albany and the Massachusetts state line and is well known for its rolling hills, numerous creeks and tall pine trees. It grew in the early 1900s when the Albany & Hudson Electric Railway built a depot in town, connecting area farmers to both major metropolitan areas. Today, residents in this quiet bedroom community enjoy easy commutes to nearby cities while holding onto its rural appeal. “A lot of people who live here work in Albany,” says Leonard Brown, a local Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices who has over 20 years of experience in the market. “It’s more country-like out this way, and the people who live here are looking for that.”
Paintball, fishing and camping by Kinderhook Creek
There are many lakes, forests and campgrounds across Nassau’s hilly landscapes. While the railway was decommissioned in 1929, much of the route was repurposed into the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail, a 36-mile off-road bike path that runs through Rensselaer and Columbia Counties. Nassau Lake is a 174-acre reservoir that people use to go boating and fishing, although consumption is banned due to contamination from the Dewey Loeffel Landfill. “You weren’t even supposed to be on a boat in the lake 30 years ago,” Brown says. “They’ve got some monster carp and pike in that lake.” People go hiking and birdwatching at the 350-acre Albert Family Community Forest, and skiing and snowshoeing are also popular activities in the winter. Many also like to go horseback riding and hunting for white-tailed deer at the 85-acre Kinderhook Creek Preserve. Kinyon’s Canyon Campsites and Dingman’s Family Campground are both by the creek, and Albany Paintball Experience has three fields for paintball and airsoft matches.
Historic homes with architectural variety and acreage
Older homes are spaced out between the villages of Nassau and East Nassau. Several farmhouse-style and colonial houses built in the 1800s have decks and open views of wooded pastures, while many Cape Cod, traditional and ranch-style homes were built around the 1950s. Large 3,000-square-foot retreats are typically built on acreage and range between $900,000 and $1.3 million. “It’s a good mixture of everything,” Brown says. “Lot sizes are pretty small in town, but once you get into the outskirts, you can range anywhere from 2 acres to 50 acres.” The median sale price is $317,000, which is lower than the state median of around $487,000.
A-rated schools in East Greenbush Central School District
East Greenbush Central School District earns an A on Niche and is a top-rated school district in Rensselaer County. Donald P. Sutherland Elementary School has been teaching kindergarten through fifth grade for over 75 years and earns an A-minus on Niche. Howard L. Goff Middle School offers after-school tutoring programs to help sixth through eighth-grade students with their homework, while Columbia High School has a 94% graduation rate. Both schools earn A ratings.
Buses to Albany's 24-hour hospitals and international airport
U.S. Route 20 is the main road through town, while New York State Route 66 runs along Nassau’s east side. While there’s no public transportation in Nassau itself, there are a few bus stops at Schodack Center with routes that take passengers around 12 miles northwest to Albany. There are several 24-hour hospitals in the capital city, including Albany Medical Center, and Albany International Airport offers nonstop flights to 25 destinations nationwide.
Family-owned pizzerias and lakeside restaurants
There’s a small handful of restaurants primarily based in the village of Nassau. Zia’s Pizzeria & Family Restaurant has been serving Sicilian and New York-style slices for over 15 years, while Tacos Diablo specializes in street tacos, quesadillas and burritos. Jimmy’s Lakeside Grill offers sausages, seafood and sub sandwiches right on its lakeside patio, plus there are a few convenience stores that sell coffee, soda and ice cream. Groceries are only available at Family Dollar, so more residents will drive 7 miles northwest to shop in East Greenbush.
