A historic town with a love for bigfoot and a tight-knit community
Where the Poultney River, South Bay and Champlain Canal meet, Whitehall has a quaint downtown that peters out into farmland and the forests of Adirondack Park. Founded in 1759 with the original name of Skenesborough, Whitehall was the first settlement in the Lake Champlain area. The area’s forests provide abundant outdoor recreation, but they’re also a rumored home for a certain hairy cryptid: Bigfoot. Sightings have piled up over the decades, the most notable of which involved multiple eyewitnesses, including policemen, in 1976. “There’s one or two that believe that they’ve seen Bigfoot back in the day,” says Rachel McNamara, a licensed real estate salesperson at Hunt Real Estate who has lived in the area for 12 years. The town has become so famous for Bigfoot sightings that the show “Finding Bigfoot” filmed an episode here in 2015. Whitehall’s love for Bigfoot has worked its way into its very identity; a bronze Bigfoot statue graces the town, which has been declared a “Bigfoot Sanctuary” and throws an annual festival honoring the legendary creature. Adding to the town’s quirky nature is The Grey School of Wizardry, a non-accredited college that teaches wizardry and esoteric studies.
Bigfoot and eccentricity aren’t the only defining features of Whitehall, though; the other is its people. “If tragedy strikes, unless a family declines it, there’s always some kind of basket raffle or fundraising going on,” McNamara says. “Nobody is ever left to figure out their problems by themselves.”
Swimming and boating in lakes, hiking in protected forests
South Bay is a go-to spot for boating, kayaking, fishing and swimming. Waterfront Park has a boat launch right out onto the canal, and Whitehall Marina provides a place for people to keep their boats. McNamara says that people often drive about 15 minutes to Huletts Landing to swim in Lake George’s famously clear waters during the summer. Vermont’s Lake St. Catherine and Lake Bomoseen are about 15 miles away.
Whitehall’s protected forests, like The Saddles State Forest and East Bay Wildlife Management Area, provide abundant hiking. “A lot of people use this area because they love the outdoors, they want to be outside as much as possible,” McNamara says, adding that it’s ideal for hunting. Winter trips to nearby mountains are common. “A lot of people use this area as ski slopes because you’ve got Killington, Whiteface, Oak Mountain, West Mountain, Pico and Gore,” McNamara says. The Skene Valley Country Club, whose logo features Bigfoot golfing, has an 18-hole public golf course right in Whitehall.
For history buffs, Skene Manor is a grand Victorian Gothic-style mansion built between 1872 and 1874 that now serves as a museum. Nearby, the volunteer-run Skenesborough Museum focuses on naval history.
Historic homes in the village give way to extensive acreage and farms
Colonial styles, Craftsmans and Italianate houses near Whitehall’s more densely populated center typically sit on under an acre. “In the village, you’re going to have the older, traditional-style homes from the 1900s,” McNamara says, adding that her own home is 110 or 120 years old. Most could benefit from at least minor updates. Fixer-uppers in need of gut renovations have sold for as little as $13,000. Homes selling closer to $150,000 may need more cosmetic updates, like a refreshed kitchen and bathrooms. Prices max out at about $200,000.
In Whitehall’s rural areas, homes sit on well over an acre; many have acreage in the double or even triple digits. Outbuildings like barns are common and there are several working farms, including Amish farms. There are also many updated homes and a smattering of new builds. As a result, rural homes have a wider price range. Fixer-uppers typically start at around $150,000, while homes with extensive acreage usually max out at around $500,000. Working farms occasionally hit the market with asking prices of up to $850,000.
Blending the love of Bigfoot and beer at the Sasquatch Festival
At Whitehall’s Sasquatch Festival, locals channel their inner Bigfoot for the sasquatch calling contest, which is judged by a local who claims to have heard the real deal’s call. Festival-goers also dress up for the costume contest, explore local vendors and enjoy the beer garden. “It’s getting bigger and bigger every single year,” McNamara says.
Local restaurants and businesses, farms with fresh produce
Local restaurants dot Empire State Trail. The Railyard Taproom & Restaurant is known for its cozy atmosphere and Cigar Brothers Brewing sometimes has food trucks. Businesses like Retro Hoarders Gaming Store and Freakopolis Geekery, a comic book store, line the main street. Green Mountain Food Services offers groceries right in town. McNamara says residents flock to orchards like Apple Hill Orchards or Hicks Orchard in the fall for apple picking, cider and donuts. “There are places around here for pumpkin picking, and local farms where you can do strawberry picking and blueberry picking throughout the season,” McNamara says.
Route 22 and Route 4 connect Whitehall to nearby communities
Empire State Trail is known as state Route 22 as it heads north and U.S. Route 4 to the south. Route 4 also turns east into Vermont. Whitehall Medical Center provides primary care right in town, but the nearest hospital is in Glens Falls about 23 miles away. The nearest major commercial airport is Albany International, approximately 50 miles south.
Extracurriculars at Whitehall schools
The Whitehall Central School District, which Niche gives a C, is a small district with just two schools and a student-to-teacher ratio of 9-to-1. Whitehall Elementary School teaches prekindergarten through sixth grade and earns a C, while Whitehall Junior/Senior High earns a C-minus. The school’s extracurriculars include sports teams, honor societies and an active drama club.
Heavy rain brings potential flooding
Whitehall has a history of flooding after heavy rain. Impacted by the town’s position where multiple waterways meet, past floods have affected roads and homes. During major flooding events, the local fire department is dispatched to help pump out flooding basements.
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Written By
Christina Norwood
