DOWNTOWN ST. ALBANS
ESTIMATED LENGTH: 95 miles
ESTIMATED TIME: 2 to 3 days
HIGHLIGHTS: The scenery along much of this route is so bucolic that you may feel as if you’ve wandered into a picture postcard. It’s a working landscape with barns, grazing herds (mostly Holsteins), endless meadows, and, of course, quaint covered bridges. This is Vermont farm country. But it’s also where some major historical events took place, including the northernmost Civil War engagement and the birth of a U.S. president. The region has a burgeoning art scene, with an increasing number of galleries and an artists’ cooperative in St. Albans, where this route begins, and an outdoor sculpture park in Enosburg Falls. A rail trail cuts through the area, providing an alternate way to experience the region.
GETTING THERE: From I-89 take Exit 19. If arriving from New York State via the Champlain Islands, follow US 2 to VT 78 into Swanton, then south on either US 7 or I-89 to St. Albans.
ON THE ROAD
To call St. Albans up-and-coming does it an injustice. It has arrived. In recent years it has revitalized its downtown, attracting new restaurants, shops, and the 14th Star Brewing Company (802-528-5988), a veteran-owned craft brewery. But it’s not one to shrug off its past. In fact, the St. Albans Museum (802-527-7933), the perfect place to get acquainted with “Rail City,” is among the best local historical society museums in the state. Located on the top end of Taylor Park in the heart of downtown, it provides an excellent introduction to the area’s history, including the famous Confederate Raid of 1864, where 22 Confederate soldiers crossed the border from Canada, intending to rob the banks and burn down the community in a surprise attack.
One of the museum’s knowledgeable volunteers will act as your personal guide as you explore two floors of the former Franklin County Grammar School, in use from 1861 to 1969. Or you can opt for a self-paced look around. Exhibits focus on Abenaki archaeology, military history, civic organizations, and rural medicine, including the real-life medical miracle of Phineas Gage. The railroad construction foreman survived a blasting accident where an iron rod pierced his skull.
A schoolroom on the upper level honors Louella Kittell, who taught seventh grade in this building for 41 years. The museum also recognizes longtime big band leader Sterling Weed, who lived until 104, and some of the now-shuttered local businesses, including the drive-in theater and a longtime barbershop. The Railroad Room, set up like a waiting room, complete with a ticket seller’s office and telegraph equipment, explores the community’s heyday as a booming railroad hub.
LOUELLA KITTELL’S CLASSROOM AT THE ST. ALBANS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
As you exit the museum, walk through Taylor Park, named for Holloway Taylor, an early settler who deeded this land to the town. The fountain was a gift from former Vermont governor John Gregory Smith in 1887. Known locally as “the ladies,” this three-tiered sculpture features pensive maidens, cherubs, and a water sprite. From mid-May through October, the park hosts a weekly farmers’ market.
STROLLING DOWN MAIN STREET
Main Street, which flanks the park, has a number of interesting shops and eateries. There’s also the Artist in Residence (802-528-5222), a cooperative gallery showcasing the work of more than 40 area artists, among them painters, sculptors, jewelry designers, weavers, and wood turners. Monthly receptions highlight three or four artists, affording them an opportunity to demonstrate or discuss their art.
DETOUR
Hathaway Point Road, a left off VT 36 after the bridge, takes you along St. Albans Bay’s western edge to Kamp Kill Kare State Park (802-524-6021) on St. Albans Point. It’s a day-use park with a great swimming beach and an interesting history. You can catch the ferry to Burton Island State Park (802-524-6353) from here.
Originally the land was farmed, but in the 1870s the St. Albans Boating and Fishing Club, a group of prominent local businessmen, bought the land. The Rocky Point House, a lakeshore resort hotel, opened for its first summer season in May 1894. The property later changed hands again to become a boys’ summer camp in 1912. In 1967, the year after the camp closed, the Vermont State Parks system bought the 17-acre property to provide support services for its campground on the 253-acre Burton Island. Although many of the camp buildings were demolished, the three-story hotel was not, and today it contains a museum with informational displays on the property’s history. A monument on the grounds, placed there in 1946 by the Kamp Kill Kare Alumni Association, honors former campers who perished in World War II.
The ferry to Burton Island runs several times daily in summer, a 10-minute crossing. Kayak and canoe rentals are available at Kamp Kill Kare, if you prefer to paddle. The state park on the island has lean-tos and tent sites, including a small remote tent-camping area, along with hiking trails, a nature center and museum, and the Burton Island Bistro (802-524-2212), which serves breakfast and lunch on weekdays. Day use is permitted. Woods Island State Park (802-524-6353), which offers primitive camping, is on a neighboring island, but you will need your own boat to get there.
After exploring these parks, return to VT 36 to continue north about 13 miles to Swanton.
Take a break at the Traveled Cup (802-524-2037), known for its homemade soups, sandwiches, and smoothies, or the Catalyst Coffee Bar (802-393-9808), specializing in syphon-brewed coffee and sweet and savory bites from Red House Sweets (802-782-7124), which shares its space. As the Crow Flies (802-524-2800) sells Vermont cheeses, specialty foods, wines, and kitchen products. Or check out the Eloquent Page (802-527-7243), which has a broad selection of used and collectible books—35,000 and counting—both fiction and nonfiction, including hard-to-find and unusual books. Consider visiting St. Albans in April for the three-day Vermont Maple Festival (802-524-5800), or in early December, when local farmers string colorful lights on their tractors for a nighttime holiday parade through the center of town.
Start exploring Vermont’s northwest corner by heading west on VT 36 (Lake Street off Main) to St. Albans Bay, stopping along the way at Hoss’s Dogg House (802-527-1373), which serves locally made burgers, hand-cut fries, hot dogs with house-made Michigan sauce, and other classic snack bar foods made from fresh and local ingredients. Its creemees are prepared with milk from local dairies.
VT 36 follows Lake Champlain’s Maquam Bay and has good views of Butler Island and the Champlain Islands. As the road pulls away from the lake, look for Lanier Road on the left. The Maquam Wildlife Management Area is just across the road. Park near the gate and walk south on an old logging road. While today the area is open to the public for recreational use, in the early 1900s this was the site of Hotel Champlain, which had its own adjacent 700-acre stock farm for food. Guests would arrive via the Champlain Transportation Company’s steamer, the Maquam, which traveled daily between Plattsburgh, New York, and Swanton, or by a rail excursion line from town. President William McKinley was the hotel’s most famous guest, summering here one year. Part of the rail bed and the hotel site remain.
ALL ABOARD
As you approach Swanton, take a right on South River Street to visit the Swanton Historical Society Railroad Depot Museum (802-868-5436), open seasonally. The museum, which has an extensive collection of local railroad memorabilia and an operating model train, is housed in a restored 1890s train depot that was relocated here to save it from demolition. The building has a ticket agent’s office and separate waiting rooms for men and women. Outside you can visit a 1937 Missisquoi Bay Bridge tollhouse and a 1910 Central Vermont Railway caboose, and view the foundation of a roundhouse.
Across from the museum, a restored 1902 Pennsylvania truss bridge marks the start of a 1-mile walking path, the first section of the 93-mile Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (802-229-0005). The recreational trail will extend from Swanton to St. Johnsbury when completed.
Head back the way you came, crossing over Lake Street (VT 36), and then take a slight left onto North River Street (VT 78) for 0.5 mile. Turn onto Brooklyn Street to get to Maple City Candy (802-868-5400). All of its maple products—maple sugar candy, fudge, maple cream, maple drops, and more—are made on site using pure maple syrup purchased from area farms. They also sell maple syrup and Vermont souvenirs, and in summer operate a creemee stand offering—what else?—maple creemees!
If you drive past the store for another 5.5 miles on VT 78 West, you will reach the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge (802-868-4781) on Tabor Road, a great place for hiking, recreational fishing, and wildlife watching. Its location on the Atlantic Flyway also makes it an ideal place to go birding, especially if you want to spot waterfowl. The great blue heron rookery on Shad Island, part of the 6,729-acre refuge, is the largest in Vermont. Retrace your route to town, turning left on VT 78 East (Merchants Row). As you hang right onto Grand Avenue, you’ll pass the Village Green Park where the royal swans reside.
SWANTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY RAILROAD DEPOT MUSEUM
BETTY AND SAM, SWANTON’S SWANS
Like many celebrities, Swanton’s two most famous residents go by just their first names: Betty and Sam. They have posh digs with a pond in a prime location in the center of town where they welcome visitors daily.
Betty and Sam are Swanton’s royal swans.
Although the common belief is that Swanton is a contraction of “Swan Town,” in actuality the town was named for British naval officer and war hero William Swanton. The swans represent a link to the country of his birth and forge a relationship between the two countries.
The original pair of mute swans was a gift from Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate Swanton’s bicentennial in 1963. They arrived in style, flown here by Trans-Canada Airlines from the Norfolk Naturalist Trust of Hickling Broad in Norfolk, England, which includes the village of Swanton Abbot. The townspeople named them Betty for the queen and Sam for Uncle Sam.
All the swans’ successors are still referred to as Betty and Sam although they are not from the same lineage. From May through September they reside at Village Green Park on a small pond, enclosed by a black wrought-iron fence. Their house, complete with two white Corinthian columns, is modeled after the century-old Swanton Library that overlooks the green. They spend the winter at Missisquoi Valley Union High School in Swanton, where they share quarters with the school’s flock of laying hens and are cared for by students in the Agricultural Sciences and Technology Department.
You can visit the Abenaki Tribal Museum and Cultural Center (802-868-2559) to view its collection of artifacts, including clothing, tools, ceremonial headdresses, handwoven baskets, and other craftwork. Exhibits focus on the history of the Abenakis, including the fur trade and their traditions. Open weekdays, it’s located in the headquarters of the Missisquoi Abenaki Tribal Council (802-868-6255) at 100 Grand Avenue.
DETOUR
Leave VT 105 in North Sheldon, heading north on VT 120. At the 2-mile mark, look for the sign for Due North Winery (802-285-2053) on Skunks Misery Road. The winery typically is open Sunday afternoons for free tastings. On other days call ahead to see if you can stop by. Although essentially a one-man operation, owner and vintner Erich Marn is quite accommodating when it comes to visitors. He planted his first vines in 2008 and began selling wine four years later.
Continuing on, you will drive by several farms and have great views of Lake Carmi, the fourth-largest natural lake in the state, and Jay Peak in the distance. When you reach a four-way intersection 0.2 mile past the Franklin United Church (802-285-6425) and war memorial, stay to the right (VT 120/Lake Street). You will pass through more open agricultural land before you get to the north end of Lake Carmi.
FRANKLIN UNITED CHURCH
The fishing access here is probably the best place for photos of the lake. Stop, take a few, and admire the vistas. Once you’re back on the road, stay to the left at the Y. Mill Pond will be on your right. Take a sharp right onto VT 236. (A farm sits on this corner.) If you are interested in churches and historic church cemeteries, instead of turning you could stay on VT 120 for another 0.2 mile to the East Franklin United Church (802-285-6420).
Once on VT 236, travel south for about 3.5 miles to Lake Carmi State Park (802-933-8383), which has more campsites than any other Vermont state park. It’s a great day-use park for its swimming beaches, boat rentals, nature center, and bog boardwalk. The 140-acre black spruce–tamarack bog is unusual because of its size. In another few miles you are back on VT 105. This 15-mile route is a fun one to do by bike. You can leave your car at the parking lot for the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail on Kane Road, which is on the other side of VT 105, directly opposite VT 120.
Return to Village Green Park and make a right onto VT 78 (First Street). Drive through Highgate Center to Sheldon Junction, where you can pick up VT 105 to head east toward Enosburg Falls. The Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail (802-524-5958), a 26.4-mile recreational path from St. Albans to Richford, parallels VT 105 for several miles, crossing the road in places.
DRIVING THROUGH DAIRYLAND
Enosburg Falls, the next town on your route, is the self-proclaimed Dairy Capital of Vermont, hosting an annual Vermont Dairy Festival the first weekend in June. Although dairying has always been big in this area, the town can thank the arrival of the Central Vermont Railroad and Dr. Burney James Kendall, a graduate of the University of Vermont’s Medical College, for its early prosperity.
The doctor came up with a cure for spavin, a joint ailment affecting horses. He founded the Dr. B. J. Kendall Company in town in the early 1880s to manufacture this and other patent medicines, making his company the largest employer in the area at that time. In 1892 he donated the money to build the Enosburg Opera House (802-933-6171) on Depot Street. The Victorian-style building, still in use as a cultural center, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Visit the Enosburgh Historical Society Museum, housed in the former freight depot, to learn more about Kendall and his cures, local agriculture, the railroad, and other facets of the town’s history. A caboose, which sits on a nearby siding, is open for viewing during museum hours.
Continue out of town to the Boston Post Dairy (802-933-2749), a family-run business with a cheese-making facility and retail store selling their award-winning farmstead cheeses, goat milk soaps, maple products, and baked goods. A viewing window provides an up-close look at how cheese is made. Just past the store, detour off VT 105 onto Boston Post Road for 4.3 miles to Cold Hollow Sculpture Park (512-333-2119). There is no charge to visit the 35-acre park designed by metal sculptor David Stromeyer to display his massive modern abstract sculptures. Hay fields and meadows serve as a backdrop for more than 50 sculptures, each strategically placed to integrate it with the landscape that inspired the piece. Walking trails are cut through the fields, and a map is provided. Throughout the season, which runs from late June to early October, Stromeyer teams up with other creative artists to offer “walking conversations” for the public to discuss his conceptual visions of selected works.
Return to VT 105 to continue to East Berkshire. Ask the locals where they eat, and the answer will be the Pine Cone Snack Bar (802-933-6630). It’s been open seasonally at the same location for more than 40 years. There’s dining inside or out and a miniature golf course and llamas for kids.
BACKROADS AND BRIDGES
VT 118 will take you through Montgomery Center, a lovely Vermont village, about 9 miles from Jay Peak Ski Resort (802-988-2611). Shop at Mountain Fiber Folk Cooperative (802-326-2092) for hats, scarves, rugs, and other products made from natural fibers. Or relax at the Vermont Salt Cave Spa and Halotherapy Center (802-326-2283), which offers salt cave therapy in a chamber constructed of Polish pink rock salt.
COLD HOLLOW SCULPTURE PARK, ENOSBURG FALLS
Montgomery is Vermont’s Covered Bridge Capital. As late as the 1940s, it had an astounding 13 covered bridges; today there are only six, all within a few-mile radius. Five of the bridges are along VT 118. To view the Creamery Bridge you will need to take Hill West Road to Creamery Bridge Road and take a right. Loop back on West Hill Road (yes, these are two different roads) to get back to where you began on Main Street.
Follow VT 118 to Belvidere Corners, then stay right for VT 109 to Waterville. Although there’s not much to see along this 6-mile stretch, the scenery is beautiful and you will find five more covered bridges, all of which cross the North Branch of the Lamoille River. You’ll have to wander off the main route to see them, so it’s best to stop and ask for directions. In Waterville turn right on Lapland Road, which becomes Waterville Mountain Road, to Bakersfield. Portions of this route are unpaved. In Bakersfield, you have a choice of going west on VT 36 back to St. Albans or heading north on VT 108 to the Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site (802-933-8362).
If you prefer to skip this detour, VT 36 will take you through East Fairfield, where you can take a look at the East Fairfield Covered Bridge (left on Bridge Street), a queenpost-truss bridge built in 1865 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You also could head north on North Road to Pond Road to Fairfield Pond. A beach and fishing access is located at the water’s northern end. This side trip is perfect for soaking up the fall colors. Follow this route to the pond, then continue on Sheldon Woods Road to East Sheldon Road to Enosburg Falls, cutting back to VT 36 on Boston Post Road to return to St. Albans.
DETOUR
Everyone knows the story of “Silent Cal,” the Plymouth Notch native who made it to the White House. But what about the other Vermont-born president? Chester Alan Arthur, son of a Baptist minister from Fairfield, also served, becoming president in September 1881 after the untimely death of James Garfield.
To get to the Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site (802-933-8362), take VT 108 north to Bordoville Road. Go left, and then left again on Chester A. Arthur Road. You also can access the site from VT 105, just west of Enosburg Falls, although that route is slightly longer.
The cheery yellow two-room house is a reconstruction of the parsonage where Arthur’s family moved when he was one year old. Pictorial exhibits tell the story of his life and political career.
The president was dubbed “Elegant Arthur,” as he was always impeccably dressed, often changing his outfits several times a day. It is rumored that as an adult he never wore the same pair of pants twice. He brought his fastidiousness to the White House, insisting that the entire interior be remodeled before he moved in. Items from previous administrations were sold at public auction. Near the building is a monument, dedicated by Robert Todd Lincoln in 1903, that marks the spot where it’s believed the cottage where he was born in 1829 stood. Fairfield Center School students designed and built the President Chester A. Arthur Walking Trail in 2002, including the boardwalks and bridges on this woodsy nature trail. The trailhead is near the picnic area behind the monument.
CHESTER A. ARTHUR STATE HISTORIC SITE
After visiting the historic site, continue along this two-lane country road to North Fairfield Church. This church sits on the site where the Reverend William Arthur, his father, preached. It was built around 1840 to replace an earlier church and was never modernized. In fact, it still has no electricity. It’s open to the public when the historic site is open, weekends from July through mid-October. Keep on this road, and at the T turn left on North Street for 1 mile to VT 36, then head west to St. Albans. Can’t get enough of President Arthur? The Fairfield Town Hall (802-827-3261) at 25 North Street also has a small museum dedicated to the 21st president, open weekdays.
Best Places to Sleep
BACK INN TIME (802-527-5116), 68 Fairfield Street, St. Albans. Wealthy merchant Victor Atwood spared no expense when he built his Victorian manor house on Fairfield Street in 1858. It was spacious—the kind of place where he and his wife Charlotte could entertain guests—and also close to the city center. Innkeepers Ron and KarenMarie Peltier have created that same sense of place in their beautifully restored inn, replete with period furnishings. The purple granite fireplace in the dining room is original to the house. They have five guest rooms with private baths, including two rooms with fireplaces, plus a self-catering apartment. Breakfast, featuring fresh, local ingredients, is included for guests booking rooms. Picnic basket lunches may be ordered, and dinner is by reservation. The inn also hosts “Music & More” nights in its restored Carriage Barn, featuring live music and local foods. Inquire when making reservations. $$–$$$.
WELCOME TO FAIRFIELD
THE 1906 HOUSE (802-933-3030), 27 Main Street, Enosburg Falls. When Jennifer Neville Bright bought this aging property, originally the home of Moses Perley, a dry goods store owner and a partner in the Dr. B. J. Kendall Company, it needed more than just a little tender loving care. It required a complete overhaul, inside and out, but the result is a stunning Main Street inn with a relaxed ambience. The Colonial Revival house with a porte cochere has six rooms, some with shared bath, and all with original hardwood floors. Rates include a full breakfast. Jennifer also owns the four-room Tabor House Inn (802-868-7575) in West Swanton that overlooks Maquam Bay. $$.
PHINEAS SWANN BED AND BREAKFAST (802-326-4306), 195 Main Street, Montgomery Center. That this inn has “gone to the dogs” is an understatement. Unlike some inns that claim to be pet friendly, then tack on hefty fees and restrictions if you bring your pet, this venue treats dogs as pampered guests. Innkeepers Darren and Lynne Drevik welcome dogs to stay in the six luxury suites in the Carriage House and River House. The Main House, which has three individually designed rooms, is a dog-free zone for the comfort of guests who may be allergic. If visiting in winter, ask about the Pet Perfect Ski Package, which includes lodging, breakfast, Jay Peak Resort lift tickets, doggie treat bag, and dog-walking services while you’re on the slopes. $$–$$$$.
Best Places to Eat
ONE FEDERAL RESTAURANT & LOUNGE (802-524-0330), 1 Federal Street, St. Albans. Open Sun.–Thurs. 11 AM–9 PM, Fri.–Sat. 11 AM–10 PM. Housed in the historic St. Albans Foundry and Implement Co. factory, the restaurant serves classic American fare with a Vermont twist. Chef Marcus Hamblett sources ingredients from area farms as much as possible. House specialties include frickles—deep-fried pickle slices with ranch dipping sauce—and the Vermonter burger, an Angus beef patty topped with Cabot cheddar, Granny Smith apples, bacon, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Other popular menu choices include the Vermont Surf ’n Turf—slow-roasted prime rib and maple-bacon sea scallops—and comfort foods such as the butternut ravioli and smoked pork shoulder. Kids eat free on Tuesdays with the purchase of an adult entrée. $$–$$$.
THE INN RESTAURANT (802-326-4391), 241 Main Street, Montgomery Center. Open Thurs.–Sun. 5–9 PM. An inviting atmosphere with food and drink inspired by farm-fresh ingredients adds up to an exceptional dining experience at this out-of-the way location. Seasonal menus are inventive, often with an international flair. Entrées may range from coconut red curry shrimp and Asian noodle bowl to a pan-seared beef rib eye. Seating is by the fireside or in the livelier tavern. Owners Nick Barletta and Scott Pasfield also run The INN, originally a late nineteenth-century timber baron’s house, which has 11 tasteful but distinctively different rooms, including a dog-friendly room with a balcony. $$–$$$.