I’ve lived in Saugerties for quite some time now, after Williamsburg, Brooklyn and then a while in Roxbury, Delaware County, and like most people in Saugerties I’m a happy camper..
With commanding river views, where the Esopus Creek empties into the Hudson River, the village of Saugerties embraces the nautical charms of a by-gone era. IThe iconmic Saugerties Lighthouse has no better postcard setting and the revitalized waterfront and marina offers a variety boating options, whether kayaking or canoeing, sailing or motor boating. In the center of the village is Diamond Mills, a hospitality destination overlooking waterfalls. But it is the main street, Partition Street, that drips charm: cafes, antique stores, a variety of eateries, an honest-to-goodness bookstore, and an old-fashioned movie theater. And what other small village can boast a Garlic Festival that brings people from far and wide?
But it is also Saugerties’ proximity to Woodstock that draws visitors and residents alike: the back roads towards Woodstock offer thick forests with hiking trails, cascading streams and secret swimming holes. Often referred to as “Saugerstock”, this collection of wooded enclaves has its own artistic traditions. Bob Dylan might have lived in Woodstock, but The Band lived in “Big Pink” West Saugerties. The Rock Academy, founded by Paul Green, carries on this tradition, as professional musicians pass performance skills on to a new generation. The surreal rockscapes of Opus 40 — a sculpture garden fashioned out of an old bluestone quarry, is one of my favorite places to spend a day or take guests.
And every summer Saugerties hosts ‘Horses in the Sun” (HITS) is an equestrian venue of international renown, creating a small town with an
international feel in summertime. But at its heart Saugerties is an agrarian community with a sometimes funky edge: a barn, a paddock and horses in the fields are never far from sight – Thomas B. Roberts, Lic. Real Estate Salesperson
