Official Town Count | Unofficial Town Count |
66 | 29 |
Spring has started to awaken the trees and meadows from their winter hibernation in northern Vermont, and driving through the towns of FLETCHER, JOHNSON, HYDE PARK, ELMORE & WOLCOTT for this VT 251 adventure was good for my soul. Sure, it was chilly for late April (even for Vermont), but the skies were clear and there was still snow on Mount Mansfield (visible in the distance from most of these towns), making the views even more awesome. Of course, there were some covered bridges, dirt roads, exceptional libraries, general stores, spectacular landscapes I couldn’t capture in pictures, and a few adorable post offices. Honestly, this is a drive I would do again just for the views in fall when the trees start to turn.
FLETCHER
Fletcher, VT is a small town (pop.1,346) located in northwestern Vermont which was chartered in 1781. It was named after General Samuel Fletcher, who was engaged in many Vermont involvements during the American Revolution. While the town is not large, it does have basic amenities and mountain views which make it livable both for primary and secondary home owners. And it has a cute cat which sleeps on the porch of the general store.
JOHNSON
Johnson, VT is an alive and artsy town north of Stowe. It is decent-sized (pop. 3,491 in 2020) and has a real community feel with a vibrant “downtown.” Johnson is home to Northern Vermont University which used to be known as Johnson State University. This, combined with also being home to the Vermont Studio Center (the largest fine arts and writing residency program in the US), likely accounts for the relative vivacity in town. Johnson also has two covered bridges (Power House & Scribner) and is home to Johnson Woolen Mills (since 1842). There’s a lot of hiking, biking, and fishing in the area, and since the town has a good bakery/ café and a Chinese restaurant, it's a “real” town in my eyes, and well worth a stop.
HYDE PARK
Hyde Park, VT is apparently somewhat forgettable -- I totally forgot having already visited there almost exactly a year before this foray of Vermont towns. That said, it is somewhat small (pop. 3,020 in 2020), and was named for Captain Jedediah Hyde, who was an early landowner and veteran of the American Revolution. The Opera House is the town gathering place and home to the Lamoille County Players. There is a pretty impressive roster of plays performed there. For those who are curious, opera houses in Vermont rarely if ever put on operas; they are so-named because "opera house" was perceived to sound more dignified than "theater" or "dance hall". (This tidbit of information explains a lot.) Hyde Park has an impressive library, built in Classical Revival/ Chicago style architecture – a rarity in Vermont. And lastly, arguably the coolest thing about Hyde Park, is the existence of a Wind Phone located behind the Library and dedicated in May 2023. Not familiar with a Wind Phone? It is an unconnected telephone booth, originating in Japan, where people can have conversations with deceased loved ones. Since their inception in Japan in 2010, they have sprung up around the world, and it is estimated there are over 130 in the United States today. Having seen the wind phone, I am confident I will not forget having visited Hyde Park this time.
MORRISTOWN (& Morrisville)
Morristown, VT is the largest town by population in Lamoille County (at 5,434 in 2020). Its central village of Morrisville serves as the town's main commercial center. In town, you can pick up some bikes to rent for a ride along the lovely Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, or hang out in town and grab some coffee at Black Cap, shop, and visit the Red Covered Bridge. If you like beer and foods which go well with beer, I can highly recommend Lost Nation Brewing, of which there are rumors of its impending closure. It is accessible directly on the rail trail, or, of course, you can drive there. There's also the Noyes House Museum (in the historic home of Carlos Noyes, the "Father of Lamoille County Banking") and the nice Morristown Centennial Library. A day spent in Morristown would be a lovely one.
ELMORE
Elmore, VT is named for Samuel Elmore, one of the original VT state grantees by the Vermont Republic in 1780. It is a tiny town (pop. 886 in 2020) which supports a school, church, and awesome general store which includes the town post office. The main (only?) attraction in Elmore, is Lake Elmore, which is beautiful and a tourist recreation destination in season (thanks to the Lake Elmore State Park).
WOLCOTT
Wolcott, VT is a town I was very much looking forward to visiting as it is home to Pers Smoked of Vermont, an amazing smoked fish company whose products I learned about before even moving permanently to Vermont and whose products I have now tasted more than once. When we first saw and bought the smoked fish dip (at Willey’s Store in Greensboro, VT), we decided to taste it as an appetizer before dinner one night, and it was so delicious we ended up just having it for dinner! So, if you like smoked fish, and find yourself in a store which sells their products, I highly recommend the brand. The small town of Wolcott (pop.1,670 in 2020) was named for General Oliver Wolcott, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. There was a railroad which ran through town (has been turned into a rail trail), leaving in its wake the original train depot (now the town library) and a covered bridge (Fisher Covered Bridge).
Stay tuned as there are many more towns to explore! (In reality, I have visited 167 towns, so I’m still very much catching up).