Parish is a small town by Lake Ontario and Interstate 81
Parish combines small-town, rural living with accessibility. The town is just a few streets, with a public library, the fire department, some local restaurants and a handful of churches. “The fire barn is pretty much the hub of the village,” Mayor Jacqueline Murphy says of the Parish Fire Station Office. “It’s a nice small town, and we all get together and do stuff for the holidays.” Farther from the town center, multiacre properties hide behind thick rows of trees on narrow country roads. Hobby farms are also common in the rural community. Still, Parish isn’t too isolated. Locals go fishing and boating at Lake Ontario, about 20 minutes away, and Interstate 81 runs through the community, linking it with bigger cities for work and shopping. The area also has a Cap Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.
From historic houses to midcentury ranch-style homes in Parish
In town, Parish’s narrow streets feature Nationals and ranch-style homes. Sidewalks line the streets closer to town center, with overhanging trees casting shade. Outside the town center, traditional farmhouse-style homes sit further back from the road on open fields. Home prices typically range from $120,000 to $380,000.
Outdoor clubs offered at Parish's C-minus-rated public schools
Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Elementary School receives a C-minus grade from Niche. Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Junior-Senior High School, also rated C-minus, serves seventh through 12th grade and offers a variety of outdoor clubs such as skiing, trapping and archery.
Community parks with playgrounds to salmon fishing on Lake Ontario
Merrill Park, Parish’s main outdoor space, has a playground and a baseball diamond. Lake Ontario is about 12 miles from town, making it a popular spot for boating, bird-watching and salmon fishing in fall. The Little Salmon River snakes from the Great Lake to Parish for more fishing. On the eastern side of Parish, Happy Valley Wildlife Management Area has unpaved hiking trails across 9,000 acres, plus hunting during open seasons. Klondike State Forest’s multiuse trails are also open for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Parish's proximity to Lake Ontario creates intense winters
Parish’s proximity to Lake Ontario means winters can be intense and snowy. “The cold air blows off Lake Ontario and dumps it right here. We had over 100 inches of snow in one week,” Mayor Murphy says. However, locals are used to the cold weather, and they'll often take advantage of it to go snowmobiling or ice fishing.
American and Italian restaurants and social events at the fire station
The Grist Mill Restaurant serves steak, burgers and all-day breakfast. It has a homey feel, with booths, exposed wood beams and windows with flower boxes. Passarella Pizzeria and Restaurant, right in the center of town, serves pizza and pasta. Many local events take place at the fire barn. “We have our annual Christmas tree lighting there every Thanksgiving weekend. We light the trees, and then we have stuff for the kids,” Mayor Murphy says. For groceries, Tops Friendly Market is 7 miles away in Mexico, and Walmart is 10 miles away in Central Square.
Taking state routes and I-81 to bigger cities in Oswego County
Interstate 81 goes through Parish, linking it with bigger cities like Central Square. Many residents commute down to Syracuse, about 30 miles away. Syracuse Hancock International Airport is about 22 miles away. Oswego, home to Oswego Hospital, is about 21 miles via New York Route 69.
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Written By
Caroline Ernst
