#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

#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?)

#1: Williston, VT: Saturday, May 13, 2006

I had a bit of a dilemma in deciding where my first town to visit would be… There were some obvious choices, as far as I could see, ranging from Burlington (the largest city, and my birthplace) to Montpelier (the state capital). Ultimately, though, I chose Williston to start my trek, because that is where I spent my childhood.

Now, it was a little strange, deciding to explore my own hometown, but… I learned a little bit along the way. And, because my family is still there, I imagine that there will be additional posts about this town, from future visits.

I began my adventure, as I’ve said in my introduction, at the local library, where I’d gone as a child. The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library sits in what used to be (and may still be) considered the Willistion town green. This green is where the 4^th of July festivities were held, and is bordered by the Williston Central School, and a number of other public buildings across the street. In its center is the gazebo, which always sat central to our 4^th of July festivities.

Since it had been at least 10 years since I last set foot into the library, I was amazed by it’s size. Usually when you visit a place that you’d spent time in as a kid, it feels much smaller… this was just the opposite. Not only had they added a research room for the Williston Historical Society, but there was a brand new wing for young readers (complete with heated floors, for lounging!), and an event space with a little stage!

I was lucky enough to speak with Susan, one of the children’s librarians, who gave me a tour of the space and talked to me about some of the things that had changed, since she arrived in 1998. Of particular interest to me were the Bookmobile (see photo), the involvement of teens in the library club, and the various ways in which they were able to increase community involvement.

Most striking, though, were the murals… The children’s department was covered with hand and airbrush painted murals, depicting fir trees and nature, from the area. One of the most interesting murals was a panorama of 5 Tree Hill (which I need to visit, in the future), surrounding a circular inset in a dropdown ceiling. It shows the view of the surrounding countryside from this hilltop vantage, with various animals scattered through the landscape.

As I wrapped up my visit at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, I didn’t feel as if I’d visited the same place where I’d bought my first “fun” book at the 4^th of July book sale… It had changed so much over the years. And, while it no longer had the magic that I remember from my early visits, it held a new and exciting energy for another generation of budding readers, as well as a gathering place for bringing the community together.

All in all, I'd say that it was a great start to my exploration of the state. I spent a few rainy minutes snapping photos around the Green, including a statue of Governor Thomas Chittenden, the first governor of the state and founder of Williston. And, of course, the obligatory shot of myself in front of the library sign. After that, I called it a day, getting home and getting dried off for the next day's adventures.

Links:

• For more information about Williston, visit Virtual Vermont.
• Dorothy Alling Memorial Library
• Williston Historical Society
• Town of Williston

Welcome!

Hello everyone,

For those of you who may have had the opportunity to visit Vermont in your lifetimes, you've probably noticed that it's quite different from most places (well, maybe not *so* different from most of New England). As a native Vermonter and (unfortunately) one who left almost 17 years ago, I have a deep love for the state and try to get back to see my family and friends in the Burlington area whenever I can.

A few years ago, my father mentioned something called the 251 Club. After a little Googling, I came across a website that did a nice job of summing up the club (redjar.org), and decided to join. The 251 Club is a loosely knit group of people with a love of Vermont, who have set the goal of visiting every town and city (all 251 of them!) in the state! The organization was inspired by an article in Vermont Life Magazine, by Arthur Wallace Peach, with the goal of getting residents to know more about the state.

Having been away for so long, it was a great way for me to reconnect, while giving me the opportunity to see new parts of the state, as well as familiar ones from my childhood. As you'll see from the posts here, the experience so far, has been an eye opener. With such a small state, it's easy to think that you've 'seen it all', when in fact, you've barely scratched the surface. Even though my journey has just begun, I've been amazed by some of the places I've visited... especially those that I found while getting lost!

So, in these posts, you'll find out a little about each town that I visit, read some of my personal thoughts on my time in each, see some of my amateur photography, and maybe even join me as I revisit some of my favorite places!

Everyone takes on this challenge in different ways, but most do more than simply drive through and snap a few photos. What would be the fun in that? As a librarian, I've decided to try and visit the public library in each town. As I discovered after my second stop, though, not all towns have their own public libraries. In the absence of a library, I look for a government building or town store to pop into and say hello. Sometimes I get a chuckle out of these conversations, and sometimes I come across as a 'flatlander'... Ugh. But, either way, I try to learn a bit about each place.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my musings, and feel free to let me know what you think!
Tony

(P.S. I'm really behind on my posts, and have only written up one entry out of the 30+ towns that I've already been to)