Art, Nature and Beauty in Montgomery
August 01, 2024
Listen to the Podcast
Traveling east on Route 118 along the Trout River is a nostalgic scene with covered bridges, barns and mountain views. After a few bends in the road, a clear view of the Montgomery Center for the Arts unfolds.
The Greek Revival building was empty the first time Sebastian Araujo saw it eight years ago when he and his partner moved to town from Provincetown, Mass. The iconic building, perched at the intersection of Main Street and Mountain Road, is a former Baptist Church built in 1866.
“These buildings deserve to be restored. They deserve to be cherished. They deserve to be protected,” says Araujo, founding director of the Montgomery Center for the Arts. “And it’s really important, because if we don’t know where we come from, we don’t know who we are in the present.”
-The center is located in a former Baptist church. Courtesy photo.
Since opening six years ago, the Montgomery Center for the Arts has hosted art exhibits, performances, workshops and meditation sessions. Araujo and others have tirelessly volunteered to help repair and preserve the building, organize events and get the word out.
“The idea was to create a space that was set apart slightly from reality, slightly apart from the community, but yet still in the middle of it,” he says. “You can really feel people have jumped in and dug deep to make sure that it feels good.”
Araujo, who felt drawn to the area for reasons he can’t quite explain, says Montgomery is welcoming and peaceful place.
“The way the world is so topsy-turvy…this place really makes a lot of sense right now,” says Araujo.
-Hazen’s Notch (also known as Route 58) connects Montgomery and Lowell.
A Historic Road in Montgomery
Located in Franklin County, Montgomery is about eight miles from Jay Peak Ski Resort and 10 miles from the Canadian border.
Established in 1780, Montgomery is named after Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery, an Irish-born commander whose forces captured forts at Chambly and St. John in Quebec.
Montgomery died Dec. 31, 1775, during an attempted premature assault on Quebec City. Not only is the town of Montgomery named after him, but so is the city of Montgomery, Alabama.
Hazen’s Notch Road, connecting Montgomery Center and Lowell, is a scenic dirt route closed in winter. It was initially built during the Revolutionary War as the Bayley-Hazen Military Road, extending 48 miles from Wells River to Montgomery Center.
-The Comstock Covered Bridge in Montgomery.
Covered Bridges
Montgomery is also famously home to six covered bridges, all built in the 19th century, including Longley Bridge, Comstock Bridge, Hectorville Bridge, Hutchins Bridge, Creamery Bridge and Fuller Bridge.
Walls of old covered bridges, like the former Highway Bridge, served as public billboards for locals, advertising circus dates and medical cures and being a communication medium of sorts, according to the Montgomery Historical Society.
Where to Stay, Eat and Explore
-The Phineas Swann Inn & Spa on Main Street in Montgomery Center. Courtesy photo.
Stay and Relax in Montgomery
Phineas Swann Inn & Spa
The Phineas Swann Inn & Spa offers nine rooms and suites in the main inn, Carriage House and River Cottage. Its spa, open to the public, offers everything from massages and facials to pedicures and saunas. (195 Main St. Montgomery Center; phineasswann.com)
Vermont Salt Cave Spa & Halotherapy Center
Vermont Salt Cave Spa & Halotherapy Center, which opened in 2016, is a contemporary wellness center built around a man-made salt cave composed entirely from Polish rock salt. (48 Main St., Montgomery Center; vtsaltcaves.com)
-Cafe Oma in Montgomery Center is open for breakfast and lunch.
Food
Café Oma
The charming Café Oma is the perfect place in town to grab breakfast or lunch. Their menu and specials range from tasty frittatas and Moroccan lentil soup to BLTs and chicken salad. Don’t miss the cafe’s lattes, cold brew and hot coffee. (91 Main St., Montgomery Center; cafe-oma.com)
Bernie’s Restaurant
Chef-owned and operated, Bernie’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner five nights a week. Bernie’s offers themed dinner nights, specials, a full bar and friendly atmosphere. (72 Main St., Montgomery Center; berniesvt.com)
-Trail access in Hazen’s Notch in Montgomery.
Outdoor Recreation
The Jay Cloud Cyclery
Sharing a space with Café Oma is The Jay Cloud Cyclery, which offers rentals, apparel, repairs, parts and bike sales. The store is also an outstanding resource for finding paved, single-track and gravel routes.
Nearby biking route options include the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail, the Montgomery Recreation Center, and the Jay Community Recreational Centre. (91 Main St., Montgomery Center; thejaycloud.com)
Hazen’s Notch Association
Established in 1994, the Hazen’s Notch Association maintains a network of 15 miles of trails and wooded roads for hiking between May and October.
The trails are part of a more extensive network of 24 miles maintained in winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. (Hazen’s Notch Welcome Center, 1423 Hazen’s Notch Rd., Montgomery Center; hazensnotch.org)
-Entering the town of Montgomery on Route 118.
Arts and Culture
Montgomery Center for the Arts
The Montgomery Center for the Arts offers events, exhibits, workshops and classes. The center is calling for entries for its upcoming fall Annual People’s Art Show, a free, non-juried, uncensored exhibition where all entries are exhibited. (2 Mountain Rd., Montgomery Center; montgomerycenterforthearts.com)
Happy Vermont Podcast
In this episode of Happy Vermont, Araujo talks about living in Montgomery and what compelled him to help preserve a 19th-century building and start the Montgomery Center for the Arts.
No Comments