$235,541Average Value$88Average Price per Sq Ft1Home For Sale
Rural small-town and spiritual living
The Second Great Awakening swept across the United States in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Protestant ideals were revived during this time, when religious values, church membership and social reform took hold as central tenets of American society. In the following years, Hydesville, a small town in Western New York, lit the flame for a new kind of awakening, the Spiritualist Movement. The region was a hot spot for new progressive communities, and the agricultural town of Pomfret was a hub of that social movement. Today, Pomfret consists of rural farmland, the Village of Fredonia and multiple hamlets such as Lily Dale, the largest Spiritualist center in the world. "Lily Dale is a large draw for some buyers," says Louis Dispenza, a local Realtor with Midtown Realty, who has been in the industry for almost 20 years. "But Fredonia is one of the most sought-after villages in the county, with great schools." Overall, in addition to highly-rated schools, the town offers residents an eclectic choice of rural small-town and spiritual living within 44 square miles.
Pomfret residencies consist of large plots of land making it a rural small-town living.
Pomfret draws buyers for its farming charm and proximity to Fredonia.
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Special education programs at Fredonia High
The Fredonia Central School District earns a B-plus on Niche and is rated the best school district in Chautauqua County. Pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners may attend Wheelock Early Childhood Center, which offers full- and half-day classes. B-rated schools include Fredonia Elementary for first through fourth grade and Fredonia Middle for fifth through eighth grade. Fredonia High School earns a B-plus and is one of three county schools that offer Special Olympics Unified Champion School programming. This program aims to provide inclusive sports and activities for those with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. The State University of New York at Fredonia is also nearby.
Fredonia School district is rated the best school district in Chautauqua County.
Pomfret Pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners may attend Wheelock Primary School.
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Bungalows, colonial- and ranch-style homes
Fredonia is the town's residential and commercial hub. With a population of just over 13,000 residents as of the 2020 census, nearly 10,000 reside within the village. Residential streets give way to small bungalows, Cape Cods, Colonial Revivals, and historic colonial- and ranch-style homes priced from the $100,000s to the $500,000s. Pomfret's surrounding landscape consists of secluded properties scattered between swaths of farmland. Most of these properties consist of colonial- and ranch-style homes on spacious lots. Properties closer to Fredonia and Van Buren Bay, the town's only lakeside hamlet, can range from the mid-$200,000s to the $500,000s. Manufactured homes are priced from $30,000 to over $90,000, depending on acreage, while plots of land can range from around $85,000 to the mid-$400,000s. The town earns a CAP Index score of 2 out of 10, compared to the national average of 4. Lily Dale is a designated nonprofit religious organization, which means potential homebuyers need approval from the Lily Dale Assembly before purchasing a home. Bungalows and cottages offer small-town charm, but little information is available regarding sales prices. "Most home sales are word-of-mouth transactions, and most are passed down throughout the family," Dispenza says. Traditional mortgages are also unobtainable when buying property in the hamlet.
Residential streets give way to small Bungalows, Cape cods, Colonial-Revival and ranches.
Fredonia roads feature a mix of 20th-century bungalows, Cape Cods, Colonial Revivals and ranch-style homes, with some properties dating back to the 19th-century.
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Village parks and Lake Erie views
Neighborhood parks are scattered around Fredonia. Barker Commons is a public green space along Main Street with fountains, park benches and a gazebo. It also serves as a gathering place for community events. Down the road, Russell Joy Park features a playground and sports courts, including four pickleball courts. Dunkirk's Point Gratiot Park is about 4 miles from the village and features stretches of sandy beach along Lake Erie. A covered pavilion makes it a favorite spot for sunset picnics, while a 1-mile path weaves around the point and leads to the historic Dunkirk Lighthouse. Just outside the village proper, The Vineyards Golf Course features a public 18-hole course surrounded by vineyards. Lily Dale also features its own community parks. Green spaces include a public dog park and a playground. The park adjoins a short nature trail that weaves around Leolyn Woods, one of the few old-growth forests in the region. More trails await at the nearby Greystone Nature Preserve, one of the many wooded preserves that make up Pomfret's rural landscape.
The light house in Dunkirk Township dates back to 1826.
Russell R. Joy park is Fredonia's main park for outdoor activities such as tennis, pickleball, basketball, baseball and even picnics.
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Amenities in the village
Local businesses line the village's Main Street, while the Fredonia Opera House is up the road. Establishments range from casual American eateries to upscale Italian fare at Campano's Cucina. Tuscany Market & Deli is known for its specialty and made-to-order subs, but the village's most iconic landmark is The White Inn, a historic hotel and restaurant established in 1868. "They were closed for years, but they just reopened with brand new renovations, and their menu is amazing," Dispenza says. Chain grocers like Aldi and Tops Friendly Markets are about 2 miles east on the outskirts of the village. Big-box stores, including Walmart Supercenter and Tractor Supply Co., are scattered along U.S. Route 60 and Vineyard Drive. Ten miles away, Lily Dale also features its own eclectic mix of seasonal cafes, crystal shops and spiritual gift stores.
Fredonia Opera House is Fredonia's center of entertainment for residents with events, movies and shows.
Fredonia's most iconic landmark is The White Inn, a historic hotel and restaurant established in 1868.
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Festivities along Main Street
Fredonia hosts five major festivals a year, including Miracle on Main Street, during which residents gather around Barker Commons for the village tree lighting, visits from Santa and caroling. Red, White, and Blues is another favorite event celebrating the region's local wineries every fall. Patrons can grab a glass of red or white wine while blues music echoes through the streets. In the summer, Lily Dale hosts 10 weeks of summer programming with seminars, workshops and healing services centered on the spiritual realm. Year-round events include weekly church services, yoga classes and meditation sessions. Approximately 20 miles away, the Chautauqua Institution was born out of a social movement in the late 19th and early 20th century. The Chautauqua Movement emphasized adult education and today the Institution attracts thousands of intellectuals and creatives during nine weeks of summer programming.
In the summer, Lily Dale hosts 10 wheels of summer programming with seminars, workshops and healing services centered on the spiritual realm.
Fredonia hosts five major festivals a year, including Miracle on Main Street.
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Getting around Pomfret
The Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System offers public transportation throughout the town. Regular bus service connects residents from Fredonia to communities like Dunkirk and Mayville. Service from Jamestown to Lily Dale is available by request. However, the town's rural nature makes Pomfret a car-dependent community. Dunkirk's Brooks Memorial Hospital is about 7 miles from the heart of town or 3 miles from Fredonia. Erie International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport are approximately 60 miles away via Interstate 90.
Written By
Lillie Duston
Photography Contributed By
Jack Lourenco
Video By
Benjamin Rose
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GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Pomfret, NY sell after 233 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Pomfret, NY over the last 12 months is $135,000, down 22% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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