Riverside Rockingham has forested space and village living
Buyers flock to Rockingham for its dynamic atmosphere. Residents can live in secluded rural homes under tall sugar maple trees or in established New England villages close to small businesses and sprawling state forests. Within Rockingham, there are two incorporated villages: Bellows Falls, with locally run diners and boutiques to the east, and the quaint Saxtons River to the west. The area is bordered by the Connecticut River, which also serves as the New Hampshire state line.
Dorand State Forest and kayaking on the Connecticut River
Dorand State Forest is on the west end of town and is popular for fishing, hunting and no-trace camping. Locals can spot moose, deer and black bears in the woods. Bellows Falls has several trails and encourages people to explore them with Walk the Rock Trails treasure hunt, in which participants earn stickers and other prizes from stores around the village. Rockingham has “a beautiful location along the river,” says Steve Schoppmeyer, a broker with Better Homes & Gardens Masiello Group Brattleboro. He has 20 years of real estate experience. Perched on the Connecticut River is Herricks Cove, a nature preserve with a boat launch for kayaks and walking trails for a hike or birdwatching trip.
Bellows Falls village hosts diners and cafes
The Square is a compact but lively commercial corridor in downtown Bellows Falls. Residents can grab pastries, coffee and deli sandwiches at Rockingham Roasters, or sample a multicultural menu with cocktails at Wunderbar. For groceries, folks can stop by Lisai’s Market in Bellows Falls or the Saxtons River Village Market further west. On the Square, there’s also the Bellows Falls Opera House, a theater that shows the latest hit movies and hosts a classic movie night on Wednesdays.
Over 120 years of Bellows Falls Alumni Weekend parades
“Bellows Falls has a great deal of civic pride and a beautiful downtown area as well,” says Schoppmeyer. Bellows Falls Festival is a one-day, family-friendly summer festival featuring live music and food and drink vendors. Bellows Falls Alumni Weekend is a unique reunion parade celebrating Bellows High School’s alums and has been an annual tradition for over 120 years. Graduating classes design parade floats and sing the school fight song while competing to win a banner. Bellows Falls Farmers Market is at Hetty Green Park on Friday evenings from June through August. There, neighbors can browse farm-fresh produce and baked goods from local producers.
Affordability in Bellows Falls, higher prices in Sextons River
Single-family homes in town range from $250,000 to $700,000, varying by lot size and square footage. “The most affordable housing is in Bellows Falls village,” says Schoppmeyer, “while properties in Saxtons River or outlying areas of Rockingham tend to get higher pricing.” Both Bellows Falls and Saxtons River have many Victorians, ramblers and Cape Cods along modest, small-town streets. In the natural expanse beyond the villages, buyers can find 19th-century farmhouses, Colonial Revivals and cottages, which usually come with multi-acre lots and are on the higher end of the price spectrum.
Bellows Falls Union High School has community pride
Rockingham School District serves the area, and kids can attend Rockingham Central Elementary and Bellows Falls Middle School, which both have C-minus ratings from Niche. Bellows Falls Union High School hasn’t received a Niche rating yet, but it hosts extracurricular activities for students. The high school recently held an event called Basketball With Bernie, where kids could shoot hoops with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and take home a free ball. The town is also home to the A-plus-rated Vermont Academy, which Niche ranks as the best private high school in the state.
Quick commutes to New Hampshire and Amtrak access
“People often commute to jobs within Vermont or over in New Hampshire," says Schoppmeyer. Commuters can cross one of several bridges from Bellows Falls into New Hampshire for work. Interstate 91 runs north to south in Rockingham for access to cities across Vermont and Massachusetts. There’s also an Amtrak train station in Bellows Falls for locals riding the rails to major cities across New England.
Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
