Leaf Peeping in Vermont

OR…Leaf Peeping from Vermont…

…as we were camping at Quechee State Park in Vermont, on the border with New Hampshire, and spent our time visiting places in Vermont and New Hampshire. We drove & walked through some spectacular fall foliage (cover photo taken from the Easy Over Gondola at Stowe Ski Resort). We:

Visited 2 new National Park Sites:

• Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (#215) was a Big Surprise! Not only did we experience Vermont’s only national park while it was “bejeweled in vibrant fall colors” of the park’s hard wood forests, taking a 4 mile hike, but we also loved it’s story of land stewardship and of people taking care of places:
  • George Perkins Marsh, author of Man and Nature and the father of the modern, American conservation movement
  • Frederick Billings, railway president, real estate developer, dairy farm owner, and forest rehabilitator
  • The Billings Women (Frederick’s widow, 3 daughters and granddaughter), who fostered the conservation ideology across the estate’s landscape and beyond
  • Mary & Laurance Rockefeller, who together (Mary was Frederick Billings’ granddaughter, who inherited the property), donated the property to the National Park Service in 1992. As a conservationist, Laurance articulated a comprehensive approach to land stewardship that combined preservation with public access.
• Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park (#216), New Hampshire’s only national park, preserves the home and studio of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907). It tells the history behind the captivating bronze sculptures and with its partners tells the story of and continues the tradition of the Cornish Colony of artists. On the grounds are recasts of 4 of his more famous bronze sculptures:
  • Farragut Monument, original in Madison Square Park, NYC
  • Abraham Lincoln: The Man, original in Lincoln Park, Chicago
  • Shaw Memorial, original across from capitol in Boston
  • Adams Memorial, original in Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, DC

Toured 2 new State Capitols:

• Vermont State Capitol in Montpelier (#28), where we got a great tour from a retired teacher who also served a term in the Vermont legislature. Vermont, 14th state. Interesting tidbit…the Vermont State Seal is defined by law to include 5 items, but is not one design…there are 7 different designs in the State House alone!
• New Hampshire State Capitol in Concord (#29), where we got another great tour, from a gentleman who ultimately let us know his is married to the currently longest serving representative in the state (when he pointed out her seat in the chamber), 1st elected in 1980. We got some personal stories about candidates coming through to sign up for the New Hampshire primary, which will be starting again next week! Also of note, the Senate Chamber and Representatives Hall are the oldest chambers in the United States still in continuous legislative use, and New Hampshire has by far the largest lower house of any American state, with 400 members each representing about 3,300 residents, the largest lower house representative-to-population ratio in the country.

And…

• Hiked in Quechee State Park and visited Quechee Gorge
• Drove north from Montpelier to Stowe Ski Resort, stopping at Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Cabot Cheese, Champlain Chocolates, and Ben & Jerry’s enroute
• Visited the home of Franklin Pierce (#14 President), New Hampshire’s one president
• Visited the home of Calvin Coolidge (#30 President), one of Vermont’s presidents, the other being Chester Arthur (#21). Both were VP’s who became president when their predecessor died (Harding (#29) and Garfield (#20), respectively.)

Off for Troy, NY & RPI!

PS. Yes, these were longer than usual descriptions, but…two little-known, but fascinating National Park Sites, and two of the best State House Tours we’ve gotten, to-date!

For more pictures, eventually, see (in-work) Adventure Album:  New England Autumn

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