Redfield/Williamstown, Oswego County (Syracuse, Monroe: homes, to buy, school district)

[modified1]

Can anyone give us information on the Redfield/Willliamstown, Oswego County area? Thinking of relocating from NC. How are schools, job availability, general living quality? Thanks.

[VRE332]

It's going to be cold, also don't forget to buy a snow shovel.

[stapletonb4]

It's very, very Rural up there...I'm talking RURAL

[ckhthankgod]

Yes it is very rural. That area is a part of the Altmar-Parish-Williamstown school district or what we call A-P-W. I think the district has had some tax and money issues recently. Here's some information on that:APW district fighting budget crisis (video) : News : WSTM NBC3

Here's information on the district itself:Altmar - Parish - Williamstown School District

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/District.do?year=2007&county=OSWEGO&district=46010 2040000 (broken link)

I think Redfield might be in the Camden, Pulaski or Sandy Creek school district, but I'm not completely sure about that.

[modified1]

Thanks for the info. A couple more questions, is there much work available in the area (blue collar mainly), is it rural to the point of being backwoods hillbilly land or just nice out in the country? Thanks for the help.

[Sgoldie]

It's not the kind of place one visits often for no reason so haven't been there lately. There is lots of poverty in that part of the county and it's in the lake effect snowbelt. It's the kind of place that time forgot. The countryside itself is beautiful. Lots of wide open spaces.

We don't have hillbillies in the sense of the word brought to mind from a southern prospective. What you will find there are large old homes built around the turn of the century, some with little work done on them since then in more of a village center type scenario surrounded by homesteads on several acres. You'll wonder how it was that such places came into being. There will be defunct farms and lots of woods with few if any stores maybe a gas station or small family run tavern or grocery.

There will be no jobs to speak of as everyone has to commute to work in Watertown, Syracuse, or elsewhere for the most part. Those who do work from home are truckers and loggers, maybe a few handymen. You will also find several small individually owned camps used as personal hunting lodges in season outside the center of town.

Camden is a larger town in the same area at the foothills of the Adirondacks and rather quaint with a town square and such. There's a small adjacent downtown, nothing like big box stores at all though.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Sgoldie

It's not the kind of place one visits often for no reason so haven't been there lately. There is lots of poverty in that part of the county and it's in the lake effect snowbelt. It's the kind of place that time forgot. The countryside itself is beautiful. Lots of wide open spaces.

We don't have hillbillies in the sense of the word brought to mind from a southern prospective. What you will find there are large old homes built around the turn of the century, some with little work done on them since then in more of a village center type scenario surrounded by homesteads on several acres. You'll wonder how it was that such places came into being. There will be defunct farms and lots of woods with few if any stores maybe a gas station or small family run tavern or grocery.

There will be no jobs to speak of as everyone has to commute to work in Watertown, Syracuse, or elsewhere for the most part. Those who do work from home are truckers and loggers, maybe a few handymen. You will also find several small individually owned camps used as personal hunting lodges in season outside the center of town.

Camden is a larger town in the same area at the foothills of the Adirondacks and rather quaint with a town square and such. There's a small adjacent downtown, nothing like big box stores at all though.

Pretty much in a nutshell. Pulaski is another such town, that is similar to Camden. It is a biog fishing area too due to the Salmon River running through it. Same with Sandy Creek/Lacona. Central Square has some shopping, with the main place being a Super Wal*Mart. Some probably find work in Oswego or Fulton too.

[Jeromeville]

Redfield? That is just about the snow epicenter of the Western Hemisphere. Truly hardcore. I honestly don't know how humans can survive the winters there... (and I am a Syracuse native saying this......)

Not trying to exaggerate. You might remember all the national news coverage of the lake effect storm that wouldn't quit, a couple years ago. The TV crews all went to Mexico to get their pictures, because they couldn't get to Parish. Those who did make it to Parish, stopped in Parish because they couldn't get to Redfield.

[modified1]

Dont mind some snow, we moved down here from New Jersey 17 years ago and do miss getting a bit of snow in the winter although it seems to get colder here every winter (and hotter in the summer) but I don't know that we want to get buried in it either. Does anyone have any recommendations of a semi rural area with reasonable cost of living (housing) and enough snow to have some winter fun but not be inundated with it. I know its alot to ask but we've had about enough of the south and are looking forward to getting out of here. Thanks for all the help.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by modified1

Dont mind some snow, we moved down here from New Jersey 17 years ago and do miss getting a bit of snow in the winter although it seems to get colder here every winter (and hotter in the summer) but I don't know that we want to get buried in it either. Does anyone have any recommendations of a semi rural area with reasonable cost of living (housing) and enough snow to have some winter fun but not be inundated with it. I know its alot to ask but we've had about enough of the south and are looking forward to getting out of here. Thanks for all the help.

Try the Central Square area. It's rural/small town America, but is still pretty close to Syracuse too. Nearby communities like Brewerton, Cleveland, Constantia and West Monroe are within the Central Square school district too. Same with Phoenix too.

You could also look at some areas south of the city of Syracuse like LaFayette, Tully, Fabius, Pompey and the Nedrow area of the town of Onondaga. Further south is Cortland County and a community like Homer might be a good fit too. There's skiing in these areas and it's still easy to get to Syracuse, if necessary.

Here's some information to check out on each of these areas:https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/County.do?year=2007&county=Oswego (broken link)

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/County.do?year=2007&county=Onondaga (broken link)

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/County.do?year=2007&county=Cortland (broken link)

Schools - Central Square Schools - CSSD (http://www.cssd.org/schools.aspx - broken link)

Homer Central School District

Onondaga Central School District

Tully School District

LaFayette School District

Fabius - Pompey School District

Phoenix Central Schools District Office

McGraw School District

Home

Some more info:https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/County.do?year=2007&county=Madison (broken link)

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/County.do?year=2007&county=Cayuga (broken link)

Chittenango School District

Canastota Central School District - Canastota Central School District

Weedsport Central School District

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District

Hope this helps.......