The Town of Philipstown: Cold Spring and Garrison

Philipstown is on the Eastern shore of the Hudson River, in between Westchester and Dutchess County, New York. The town has two incorporated villages: Cold Spring and Nelsonville. Garrison is a hamlet in town that is popular for its views of the Hudson Highlands and the Hudson River. It is located directly across from the West Point Academy.

The charm of Cold Spring is immediate. It is an artsy, historic town walkable from the Metro North train station. Walking up the hill from the train station, you will find two or three streets of interesting shops, restaurants, art and antique stores, all local businesses.

There are over 200 beautiful 19th-century buildings in the Main Street area, making Cold Spring a designated National Historic District. Going down the hill towards the Hudson River, you will find a lovely park with river views, and a setting for summer concerts and community programs. 

To the South of Cold Spring is the hamlet of Garrison. While Cold Spring provides small town living with a walkable downtown and Victorian homes on smaller lots, Garrison offers country living, homes on large lots and drives on dirt roads.

The most iconic attractions in Garrison include the majestic Boscobel mansion and gardens, and the Manitoga - the former modernist home of the design Russel Wright. The mansions and large estates in Garrison provide peace and privacy that some crave.

For the nature lover, the town is wonderful. There is a great guide "Twelve Hikes in Philipstown" that provides information on all the population hikes with great views, including: the Consuitution Marsh trail, the Breakneck Ridge, Mount Taurus hike, and the Appalachian Trail.

The Stonecrop Gardens is a public garden that is perfect for plants enthusiasts and photographers. If you love golf, here are two country clubs in Garrison: the Garrison Golf and Country Club, and the Hudson Highlands Country Club. 

Although Philipstown is beautiful and life sounds idyllic, life there is not for everyone. Living in the country can feel isolating to some. For regular shopping at a big box store or movies at a movie theater, you will need to travel to Cortlandt in Westchester or Fishkill in Dutchess County, which are around 10 miles and 20 minutes away. 

Cold Spring and Garrison Commute 

Both Garrison and Cold Spring are stops along the Hudson Line of Metro North. Commute time to Grand Central Station from Garrison is around 70 minutes, and 77 minutes from Cold Spring. Driving wise, the distance is around 57 miles and takes around 80 minutes.

Driving to and from Philipstown are through small local roads, usually Route 9, 9D or 301. They connect to the larger highways like 84, the Taconic State Parkway, and the Bear Mountain Bridge.

Cold Spring and Garrison Schools

There are three school districts in Philipstown. The Haldane Central School District covers the Northern part of the town. Students living within the Garrison School District boundary attend schools there until 8th grade. After 8th grade, the Garrison schools students usually attend the Haldane High School. In the Southern part of town, the students may attend schools in the Lakeland school district. 

Visit our Putnam County School District page to find out more about all the schools in the county.

Cold Spring and Garrison Real Estate 

There are around 4,177 housing properties in the Philipstown. Around 78.8% of the housing are detached single family homes. 23.5%, were built before 1940. Around 9.1% of the homes are newer and were built after 2000.

Approximately 78.5% of the homes are owner-occupied, and 11.5% are being rented. 

In 2014, there were 44 single family homes sold in Philipstown, according to the Hudson Gateway MLS. The median sales price was $467,000 and the average days on market was 187 days. There were 16 homes sold in the Village of Cold Spring, with a median sales price of $444,500.

Philipstown Links

Town of Philipstown website: www.philipstown.com

Local newspaper: www.philipstown.info

Cold Spring Village website:www.coldspringny.gov

View more photos of Philipstown here

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