North East

North East is aptly located in the northeastern corner of Dutchess County. Established in 1788, it is one of the county’s earliest settlements. Its name was probably chosen as a counter to the town of Southeast, established the same year. Though initially part of Dutchess, Southeast became part of Putnam County upon its formation in 1812. North East’s population of 3,000 people is spread out over 44 square miles.

Excellent agricultural conditions made farming the prime industry for a long time. Today, the area is popular with visitors who are drawn to the area’s natural, unspoiled scenery. Taconic State Park, located in the northernmost part of the town and bordered by both Connecticut and Massachusetts, has two sections along the Taconic Mountain Range. The Rudd Pond section has trails, and boats and canoes are available for rental. The Copake Falls section has over 100 campsites for rental. Part of the Appalachin Trail, which ends in Maine, also runs through Taconic State Park.

The Village of Millerton, located in North East, is the area’s commercial hub, with shops and restaurants. The North East Community Center, located in Millerton, provides residents with recreation opportunities. There are camps for children, as well fitness classes and workshops, events and programs. A weekly farmer’s market is a popular destination.

Children attend the Webutuck Central Schools, also known as the Northeast School District. It has three schools: Webutuck Elementary for kindergarten through third grade, Eugene Brooks Intermediate School for grades 4-8 and Webutuck Junior-Senior High School, for grades 9-12. There are slightly over 800 students in the district, with about a quarter of them living in poverty. The district’s overall performance is solid, though not outstanding, with scores on state assessments hovering around the state median.

North East has fewer than 1,500 housing units, so homebuyers will find limited inventory. However, homes are available at several price points, making the town financially accessible to a large range of buyers.

North East is the town in the far northeastern corner of Dutchess County (which makes sense, doesn't it?) The primary village located within it is Millerton, a small, quiet and a bit trendy locale near the Connecticut border.

As a general Dutchess County rule, the closer one is to Poughkeepsie, the more population and development there is. North East is about as far away from that in the same county as it can be without being in Connecticut or Massachusetts, both of which it borders.

There is some traffic passing through on US Route 44 and on New York Route 22, but neither tends to be problematic. Sometimes, a little bit of tourism will cause things to pick up, but again, it's not that bad. You will need a car to get anywhere, because there is not a whole lot in North East and no public transportation reaches here. The Dutchess County bus system frankly doesn't even come close to this town, while the Metro North train to New York City has its last stop in Wassaic to the south, which is not necessarily a short drive. For Amtrak, you'd probably have to go to Poughkeepsie, which is definitely not a short drive from here.

One of the bigger draws in North East, aside from the cozy village of Millerton, is the parkland. In the northeastern tip of the county, there is a state park (Taconic State Park) as the mountains pour over from Massachusetts and Connecticut. There are also lakes and waterfalls nearby to add to the overall scenery. For hikers, there are mountains to climb, though the popular Appalachian Trail passes close to this town but not through it. Outside of the park (and outside Millerton), there are lots of wide-open spaces -- you could drive down Route 22 for miles and see nothing but pastures, hills, and a generally bucolic setting. The first time I ever did, it was hard not to admire it a little.

For nature lovers, there are a lot of things in North East to appreciate. For those not looking for a country lifestyle or who require certain local amenities, however, this won't necessarily feel like home to you. Shopping is very limited to some local businesses and the occasional supermarket, there are some good restaurant options but they are limited, and there are no hospitals or fitness facilities nearby, for starters. Furthermore, your choices regarding nightlife are scarce at best. This town is isolated, so if considering it, be sure that's what you want.

Otherwise, there's nothing particularly bad that one can say about North East, unless you consider rural areas to be inherently bad, which I don't necessarily.

North East is a relatively quiet town in Dutchess County comprised of the hamlet of Millerton. The area has long beautiful stretches of land, handsome farms, red barns, stately Colonials and more modest single family dwellings.

There are a good handful of great restaurants in the actual hamlet such as the critically acclaimed Number 9 which offers outstanding farm-fresh American fare with creative French and Austrian twists, a lovely wine list and a beautiful patio out back. Apparently the Wienerschnitzel is out of this world. Also worth noting, Manna Dew Café, Irving Farm Coffee House, Salsa Fresca, Oakhust Diner, Martha’s Restaurant, Taro’s NY Style Pizzeria, Sky Farm Exquisite Salads and The Round Tuit Restaurant.

Millerton is also home to Oblong Books and Music, a very cool little indie place which hosts great events such as the upcoming book signing by Frank Langella. They also have many interesting book readings and discussions as well a wonderful selection of books and a helpful, knowledgeable staff. Also in the hamlet are Harney & Sons Master Tea Blenders (replete with café) Country Garden Florist, Saperstein’s, O’Halloran Co., with its chic equestrian apparel and Gilmor Glass Works. There is a Grand Union Family Market in town on Route 44 so you can fulfill your grocery needs. For a few extra (though not many) shopping options you can head south to Amenia or west to Sharon, CT.

Luckily there is a cool local movie house on Main Street that has a Gallery Cafe with rotating exhibitions and a lovely little menu of coffee, chocolate and tea. There is also a Blockbuster Express if you'd prefer to stay in and rent a good flick.

North East Community Center is a wonderful local resource that is devoted to the enrichment of its community members. It has great toddler, youth and senior programs including playgroups, after school programs, a teen team and a volunteer driving program which takes senior residents to medical appointments and such. The center also offers myriad classes and programs like Kindermusik, a folk jam, gymnastics, yoga, defensive driving, tax assistance and GED preparation. They also hold a farmer’s market in summer and partly in winter.

There are quite a few great outdoor recreation areas in the immediate region and beyond including Taconic State Park/Rudd Pond is pretty large and lovely and has campsites, boating on the 64-acre pond, fishing, ice skating in winter and an extensive trail system for hikers and bikers alike. There is also Millerton Recreation Park in Millerton, Stissing Mountain in nearby Pine Plains and Housatonic State Forest over the border in Connecticut.

The median household income is $42,038.

The population is approximately 3,031.