Another beautiful ride through the Green Mountains with a stop at the Texas Falls and the Stephan A Douglas birthplace.  Unfortunately, the Douglas house (shared with the Chamber of Commerce) was closed.  Would have liked to know more about his beginnings.  Had stopped at some of the Lincoln/Douglas debate sites when I took a trip down the Mississippi River area a few years ago.

Missed this national park on the way up Hwy 100 so wandered back across the state to the Marsh Billings Rockefeller Historical Park. The house has a wonderful history of attracting inhabitants who dedicated their lives to conserving our resources. The New England forests were decimated by the logging industry in the mid-1800s.  George Marsh was the first to recognize that razing the forests of trees and allowing unlimited sheep grazing destroyed the earth’s ability to control water runoff, thereby increasing flooding and silting up the rivers which destroyed the fish.  His book, Man & Nature explained that dominion didn’t mean destruction.  The next owner, Frederick Billings saw the devastation and set about planting trees and developed the first forest management program, which was continued after his death by his wife and their daughters.  His granddaughter, Mary French, married Laurence Rockefeller and they continued the tradition and eventually donated the land to the National Parks.  The forest management educational program continues and Vermont runs the working Billings Farm.The Rockefeller family has a long history of recognizing the value of setting aside land for conservation and park donations, among them Acadia, The Grand Tetons, Yosemite, Great Smokies and others.

Several towns in Vermont are holding celebrations to mark their recovery from Hurricane Irene which hit two years ago.  The flooding from the unrelenting rain was devastating to many of these mountain villages and many are still in the midst of rebuilding. Also couldn’t help noticing all the apple trees growing wild along the mountain roads.  Orchards were a big part of the early farms.  Heard hard cider was also part of the mix.  Got a little tricky during Prohibition. Also noticed a surprise occupant in one of the pastures.

A lovely couple at the church service I attended invited me to spend the night in Bennington.  Gave me the chance to explore more of sights in this pretty town whose streets are decorated with the catamount, a local mountain lion-type creature that was hunted and eventually killed off.  Began by going to the museum to get a bit of history about Vermont.  It was NOT one of the original 13 Colonies – was actually a part of New York.  Its constitution outlawed slavery in 1777, even before it became a state in 1791. Also saw the Grandma Moses exhibit that was there along with an interview with Grandma by Edward R Morrow - like wandering back in a time capsule as I had just seen Good Night & Good Luck on a movie channel the other night. 

The Battle of Bennington (actually fought in New York) was also the scene of a stand-off of General Burgoyne’s grab for the town ammunition (remember him from Concord).  Coming to the town’s rescue were Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys.  There’s a 300’ obelisk tower (with an elevator) commemorating this battle and honoring all veterans.  The elevator was installed after WWII to accommodate the many disabled veterans who returned home. Also had a chance for a short visit to one of the top 10 Garlic Festivals in the country being held that weekend.  Had no idea garlic could be used so many ways.

From there I moved on down to

 Williamstown, MA and visited The

 Clark Museum.  They’re in the midst of building and renovation but nevertheless, extensive and beautiful collections of Old Masters, Impressionists and others.  Their special exhibits at this time were Winslow Homer and George Inness.  Since I’ve been traveling New England, these were especially appealing to me plus a darn fancy piano fashioned for the head of the New York Symphony.

Wandered over to Susan B. Anthony’s birthplace in Adams to hear a very enthusiastic guide tell her story.  Susan was the product of a mixed marriage – Quaker and Baptist.  Surprisingly to me, her independent-thinking Baptist mom was a big influence on her.  She’d dress in her Quaker drabs, walk over to her family’s home and don her red satin to attend the Baptist church.  She threw a fit when her husband sold the business and made arrangements to move the family without consulting her.  Susan always wore a red shawl in her honor.  That family experience led Susan to become a leader in the Temperance, Anti-Slavery and Women’s Suffrage movements.  

Hopped onto the Mowhawk Trail (which I hear will be bumper to bumper in a few weeks during the fall foliage season)  Am seeing just a hint of color now.  Looked down at Gaby and it looked like there was another road right alongside of me.  Turns out it was the extension of the hairpin turn I was about to take. At one time there was a store at the bend but after multiple trucks crashed into it, it was moved to a less dangerous site.  

Stopped at a turn-off to get a better look at the Deerfield River and met another traveling kin. She was raised in Maine, had a home in Alaska and was also traveling the country.  She had moved to Alaska so her twins could go to college tuition free. Now all 6 children are fledged so she’s wandering the world.  Has had lots of house-sitting experiences in Europe and Australia. 

Stopped to admire the
 “Hail to the Sunrise” Monument with arms raised to the East, honoring the Mohawk Indians. There’s also a beautiful stone circular wall and flagstone walkway with tribal names and memorials etched. A flyer advertised an annual gathering that’s held on the second Sunday in Sept.

                                                             Next was Shelburne Falls to see the Bridge of Flowers. Two local women got the ball rolling to make this former trolley track across the Deerfield River (when the mills closed & fell into disrepair) into something beautiful and they certainly succeeded. It’s a floral pathway of brilliant color now maintained by a women’s club and lots of community volunteers.  Especially showy were the dahlias.  The town is also famous for its glacial pots - deep rounded impressions in huge striated boulders below a waterfall.

Made the turn south toward Amherst to meet my hosts in Hadley.  Couldn’t bypass Deerfield where I was almost aroma-ed to death at the Yankee Candle Village.  Thirteen display rooms that even included Halloween pasta.  Then took a brief walk thru Historic Deerfield to admire the restored homes by the local preservation group. It was the beginning of school at the Deerfield Academy so lots of good-bye hugs being exchanged between parents and their kids.