Warren is a quiet rural community where residents embrace the outdoors
Full of farmland and green trees, the town of Warren is a rural escape in Herkimer County. The area is full of open space, and that’s how people prefer it. “I like that it’s quieter,” says Kaylee Barrett, a manager at Mister Shake, one of the region’s few nearby restaurants. “People will sit on the back deck here and talk. It’s just a peaceful atmosphere.” Residents can spend their days outdoors at a lake or on a hunting trip. Several amenities, like stores and parks, can be found a few miles away in Richland Springs.
Colonial Revival homes and farmhouses often sit on large lots
Warren’s hamlets are surrounded by farmland spread across the area’s hills. Tree-covered mountains can often be seen in the backdrop. The area has Colonial Revival homes, usually ranging from $45,000 to $130,000. Larger traditional properties and farmhouses with several acres of land can run from $200,000 to $330,000. Large parcels of land are also available and often sell between $4,000 and $11,000 per acre. Two-lane roads wind through the car-dependent community and typically do not have sidewalks, though Jordanville’s Main Street does have them. Yards vary in size but can feature trees and small bushes near the house.
Fishing and kayaking on Weaver Lake, plus hunting and public golf
Weaver Lake offers fishing and kayaking opportunities; anglers can expect to catch crappie, perch, bass and pickerel. Young Lake is popular for ice fishing and contains bluegill, perch and crappie. Hunting is popular in the area. White-tailed deer season is in fall and winter, and turkey season opens in the spring and fall. A few miles south, Meadow Links Golf Club takes public tee times for its 18-hole course and hosts special events like weddings. Richfield Springs’ Spring Park has a playground and a pavilion. It hosts a weekly summer concert series on Wednesdays. The village of Warren is around 8 miles from Glimmerglass State Park, which sits along Otsego Lake and features a public beach, hiking and biking trails, a kayak launch and playgrounds.
Several restaurants and grocery stores are found in Richland Springs
The community is short on restaurants, save for The Estate at Maplewood, an upscale barbecue eatery and bar that also hosts special events. Just west of the community, Mister Shake is an old-school burger and ice cream shop. It has become a regional staple thanks to its “monster milkshakes” and a mini-golf course that costs $6 per visit, or $3 for a second round. “We see the same customers all the time,” Barrett says. “We ask about their families. We’re on a first-name basis with them. They just ask for ‘the normal.’” Other spots, like New York Pizzeria and Cassidy’s Diner, are found in Richland Springs. It’s also where residents shop: The town has a Dollar General and a Price Chopper. Nearby Spring Park hosts the Richfield Springs Farmers Market on Thursdays and Saturdays in the summer and fall.
A split between Richfield Springs and Owen D. Young school districts
The community is split between two school districts. Richfield Springs Central School District serves the southern half. Kindergarten through sixth-grade students attend Richfield Spring Elementary, which earns a B-minus Niche score. Richfield Springs Junior/Senior High School, for grades 7-12, receives a C rating.
Students in the northern half attend the Owen D. Young Central School District. Owen D. Young Central School serves prekindergarten through 12th-grade students and holds a C-minus Niche score. The school’s Robert B. Woodruff Outdoor Learning Center consists of more than 50 acres of woods, caves and streams where kids can spot wildlife and study rock formations. It is open to the public year-round except during school hours.
Easy access to Cooperstown, but heavy snowfall is typical
U.S. Route 20 passes through the town via the village of Warren. The community is around 15 miles from Cooperstown and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Fans of America’s Pastime often stay in Warren at places like the Cooperstown KOA Journey campgrounds. Utica is close to a 30-mile drive, and Syracuse Hancock International Airport is close to 80 miles west. Little Falls Hospital, with 25 acute care beds, is less than 20 miles north. The area can receive heavy snow in the winter, and several restaurants and other businesses close from early October through mid-March.
