Chittenden County Archives - Happy Vermont

Chittenden County

  • 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...

  • 8 Vermont Art and History Museums Showcase Quirky, Colorful and Eye-Opening Exhibits
    8 Vermont Art and History Museums Showcase Quirky, Colorful and Eye-Opening Exhibits

    Want to escape the cold or find inspiration during mud season? Several Vermont art and history museums are open in late winter and early spring with special events, new exhibitions, and timeless collections. From Burlington the Brattleboro, you’ll find a variety of Vermont art and history...

  • Small Vermont Ski Hills Offer Affordable Winter Fun
    Small Vermont Ski Hills Offer Affordable Winter Fun

    In the early days of New England skiing, winter enthusiasts flocked to small Vermont ski hills like Northeast Slopes in East Corinth, Gilbert’s Hill in Woodstock (home of the first rope tow in the United States), and Prospect Mountain in Woodford. Vermont skiing has come a...

  • Volunteers Take Pride in Preserving and Restoring Vermont’s Old Cemeteries
    Volunteers Take Pride in Preserving and Restoring Vermont’s Old Cemeteries

    When vandals damaged 200 gravestones at the historic Village Cemetery in Bennington last weekend, Tom Giffin immediately reached out to the town about how he could help. Giffin, of Rutland, is president of Vermont Old Cemetery Association (VOCA), a volunteer organization founded in 1958 to restore...

  • Podcast: Soaking Up the Outdoors with Vermont Forest Bathing Guide Duncan Murdoch
    Podcast: Soaking Up the Outdoors with Vermont Forest Bathing Guide Duncan Murdoch

    Vermont forest bathing guide Duncan Murdoch helps people slow down and connect with nature. The former actor, now a certified nature and forest therapy guide, leads forest bathing workshops around Vermont. Forest bathing, which first originated in Japan, is a research-based practice for supporting healing and...

  • Vermont Historic Markers Highlight History, People and Places
    Vermont Historic Markers Highlight History, People and Places

    Vermont historic markers are in every corner of the state—from Addison to Woodstock. The newest Vermont historic marker stands in Burlington at the birthplace of the Green Mountain Club. Of the nearly 300 Vermont historic markers across the state, the Green Mountain Club's plaque is where...

  • 5 Vermont Public Gardens to Visit
    5 Vermont Public Gardens to Visit

    After a long winter and dreary spring, it’s finally time to stop and smell the flowers and soak up splashes of color in Vermont public gardens. Five Vermont public gardens worth visiting this spring and summer showcase peonies, roses, hydrangeas, sunflowers, lavender, fruit trees, and more....

  • Vermont Mud Season Hikes to Explore in April and May
    Vermont Mud Season Hikes to Explore in April and May

    Mud season is a tricky time in Vermont. Ski season is over, hiking trails are closed, and we’re pretty much just waiting around for Memorial Day Weekend to arrive. The good news is that there are a variety of lower-elevation trails and paths to explore this...

  • Lake Champlain Winter Swimming with the Red Hot Chilly Dippers
    Lake Champlain Winter Swimming with the Red Hot Chilly Dippers

    Katharine Montstream is a Burlington artist known for her colorful paintings, prints, and cards of Camel’s Hump, Warren Falls, downtown Burlington, and Lake Champlain. Montstream can often be found painting at her studio at The Soda Plant on Pine Street in Burlington or greeting customers at...

  • 6 Winter Outdoor Alternatives to Alpine Skiing
    6 Winter Outdoor Alternatives to Alpine Skiing

    Getting outside in winter feels more important than ever as the outdoors can boost our mood and create mindfulness. In Vermont, skiing is often the go-to for outdoor winter activities. But there’s more to Vermont winters than skiing. From wooded snowshoe trails to outdoor ice skating...