Dover Plains

Named after a town in England, the town of Dover has two hamlets and a population of 8,500. It shares its eastern border with Connecticut, and sits directly north of Pawling.

Though it occupies a large area, Dover is relatively undeveloped. In 1994, the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center closed after 70 years. As one of the area’s major employers, the closure has a negative impact on the town. The building, located in the hamlet of Wingdale, was demolished in 2010. Plans are underway to create a multi-use development with housing and retail.
Route 22, which runs north to south, is the main thoroughfare. No major highways travel through the town, but two Metro-North stations, Harlem Valley-Wingdale and Dover Plains, make the trip to Grand Central in less than two hours.

The Dover Union Free School District educates 1,600 students. There are four schools: Wingdale Elementary for kindergarten through second grade, Dover Elementary for grades 3-5, with Dover Middle School and Dover High School for secondary students. The district’s performance on state exams is adequate, with 5 to 10 percent of students failing to meet standards. Approximately one-quarter of the students live in poverty, which poses a challenge to the schools. However, the district participates in the universal pre-kindergarten program, which allows parents to enroll their children in pre-school, tuition free. Kindergarten is a full day.

The best recreation opportunities can be found over the state border in Connecticut. The Macedonia Brook State Park, in Kent, Connecticut, is a 2,300 acre property for fishing, camping and hiking. West Mountain State Forest, located on 830 acres on the town’s opposite border with Beekman, has streams and wetlands, but no formal trails. The town operates a recreation department which has a park, Thomas J. Boyce, with a playground and equestrian facility. A section of the Appalachin Train, which stretches from Georgia to Maine, cuts through Dover.

People hoping to build homes will find a good amount of vacant land. Existing homes range from large homes on large properties to smaller homes needing work.

Dover is a town in Eastern Dutchess County, NY, just West of Connecticut and near the quaint country towns of Amenia and Pawling of Putnam, NY. It's home to many lovely hamlets like Wingdale and Dover Plains (Dover Plains is where most of the shops and restaurants are; Wingdale was once home to the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Hospital, before it closed down in 1994, due to insufficient funds.) The town also has a great park, Thomas J. Boyce Park, which is great for everyone, including kids: it's a place the family can spend the day out enjoying the natural beauty of Dutchess County!

People in Dover have access to great schools, wonderful restaurants like Big W's Roadside BBQ and the historic Old Drovers Restaurant and Inn (once the town's original meeting place), and the Chophouse Lodge. Some shops include Staples, a Subway, Hunt County Furniture Factory, a Freshtown grocery and CVS Pharmacy. Wingdale also has the Wingdale Supermarket and other stores as well.

A curious thing I found about Dover is the attention it's gotten from a quiet, reserved population called “Oniontown”. There's a lot of things said about this community due to disfigurement among some of the residents, but I don't blame them for getting upset when people enter their property and mock their lifestyle. These are the poor people of Dover and I wouldn't assume anything about them, chalking what most people say up to urban legends. Police will warn your kids to stay away from “Oniontown” (apparently they once sold produce such as onions off the nearby roads), but of course that only leads to more hype and speculation and, essentially, fear. I'd say, until you actually sit down and have a talk with a whole group of Oniontowners, don't think there's anything wrong with them other than that they are lower class than the rest of Dover and, therefore, have a bad reputation as well as a bad rap. That said, it's probably still best not to go, as they do like their privacy and it's good to respect your neighbor's wishes.

Dover is located off Rt. 22 after traveling through towns like Pawling from Putnam to Dutchess counties. Medical facilities include the Harlem Valley State Hospital. There are two train stations in Dover: Wingdale and Dover Plains. A visit to the High School/Middle School building will show you that the school district really encourages its students to feel proud of their work, as it's showcased all over the walls. Teamwork is encouraged here too, as students work on murals that are shown throughout the building. Your kid will have a great time here. Housing costs around $186,700 which is pretty affordable for Dutchess County. The Appalachian Trail, a hiking trail that runs from Maine all the way to Georgia, runs through the Harlem River Valley which the area is considered to be a part of. It's a beautiful place that will make you feel right at home!

Dover Plains is a cozy little hamlet located in the town of Dover in Dutchess County. Dover is a part of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown Metropolitan Statistical Area, and so is located to many large cities like Poughkeepsie itself as well as Newburgh, which is home to the Dutchess County Airport and both have many convenient amenities (Poughkeepsie is home to the famed Poughkeepsie Galleria, for one).

Dover Plains itself has an awesome park, Boyce Park, which has a cool playground and is great for kids and picnicking (it's also a wonderful place to take your dog, as well as he's leashed). Speaking of dogs, Dover Plains Library has Wrigley, a professional therapy dog which will listen to stories along with your kids during Storytime; he's also a great companion to the seniors of Dover Plains, and really helps people feel at home here.

Dover Union Free School District really cares about individuality and taking pride in one's' work; for instance, the hallways of the High School/Middle School building showcase murals done by the students themselves, as well as numerous works of art and writing.

The community of Dover Plains has its own train station, and there's one in the neighboring Dover hamlet, Wingdale; both can take you to NYC in about an hour and a half's time. Housing here is very affordable, priced around $180,00. You're also home to great medical care companies like Hudson River Health Care. For the Jewish families of Dover, Dover Plains is home to Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, a Summer Camp of 299 acres that unites its campers in their faith of Judaism, as well as creates a great community in a beautiful spot that's on the banks of Lake Ellis.

There's great shopping opportunities in Dover Plains to take advantage of like CVS, Sears, a Freshtown grocery store, the Monarch Creations Flower Shop, and the Hope Chest Thrift Shop (you'll never know what you'll find here, but whatever you find will be a treasure!). In Dover Plains proper you'll find great restaurants and eateries like Dover Cafe, Four Brothers Pizza Restaurant and Inn, East Dragon, and a McDonald's. In nearby Kent, don't forget to stop by the Fife n' Drum for lunch and hear great live music by local pianists (it was origionally established by a world-famous pianist from Italy, Dolph Traymon). It's right across from the Kent railroad tracks and is not to be missed.

Dover Plains is an overall great place to live comfortably and to safely raise a family in the beautiful Mid-Hudson Valley.

Dover is located on the eastern boundary on Dutchess County and borders Connecticut. The town was officially formed in 1807 but had already been settled in 1637 by the displaced Peqout tribe after they had been forced from the homes in Connecticut.

Dover is a large town, covering about 56 square miles, and is mostly rural. There are several parks and hiking trails included in the town of Dover, the most notable of which is the large Appalachian Trail that snakes from Maine to Georgia. A significant portion of the trail cuts through Dover, with several access points that allow you to pick a small hike and enjoy the scenery for a few hours.

There is a small village, called Dover Plains, that represents the most developed section of the town but the availability of shopping, dining, entertainment or any real amenities is pretty bleak. And it's difficult to travel elsewhere, not only because Dover is far from many larger cities but because route 22 is the only major roadway in Dover. There are, however, two Metro-North train stations that serve Dover on the Harlem Line and run into Grand Central Station.

For the most part, the housing and neighborhoods very greatly with a few newer developments popping up within recent years. Many neighborhoods are still pretty run down and generally uninviting, though.

The Dover schools do have a good reputation and the town is largely considered safe. Overall, Dover probably appeals to a certain kind of person. People who enjoy quiet, isolation and natural beauty would love Dover. However, people who need a more exciting pace of life will want to look elsewhere.

The Town of Dover is on the eastern side of Dutchess County, sharing a border with the neighboring state of Connecticut. Most of the town is rural and unpopulated, but there are two villages/hamlets of consequence: Dover Plains and Wingdale.

The former is the larger of the two by far, and probably the only one that you'd recognize as a village. There are good schools, some churches, a few restaurants/cafes, park lands, gas stations, and a supermarket, amongst other local businesses. The latter is much smaller and more scattered, with a small library, a diner, a little strip mall and a bakery being amongst its most notable attractions.

Living out on this side of the county means peace and quiet. If you drive in between Dover Plains and Wingdale, or outside either one in any direction really, prepare to see not much of anything. There are trees, fields, hills, and some smaller bodies of water, if that's agreeable to you; you'll also occasionally see houses and local businesses, but otherwise, most of the action in Dover is in Dover Plains.

Some neighborhoods of Dover are quite nice while some are a little weathered, but all are quiet. There's little in the way of local attractions, but the neighbors are friendly.

Dover is not completely without auto traffic thanks to Route 22, despite feeling somewhat isolated, but it's rarely a hassle. On the plus side, Dover is serviced by two different methods of public transportation: the Dutchess County Loop Bus which will take you to Poughkeepsie and the Metro North train (Harlem Line) to New York City. The latter makes Dover more of a viable place to settle for a New York City commuter, but be advised that it'll still be a long trip from here.

Aside from the supermarket and local shops, that's all you have in terms of shopping. For that, you'll have to go either to Poughkeepsie (maybe about 35-40 minutes depending on traffic) or Danbury, CT, depending on how adventurous you're feeling. For medical facilities, again, Poughkeepsie is an option, but there is a hospital to the northeast in Sharon, CT. As for fitness, there are no gyms in town.

A retiree or family looking to quietly raise their kids might find this to be a nice area, whereas a single person or someone looking for a trendy area with lots to do will probably be disappointed by Dover.

Dover Plains is a slow-paced rural hamlet of greater Dover, NY.

It is a pretty enough area and housing is somewhat more affordable, but it is a little lacing in the amenity and enterainmnet department. That being said, if you enjoy a simpler, more rustic and peaceful way of life, you should do fine here. As long as you own a car!

In Dover Plains itself, you will find some reprieve to the tranquility in its small stock of fair restaurants including a Subway, a McDonald’s, an American-Mexican Deli called Freshco 22, Dover Café and Four Brothers Pizza Inn, a family-friendly favorite with fresh salads and quality pizza. In brother hamlet, Wingdale, there are a few more decent dining options including the likes of Il Compare Restaurant, an intimate family-friendly place with solid Italian fare, The Lodge Restaurant with its charming decor, Ben’s Deli, Valley Diner and the big rave, Big W’s Roadside BBQ with its incredibly fork tender, succulent and savory hickory smoked meats.

When it comes to shopping, Dover Plains has a Freshtown, Renny’s Store, which is a specialty food store, a CVS Pharmacy, a Dollar Plus, a Redbox, Good Tidings and A Little Bit of Everything. Wingdale has the Wingdale Supermarket, Blue Owl Boutique and Consignment, Hunt Country Furniture, Style Haven, Tilly’s Accessories, Webatuck Craft Village and Grind Inc, which is a sporting goods store and Wingdale Hardware.

Parent town of Dover has a pretty well developed parks and rec department with a good sports program, lots of classes, a quality senior program and a lovely park, Thomas J. Boyce Park where you will find a nice playground and a skate park. Dover Plains also has the J H Ketcham Memorial Pool.

There are movie theatres up north in Poughkeepsie as well as over the border in CT.

There is a Metro North Train Station in Dover and the commute time to NYC is between two hours and two minutes and two hours and seven minutes.

Dover Plains students are a part of the Dover Union Free School District which is decent.

Dover is relatively safe and the crime rate is fairly low.

The median household income is about $50,361.

The population of the greater Dover area is approximately 8,699 people with far less than that in each of the hamlets.

Dover is a 56.3 square mile town in Dutchess County made up of the hamlets of Dover Plains and Wingdale. There is not a ton going on in this area so you really must enjoy the simple pleasures of peace and quiet and nature. And you should almost definitely own a car so you can make use of the amenities in the surrounding areas,

In Wingdale, you will find Il Compare Restaurant, an intimate family-friendly place with solid Italian fare, The Lodge Restaurant with its charming elegance, Ben’s Deli, Valley Diner and the very cool Big W’s Roadside BBQ with its amazingly tender and succulent hickory smoked meats. In Dover Plains, you will find a Subway, a McDonald’s, Freshco 22, an American-Mexican Deli, Dover Café and Four Brothers Pizza Inn, a family-friendly favorite with excellent salads and pizza.

As for shopping, Dover Plains has a Freshtown, Renny’s Store, which is a specialty food store, a CVS Pharmacy, a Dollar Plus, a Redbox, Good Tidings and A Little Bit of Everything. Wingdale has the Wingdale Supermarket, Blue Owl Boutique and Consignment, Hunt Country Furniture, Style Haven, Tilly’s Accessories, Webatuck Craft Village and Grind Inc, which is a sporting goods store and Wingdale Hardware.

For more grocery store options, you can take a drive to Millbrook, NY to Merona’s Market or J.P. Gifford Market in Kent, CT, a short drive across the border. A little farther out you will find a Food Town in Amenia and a Super Stop and Shop in Hopewell Junction.

The closest movie theatres are in Poughkeepsie and Millerton, NY and across the border in CT.

Dover is a short drive to Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent, CT. Also within range is the absolutely breathtaking Innisfree Garden in Millbrook which is famous for its Chinese landscape design.

Dover itself has a pretty nice parks and rec program and offers a quality half and full day day camp as well as tennis lessons, softball, karate, pilates, kick boxing, family movie nights, volleyball and basketball to name but some. Thomas J. Boyce Park is THE park in the area where many of these activities are held. The park also has a nice playground. There is also J.H. Ketcham Memorial Pool and a skate park.

There is a Metro North Train Station in Dover and commute time to NYC is between two hours and two minutes and two hours and seven minutes.

Dover students are a part of the Dover Union Free School District which is fairly good.

Dover is fairly safe and the crime rate is pretty low.

The median household income is about $50,361.

The population of Dover is approximately 8,699 people.

Dover Plains is one of the villages/hamlets on the eastern side of Dutchess County. Though it's bigger than the practically non-existent Wingdale next door, it's still a tiny community with a small-town feel.

Unlike Wingdale, there are a few more options in Dover Plains. There is a supermarket, a pharmacy, a few cafes or diners, some fast food like McDonalds, churches, gas stations and schools. Generally speaking, though, there isn't much to do. For nightlife, you simply don't come to Dover Plains, and because it's not all that close to any larger settlements like Poughkeepsie, you'll be driving a while for that or major shopping such as at a mall. There was a world-renowned colonial era restaurant nearby, the Old Drovers' Inn, but it has since closed.

There are a few more cars passing through Dover Plains as opposed to some of the other local villages, but you won't spend all day crawling through the town like you might in Poughkeepsie at rush hour or when there's quite a bit of "mall traffic." That simply doesn't exist here: it's a small, quiet town which is surrounded by rural areas and farms, and if you take just a short drive outside the center of the Dover Plains, you'll see those empty green spaces.

One plus this hamlet has is that the Metro North's Harlem Line runs through it, which gives commuters to New York City and points in between some options. Other than Route 22, however, there is nothing like a major highway coming through town -- you'll be driving a while on back roads before you find an interstate.

In eastern Dutchess County, things are a lot simpler, quieter, less populated, and cleaner than in the west near Poughkeepsie, Wappingers Falls, Beacon, and so forth. It is rather isolated, so if you prefer that pace of life, you may enjoy this town. Be warned, however, that while there are a few local amenities, which do not include medical facilities, you're still a fair drive away from real suburban civilization.