Page 27 - 2023 Westchester Relocation & Moving Guide

COUNTRY LIFE:
NORTH SALEM & POUND RIDGE
For a lifestyle that feels like
a country escape every day, homebuyers turn to Northern Westchester’s pastoral areas, where green vistas, horse farms, and farmhouses are plentiful. Standouts include North Salem and Pound Ridge.
North Salem:
Open Spaces, Rural Places
North Salem has no problem being a quiet, sleepy town—in fact, that’s what it’s cherished for. The town is devoted to protecting and conserving the open spaces that give it its rural quality.
For many residents, Nor th Salem — which includes communities like Croton Falls, Grants Corner, Salem Center, and Purdys — represents horse country, and the town boasts a large amount of bridle trails for the equine-minded to explore. It also features about 50% of the remaining useable farmland in Westchester.
Among the town’s greatest attractions are Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard and nearby Outhouse Orchards, both of which draw big fall crowds for apple and pumpkin picking. Hayfields, located on the town’s border with Connecticut, combines a café, florist, and catering business and has built a dedicated local following. Purdy’s Farmer & the Fish is among the top dining destinations in the county.
Nor th Salem also boasts an array of housing options, ranging from
old-world farms to newer construction. Most of the town is zoned for four-acre proper ties, preserving its open-space feel.
Small-Town Feel,
Plus Privacy
The county’s smallest town, Pound Ridge features no streetlights but lots of wooded areas and hiking trails. It also has one of the most active recreation depar tments in Westchester and many volunteer organizations that put on a wide variety of community events.
The walkable downtown business district in Scotts Corners is about one block that you can walk in just five minutes. Westchester Avenue, the main street in the business district, has grocery stores, restaurants, a gas station, hardware store, and a post office. While the commercial district is much busier than it was 10 years ago, the changes in Pound Ridge still haven’t disrupted the small-town feel that lures many people to the area.
The real estate market here includes a mix of modern and contemporary homes that are very popular now, as well as custom-built and antique houses. For years, more than 50% of residents were people who owned country homes and would come to stay for the weekend, but there are many more full-time residents today.
Pound Ridge:
LIVING IN WESTCHESTER AND THE HUDSON VALLEY | RELOCATION & MOVING GUIDE 25
© KEN GABRIELSEN
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