#4: Waterbury, VT: Monday, May 15, 2006

Now, it might surprise you that I really had only a rough idea of where I was going, as I left Bolton.  Having spent the first 18 years of my life in Vermont, I hadn't explored much past Richmond in this direction, other than a few road trips with my parents, on some errand or another. These trips usually had me in the back seat, distracting myself with some toy or book, though, so I really hadn't paid much attention to the towns along the way.

So, as I wound down Route 2, I was pleasantly surprised when I passed a bend in the road and saw the sign for Waturbury.

Before I go on, let me just say that my knowledge of the town, up to this point, had been pretty sparse.  I knew that Ben & Jerry's ice cream had a factory there, and throughout my childhood I'd heard rumors that there was an insane asylum in Waterbury (a term which had probably not been used in years).

So, I really had no idea what to expect as I drove past the entrance to Route 100, and under the train tracks, into this historic, Vermont town.

I passed a few well-maintained, old houses and came to a traffic light at the top of a small incline.  Because of its elevation, and its relation to the train tracks, I suspected that the stone buildings at this intersection probably functioned as some sort of freight depot in the past, but now housed a few shops, a radio station, and the Waterbury Senior Center.  Down this hill, past the light, a number of large buildings and private homes lined the road, indicating that there was definitely more to see.

But, before I drifted too far into town, I wanted to find out where the library was, so I popped into an antique store at the corner and asked for directions.  The man who worked there pointed me back the way I'd come, directing me toward a brick red, painted house not too far past the intersection that I was at.

Backtracking, I came to the Waterbury Public Library, which I'd seen on the way into town.  It had a historic marker out front and had once been the home of Dr. Henry Janes; a Civil War doctor, who donated his house to the library, in 1915.

Inside, I spoke to a very friendly woman, who I guessed to be the librarian, and was able to explore a bit.  Local art hung on the walls, and library had beautiful woodwork and ornate, iron shelf ends, giving the space a very inviting feel.  She told me a bit about the community, and gave me literature on some of the programs that they offered.  As with many public libraries, computers were a big draw, and they struggle with space issues (especially in a converted farm house).

Sadly, I had to be on my way, and didn't have time to see the Historical Society's museum, on the second floor of the library, but hope to stop back another time to see it.  I'd have to wait until next time to see the Ben & Jerry's factory and other sites.  Instead, I popped outside for my photo shoot in front of the building and headed on my way.

Links:

• Waterbury Town Site
• Waterbury History

4 Years Later...

Well, it's hard to believe that four years have passed since I posted my last entry in this blog...  Then again, it took me two years to post the first three, so I guess it's not so surprising.

What have I been up to?  Life, mostly... and getting tenure...  Plus, visiting a bunch of towns!  Six years after starting this adventure, I'm 89 (or so) towns into the 251Club, and counting.  Some years have been better than others, but I've probably averaged about 10-12 towns a year.

So, without further ado, I'd like to get back on track writing up some of my travels...

Hopefully this will be incentive to keep going, and get caught up!  I don't want to be eating my words in another few years!

#3: Bolton, VT: Monday, May 15, 2006

Shortly after leaving Richmond, Route 2 opens up into a stretch of road that takes you through Bolton, VT. A few houses, the town office, and the Bolton store are about all that makes up the town (that I could see), so I stopped into the store to grab a snack and see if I could chat a bit with the clerk.

Walking into a fairly normal country store, the attendant and two locals were shooting the breeze, so I didn't make much of an effort to strike up a conversation. Instead, I bought a few things and headed outside to look around at the town office before deciding to explore one of the side roads, heading up into the mountains, to the north.

Thankfully, my little Subaru was up for the climb... my trip took me up a very steep hill leading up to the Bolton Valley Resort, which is one of the better known ski resorts in the area.

Now, I've never been much of a skier. I think I may have only been on downhill skis two or three times, in my life; preferring cross country, when given the opportunity. So, I really wasn't sure what to expect, heading up to the resort in the middle of May. As you might imagine, it was empty on top of the mountain, although there were some signs of life up at the main lodge.

Feeling a bit exposed, though, I decided to keep my visit short, and head down the steep and winding road, back to Route 2. I have to say that, as harrowing as that drive was, the view from the pass was amazing; with the mountains disappearing into the clouds above. Unfortunately, there were no places to stop and take pictures, so I wasn't able to catch a shot of this sight, while keeping both of my hands (white knuckled) on the wheel.

I breathed a sigh of relief at reaching the bottom, but wasn't through exploring Bolton. While the town has some beautiful land, I kept thinking that there had to be more of a 'town center', hidden off of the beaten path. So, I made another detour, taking a much flatter, but equally winding road, which took me into the Little River State Park; a nice little drive alongside a mountain river (perhaps the Little River?), on a packed dirt road.

As I left the state park, I thought a bit about my time in Bolton. For such a large town, land-wise, I expected there to be more of a 'town' supporting the resort. But, even though this wasn't apparent to me during my visit, the town has some truly amazing views, nestled between Bolton Mountain on one side, and Camel's Hump, to the other. I think it might be worth a trip up that mountain in the winter, one of these years.

Links:

• Bolton, Vermont -- "The Land of Boulders and Bears"


• For more information about Bolton, visit Virtual Vermont

Is It Really A Town?

In my early travels, I was blissfully unaware of the complexities of the 251 Club. Well, that might be a slight overstatement. Let's just say that I was under the impression that every “Entering _____ville” sign I saw meant that I was heading into a new town.

Not so.

I was quickly made aware of the fact that many towns were composed of a number of villages, which constituted different community clusters within the town border. So, for instance, Jonesville, VT... which I had always thought of as being a town in its own right... is actually a villiage, located in Richmond.

Well, as if that weren't complicated enough, villages can either be 'incorporated' or 'unincorporated'. As far as I can tell, the main distinction between the two is that incorporated villages have their own governments, which are subordinate to that of the town, while unincorporated villages are subject, directly, to the town government and services. In this way, these incorporated villages provide certain services (police, fire, etc.), while the town provides any additional services, necessary. source

Using my trusty Vermont Atlas & Gazeteer, it's not always clear where these villages are. It uses a small black diamond (♦) to show where different town centers are, although it's not always clear whether these are villages or just population clusters. From my travels, some of these diamonds are nothing more than a group of houses, at a crossroads. So, I've dug a little deeper to try and locate a more comprehensive list of these places. Wikipedia has a list of incorporated villages and another list of unincorporated communities in the state. Just keep in mind that these are Wikipedia pages and may not be completely accurate.

Now, just when you thought you'd gotten it all figured out... There are also unincorporated towns! These towns had once been considered incorporated, but had their town charters taken away, due to a lack of residents. So, like unincorporated villages unincorporated towns are subject to the authority of the state. source

Luckily, there appear to be only five of these towns: Averill, Ferdinand, Glastenbury, Lewis, and Somerset. Amen.

So, what does this mean to my travels? Well, if the few villages that I've visited are any indication, each has its own personality and culture that is important in understanding the town in which it exists. So, you can expect me to try and spend at least a little time in each of these places, as I move toward my goal of all 251!

#2: Richmond, VT: Monday, May 15, 2006

A few days after my first stop with the 251 Club (see Williston), I was ready to depart Vermont's Green Mountains on my way back to the Garden State. Hoping to see a few more towns, I decided to take my time and travel down Rt. 2, which runs parallel to two of the more noticeable landmarks near my hometown: the Winooski River and Interstate 89 (I-89). This path would take me along the river, winding through a number of towns as I headed toward the state capitol, Montpelier.

Just a short drive down the road, I passed over one of the large, green metal bridges, over the Winooski River. When I was younger, the river had always been the dividing line, leading into Richmond, but in reality I'd passed the town line quite a ways back. This winding stretch of road passed by the entrance to I-89 on its way to the Richmond town center.

Now, I'll admit that I haven't explored this area as well as I might have, but I found plenty of things to hold my interest in the small area that I did see. Even though it's not a large town center, Richmond is a fine example of a Vermont town, with all of the local necessities. The short street running down to the river is lined with brick-faced buildings containing shops and offices, as well as a bank and gas station.

Traveling into town, I took a right onto the aptly named Bridget St., over yet another green metal bridge, on my way to one of the more well-known landmarks of the area, and a national historic site: the Old Round Church. Parking my car, I wandered around the property, amazed by the large structure. Unfortunately, I hadn't planned my visit very well, and was not able to enter because no tours were being offered that day. In retrospect, I should have coordinated with my father who volunteered as a guide, to take me in and give me a personalized tour of the place. But, regardless of whether I entered or not, the church is really an amazing structure. I guess I'll just have to make another trip one of these days.

Leaving my car at the church, I walked back across the short span of the bridge, into town. I'd never been to the Richmond Free Library, so I was surprised to see that it wasn't one of the rather bland, industrial-looking town buildings, but a beautiful, renovated church, situated by the railroad tracks. I popped in and spoke to a very friendly clerk who told me about the building, which includes a performance hall (with a baby grand piano!) and individual practice rooms which are, apparently, heavily used. Up on the second floor, I got to see these beautiful spaces firsthand, and to meet the children's librarian, who gave me yet another surprise. It turned out that his wife had been my 4th and 5th grade teacher!

It was obvious that the library really held a central role in the Richmond community, providing a gathering place for both intellectual and cultural events. But, my time was short, and I needed to get back on the road. Leaving the library behind, I headed back to my car, hoping to see more sights as I headed out of town.

Links:

• Richmond Historical Society
• For more information about Richmond, visit Virtual Vermont

Long Live the Queen!

Before one of my recent trips to Vermont, I decided to do some research on the area I was visiting, looking for anything interesting to visit in my travels. Imagine my surprise when I came across a listing for a gigantic gorilla holding a VW Bug over its head!

So, when I was driving through Brandon, VT on my way back, I took a spin past this impressive statue, looming over Pioneer Auto Sales. I have to say that it wasn't the easiest thing to get a good photo of, as this picture shows. I did a high-speed drive-by to avoid any traffic altercations, but think it does a nice job of showing off what I saw.

While getting ready to post this photo, I discovered that my primate friend had a name: Queen Connie of Concrete!

Oh, the things you'll find in the Green Mountain State!

No Vermonters In Heaven?

In an effort to keep the content coming on here, I've decided to share a poem that I came across when I was a kid. My grandmother had it framed in her kitchen, and my father now has in his. Even though I've read it over and over, it still touches me today (shh... sometimes it even brings a tear to my eye). It's called No Vermonters in Heaven, and I've since learned that it was written by Dr. Ernest Fenwick Johnstone. I'm not sure how old it is, but it does a great job of summing up the spirit of Vermonters.

Rather than quote the entire poem here, use this link to see what I mean.

(Oh, and in case you're wondering, this photo was taken from the front lawn of the house I grew up in. Lucky me, eh?)