Our Vermont Travelblog

Trip 17 - Wolcott

Had to run some errands and decided it was a lovely day that should have Dogz out with me enjoying it...

We tried doing this without leashes, but Kayla wanted to go visit the family fishing by the bridge, and Mex only sat in one place for about 30 femtoseconds.

We were all alone for a while, so off-leash wasn't an issue and the pups could run around.  Kayla was surprisingly not barky, but there were no MILFs around in contrast to our last trip.  Sigh. (history, demographics):

The second-named grantee, General Oliver Wolcott, was held in only slightly less esteem by Vermonters than George Washington. Son of one of Connecticut's most outstanding colonial officials, he graduated from Yale and became a noted juror in Litchfield. He later served as a Captain in the French and Indian Wars and became a Commissioner for Indian Affairs, in which role he brought about settlement of the Wyoming Valley - New York - Vermont boundary dispute. He was a member of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolutionary War he rose to the rank of Major General, after which he served as Lieutenant Governor, then Governor of Connecticut. The Allens, the Chittendens and many other early Vermont leaders were from the Litchfield area, and they all knew and respected General Wolcott.

I've seen Fisher Bridge from the road many a time to and fro the Fortress of Solitude, and it was nice to finally get a closer look.

This is the most popular angle to shoot from, probably because it's the easiest one to catch the full bridge without bushwhacking on the other side of the footpath.

Harsh lighting made for some challenges.

Mex really wanted to walk across the bridge, but Daddy was too scared and wouldn't let him.

Some info:

Bridge Carries:       Railroad Line
Bridge Crosses:      Lamoille River
Bridge Traffic:      Railroad
Truss Type:      Town-Pratt double lattice
Year Built:      1908
Builder:      St. Johnsbury and Lamoille County Railroad
Structure Characteristics:      Length:  109'-0"
Span:  103'-0"
Width: 15'±
Tracks:  1

On our way out of town.

I should've ridden my bike today.  Of course, I could say that for most of the days this summer...

ntodd

Trip 16 - Waterville

Taking advantage of a not-rainy window, we piled into my new Ford Escape hybrid for a quick 251 Club excursion.

We need to do this more often so the Dogz get into the habit of cooperating when I'm taking the picture.

Actually, Mex and Kayla are well-behaved when I'm setting up, but they can't seem to get settled for the shot itself.  I think it's because we're moving fast to beat the timer, so they think we're going to run and play.  Regardless, as you can see in the photo we went to Waterville (history, demographics):

Waterville was created out of three parcels: Coits Gore, Belvidere Leg and part of Bakersfield. The town contains a little more than 10,000 acres, being essentially the valley through which the North Branch of the Lamoille River flows. Probably the town was given its name because the river was the most important feature, in the same way that Brookline was named in 1794.

The legislative records give the reason for the establishment of Waterville as a separate town: "It appears to this assembly that it is inconvenient for the inhabitants of the southeast corner of Bakersfield, and that part of Belvidere called the 'Leg' to attend town meetings and transact town business in their respective towns, and that Coits Gore ought to be incorporated and form a part of a new town...." The inconvenience was the hills and mountains that effectively blocked communication from east to west, as it has been elsewhere in Vermont, be it within a town, a county or the state as a whole.

The records of the Governor and Council show that Coits Gore was also called Williamsburgh, part of a grant that had been made to Vermont's second Surveyor General, James Whitelaw, James Savage and William Coit. It was the latter's first name that inspired the Williamsburgh name. Another part of the grant was first known as St. Andrews Gore, then became Plainfield.

James Savage and William Coit were surveyors who worked with General Whitelaw for the state; and their grant was given to them in lieu of back salary, as were grants to Tom Chittenden, Ira Allen, and some of the other founding fathers of the Vermont republic.

One of my best friends in elementary school lived in Waterville, OH.  And I went to college in Waterville, ME.  Hmm...

The meeting house.

The Dogz accosted this lovely woman and her little girl, so I was mortified

She was very nice and understanding, and we chatted about the 251 Club.  She asked what was the most beautiful town I'd seen thus far.  I thought, "this one because you're here."  Since that might've been rather forward, I ended up telling her about Granville instead.

A little footbridge in the town green spanning a brook.

On the way back out of town.

These cows found barking dogz to be fascinating.

Not in Waterville, but something we saw in Fletcher on the way home:

We were asked to stop as this dumb cow was crossing River Road--the farmers had just extricated her from mud on the other side.

And now the clouds are really rolling in.  Looks to be a wet coupla days in God's Country...

ntodd

Trip 3

Cairo romps in Colchester's Bayside Park.

Cairo was just so excited to be going on another 251 Club trip! Come play with us as we visit Colchester, Waitsfield and Stowe (Moscow, too)...