Delaware County/Western Catskill Question (Kingston, Oneonta: buying, school districts, live in)

[Hudlander]

I decided to take a foliage drive, starting over by Kaaterskill Falls. It was not very relaxing, way too many damn people.
Spending a lot of time in the DC area, I enjoy going to far western MD (Garrett County) and the highlands of WV (Corridor H), which are very remote.

What I wanted to know about Delaware County, so the Catskills as of Wednesday 10/19 were at Peak.
However, as soon as I crossed over to Delaware County on Rt 28, the leaves were GONE!
It went from being partly cloudy, to totally cloudy, and very dreary.
I did like how peaceful it felt, not many tourists, but where were the leaves?

I wanted to ask, why is it that the county line has such a sharp cutoff with foliage?
Like in Western MD/Highlands of WV, the cutoff is the Allegheny Front, once you cross it, you get over 2500 feet, and you stay there. East of the front, you never get that high, and as soon as you reach a peach, you drop to a valley before rising.

On Route 28, it didn't seem to have that same plateau as the WMD, in fact going to Andes you went downhill, yet there still was no foliage, what gives?


Second, it felt like a different culture there. Ulster, Greene, feel like playgrounds for NYCers, whereas Delaware County felt much more like Appalachia light or, I suppose, the southern tier (I have never been to the Southern tier), can someone more familiar describe the area?

I do know Delaware County is amazing large (1K sq miles) yet has just 40K people and has not grown since like 1950.

[ckhthankgod]

You basically answered your own question, as Delaware County doesn’t get as many people from NYC as adjacent counties to the east/south. Places like Delhi(has a SUNY campus) and Margaretville(more artsy types) are a couple of places in the county that get some NYC area folks.

Some may come up and live in other communities if they want more land. For instance, there is a community of Muslims by the name of Islamberg where those of the faith and largely African American, bought land and formed a community in the county. Others just buy properties that they live on. This was something a co-worker of mine originally from Hancock would mention in regards to that area of the county.

[hotkarl]

Ulster and Greene ARE playgrounds for the city morons.
Delaware is much more rural, very conservative.
That said, because the migration of city refugees to the lower counties and Ulster and Greene driving the housing prices through the stratosphere, Delaware has seen an uptick of city/LI people buying properties because Delaware is more affordable.
I’ve noticed in my neck of the woods the leaves turned and starting dropping a little earlier than normal. I figured it was because we had a bit of a cold snap earlier than usual.

[Hudlander]

How come Delaware didn't become a playground and moreover, why is it that as soon as you crossed over on Rt 28 the leaves were gone? Why was the weather so much colder, and beyond peak last week?

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Hudlander

How come Delaware didn't become a playground and moreover, why is it that as soon as you crossed over on Rt 28 the leaves were gone? Why was the weather so much colder, and beyond peak last week?

What do you mean by “become a playground”?

Also, crossing over into Delaware County likely means higher elevations in parts and in turn, will likely bring about cooler temperatures.

[Hudlander]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

What do you mean by “become a playground”?

Also, crossing over into Delaware County likely means higher elevations in parts and in turn, will likely bring about cooler temperatures.

I mean, the feel is that while rural, it is no remote, it still feels connected to the metro area.
Del county by contrast, feels a world apart.

Also I dont think it is the elevation, I am wondering it it just is due to Del County being on the back slope of the Catskills, thus getting the brunt on the west ints?

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Hudlander

I mean, the feel is that while rural, it is no remote, it still feels connected to the metro area.
Del county by contrast, feels a world apart.

Also I dont think it is the elevation, I am wondering it it just is due to Del County being on the back slope of the Catskills, thus getting the brunt on the west ints?

Well, Delaware County is a good distance away from NYC. So, it is going to have a different feel and is more in line with other parts of Upstate.

[Hudlander]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Well, Delaware County is a good distance away from NYC. So, it is going to have a different feel and is more in line with other parts of Upstate.

Yea the point I was asking, why is it that crossing the line from Ulster to Delaware the leaves were completely gone last week?

[rhenning]

Delaware County is at least 40 miles up 28 from the Kingston Thruway exit so it is not as convenient for NYC weekenders as Ulster or Greene. Also it has little or no industry so if you live there and work you would have a long commute out to Oneonta or Binghamtpn possibly. That explains the abscence of growth. It is on average higher than Ulster even though the high peaks in Ulster are higher than anything there. Therefore it is colder and the leaves change sooner than they do especially in central or eastern Ulster.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by rhenning

Delaware County is at least 40 miles up 28 from the Kingston Thruway exit so it is not as convenient for NYC weekenders as Ulster or Greene. Also it has little or no industry so if you live there and work you would have a long commute out to Oneonta or Binghamtpn possibly. That explains the abscence of growth. It is on average higher than Ulster even though the high peaks in Ulster are higher than anything there. Therefore it is colder and the leaves change sooner than they do especially in central or eastern Ulster.

Yeah, outside of Kraft in Walton, Amphenol in Sidney, SUNY-Delhi, the school districts, hospitals and small companies, it is pretty much an agricultural county.