jthompson706

The small village of Cold Spring, located in the town of Phillipstown, is one of the most pleasant and beautiful areas in Putnam County. The streets lined with colonial-style homes, combined with the mom-and-pop style shops and the natural beauty of the Hudson River Valley make Cold Spring an incredibly charming place. This charm, however, frequently attracts tourists from Dutchess and the rest of Putnam County which can be frustrating for residents. The fact that Cold Spring is far from any major interstates also means that all of these tourists and commuters are forced onto route 301 and 9D, which can make travel difficult. Especially if you need to travel away from Cold Spring for work or school, this could be a detriment. Conveniently, the local train station offers service to New York city. For art and nature lovers, though, there's seldom a reason to leave Cold Spring. The main street is full of art galleries, specialty shops and antique stores. The dining choices in Cold Spring are also excellent and varied, whether you want a casual cafe, ice cream or something more elegant. The best part is that all of this can be walked to. Unfortunately, though, parking can be a major problem in Cold Spring and can place you several blocks from where you actually want to be. When you do manage to find a spot, though, it's easy to forget the stress of it and become lost in the place even if you chose to just sit by the river. There are also frequent outdoor concerts and festivals on the weekends, especially during the summer. People who crave more modern distractions though, such as movie theaters or national chains will be forced to drive to Fishkill or another nearby city. Cold Spring is generally safe and is known for having a good school system but all of that convenience and charm comes at a much higher cost that other areas in Putnam.

Putnam Lake is a very small, but dense, lake-side community on the New York/Connecticut border. The area is not really a town in and of itself but is split between the Brewster and Patterson zip-codes. Even though it's small, Putnam Lake can be very difficult to navigate. The roads around the lake are narrow and very confusingly laid out so that even long-time residents of Putnam Lake sometimes get lost just a few blocks from their own house. And the problem just gets worse when rain or snow limits visibility. Of course, there are also the steep winding hills to contend with. The lake for which the town is named is a focal point, with the houses and the few businesses crowded around it but the lake has very little activity. It's surprising that a lake this large and beautiful goes somewhat forgotten by the locals. Although there are very few businesses, with only a few local shops, larger towns such as Danbury, CT are fortunately close by. Residents will generally find themselves traveling frequently into Connecticut for just about anything from shopping to entertainment, including employment. The Brewster campus of the Green Chimneys school is also nearby and provides an exciting chance to visit with animals such as birds of prey as they go through rehabilitation. The community of Putnam Lake is a small town in a beautiful area but there's very little to do so be prepared to travel, albeit a short distance, for most things. In Putnam Lake, however, you will be able to enjoy a tight community around a beautiful lake.