Garrison

Garrison is a glittering gem on the crown that is Hudson Valley. Hudson Valley living is unlike what many people will be prepared for, if they are not from the area. The idea of a place that is approximately an hour from New York City conjures up images of a busy suburb with bustling shopping, varied dining and well-manicured lawns. Garrison does offer some interesting dining but is different from this image in every other way.

Garrison is a hamlet in Phillipstown and it offers a spectacular setting for those who want to make the most of the Hudson Valley experience. Whether you are a visitor to the area or are thinking of a move, Garrison can give you a taste of the laid-back, country-style living typical of this larger area. The one-lane highway and the several mud roads are symbolic of the way Garrison defines itself. Folks live here because they like the idea of a quieter life style and they do not think in terms of rushing to places. They are not looking for a downtown coffee shop or a huge discount store in the neighborhood. They are looking for great nature walks, nice views and expansive lots. There is a range of housing options from small to mansion and this is reflected in the price.

Families with children should know that Garrison Union Free School District offers classes for kids from Kindergarten to 8th grade. High school involves going to Cold Spring or Highland Falls. The k-8 experience promises to be something special though with a 181 school forest and Outdoor Learning Gardens. Given the thriving artistic community in and around Garrison, the children can also expect opportunities to explore their creative potential.

Supermarkets and malls are roughly 20 to 25 minutes away although immediate necessities are available in non-chain stores in Cold Spring or Garrison. Peekskill is probably the closest place for more extenstive shopping. Given the limited shopping, it may seem surprising that there are many good diningh establishments in Garrison and neighboring Cold Spring. The tourist element probably has a hand in this development.

Garrison can be idyllic for the nature lover looking for a slower pace of life. Outdoor activities, history, cultural engagements are all icing on the cake, which is the natural grandeur of the Hudson Valley views.

Garrison is a lovely historical hamlet of parent town of Philipstown, NY with winding residential streets, attractive homes, proximity to the majestic Hudson River with breathtaking views of West Point and surrounds, some truly fine arts and culture and great golf clubs with sublime restaurants within. Garrison is filled with quiet charm and has less traffic than highly visited Cold Spring yet it is still close enough to all of the areas riches.

Garrison has a few high falutin restaurants including The Bird & Bottle Inn and Chalet on the Hudson, Bill Brown’s Restaurant, Valley Restaurant and The Tavern as well as the more casual and sporty The Stadium and the always popular Papa Johns for a quick pizza fix. In the charming neighboring hamlet of Cold Spring there are also some fabulous finds including Cold Spring Depot, Plumbush Inn & Restaurant, Riverview Restaurant, Silver Spoon Restaurant & Bar, Whistling Whillie’s American Grill, Angelina’s Restaurant & Pizza, Cold Spring Pizza, Brasserie Le Bouchon, Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill, East Side Kitchen, Foundry Café, Hudson House Inn, Main Course, Main Moon and Nick and Angie’s.

Garrison has a couple of antique stores, but the real shopping lies in the historic Main Street district of Cold Spring. It has a lovely little downtown section with a healthy dash of interesting boutiques, shops and services including The Beeswax Shop, Back in Ireland, The Country Touch, The Garden Studio, Romeo and Juliet, Silver Lady, Stationery Objects, Touch of Nostalgia, Shug, Momminia, Merritt Bookstore Volume II, Outdoor Sports, St. Claire Boutique and Knittingsmith. For more large scale retail shopping, the closest mall of some worth would be the Jefferson Valley Mall in Yorktown Heights, about 8.1 miles away. There is also a Walmart in Mohegan Lake about 6.5 miles away.

As far as food shopping goes, Garrison has Appalachian Market and Maple Lawn Farm Market. There is a Food Town in Cold Spring as well as Philiptown Farm Market, Pete’s Hometown Grocery, D P Mart and Maison Glass Delicacies. The closest large scale supermarket is Stop & Shop in Peekskill, about 6.7 miles south of Garrison.

The Garrison Art Center at Garrison Landing is a wonderful art center that holds rotating exhibitions of paintings, prints, photography, and ceramic sculpture and holds courses for adults and children including fiddle classes, classical drawing, painting on silk, bookbinding, pottery on the wheel, basic etching and Ukrainian egg decorating to name only a drop in the bucket. They have a special program for teens as well as a summer arts program for kids in K-8. The Russell Wright Design Center in Garrison is where Wright’s beloved retirement home Manitoga (a national historic landmark) is located. Folks can tour the house and grounds.

The Philipstown Depot Theatre located at Garrison Landing is a local performing arts center and resource which hosts plays, festivals, films and has classes for children and adults.

Boscobel Restoration is a prime example of Federal Domestic architecture. It is a stunning country home with equally stunning grounds and they host a wealth of special events on those grounds including the one of a kind Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival which is a stellar theatre experience with the Hudson River setting quite a glorious backdrop. They also hold the Taste of Boscobel, Yoga with a View on summer Monday’s, an annual Snapping Turtle Walk, the Great American Concert & Picnic, an upcoming presentation on historic cocktails aka “How to Get Tipsy in the 1800’s.”

The Desmond Fish Library has story hours, arts and craft sessions, homework help and free computer help.

Parent town of Philipstown has quite a well-developed parks and recreation program which offers a ton of activities and resources for kids, adults and seniors alike. Some examples of their offerings include an indoor tot park, Little Sluggers, Junior Nature Explorers, t-ball, Fairytale Theatre, Beading Bonanaza, Nature Scouts, Junior Fire Academy, different day camps, Foot in Mouth Players for teens, a Youth Employment service for teens, teen travel camps, floral design and ballet classes for adults, family bingo and pasta nights, classes in cooking and clayworks, mah jongg open play for seniors, a senior spring lunch, senior bus trips as well as dog obedience classes.

Clarence Fahnestock State Park is a resplendent 14, 086-acre park that boasts a beautiful beach, picnic areas, wonderful hiking trails, a pretty campground, boating, hunting, fishing and birding. Hudson Highlands State Park is a primarily undeveloped and lovely 6,000 acre preserve with a famous trail called Breakneck Ridge. This ridge was even featured in Newsweek as being one of the top ten day hikes in America. The park in general has picture perfect views of West Point and the Hudson River.

There is also Constitution Marsh Audobon Center and Wildlife Sanctuary which has lovely hiking trails and is a great place for birding. There is an Education Center there with a 500 gallon aquarium.

The Garrison Yacht Club right on the waterfront is splendid. The Hudson Highlands Country Club houses the exceptional Tavern restaurant with its locally sourced fresh ingredients. There is a sparkling pool as well as tennis and golf. The Garrison Golf and Country Club is yet another remarkable area institution with its stunning 300 acres with jaw-dropping 360 degree views of the Hudson River and mountains. The Garrison is home to two high end restaurants, one being the critically acclaimed Valley restaurant, a wonderful bar, a working farm, a four-room Inn and a lovely 18-hole golf course.

Hudson Valley Outfitters is located in Cold Spring and it is a premiere local resource to rent canoes or kayaks or plan guided tours for your Hudson River excursion.

The hamlet has its own Metro North train station located right next to the Art Center on Garrison Landing and commute time to NYC is is an hour and sixteen minutes on a through train and anywhere from an hour and thirty-six to an hour and forty-one minutes when requiring a transfer at the Croton Harmon station.

Garrison students are a part of the Garrison Union Free School District which is very good.

Garrison is pretty safe and the crime rate is relatively low.

The median household income is roughly $71,895.

The population of greater Philipstown is approximately 9,422.

Garrison is a small hamlet located on the banks of the immense Hudson River in Philipstown, NY. There's an undeniable small-town charm, similar to that of neighboring Cold Spring that's enhanced by the incredible variety of cultural programs available to both residents and visitors of Garrison.

While Garrison lacks the walk-ablility that makes Cold Spring so accessible, it has the size and variety of outdoorsy and sophisticated diversions that Cold Spring is lacking. In my opinion, the two little communities complement each other perfectly.

Boscobel is an incredible example of the cultural richness that can be found in Garrison. The house, which was originally built in Montrose 15 miles down-river, is available for tours that fans of history and architecture will definitely enjoy. But the grounds are really the crowning feature of this estate. The well-maintained grounds offer several hiking trails and gardens complete with beautifully groomed fruit trees. The estate also has a full event calender that includes concerts, Shakespearean plays, food and wine festivals and several other offerings. All of this over-looks the Hudson River Valley and, while there are ground-fees during the week, entrance to the estate is free on Saturdays.

Manitoga, estate of famed designer Russel Wright, is also located in Garrison. The grounds feature free access to 4 miles of groomed walking trails designed by Wright himself that connects with the Appalachian Trail. Guided tours of the home, Dragon Rock, are also available.

There are several other groups and organizations operating out of Garrison that offer various activities and community services. A large community emphasis on the arts makes Garrison a very interesting place to visit.

Unfortunately, it could be a difficult place to actually live. It is very expensive even just to visit Garrison for a day. And necessary shopping - grocery stores and the like - is a little scant. There is also very little nightlife. For more popular, modern diversion residents will probably find themselves traveling to Fishkill or Poughkeepsie.

Schools are also a bit of a difficulty in Garrison since there is no Garrison high school and students will either be sent to Cold Spring or across the river to Highland Falls.

Garrison, NY is a charming villa on the Hudson River, with spectacular views of the architectural marvel that is the military base of West Point, as well as the natural majesty of the glacier-made Hudson Highlands. Today it is one of Putnam County’s most well-preserved towns, with many dirt roads and a culturally creative community living at home in a small-town country atmosphere.

People come to Garrison for not only the amazing views of the Hudson River, but for internationally renowned events like the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, which takes place at Boscobel, a 19th century estate that is now a lovely museum and cultural treasure. Visitors and residents alike will love to enjoy and take part in the Garrison Arts Council (part of the Putnam Art Council), a well-revered organization offers delightful creative workshops and programs for adults, teens and children alike. All ages can appreciate the Russel Wright Design Center, where everyone can learn about and enjoy the creations of designer Russel Wright, who invented such everyday lifestyle products as appliances and dinnerware, and whose designs became an American staple of technological advancement and industrialization. The center also has a garden and in the summer, a camp for children.

Garrison’s main restaurant hubub can be found at the 300-acre center known as “The Garrison”, where you can experience fine dining at either The Valley or The Terrace Grille, go golfing at its 18-hole golf course, and enjoy a good drink with friends beneath the backdrop of the far-off Catskill Mountains in the distance (There’s also BBQ’s on the green every Thursday when the weather’s warm, and you can bet you can enjoy it rain or shine.) At Garrison Landing, you can visit shops like Antipodean Used Books and see a show at the Depot Theater. In the summer, it’s always nice to take a stroll afterwards and enjoy the river from the Gazebo behind the shops, on the village commons.

Except for the Philipstown Train Station, Garrison is in what’s known as “The Stix”, but people come here every year to get away from the big city (Manhattan’s Grand Central is only 55 miles away by train). Homes around here vary widely in price, as a ranch can be as low as $199,000 but there are also estates that as much as cost $6 million. The Garrison School District is a blue-ribbon school, which makes it top-notch and one of the best quality school districts in the entire country.

Come to Garrison if you love the arts and lovely Hudson River views. Being here is like going back in time.

Garrison, a hamlet in the town of Philipstown, sits on the Putnam-Westchester border. It’s known for its open spaces, art scene and proximity to the Hudson River.

Art lovers will find lots of appealing things about Garrison. The town is home to Boscobel, a restored Federal-period mansion, whose grounds host the annual Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Locals and visitors flock to the area to picnic, walk around the gardens, and take in one of the three different plays the Festival produces each year. In 1996, the Philipstown Depot Theater opened in the old train station, providing community members with a venue to stage their own productions. The Garrison Art Center, located on the riverfront, provides exhibit space for area artists. The center offers classes and summer programs for children and teenagers. Manitoga, the 75-acre estate of Modernist designer Russell Wright, is open to the public and is the only site in Putnam County to be designated by the Department of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark.

Garrison is also in touch with its outdoorsy side. Its inclusion within the town of Philipstown means there are abundant hiking trails, and its location on the Hudson makes the town a great place for boating. Constitution Marsh, an Audubon Society sanctuary, has an education center and a 700-foot boardwalk; canoes are available for those who wish to experience the marsh up close. There are two golf courses, 18 holes at the Garrison Golf Club and 9 holes at the Highland Country Club.

Everyday necessities and dining options are readily available; Garrison has easy access to Route 9, which leads to additional retail options to the north and the south. The Garrison School District serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade; after that students may attend Haldane High School in Cold Spring or cross the Hudson each morning to attend high school across the river in Highland Falls.

Though Garrison is populated by some well-known and wealthy residents, including former Governor George Pataki and Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes, there is a good selection of modestly priced homes, making it a great choice for middle-income homebuyers.

Left untouched by the hands of commercial development, Garrison is composed mostly of rolling farmland intertwined with woods and scenic overlooks of the Hudson River. Located within the Town of Philipstown, it differs from its Cold Spring and Nelsonville counterparts in that its more spread out and covers a large amount of land. Garrison is of the most secluded parts of Putnam and it seems to almost identity with Westchester County despite its country allure (neighboring Peekskill, which is located in Westchester, is closer to Garrison geographically than most towns in Putnam.) Beautiful views of West Point can be accessed in much of Garrison, with target practice audible on select summer days. New York City is an easy train via the Garrison Metro-North railroad station.

Although it doesn't have much of a business climate, Garrison is truly defined by its cultural characteristics. It's home to the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival during the summer months which is put on at Boscobel, a mansion/museum built in 1808 that epitomizes Federal-era architecture and the period's way of life. It's also home to the Garrison Art Center, a riverfront park that hosts art exhibitions, galleries, fairs, workshops and classes. The 300-acre "The Garrison," an 18-hole golf course with a fine dining restaurant has incomparable panoramic views of the Hudson River unseen by any other place in the Hudson Valley. One of the best aspects of Garrison is that it combines the outdoor environment with any cultural activity or institution year round.

Not that a lot of commercial development is necessarily bad, but it limits the market in terms of where and how much you pay for area services/products. Because it's not a bustling urban center, things tend to get a bit pricey and you'd need to be middle- to upperclass to live in Garrison. Nightlife isn't so great, so if you're prone to bar hopping, you'll want to travel into Peekskill or Cold Spring. Children usually attend Garrison Union Free School, but will have to travel to Haldane (Cold Spring) or across the river to Highland Falls to attend high school.

Garrison is a great place if you want to raise your family in a more subdued climate, are interested in a dynamic arts community, or enjoy a beautiful countryside environment.