History
The Town and Village of Newark Valley are located in the middle of the eastern part of Tioga County, with the Town of Berkshire to the north, Owego to the south, Candor to the west, and the Town of Maine (in Broome County) to the east. The town is a rural area, with a population of 4097 living on about 53 square miles of some of the most beautiful landscape in the county.
The Village of Newark Valley is the main population area.
Although Newark Valley is primarily a “bedroom” community, there is some local industry. The largest employer is the Newark Valley Central School system, which serves Newark Valley, Berkshire and Richford, as well as parts of Candor and Owego. In addition, there are a few large farms, a large rigging firm and several smaller businesses. Newark Valley is the second fastest growing area in Tioga County, but there are still thousands of acres of prime land available for development.
Newark Valley is mostly rural, with rolling, forested hills and broad valleys. The east branch of the Owego creek, which joins the Susquehanna River at Owego, runs approximately north and south through the Town and the Village of Newark Valley, as does New York State Route 38, which follows the creek. The west branch of the Owego Creek forms the western boundary of the Town. Route 38B connects to Route 38 at the south edge of the village, running southeast to Route 26 just north of Endicott. Those two highways are the principal access routes for Newark Valley.
Newark Valley residents enjoy a quality of life difficult to match. Most of the basic services are available in the village. The school district is one of the finest in the state. Construction has been completed on a 24-unit senior citizen complex. Real estate is reasonably priced, it’s scenic in all seasons, and it’s an easy commute to area industries, shopping centers, health care facilities, colleges and universities.
Each October the Newark Valley Historical Society holds its annual Apple Festival, which draws thousands of people. The festival is held at the Bement Billings Homestead, which is listed in the National Registry of Historical Sites. The society also has completely restored the railroad depot in the village and that also attracts many people each year. Newark Valley has a Yard Sale Day – the Saturday of Mother’s Day week-end. Newark Valley Summerfest is held in the Village of Newark Valley, in July with a parade, bands, and many other things going on along with fireworks at the beautiful Trout Ponds Park in the evening, and a Winter Festival is held in December on the Village Green.
The community has several churches representing the major denominations.
The climate is typical of the latitude, with four distinct seasons, fairly mild winters, and temperate summers. Precipitation (both rain and snow) is moderate, but there is often enough snow for skiing and other winter recreational activities. Several ski resorts are close by. Newark Valley is on the southern edge of New York’s “snow belt,” but snowfall is still moderate.