Central Vermont Archives - Happy Vermont

Central Vermont

  • Celebrating Calvin Coolidge in Plymouth Notch
    Celebrating Calvin Coolidge in Plymouth Notch

    Vice president Calvin Coolidge was asleep in his childhood home in Plymouth Notch when the news arrived that President Warren Harding had died. A few hours later, on Aug. 3, 1923, at 2:47 a.m., Coolidge was sworn in as the 30th president of the United States....

  • Woodchuck Golf in Waitsfield is a Backyard Labor of Love
    Woodchuck Golf in Waitsfield is a Backyard Labor of Love

    On a clear spring day, you can see the top of Jay Peak from Spencer Potter's backyard in Waitsfield. Just steps away from his house on Palmer Lane are a patio, a pond, a burn pile, and a six-hole golf course named Woodchuck Golf that...

  • Podcast: Turnpikes, Toll Roads and Historic Routes
    Podcast: Turnpikes, Toll Roads and Historic Routes

    Driving west on Route 17, the road’s pitch starts to noticeably change as it rounds past Mad River Glen and climbs to an elevation of 2,375 feet in Buel’s Gore. The area, known as the “App Gap,” is also referred to as the McCullough Turnpike—a...

  • Where are the Most Maple Trees in Vermont?
    Where are the Most Maple Trees in Vermont?

    If you're wondering if there's an epicenter of Vermont maple trees, look no further than rural Orange County. The county, home to the most maple trees in Vermont, is located east of the Green Mountains. The region includes Newbury, West Topsham, Vershire, Strafford, Thetford, Brookfield, Chelsea, Randolph,...

  • The Vermont Town Meeting Tradition: A Conversation with Former Governor Jim Douglas
    The Vermont Town Meeting Tradition: A Conversation with Former Governor Jim Douglas

    The Vermont Town Meeting tradition is deeply rooted in the fabric of the Green Mountain State. On the first Tuesday in March, Vermonters gather to cast their votes on local issues. Town meeting participation in Vermont has been on the decline for several decades. Of course,...

  • An Innkeeper Finds Renewal in Ripton
    An Innkeeper Finds Renewal in Ripton

    For Chris Bullock, returning to Ripton felt like coming home. Bullock was 16 years old when his mother—a government employee from New Jersey with no hospitality experience—decided to make a lifestyle change. In 1978, she bought The Chipman Inn on Route 125 in the tiny town...

  • The Joys and Challenges of Running a Country Store
    The Joys and Challenges of Running a Country Store

    At the Warren Store in Vermont's Mad River Valley, you can find everything from fine wine, hot cider, and deli sandwiches to silver earrings, leather bags, and CBD products. Running a general store means juggling many tasks at once—tracking inventory, running a cash register, posting on...

  • 15 Places to Visit in Vermont in Fall
    15 Places to Visit in Vermont in Fall

    Are you looking for places to visit in Vermont in fall? Here are 15 Vermont towns worth exploring when the leaves change this autumn. Ripton Route 125 runs through the heart of the Green Mountains between Routes 7 and 100. Along the way is the small town...

  • 6 Vermont Swimming Holes to Explore This Summer
    6 Vermont Swimming Holes to Explore This Summer

    Vermont swimming holes hold a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors. If you’re looking for a place to jump off rocks or wade in shallow waters, you'll find dozens of scenic swimming holes in Vermont. For centuries, Vermont swimming holes have drawn visitors...

  • The Spring Tradition of Pond Skimming at Ski Areas
    The Spring Tradition of Pond Skimming at Ski Areas

    **Update: March 14, 2020 - Due to the coronavirus, many ski areas around Vermont are closing early for the season.  Pond skimming competitions are a rite-of-spring in ski culture. Between March and May, ski areas across the world celebrate the end of the season with skiers and snowboarders gliding...