Vermont means “green mountain” and, for me, some of my greenest memories. My wife Marian and I purchased a small rustic summer cottage at Star Lake in Belmont, Vt., in 1979. Belmont sits atop a beautiful green mountain in southern Vermont between the towns of Rutland and Ludlow. It claims the highest altitude of all Vermont’s villages with a post office.
Our cottage sat in a lush cove, smack on Star Lake. Some spots are better than others, and ours was the choicest spot in the village. Clusters of specimen white water lilies populated our section of Star Lake. From those lily pads, noisy frogs sang us to sleep each night and, and sometimes kept us awake. We even dedicated our sunroom to them, and named it The Frog Room! It boasted green decor and country wallpaper, with an over-the-top collection of frog items. On both sides of our long dirt driveway were fields overgrown with a plethora of wildflowers. Birds, bees and various kinds of wildlife also resided there. Marian suggested I gather some rocks and build a wall along the driveway. Instead, I purchased a book about wildflowers and birds to help me identify them.
Many lazy summer days spent there included walks to the General Store, a vintage throwback of authentic small-town Americana retailing. Sunday services at the steepled, white-framed, picture postcard church offered scholarly and memorable Bible lessons from our dedicated Pastor Glenn. Spin casting from our yard or small pier at the town beach provided many surprise catches. Our friend Otis, when he didn’t capsize the rowboat and lose his catch, would always cook a tasty New England supper.
Advantages of living in Belmont were the nearby drives to many local attractions. The annual Labor Day jaunts to Vermont’s State Fair in Rutland call to mind the old carny days in upstate New York during the 1940s. Pizza parties with family and friends at the rustic Farmhouse Lodge on old Route 100 are indelible memories also. Historic trips to President Calvin Coolidge’s birthplace in Plymouth were a must-visit with guests. Scenic drives along Rescue Lake, visiting the Bridgewater Mill and sylvan villages en route to historic Woodstock stand out.
Nearby Weston village, with its New England menus and country stores, always made the good old days retrievable. Evenings at the Weston Playhouse definitely satisfied our urban culture quest, with their Broadway quality summer theater company productions. The old road to Weston from Belmont displayed an impressive archway of maple trees, brilliant every season, but especially majestic for peeping during fall foliage time. Belmont offered a library, town hall, and museum, plus an annual Cider Press on its town green.
The volunteer Fire Department hosted a fair and field day each summer, and I’ll never forget playing my clarinet the loudest in the annual Fourth of July parade. Swimming and picnic lunches at Ludlow’s beach and creek, plus all its quaint eateries on Main Street were special. The Hatchery or Cafe at Delight for breakfast, and dinner at DJ’s were favorites.
Okemo Mountain, along with Stowe, are Vermont’s only ski mountains with a village directly at their base. Ludlow boasts spectacular views from the lookout peaks of Okemo. Playing baseball with my brother Dick and nephew Alex in Ludlow’s park was a summertime hit. The Crowley Cheese Store and Factory tour delighted every hungry taste bud, as did Archie’s steak dinners, Nicky’s and Harry’s ethnic roadside recipes. I can’t omit the hikes to the swimming hole at Buttermilk Falls, and finding treasures from the past at Vermont’s many antique barns. Chester and Brandon, the home and studio of famous American folk artist and fellow Syracuse University grad Warren Kimble were always inspiring side trips.
These are just some of my Vermont recollections. How green was my Vermont? So green that I hope it made you feel good, and not green with envy.
Written by Robert Chancia.