Cumulative Official Town Count | Unofficial Town Count |
164 | 41 |
This VT 251 post brings you to the quaint pastoral towns of RIPTON, (EAST) MIDDLEBURY (& BROOKSIDE), CORNWALL, SHOREHAM, ORWELL, AND SUDBURY. Other than the farming communities and vistas, there are three covered bridges, a top-notch small liberal arts college, a world-renown writing program, Vermont's largest candy store, and an American Revolution battle site. Plus, some of these towns are so charming, even if there isn't anything "important" to see, you might just want to visit anyway...
RIPTON
Ripton, VT is a small town (pop. 739 in 220) in the Green Mountains and is best known for Robert Frost and (somewhat less so for) Middlebury's Bread Loaf Mountain Campus, home to a renown writing program. Robert Frost's summer cabin and an interpretive trail are located in Ripton. Along the interpretive trail are many poems on signs by Robert Frost. (I loved that The Road Not Taken sign ironically has an arrow (to keep you on the trail)!) Sadly, I was unable to find the cabin (at Homer Noble Farm aka Robert Frost Wayside) as it is not visible from the parking lot (you need to walk around the farm house and follow a worn tractor path that heads past the house, which I didn't know). He spent summers here during the last 30 years of his life (bought the property in 1940). Bread Loaf is home to a famed writing workshop run by Middlebury College. The campus (with all the cabins/ buildings painted the same ochre color) is set in beautiful countryside, and it's easy to imagine being inspired there. The town has a ubiquitous country store (well-stocked and fairly up-market), containing the post office (ie mailboxes) just next to the milk; so quaint.
MIDDLEBURY (WITH BROOKSIDE & EAST MIDDLEBURY)
Middlebury, VT, with a population of over 9,000 (in 2020) is a large town. (I don't think I'll ever figure out how Vermont differentiates towns versus cities here.) The town is best known for Middlebury College, one of the top small liberal arts colleges in the United States, and while it may not be known for it, the town is home to two of Vermont's superlatives: biggest candy shop (with more than 1500 candies and has a candy-themed motel) and highest covered bridge (by a foot, at 41' above water). The downtown area thrives and the town is a really nice place to visit (good food, nice inn, shopping, etc.) Unofficial towns nearby are East Middlebury, and Brookside.
CORNWALL
Cornwall, VT is a sweet small town, with a population of roughly 1,200 (in 2020). The town offices share space with the historical society and public library. There is a park and ride in town for reasons I have yet to figure out (not a bad thing at all, just curious to me), many beautiful vistas, an old congregational church (dating back to 1803) and a really nice fire department.
SHOREHAM
Shoreham, VT is a small and somewhat sleepy farming community of 1,260 (in 2020). Champlain Orchards is a wonderful place to pick apples and berries (and they make their own cider donuts, doughnut holes, and cider). When driving through town (on route 22A), don't be surprised to find yourself behind a tractor; it's that kind of community. Also, FYI, Shoreham has one of only two covered railroad bridges left in the state and hasn't been used since 1951 (the other is in Wolcott).
SUDBURY
Sudbury, VT is a small (pop. 545 in 2020) farming town with one central green where the main building used to be the congregational church (with a Lego-like steeple)! Not much else to see in the town center area other than barns and a very cool stone house (or other type of structure -- no signage).
ORWELL
Orwell, VT is a fabulous small town of 1,239 and well-worth a visit. It is really charming, has lovely farmscapes, and also Mount Independence, an historical site with extensive fortifications built during the American Revolutionary War by the American army to stop a British Invasion on Lake Champlain. It is located directly across the lake from Fort Ticonderoga in New York. Grab a sandwich at Buxton's Store and eat at the gazebo across from it, on the town green. Then head over for a history lesson and you've got a great half-day (with or without kids). Combine that with apple or berry picking in Shoreham, and you'll thank me.
Hope you enjoyed this VT 251 foray. Stay tuned, much more to come!
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