History Archives - Happy Vermont

History

  • Old and Lost Vermont Town Names
    Old and Lost Vermont Town Names

    On any digital or paper Vermont map, you can easily find Vermont's 252 cities and towns. But what you won't find as easily are lost Vermont town names like Vineyard or Mansfield. Vineyard is now Isle La Motte and Mansfield is now Stowe. Dig a little...

  • Ethan Allen and the Hidden History of Burlington
    Ethan Allen and the Hidden History of Burlington

    What would Vermont be if not for Ethan Allen? Perhaps the Green Mountains would still be part of the Empire or Granite State. Allen, a Revolutionary War hero, is best known for leading the Green Mountain Boys during the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. In his adopted...

  • Art, Nature and Beauty in Montgomery
    Art, Nature and Beauty in Montgomery

    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...

  • A Place Called Adamant
    A Place Called Adamant

    It's hard to define Adamant. The unincorporated village, situated on the Calais and East Montpelier town line, consists of dirt roads, ponds, waterfalls and a small co-op grocery store with a post office. But where its border exactly starts and ends is tricky to pin down. Locals...

  • Pieces of History on Mount Philo in Charlotte
    Pieces of History on Mount Philo in Charlotte

    Mount Philo in Charlotte stands at 968 feet. Lower in elevation than the Empire State Building and tiny compared to the neighboring Green Mountains and Adirondacks, Mount Philo is everything you could want in a mountain. It's accessible, easy to hike and offers some of the best views around. The...

  • Vermont Museums Explore Rocks, Organs, Birds and Everyday Items
    Vermont Museums Explore Rocks, Organs, Birds and Everyday Items

    Vermont museums are gearing up for the 2024 season with new exhibits highlighting mining and minerals, birds, New England culture, Vermont firsts, organs, history and the notion of stains. Read on to learn about summer and fall exhibits at eight Vermont museums across the state. -The Museum...

  • The Early Days of Skiing and Trails at Stowe
    The Early Days of Skiing and Trails at Stowe

    When it comes to Vermont ski history, 1934 was a big year. Ninety years ago, the first rope tow in the country opened in Woodstock. In 1934, the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol at Stowe Mountain Resort became incorporated, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the...

  • In Vermont, Why Are Things Where They Are? 
    In Vermont, Why Are Things Where They Are? 

    Have you ever wondered why Vermont towns or villages have the words center, falls or mills tacked on?  If you've spent time in Vermont towns, you've come across places like Waterbury Center, Enosburgh Falls, Cookeville, or Post Mills. Or, you've been to places with east, west,...

  • Haunted Happenings in the Bennington Triangle and Beyond
    Haunted Happenings in the Bennington Triangle and Beyond

    For decades, the mysteries of the Bennington Triangle have captured our imaginations. The Bennington Triangle is a term coined by author Joe Citro that refers to strange happenings in Bennington County, including unexplained disappearances, UFO sightings, and other odd activity. The epicenter of the Bennington Triangle...

  • Hiking The Long Trail in the Heart of Vermont
    Hiking The Long Trail in the Heart of Vermont

    Hiking the Long Trail might mean seeing an old stone wall, a cellar hole, or an abandoned road. On mountains like Camels Hump—where the century-old Long Trail crosses its peak—nearby wreckage from a 1944 bomber plane crash has fascinated historians, hikers and locals for decades. But hikers...