Cumulative Official Town Count | Unofficial Town Count |
230 | 58 |
The Northeast Kingdom (NEK) towns covered in this post represent the wonderfully various personas of Vermont: quirky/ artsy, steeped in history/ colonialism, farming, and scenic vistas everywhere. Without further ado, I present IRASBURG, COVENTRY, BARTON, BROWNINGTON, CHARLESTON, WESTMORE, GLOVER, ALBANY, & CRAFTSBURY.
IRASBURG
Irasburg, VTÂ is a really lovely little (pop. roughly 1200 in 2020) town in the NEK which was established in 1781 through a land grant by the Vermont General Assembly. It has a classic New England/ Vermont central town green surrounded by the church, post office, library, and general store. I have read that it snows, on average, 9 out of the 12 months of the year there (consider yourself warned!). Additionally, there are two covered bridges in town: the Lord's Creek Covered Bridge and the Orne Covered Bridge. Should you want to rent a place for a getaway in Irasburg/ the NEK, there's an 8-bedroom castle to be found which would be great for a family or friend or romantic stay: Gregoire Castle -- read about it here!
COVENTRY
Coventry, VT (pop. 1,075 in 2023) has a triangular town green which hearkens back to the town's revolutionary past. While it is a sleepy town today, it used to be a mill and factory town with 4 trains arriving daily. Martha's Diner seems to be the attraction in town, but rest assured there are the typical municipal buildings to support the resident population. Coventry's claim to fame is that it was the town where the band Phish played their final concerts, in August of 2004, the final of which was the single largest gathering of people in the town's history. While some fans had to be turned back due to heavy rains, the 65,000 attendees augmented the population so much that it was the largest town population in the state at that time, outranking Burlington!
BARTON (& Orleans)
Barton, VT is an official (VT 251) town of roughly 2,800 (in 2020) and is best known for its lovely Crystal Lake and as the site of the (Orleans) county fair (which ran for its 157th year in 2024). Like other lakes in the area, Crystal lake is glacial and has a depth of over 100 feet in places. Orleans, a village in Barton, has a population of 788 (in 2020) and is the largest village in its namesake county. While Barton is a functional town (with some nice red brick buildings), Orleans is, to me, more charming. It is situated closer to the Green Mountains and offers vistas which attract vacationers, and it also has some very tasty food at the Carriage House Cafe & Grill. It's not always easy to find a place to get a meal in small towns like these in Vermont (especially in the remote northeast kingdom), so if you are in the area, you really should eat here.
BROWNINGTON
Browington, VT is a rural community of just over 1,000 (in 2020) that has a strong history of farming and a drive on its winding maple-lined roads offer wonderful views. In Brownington Center, you and your family can have fun at the Kingdom's Horesdrawn Carriage and Sleigh Rides. If you are interested in history, Brownington is a destination. The Old Stone House Museum and Village is the big attraction in town and provides a glimpse into life in early 19th century Vermont. The beautiful stone building (an architectural gem), now the historical society, was a co-ed boarding school in the 1800s whose headmaster (Alexander Twilight) was the first black college graduate in the country (graduated Middlebury College in 1823) and served as an educator, minister and politician over the course of his life. It is a fascinating museum and well worth a couple of hours. (I didn't leave enough time -- don't make that mistake).
CHARLESTON
Charleston, VT (pop. 1,021 in 2020) is comprised of two unincorporated villages: East Charleston and West Charleston. The town was granted in 1780 and named Navy until 1825 when it was renamed Charleston. The earliest settlers were hearty pioneers who cleared dense forests to make their farms and homes, and many of those fields are still being farmed today. In fact, there is an amazing farm stand (Devaney Farmstand), which is well worth a visit. Also of note is the Vermont Reindeer Farm, the only reindeer farm in the state, which you can visit (by appointment). If you've never seen a reindeer in person, they are smaller than horses and utterly adorable, and these are named after Santa's reindeer! But be warned, their poop is really sticky, so mind where you step. (Knowledge is power.)
WESTMORE
Westmore, VT is the least populated town in the county (pop. 357 in 2020) and is known as the town where gorgeous Lake Willoughby is located. Lake Willoughby was carved from glaciers and is more than 300 feet deep, making it the deepest lake (fully located) in Vermont. For good reason, it has been likened to fjords with the mountains jutting up on both sides and is an incredibly popular destination for both locals and tourists. There is Sentinel Rock State Park, with its 13,000 year old boulder and easy walking trail; the view from which -- especially at sunset -- is truly amazing. Additionally, there is the Peter Gilman Waterfall (aka Willoughby Waterfall), located on the east side of the the lake which is lovely and worth a stop. (Gilman was the first person to build a road along Lake Willoughby, in 1852.) If you are looking for a good hike with an amazing view, take the Mount Pisgah Trail, which is accessed from Route 5A, along Lake Willoughby and make it at least to Pulpit Rock. Avid hikers find it pretty easy, others would consider it moderate (and hard, in places). For an easy and short, but scenic, hike take the South Shore Loop -- but be warned there is a nude beach near the start! Should you need something to eat or drink while exploring Lake Willoughby, head over to the Lake Willoughby Store for some tasty sandwiches and local beverages.
GLOVER (& West Glover)
Glover, VT is a farming community with decidedly hippy and cool vibes, named for Brigadier General John Glover (who served in the American Revolutionary War). As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 1,114. Glover is home to two quirky museums located in barns with close-the-door and turn-the-lights-off-when-you-leave policies: The Bread & Puppet Museum and The Museum of Eveyday Life. I am just not artsy enough to "get" the disturbing and ultra-alternative vibe at the politically-focused Bread and Puppet Museum, which houses one of the largest collections of some of the biggest puppets and masks in the world. It was created in 1974 when Bread and Puppet Theater moved to this former dairy farm after close to a decade in New York City. The Museum of Everyday Life was more my speed and has wonderful exhibits of, well, everyday things (like lists, clocks, scissors, etc.), and is well worth a visit! Hungry while in Glover? Check out the Busy Bee Diner. Or, if a little shopping is of interest, visit Red Sky Trading -- after confirming they are open. In West Glover, the big draw (at least for me) is the Parker Pie Company, which some say has the best pizza in the state. It's located in the back of the Lake Parker Country Store, which has zero signage. The pizza was very good, but I'm personally not a fan of (extra) Asiago baked into the crust, so it doesn't rank for me.
ALBANY
Albany, VT is a small, lovely, hilly pastoral town of 976 (in 2020). There's not much to visit, but if you find yourself there and are hungry or thirsty, you can stop at the Genny Store, located near the picturesque town hall/ library.
CRAFTSBURY
Craftsbury, VT, a predominantly farming town of 1,343 (in 2020), is really nice, has a huge town green (the Common) surrounded by colonial style buildings, lots of farm stands and views, and 2 general stores in which you can find organic everything, kombucha on-tap, and all the basics. The historical Society, public Library, church and school are all located along the Common which, like so many greens in Vermont, has a memorial to fallen soldiers. For the nordic skiers and bike riding enthusiasts, Craftsbury Outdoors Center (xc, rowing, biking, trails, etc) is a destination. The town is also known for being the filming location of "The Trouble with Harry" in 1955 by Alfred Hitchcock. Craftsbury was the site of the Craftsbury Fiddler's Contest for many years (who knew?!). Pete's Greens farmstead is a wonderful find, as is Blackbird Bistro, the only in-town dining option when I was there in September of 2024 (Thurs-Sun only). Lastly, and not unimportantly, Sterling College, located in Craftsbury Commons, is one of the first liberal arts college to have a curriculum focused on the environment.
These bucolic towns in the North East Kingdom share the farmland, quirkiness, and colonial heritage which makes Vermont unique. Stay tuned for more typical Vermont towns in the next VT 251 exploration post.
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