In Latin, amoena means pleasant or lovely—so it’s fitting that the rural town of Amenia’s name is derived from that word. The Dutchess County community on the border of Connecticut was once a hub for dairy farms and is now a quiet, pastoral setting, home to a diverse mix of lifelong residents, weekenders, and new arrivals. “It’s a beautiful town, and the views are just incredible. We have a lot to offer,” says Bill Flood, longtime Amenia resident and associate real estate broker at Houlihan Lawrence.
The greater town of Amenia encompasses seven hamlets that are separated from each other by marshes and wetlands: Amenia, Wassaic, South Amenia, Smithfield Valley, Amenia Union, Wassaic Creek, and Sharon Station. Leo Blackman, the town supervisor, has owned a house in Amenia for over two decades and became a full-time resident with his husband four years ago once he retired. In addition to the area’s beauty, he credits the town’s history as a selling point. “It’s very interesting, with a lot of diversity. Amenia has been very welcoming to a wide variety of people over time.” Blackman references the Jewish population who took the train (today’s Metro-North) to weekend in Amenia before people had cars and vacationed in the Catskills; the brick Beth David synagogue on E. Main Street dates back to the 1920s. Also, a property known as Troutbeck—now a boutique hotel—was once home to Joel Springarn, a New York City publisher who played a key role in the early development of the NAACP by hosting two conferences at the estate.
The Culture
The arts in Amenia is anchored by two institutions: Four Brothers Drive-In on Route 22 in the eponymous hamlet and The Wassaic Project. Throughout warmer months, the drive-in—owned by the family behind the local chain Four Brothers Pizza Inn—screens nightly movies and hosts pre-film events, such as car shows. Housed in a converted barn building on Furnace Bank Road, the artist-run nonprofit, The Wassaic Project, is composed of a contemporary art gallery, an art education center, and an artist residency program. “The project has brought a lot of families and artists up here, which has been amazing,” says Blackman.
Family Life
Amenia is served by the Webutuck Central School District, which has one elementary school and a combined middle and high school across the road. As of the 2022–2023 school year, the district had a K-12 enrollment of 606 students. Private education is available in town at the Christian Olivet Academy, as well as the Maplebrook School, a boarding and day school focused on educating children with special needs. Amenia Free Library on E. Main Street hosts a variety of family-friendly programming. Little ones can attend the twice-weekly story hour; teens can enjoy arts and crafts events; and adults can take part in book clubs and yarn club meetings. When you’re first moving to the area, finding a house can be tough: at press time, 13 single-family homes were on the market, and half of them had a price tag of over $1,000,000. According to Flood, residents of the Silo Ridge gated community pay a large portion of the town’s taxes, making the tax bill relatively cheap for others.
On the Town
The hamlets of Amenia and Wassaic both have small business districts, about a six-minute drive apart from each other. In Amenia, you can dine at Four Brothers Pizza Inn, the Amenia Steak House, El Avocado Café Mexican restaurant, and Yi Kitchen (a Chinese takeout spot). A bit outside of town, the restaurant at Troutbeck features a seasonally focused menu. The hamlet is also dotted with antiques and home goods stores to peruse, including Tent, Apple Antiques, Amenia Station, and the New England Village Centre. Wassaic is smaller and is home to the locally loved wood-fired pizza and Italian joint The Lantern, Vitsky Bakery, and Calsi’s General Store for groceries and more.
Looking to get outdoors? The Harlem Valley Rail Trail begins in Wassaic and extends north for 26 miles. Several creeks and the Ten Mile River drain the wetlands Amenia was built on and can be kayaked and fished. And, in Wassaic, you’ll find the old charcoal kilns, massive beehive-shaped stone structures that made charcoal for the Reed, Gridley & Co. Iron Works company.
According to Blackman, Amenia’s future is bright. “Our comprehensive plan calls for more affordable housing and densifying the downtown with new business. It’s a great place to live—I always try to convince people to move here.”
To find a real estate agent in Amenia or any Hudson Valley town check out near-me.hvmag.com/realtors.
