You never know what you'll find just by taking a ride around the Capital Region. Recently we were driving through Rensselear County when we noticed a sign as we entered the town of Stephentown, New York.

I had to blow it around and take another look. Did that sign say what I thought it said? Yes! The sign declared; Welcome to the only Stephentown on earth! Could that be? Is it possible that this is the only Stephentown on earth? I had to do some research.

107.7 WGNA logo
Get our free mobile app

Based on everything I could find it is indeed accurate that Stephentown, New York is the only Stephentown on earth! The town used to be called Jericho Hallow but that's when it belonged to Massachusetts. When we took over it was renamed Stephentown after Stephen Van Rensselaer.

Photo - Lainie Rae
Photo - Lainie Rae
loading...

Stephentown also has a Hollywood connection! According to NBC 13, the Stephentown Typewriter Company received a letter from the one and only Tom Hanks. Why would the world famous actor of "Forrest Gump", "Castaway", "Saving Private Ryan" and the "Toy Story" franchise send a letter to a Rensselear County typewriter shop?

In 2016 Tom Hanks starred in a documentary about typewriters called California Typewriter. Around the same time Hanks released a book of short stories titled Uncommon Type. Scott Connors, owner of Stephentown Typewriter Company, was so impressed he felt compelled to type Hanks a letter stating:

Dear Tom, if there's a patron saint of typewriters, you're it. - Scott Connors

Wouldn't you know it! Tom Hanks responded to the letter with a typewritten letter of his own.

Each town has their own thing. As for Stephentown, New York their thing is being one of a kind, literally the only one on earth. That is pretty cool.

LOOK: Here Are the 25 Best Places to Live in New York State

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in New York using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

LOOK: Here is the richest town in each state

Just saying the names of these towns immediately conjures up images of grand mansions, luxury cars, and ritzy restaurants. Read on to see which town in your home state took the title of the richest location and which place had the highest median income in the country. Who knows—your hometown might even be on this list.

More From 107.7 WGNA