Secluded rural housing
New Hartford draws homebuyers interested in living on forested lots between one and 20 acres in size. Residents enjoy experiencing the rich New England scenery in relative solitude while having access to local shopping and dining as well as culture and entertainment in Hartford. “New Hartford is a lovely town of about 5,000 people. There is no town as far as I’m aware that has more recreational facilities per square foot," says Mary New, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway New England Properties. “It is a very scenic, pastoral setting where the Litchfield Hills start." New has lived in New Hartford for 50 years and has been New Hartford’s top-selling real estate agent for over 25 years. Homebuyers choose from a selection of houses ranging from historic homes to newly built farmhouses. The area has thousands of acres of rugged outdoor spaces, where residents can roam the woods and fields or spend afternoons on the fish-stocked lakes. Residents also enjoy access to a local ski slope.
Ranch styles and historic homes
Homebuyers can purchase three-bedroom ranch-style houses built in the 1960s and 70s for between $230,000 and $240,000. Farmhouse-style homes built within the last two decades sell for between $500,000 and $700,000. New Hartford’s 1960s three-bedroom bi-level sell between $230,000 and $380,000. There are also historic builds, like an 1830s Federal-style home sells for $975,000.
A highly rated public high school
Local children begin their educations at the New Hartford Elementary School, which has an 11-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Students at the C-minus-Niche-rated Torrington Middle School are 18% proficient in math and 39% in reading. Teens move on to the A-minus Niche-rated Northwestern Regional High School, which offers Advanced Placement courses.
Public parks covering thousands of acres
New Hartford’s Nepaug State Forest Park offers approximately 1,360 acres of land where visitors can hike, cross-country ski, camp, fish and hunt. On the northwest corner of the community, the 200-acre Brodie Park includes a 50-acre waterfront that gives residents access to West Hill Lake, popular among boaters and fishermen. Ski Sundown has 16 trails for winter sports on the northeast corner of New Hartford. Folks visit Callahan Park on Farmington River to play tennis and basketball. “A lot of fishermen fish on the Farmington River," New says.
Shopping and dining options in and around New Hartford
On Route 202, running through New Hartford, residents buy deli sandwiches, snacks and cooking ingredients at the bodega-style Radwick’s Coffee & Sandwich. Locals drink craft beer at Brewery Legitimus on New Hartford's Main Street. Down the street, people have breakfast and catch up with neighbors and friends at New Hartford Diner. Sawyer’s Restaurant & Bar in Torrington serves diverse dishes like curry bowls, chicken sandwiches and fish tacos. The Berkshire Café is Downtown Torrington’s premier watering hole for its dim, wood-furnished atmosphere and cozy bar food classics like chicken wings and BLTs. In Torringford to the east, there are chain retail options like Walmart, Michaels, Target and BJ’s.
Activities and events in and around New Hartford
New Hartford residents hold celebrations and weddings at Jerram Winery on Town Hill Road. New Hartford’s Beekley Library hosts a summer concert series of local musicians. Folks travel to Hartford to see works by artists like Salvador Dali, Claude Monet and Mark Rothko at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The Apple Cinemas Simsbury 8 is less than 9 miles away and shows newly released films. Folks travel 26 miles to Hartford's riverfront for the Taste of the Caribbean & Jerk Festival. The event encourages visitors to celebrate and learn about the cultures of the English, French, Spanish and Indo-Caribbean islands while consuming their dishes and listening to various musical genres, including reggae, soca, salsa, calypso, jazz and much more. Also in Hartford, people visit the Mark Twain House & Museum to see the American High Gothic-style home where Samuel Langhorne Clemens composed many of his classic works.
Traveling in New Hartford and beyond
New Hartford is mostly car dependent. Residents commute 19 ½ miles southeast to Hartford via U.S. Route 44. Residents pay $1 to take the bus from the New Hartford Post Office to Hartford. Springfield is 33 miles northeast via Connecticut 219. New Haven is 57 miles southeast via Interstate 91. For bigger trips, residents pay a visit to Bradley International Airport in Hartford County. “Road maintenance is superb in the winter," News says.
Photography Contributed By
Ed Messenger
