The Village of Alfred is a perfect example of a quaint, historic college town.

Nestled between the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains and the Finger Lakes, Alfred is home to both Alfred University and Alfred State College. When classes are in session, the local population of about 1,000 more than quadruples. Downtown coffee shops and restaurants are filled with faculty and students — artists, poets, actors, linguists, counselors, engineers, athletes, business majors — who are energized by the community’s vibrant intellectual and cultural life.

Local legend claims that the village is named after medieval England’s King Alfred (noted for his commitment to educating his people). Retaining much of its turn-of-the-century charm, the downtown historic district is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Alfred’s early terra cotta clay companies produced the roofing tile still found on many homes and barns, and inspired generations of ceramic artists and engineers at Alfred University.

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