Valhalla

The word “Valhalla” conjures images of a fire-lit and shield-roofed hall brimming with fallen Norse warriors and presided over by Odin. In some ways, the hamlet of Valhalla in the town of Mount Pleasant is indeed a realm of the dead, with several large cemeteries sprawling across its heart. Just as the Valhalla of legend was meant to be exclusive, the Kensico and Gate of Heaven cemeteries are the final resting place of many notable people, including baseball players Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, America’s first female pilot, Harriet Quimby and authors Ayn Rand and Mary Higgins Clark. Despite this, the neighborhood is also a realm of the living. Valhalla’s residents are drawn to its small-town feel and convenience. While it has only a couple of traffic lights, they still have access to major highways. This makes it easy to travel nearly anywhere. Once people settle in Valhalla, they often find themselves wanting to stay. “It’s a nice homey type of town,” says Jeanne Beckley, an associate real estate broker at Rand Realty and the top real estate agent in Mount Pleasant. “It’s hard to find a home because a lot of people stay there for years and years and years, they don’t like to leave. And then they get their parents’ house when they go. It’s an area where people stay—where they feel very comfortable and don’t want to leave.”

This desire to stay fuels fierce competition to live in the neighborhood. According to Beckley, homes in Valhalla typically range from $550,000 to nearly $2 million and often go for above asking price. If you’re looking to buy one of its many charming Cape Cods or colonial-style homes, be prepared to pay more than the asking price. “It’s been a very popular town for several years now. Hard to find homes, not enough inventory,” Beckley says. “The bidding wars have really hyped up right now. Everything that I’m offering on lately is a bidding war.”

The Valhalla Union Free School District has an A-minus on Niche. Children begin their education at Virginia Road Elementary School and Kensico School, both of which have A-minus ratings on Niche. They then attend Valhalla Middle School, which has an A on Niche, and Valhalla High School. The high school has an A on Niche and was one of only 19 schools in 2017 that the New York State Education Department gave the distinction of a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. According to Beckley, it’s a major draw for many residents. “They like the small school,” Beckley says. “You’re not the little fish in a big sea like some of the big, big school districts we have, so people appreciate that.”

The heart of Valhalla’s community is the Kensico Dam. Completed in 1917, the historic dam soars 307 feet high and stretches over 1,800 feet long. It now functions as a park and includes a playground, green space and 9/11 memorial. “You can even walk on the top of the dam because it’s closed now,” Beckley says. “So people walk on the top of the dam, they walk up and down the steps from the base all the way up. It’s a nice place to get exercise. It’s a nice spot, and if you stand on the top of the dam, it’s a beautiful view.” The Kensico Dam Plaza also serves as the stage for many community events, from a yearly 9/11 memorial ceremony to cultural and holiday festivals. On the Fourth of July, people from all over Westchester gather at the dam for a stunning firework show.

Valhalla manages a delicate balance between its small-town atmosphere and everyday convenience. “You’re not out in the boonies, but it’s not overdeveloped either, which is nice,” Beckley says. Shopping is within easy reach of home, with a few stores in the hamlet itself and a wide array of major retailers in White Plains just 3 miles away. “The stores are close, everything is at your fingertips,” Beckley says. “And if you want a bigger store, you go to White Plains. There’s a Wegman’s, everything is there now.” Valhalla is also home to the Westchester Medical Center, one of the area’s biggest teaching hospitals, which sits alongside the New York Medical College. When they’re hungry, residents head to Valhalla Crossing. Located in an old train station and train cars, locals love this restaurant for its huge portions of American comfort food like burgers and onion rings. Sergio’s is another popular restaurant where residents satisfy cravings for quality Italian food. It's not every day that you find a neighborhood like Valhalla that’s small and peaceful enough to have only a few traffic lights while maintaining the convenience of nearby shopping and hospitals. It’s no wonder that Valhalla is a place that many people want to move to, but few people want to leave. “It’s a little gem,” Beckley says.

Written By

Christina Norwood

Photography Contributed By

Collin Quinlivan

Video By

Taylor Gilbert