Tight-knit community and natural beauty in Throop
Throop, 3 miles north of Auburn, is a rural town in the Finger Lakes region with about 2,000 residents. “The main attraction here is really just the community feel,” says Kathy McGill, town clerk and a resident for over 33 years. “It’s one of those quaint, little places where you take care of your neighbor.” Community mainstays include Classic Cones, Sawyer Park and the Throopsville Community Church. There’s also easy access to businesses in Auburn and outdoor recreation throughout Cayuga County. “The lakes are 4 or 5 miles away,” McGill says. The town’s small size keeps the community close-knit. “If somebody’s dog gets loose, we generally know whose dog is whose," McGill says. "That’s just the kind of community we have.”
Farmhouses and ranch-style homes with land
Throop’s single-family homes sit along tree-lined country roads that cut through rolling green landscapes. Construction ranges from the mid-19th century to the present, with older farmhouses featuring gabled roofs, front porches and pastel lap siding. More recent builds lean toward ranch-style designs with attached garages. Many properties include acreage, and thoroughfares like Turnpike Road are more densely developed with homes than other streets. “We have municipal water for most of the major roads,” McGill said. “The secondary roads are generally on a well. We don’t have any sewer — we are all septic.”
Home prices range from about $50,000 to $400,000, depending on size and features. McGill says the town may approve six to eight permits for new homes each year. “We try to keep the growth sustainable," she says.
Academic opportunities at Weedsport Junior/Senior High
Throop is part of several school districts, including the Weedsport Central School District, which Niche rates B-minus overall. Kids in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade may start at Weedsport Elementary before moving to Weedsport Junior/Senior High for sixth through 12th grade — both schools are rated B-minus. At the latter, teens can explore electives like astronomy, digital photography and drone design and application.
Inclusive play, sports and lake days in Cayuga County
Sawyer Park is the town’s gathering place for picnics, barbecues and occasional community events. “It’s so busy all summer long,” McGill says. In 2024, the park was renovated with pickleball courts and an inclusive playground featuring sensory play and a wheelchair-accessible glider. Nearby, the Throop Sports Complex includes Little League and soccer fields.
Three miles away in Auburn, Casey Park offers a community pool, basketball courts and an ice skating rink. Nearby, the 100-year-old Highland Park Golf Club offers a public, 18-hole course with countryside views. Six miles away, Emerson Park links to Owasco Lake — a popular spot to swim, boat and fish for rock bass and yellow perch. There’s hiking all over Cayuga County, but 10 miles away, the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge offers over 5 miles of woodland trails that wind past brooks and ponds.
Biscuits, pasta and cannoli donuts in Auburn
Commercial activity is limited in Throop, but there are a few small businesses. “As far as dining, we have Classic Cones,” McGill said. “They sell ice cream, burgers and whatnot. That’s the only gig in town — the parking lot is usually full.” Another local fixture, Mitchell’s Western Store, specializes in cowboy apparel, from boots and 10-gallon hats to flannels and big shiny buckles. McGill says that residents head into Auburn for most shopping and dining.
To start the morning in Auburn, Pavlos’ Restaurant is an old-school brunch diner serving hot coffee and country specialties, like corn beef hash and buttermilk biscuits smothered in sausage gravy. For dinner, Lasca’s Restaurant & Carryout has been a date-night destination for more than 35 years, serving seafood, pasta and curated wines in a candlelit setting. The Good Shepherds Brewing Company, often called Shep's, pours craft ales and hosts occasional live music. Family-run Camerons Bakery bakes breads, cakes and pastries daily, including cannoli donuts, chocolate peanut butter pies and lemon danish. Wegmans, Walmart and Aldi anchor grocery shopping, while the Auburn Farmers Co-op Market provides local produce, flowers and homemade goods.
Throop’s town calendar
Throop has an active government, with monthly board meetings for planning and zoning, where the community can have a voice. “We have a fantastic town board,” McGill says. Throop Seniors Group meets monthly at Town Hall to snack and socialize. “They put together picnics and things like that,” McGill says. There are occasional gatherings throughout the year, too, like craft-and-farmers markets at Sawyer Park and the town-wide yard sale at the Throop Sports Complex.
Car-dependent town with nearby access to the hospital and airport
Throop is considered car-dependent. State Route 38 passes through town, providing a direct route to Auburn. Auburn Community Hospital is 3 miles away, and Syracuse Hancock International Airport is a 31-mile drive.
