Veteran offers acreage alongside good schools and access to essentials
The defining line between Veteran and Horseheads is almost shockingly clear; entering Veteran, Horseheads’ abundant shops and suburban neighborhoods fall away, replaced by open, gently rolling farmland. “Living in Veteran, you’re just looking for quiet country living, easy access to shopping and malls, the airport — all that is within five minutes away,” says Keith Gustin, a licensed real estate salesperson at Howard Hanna Real Estate Services who has sold homes here for 21 years and owns land in Veteran. “You’re 20 minutes to the state parks, Watkins Glen and Seneca Lakes.” A country lifestyle, complete with large plots of land, and easy access to shopping and entertainment are an unusual mix, but it’s one that has paired with good schools to make Veteran a popular place to live.
Hiking, fishing and hunting in Veteran, 20 minutes to Watkins Glen
Mark Twain State Park is home to the Soaring Eagles Golf Course, which is an 18-hole public course. During the winter, the park allows cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and bow hunting is allowed when it’s in season. It’s far from the only place to hunt, though. “A lot of people do own land, so they hunt on their land,” Gustin says, adding that snowmobiling and four-wheeling are also popular activities. The Catherine Valley Trail offers hiking along Veteran’s west side, and there’s a popular fishing spot along Catherine Creek. Gustin says Seneca Lake and Watkins Glen State Park, which is full of hiking paths, waterfalls and lakes, are frequent destinations for Veteran residents because they’re only about 20 minutes away. All this outdoor activity, he says, is especially good for local kids. “It’s quiet, nice, fun. You get them out and let them get out in the outdoors and get that some of that dust off from being on their tablets and everything else.”
Country living with space to spread out
Veteran’s ranch-style homes, colonials and Cape Cods sit along winding country roads or at the end of long gravel driveways. While a few homes sit on just under an acre, many homes have at least 2 acres — or much more, with room for homesteading. There are even a few working farms in the area. “The people I sell homes to in Veteran just want to be out in the country,” Gustin says. “Nine times out of 10, they’re looking for a house that has land.” As a result, Veteran has a wide range of home prices; most fall between $170,000 and $530,000, but truly extensive acreage can occasionally cause homes to sell for more. “You can get a home that’s new construction on one of the hills that stands on 20 acres for $600,000 or $700,000, or you could go down the road and find a house that’s on 5 acres for $175,000,” Gustin says.
Extracurriculars at Horseheads High
Children in Veteran are served by Horseheads Central School District, which Niche gives a B-plus. They can attend Ridge Road School, which has a B-minus, from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade before moving on to the B-rated Horseheads Intermediate School for fifth and sixth grades. Horseheads Middle School also earns a B, while Horseheads High School has a B-plus. The high school offers extracurriculars like environmental science, scary movie and mock trial clubs. Elmira College is also nearby, about 12 miles away.
Taking Routes 14 and 13 into Horseheads and Elmira
State Routes 14 and 13 pass through Veteran, both leading south into Horseheads and Elmira. Elmira’s downtown is home to amenities like St. Joseph’s Hospital, which is about 11 miles away. Elmira Corning Regional Airport is about 10 miles away and offers commercial flights with destinations within the United States. For international flights, Ithaca Tompkins International Airport is 29 miles away.
Shops and restaurants in nearby Horseheads
Millport, a small section on the western side of Veteran, has an antique store and The Royal Treat, which offers soft-serve ice cream. For everything else, residents drive 5 miles into Horseheads — a 5- to 10-minute drive for most residents. The village is full of locally owned and chain restaurants and major retailers like Kohl’s and Target. Arnot Mall has even more major retailers like JCPenney and Hot Topic as well as a movie theater. Residents can stock up on groceries at Walmart, Aldi, Sam’s Club or Jubilee Foods. Downtown Elmira is about 12 miles away and also has a lot of popular restaurants and grocery stores like Wegmans.
Hockey games at The Murray Athletic Center,
The Murray Athletic Center, locally known as “The Domes,” is in veteran and serves as the official athletics center of Elmira College. People head to there to watch ice hockey and basketball games. Residents also head into Horseheads and Elmira for community events, from holiday parades to the Elmira Street Painting Festival.
Reducing flooding risk throughout Chemung County
Flooding is a concern throughout parts of Chemung County. In 1972, Hurricane Agnes caused major, widespread flooding in the area, but two flood control reservoirs were constructed to support existing storm levees. Though flooding is still a concern, the risk is greatly reduced.
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Written By
Christina Norwood
