Travel Support

Wassaic Historic Hamlet gives new meaning to the word “geography.” Although it is only two hours north of Grand Central Station by rail as the crow flies, there seem to be many different ways to get lost by automobile, truck, motorcycle and bicycle.

Train passengers need to be reminded that there is now a new pedestrian path stretching a half mile southward from Wassaic Station directly to the Hamlet itself (“Trail to the Train”). Nevertheless, visitors often seem to think they are lost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Four of the most common questions are:

• Am I in Sharon, Connecticut?
• How do I get to the Berkshires or Poughkeepsie?
• Is there really a hole in the floor for fishing in the stream underneath?
• Where on earth is the railroad station?

This is where tourists and truckers alike can learn that GPS is not always their best friend! We always share maps. Once a person in panic can actually see the Hudson River and locate the Connecticut State Line on the Dutchess County map, then they are ready to understand that a town map of Amenia shows six separate hamlets with agricultural land in between and a major mountain in the middle.

Amenia is not a “wheel with spokes from the center” place, but rather like a three hundred-year-old donut model, where every hamlet had its own post office, school and general store. (There really can be one Town with several different “Main Streets,” four Presbyterian churches, two independent volunteer fire departments and two post offices, etc.)

Other Useful Maps

• The New York City Public Transit System
• The New York City Master Plan of the 1960’s (six volumes with pictures)
• Boating maps for the Housatonic River and the Great Swamp