Official Cumulative Town Count | Unofficial Town Count |
221 | 54 |
This is one of my favorite VT 251 explorations because if you drive through (and to) these towns, there is something special to see and do in each of the places. RUTLAND (TOWN & CITY) offers "city-ish" life, good food and the Vermont State Fairgrounds, WALLINGFORD offers a charming Victorian Vermont town and some beautiful farmland, MT. HOLLY has delicious cheese and farms, LUDLOW gives you the resort town and plenty of outdoor activities, and PLYMOUTH offers an idyllic town which time forgot. Visit these towns; you won't be disappointed.
RUTLAND TOWN & RUTLAND CITY
Rutland, VT gets a pretty bad rap in Vermont. And, while I won't repeat some of its less-than-complimentary epithets, and while it may be short on charm, it does has many lovely and stately buildings, as well as the big box stores this part of the state relies upon. Collectively speaking, Rutland (Town & City) is comprised of almost 16,000 residents (as of 2020) and has come a long way in the past decade or two. It is now home to some mighty tasty eats (my favorite being Roots, a farm-to-table type restaurant), a "real" theater, a large combination post office-court house, and bunch of cool murals around town. It's got a good farmer's market, small airport nearby, an Amtrak train station (NYC access), the county hospital (which treated my pneumonia when I was quite young, and I'm still here, so it must be good, right?!), and the grounds for the Vermont State Fair (held annually in mid-August). Geographically speaking, Rutland is at the base of the central Green Mountains, and a relatively short drive to the ski areas of Pico and Killington. If you are driving through the state, and need a place to rest or eat, you could do a lot worse than Rutland.
WALLINGFORD
Wallingford, VT is a charming town with lovely Victorian homes along its Main Street (route 7), as well as a few inns and stores which largely cater to a second-home clientele. The Old Stone Shop (now known as Handmade in Vermont) is not at all the schlocky gift shop you'd expect; it is well worth a visit if you're driving through town. If you're hungry or in need of coffee in Wallingford, fret not. Sweet Birch Coffee Roasters and Bakery will not fail you, and there's a new full-service market just next door (Wallingford Village Market) where you can get some noshes (and supplies), including some tasty Italian food at Mamma's At The Market. The Victorian Inn offers wonderful dinners and is located in one of the Victorian gems along Main Street. Just South of town, in South Wallingford, you will find the Sparkle Barn, which offers an eclectic and whimsical collection of gifts and antiques. East Wallingford is quite rural with no town center, but evidence of where that center used to be (the old railroad depot still stands).
MOUNT HOLLY
Mount Holly, VT (granted in 1781) is a town with a population of 1,3945 (in 2023), apparently known for its long-lasting snow as well as for Okemo Mountain, which straddles Mt. Holly and Ludlow (see below). While Mt. Holly has no welcome sign, it does have a hydroponic store with adjacent post office, and, not unimportantly, a farm called -- wait for it -- Dairy Aire (I really hope they chose the name to be cheeky (a la derrière)). There are four hamlets in Mount Holly, including Belmont, the designated Village Center -- which has a general store, church, historical museum, and one of the sweetest tiny post offices I've seen. The other hamlets are Healdville (home to Crowley Cheese -- a favorite of mine and a fun visit with plenty of tastes!), Hortonville, with its cemetery full Hortons and no Whoos to be heard (the cemetery is the only "thing" in Hortonville), and Tarberville (nothing to see that I could find).
LUDLOW
Ludlow, VT is a resort town and has all the conveniences and and drawbacks that entails. Plenty of shopping and dining, along with plenty of crowds and (some might say) overpriced souvenirs. The town's population was 2,172 at the 2020 census and while Ludlow is the home of Okemo Mountain, a popular ski resort, it was originally a mill town (and home of a General Electric plant until 1977). Aside from the mountain resort and somewhat touristy town, there are some easy-to-access waterfalls (Buttermilk Falls), some excellent challenging hiking (the Healdville Trail), and the (almost requisite) sugar house for all your maple needs. I highly recommend The Loft for lunch or dinner if you can get in; it's located just near Okemo's base lodge and has good beer, great fries, yummy food, and a bathroom with a sense of humor -- trust me.
PLYMOUTH
Plymouth, VT is a tiny town (of 641 in 2020), located in the heart of the Green Mountains. It is home to Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, who was born and raised in Plymouth and is buried in the Plymouth Notch cemetery. The historical site is well worth a visit as it has well-maintained buildings from the town during President Coolidge's life. Plymouth Cheese was started by the family and claims it will be making cheese (using the same recipe) until the building no longer stands! Plymouth is a town that time forgot and Plymouth Cheese makes some delicious cheddars, so get thee to Plymouth for a visit!
This episode of my VT 251 exploration would make a really wonderful day trip/ side trip if you happen to be in central Vermont. The drive is a beautiful one and one which I choose to take whenever I have the time and will be in the area.
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