GREENE COUNTY, NY
County Offices
411 Main Street
Catskill 518-719-3255
www.greenegovernment.com
Greene County Chamber of Commerce
327 Main Street
Catskill 518-943-4222
http://greenecountychamber.com
Greene County offers its more than 49,000 residents the blend of an extraordinary rural setting, a complete range of goods and services, excellent educational programs, limitless recreational opportunities and an outstanding business community. In addition, there is an abundance of winter and summer sports activities available.
Lifestyle
Greene County is only a short drive to New York State’s Capital District and, with the New York State Thruway running through the eastern edge of the county; it is easily accessible to other areas of the region. It is just two hours north of New York City or Hartford, Connecticut. Boston is three hours away and Montreal, Canada is four hours away. Greene County is also close to other Interstate highways. I-88 is accessible west of the county, I-84 is accessible south of the county via the Thruway, and the Massachusetts Turnpike is accessible just north of the county via the Thruway. Also Greene County is accessible by nearby major air, rail and bus lines.
Greene County is considered the home of the Great Northern Catskills region. This is a region that attracts artists, painters and writers in addition to families to the region’s scenic vistas and unique blend of mountains, rivers and valleys offer great opportunities for a variety of lifestyles and interests. Home to the Catskill’s highest peaks and the Hudson River, the county provides endless opportunity for outdoor recreation. In fact this is one of the biggest attractions to the county – the great outdoors. The county is home to Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountains – the two largest resorts for skiing in the state. Residents can go boating on the Hudson River and spend an afternoon fishing or play a round on one of the 9 manicured public golf courses, or simply sit in a riverside park and take in the fresh air and scenic views. Greene County offers excitement and entertainment for every one of its four seasons. Summer brings visitors and residents to the Zoom Flume Water Park in East Durham. Or they can visit the Bailiwick Ranch & Discovery Zoo and then go for a horseback ride and experience Greene County’s scenic trails. The local ski resorts also offer year round activities including of course downhill skiing or snowboarding in the winter or summer adventures including Zipline rides and Mountain biking, skate boarding or go-carting. North-South Lake State Park is one of Greene County’s most scenic parks, with fishing, boating, swimming, hiking and camping throughout the summer and fall.
For those who want a more relaxed outdoor experience, the small towns, hamlets and village of the county offer a myriad of opportunities to explore unique shops, local farms, and quiet main streets full of shops and dining options. There are also plenty of annual events and festivals to be enjoyed throughout the county, including everything from 4th of July celebrations in historic towns to the Irish festivals of the Town of Durham. There is something for everyone in Greene County making it a great place to settle.
Services
In its historic past, Green County was a center of trade based around the Hudson River and the businesses that it supported. Today the county is a booming tourist and sportsmen’s area in the mountains, with farming in the north and east part of the county being the primary business and industry and water sports along the Hudson River.
The County affords outstanding educational opportunities at all levels. Public and private schools offer strong college preparatory, vocational and technical programs. Greene County Schools offer a variety of enrichment programs which take students beyond the normal curriculum. Academic enrichment in music, drama and art broaden the cultural awareness of local students and community. Accredited private schools that offer classes in kindergarten through grade twelve are also available. The County is served by several school districts.
Health care is a priority in the County and is well represented by a selection of facilities and human service agencies that offer a continuum of care, resources and support to meet the physical, mental and developmental needs of the community. The county is served by the Greene County Rural Healthcare Network. In addition there are hospitals available in nearby counties to serve residents health needs.
Athens
Village Offices
518-945-1551
https://athensvillageny.com/
The Village of Athens sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, four miles north of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Greene County. First settled in the late 17th century, the village, a port on the Hudson-Athens Ferry, became a thriving hub for shipbuilding, brick making and ice harvesting. Athens’ layout and architecture have remained essentially the same since the late 19th century. It has more than 300 buildings on national and state historic registers and has the feel of living museum of American architecture, with examples of many of the predominant styles of the 18th and 19th centuries. Athens is also home to the northernmost of the seven remaining lighthouses on the Hudson River. The small and friendly community is made up of an eclectic group of artisans, business people, and families who all enjoy the beauty of this historic area and the essence of village life. Living in Athens is an opportunity to appreciate the historic beauty of the surroundings and to live a quiet village lifestyle. The Village of Athens pulls out all the stops for its annual Street Festival and offers cultural and educational activities year round at the Athens Cultural Center and Library.
Cairo
Town Offices
518-622-3120
www.townofcairo.com
The town is located in the south part of the county, partly in the Catskill Park. The town is home to more than 6,600 residents. The town contains a hamlet also named Cairo. It is ideally located 35 miles South of Albany and ten miles West of the Hudson River. Formed as Canton on March 26, 1803 from parts of Coxsackie, Catskill, and Freehold, then re-named Cairo on April 6, 1808. The town is primarily a rural community that is surrounded by breath-taking views and extraordinary landscapes. The town is home to a new library that is quickly becoming a center of activity in the community. The town is also home to a park that serves as a gathering place for residents. Each year the community holds a very popular Apple Festival. The quiet lifestyle is a major part of living here – all within a short drive to the urban fun of Albany.
Catskill
Town Offices
518-943-2141
www.townofcatskillny.gov
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of the county. The town is home to more than 11,000 lucky residents. The western part of the town is the Catskill Park. The town contains a village, also called Catskill. The village of Catskill has a well-defined Main Street that is home to shopping and dining options, including some national retail and home improvement chains. There is a public boat launch on the Hudson river called Dutchman’s Landing nearby. Catskill offers a quiet small town life – beautiful countryside, farm stands, wild forest preserves, golf, boating, fishing, skiing, antiquing and fine restaurants all at a relaxed pace. Nearby towns like Hudson, Rhinebeck and Woodstock add to the areas charm. Centrally located near the culture of the Berkshires, Catskill offers great views, quality of life and very affordable country living just two hours north of metro New York by car or Amtrak. Catskill offers easy access to all types of outdoor activity, and a quiet, small-town quality of life combine to make Catskill an ideal place to live and do business. The area is home to two major ski slopes and a State Park within a 20-minute drive from the Village. The area boasts many hiking and walking trails, and there is boating and fishing on the Hudson River.
Coxsackie
Town Offices
518-731-2727
http://coxsackie.org
Coxsackie is a Hudson rivertown with deep roots. The lower village, once known as Reed’s Landing, began a period of growth in the early 1800′s but the surrounding area was settled much earlier. The old stone Bronck House on Coxsackie Creek was built in 1663. Today the community is home to more than 8,900 residents who enjoy a quiet lifestyle in a historic community. Downtown Coxsackie still retains the appearance of a well-established river community of the past with the Reed Street Historic District placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Even the waterlogged timbers of the old Hudson River freighter, Storm King, still rest in the shallow water where it sank at the dock in 1936, only a few hundred feet from Reed Street. Many buildings in the Historic District of Coxsackie still attest to this earlier period of growth. Numerous brick storefront buildings with ornate cornices line Reed Street. At the convergence of Reed, Mansion and Ely Streets stands the stately white Heermance Memorial Library. There are other structures of architectural interest and historical fascination in downtown Coxsackie. Residents can enjoy the leisurely area along Reed and South River Streets and then some relaxation at the water’s edge in Riverside Park near the remains of the old ship. Coxsackie is a classic piece of Americana and a great place to call home.
Durham
Town Offices
518-239-6122
www.durhamny.com
Located 30 minutes from Albany and 2 hours from New York City and covering 49 square miles, sits the Town of Durham, the gateway to the Catskill Mountains, with its magnificent vistas, woodlands and mountains. The town was first settled in 1771, this rural and pastoral community with its crisp clean air, friendly, outgoing people and old fashioned hospitality, offers visitors and residents alike amazing natural beauty; scenic, cultural, historical, natural and recreational opportunities. The area is home to stone bridges, waterfalls and several New York State designated scenic roads. Durham is also home to several Hamlets including, East Durham, Durham, located on the scenic Susquehanna Turnpike, Cornwallville a designated historic district, and Oak Hill, one of the eleven historic hamlets of New York. Locals enjoy many recreational opportunities including Irish and Blue Grass Festivals, Motorcycle Rallies, bird watching, hiking, fishing, hunting, bicycling, horseback riding, museums and a local water park. Durham is truly a community to call home.
Greenville
Town Offices
518-966-5055
www.townofgreenvilleny.com
The town is located on the northern border of the county and is home to more than 3,700 residents. The town has access to both growing business opportunities in New York’s Tech Valley corridor, and some of the best rural recreational destinations in the area. Greenville is a desirable place to live, work and play. Greenville offers views of the Catskill Mountains to the south. The town offers a rural environment for residents and businesses, good schools with wonderful parks and friendly neighbors. There is plenty of recreation year round in the area with close proximity to ski resorts and three golf courses. The town is also home to Vanderbilt Park which offers walking trails and sports fields for young and old alike.
New Baltimore
Town Offices
518-756-6671
www.townofnewbaltimore.org
New Baltimore is located in the northeast part of the county and is home to more than 3,700 people. The town was carved from the Town of Coxsackie on March 15, 1811 by an act of the New York State Legislature. In its early days, the town was a hub of activity with river boat and train traffic bringing people through the community on a daily basis. Today, New Baltimore with its rich history is primarily a residence for those who still farm and run local businesses, retirees, and people who work in places like Albany, Selkirk, and other parts of Greene County. It offers the quiet piece of American life that so many people seek in the modern and hectic world.
Windham
Town Offices
518-734-4170
www.townofwindhamny.com
The Town of Windham is a resort and rural community of more than 1,800, in a mountain valley surrounded by the high peaks of the northern Catskill Mountains. It’s a community where farms coexist side-by-side with a growing artist community, vacationers, and urban professionals working from home offices, artisans and contractors, and one of New York State’s premier ski resorts. It’s a four-season vacation destination, the Town of Windham offers first-class winter sports facilities, legendary trout-fishing, cool summer fun at an elevation of 2000 feet above the heat and humidity of the valleys below. It’s also home to spectacular fall foliage, and forests filled with deer, black bear, and game birds.
The town is more than a resort community; it is where people live who want to live a high quality of life. Some residents commute to work in the nearby cities of Albany and Kingston, while some commute to New York City. And many residents carry on a family tradition of farming. Whatever the choice is, Windham offers its residents and visitors an amazing scenic beauty and high quality of life that is hard to beat.
