Recreation and Places of Interest

Vermont’s scenery and recreational facilities make the state a popular year-round vacation area. Residents and tourists alike enjoy the many scenic areas and picturesque communities in the state, especially during the weeks of the fall foliage. During the winter the state’s many ski areas attract skiers from all over the East Coast. Other favorite activities include year-round fishing in the state’s ponds, lakes, and streams; hunting; and visiting Vermont’s numerous historic sites.

National and State Forests

Green Mountain National Forest covers an area of 140,000 hectares (345,000 acres) in two sections along the crest of the Green Mountains. The forest, which includes winter sports areas and a wide variety of recreational facilities, is a rugged and scenic area traversed by about 130 km (about 80 mi) of the Long Trail, a hiking path extending from Massachusetts to Canada. The largest of Vermont’s six state forests is Mount Mansfield State Forest. Located in the north central part of the state, the forest includes a popular New England ski resort. Among the mountain’s scenic attractions is Smugglers Notch, a scenic gorge through which contraband goods were smuggled from Canada to New England during the War of 1812. Within the state forests are state recreation areas. These areas have facilities for such outdoor activities as picnicking, camping, hiking, and riding.

State Parks

Parks covering about 36,000 hectares (about 90,000 acres) are operated by the department of forests and parks. These parks have facilities for various outdoor activities, such as camping, hiking, swimming, and picnicking. Some of the state parks, including Crystal Lake, Bomoseen, and Branbury, are located along the shorelines of small lakes. Others, such as Grand Isle, Sand Bar, North Hero, and Button Bay, lie on the shore of Lake Champlain. Parts of some state forests, such as Calvin Coolidge State Forest, have been developed for use as state parks and forest recreation areas.

Among the most popular places to visit in the state are Vermont’s state monuments. Old Constitution House, in Windsor, was the site of the framing and adoption of the state’s first constitution on July 8, 1777. Hubbardton Battlefield and Bennington Battle Monument (see Bennington, Battle of) commemorate battles of the American Revolution (1775-1783). In the small community of Plymouth Notch is the President Coolidge Homestead, where Calvin Coolidge lived and where he was sworn in as president in 1923. The replica of the birthplace of President Chester A. Arthur is a state monument located in Fairfield, in northern Vermont, near the Canadian border.

Libraries and Museums

The first public library in Vermont was founded at Brookfield in 1791. The state is served by 188 tax-supported libraries. Each year the libraries circulate an average of 6.7 books for each resident. Among the largest libraries in the state are the Fletcher Free Library, in Burlington, and the Rutland Free Library, in Rutland. The State Library is located in Montpelier, and the library of the Vermont Historical Society resides in Barre. The largest university library in the state is that of the University of Vermont.

Fine arts museums in Vermont include the Bennington Museum, in Bennington, and the Robert Hull Fleming Museum, at the University of Vermont. There are a number of historical museums housing Vermont memorabilia. The most noted are the museum of the Vermont Historical Society, in Montpelier; the Shelburne Museum, in Shelburne; and the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, in Middlebury.

Other Places to Visit

Among the many historic places of interest in Vermont is the State Capitol, in Montpelier, which dates from the mid-19th century. The Old First Church in Bennington dates from 1805. The interior of the church has been restored to its original 19th-century appearance. Old Round Church in Richmond, dating from 1813, is an unusual 16-sided building topped by a cupola. Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial, on the town line between Sharon and Royalton, marks the site of the farm where the Mormon leader was born.

In the Barre area, visitors may watch the quarrying, finishing, and polishing of Vermont granite. The Vermont Marble Exhibit in Proctor has displays of numerous varieties of native and foreign marble in addition to marble sculptures. Maple Grove Maple Museum near Saint Johnsbury illustrates the process and history of the local maple sugaring.

Source: MSN Encarta: Online Encyclopedia