02/02/12

BEEBE POND 

Beebe Pond  (Lake Beebe)  is a beautiful 110 acre lake located in the Town of Hubbardton in  Rutland County in  Vermont. .  The deepest part is 43 feet deep.  Beebe Pond flows into Austin Pond and then into Lake Bomoseen.  Water from Lake Bomoseen goes through a channel into the Castleton River in Hydeville.  The Castleton River ends at the Poultney River in Fair Haven.  The Poultney River empties into the East Bay of Lake Champlain, near Whitehall, New York.

EAGLE ROCK ESTATES - HISTORY

For almost 50 years there were a number of beautiful summer camps for children on Echo Lake, Beebe Pond, and Lake Hortonia.  Also there was housing for parents, as the clientele was mostly Jewish, and discrimination was rampant in many local hotels.  The three main cities the campers came from were: N Y City, Montreal, and Philadelphia.

June Sherline owned  Twin Lake Camp on Echo Lake and Camp Awanee on Beebe Pond.  She subsequently sold Twin Lake Camp,  but in 1964 she subdivided the Camp Awanee property into building lots on Beebe Pond.  She called the subdivision:  Eagle Rock Estates.

CAMPS ON BEEBE POND & ECHO LAKE

Read about the history of these summer camps.  Visit the Twin Lake Camp and Camp Awanee web page: http://www.twinlakecamp.com/ 

Listen to songs made in 1947 by campers from Camp Awanee, the  girl's camp , and from Twin Lake Camp, the  boy's camp .          Learn about Gus, the Canada Goose .                     

Here are many pictures of Camp Awanee  on Beebe Pond, plus a few of Twin Lake Camp on Echo Lake.  I have drawn a map of the location of the various buildings in Camp Awanee, with valuable input from Ilyse Segal, a former Awanee camper from Montreal. 

CAMPS ON LAKE HORTONIA 

Learn about the history of the two camps on Camp Road.  Originally there was the Green Mountain Camp for Girls at the west end of Camp Road in Hubbardton and Green Mountain Camp for Boys on Camp Road closer to Route 30 in Sudbury.  The name of the girls camp was changed to Camp Birchwood and after it closed was reopened as a boy's camp which is currently operating as Camp Wachusett.  Our grandson, Zach Principe, spent a few weeks at Camp Wachusetts in 2011 and is looking forward to returning in 2012. The boy's camp, closer to Route 30, was closed and then reopened as a girl's camp called Wanee.  After Wanee closed, vacation homes were located there in some of the camp buildings.  

Info on Camp Birchwood is at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=45483461516  and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hubbardton-VT/Camp-Birchwood-Lake-Hortonia-Hubbardton-VT/295497644606     It is currently operating as a boy's camp called Camp Wachusett, which began in NH and the name was moved to the Vermont location.  Info is at http://www.campwachusett.com/ and also at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hubbardton-VT/Camp-Wachusett/208186020737

FIRST HOUSES IN EAGLE ROCK ESTATES.

Eagle Rock Estates on Beebe Pond was developed in the mid 1960's after Camp Awanee closed. 

In 1964 there was one house in Eagle Rock Estates: that of June Sherline, who owned Camp Awanee.  Her caretaker, Al Greeley of Sudbury, became the foreman or general contractor for those that wanted homes built or existing camps remodeled.  Al did grading, put in septic tanks, and used Fred Fortier of Fair Haven to do the carpentry work. 

 A few of the existing camp buildings were remodeled.  Current owners are: Mason (June Sherline's house),  Rollman (Infirmary) , Fiocca (Counselor's Bunk), Ravkin (Storage Building), and Cooley (Shower House).

The first new house was the Gallagher's, built in 1965.  Houses built in 1966 were: Sondergeld,  Ranhofer, Holland, and Mullen.

We bought our property on Beebe Pond in 1965.   See Sondergeld Property.

A list of the dates of purchase of lots in Eagle Rock Estates is a proxy for the dates houses were built shortly thereafter.  Here is a map and a location of houses in 1989. 

Telephone service meant a four party line.

Many families had sunfish sailboats.  For many years we had sailboat races every Saturday.  We had a triangular course from the Sondergeld dock to a buoy at the Wolons to a buoy near Rt 30 and back to our dock.  The only rule was there must be two persons in each boat. See a short video made my Don Francis in the early 1970s. Paste in your browser:   http://youtu.be/xcyr60Uv1nY

TURTLE CLUB

A swim club, mostly ladies, has been in effect for many years on Beebe Pond.  See Turtles.  Read a terrific story and view pictures by the eminent  artist and writer Florence Mason.  Read   "The Turtle Tale".

EAGLE ROCK RACQUET CLUB

This tennis club is located on Delancey Road near Beebe Pond.  There are 12 families that own stock in Eagle Rock Racquet Club: 8 from Beebe Pond, 3 from Echo Lake and 1 from Lake Bomoseen.  It was built in 1978.  Don Sondergeld has been its president.

LAKE BEEBE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

This Association was formed on September 1, 1968. The first officers and directors were: President: Don Sondergeld, Vice President: Art Greiner, Secretary: Alan Breckenridge, Treasurer: Frank Lane, Directors: Ken Gallo, June Sherline, Al Tillman, and Joe Wolons.  It was incorporated in 1981 in order to own the roads and 4.1 acres of land deeded to it by June Sherline.

Although most of the meetings of the Association dealt with Road Maintenance, Mary has been interested in the quality of Beebe Pond. She has been monitor of our little lake for more years than any other monitor in the state.  She has also written every grant application to the state, beginning in 1994, to help pay for controlling milfoil.

The roads to property in Eagle Rock Estates are owned and maintained by the Association.  It also owns 4.1 acres of land surrounding the outlet at the SW end of the lake.

Property owners that own property or have an access to Lake Beebe are eligible to join the Association. Here is a list of property owners with their email and other addresses and phone numbers.   Each property can be represented by two memberships. Any person that owns more than one property may only have one membership.  In 2009, only 50% of those eligible to join were  members.  22 of the 67 properties have no members, so 67% of the properties have at least one member.

TWIN LAKES WATERSHED ASSOCIATION

"TLWA" is a 501 C 3 tax exempt organization formed in 2001.  By Laws were adopted on October 6, 2001.  Alan Breckenridge has been its president. The purpose of "TLWA" is  to: 

1.  maintain, conserve, protect and enhance the environmental health, quality and purity of the water constituting the bodies of water generally known as Beebe Pond or Beebe Lake in the Town of Hubbardton and Echo Lake in the Towns of Hubbardton and Sudbury in the State of Vermont (collectively "Twin Lakes"), and their tributaries, located within such Towns ("Tributaries") (the area covered by and within a mile immediately surrounding the Twin Lakes and their Tributaries is hereunder collectively referred to as "Twin Lakes Watershed" or "The Watershed Area"),                                                                                                                                             

2.  maintain, conserve, protect and enhance the health quality, and beauty of the flora, trees and other plant life located in the Twin Lakes Watershed,                                                                             

3.  foster and develop the appreciation and enjoyment by residents and non-residents of Vermont of the beauty and environmental quality of the Watershed Area,  and

4.  engage in and encourage activities of a scientific, literary or charitable nature involving or incidental to the foregoing. 

COUNTIES IN VERMONT

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    HUBBARDTON,  VERMONT

Don published a 200 page book titled History of Hubbardton Vermont in October 2005.  He sold 100 copies in 10 days, ordered 130 more and sold 50 more by Christmas 2005.  He reprinted 260 copies of a revised 208 page book in July 2007.      Cover (Use 50% size)(Triphammer Shop at outlet from Lake Hortonia)     Inside of Back Cover

Hubbardton, in Rutland County, abuts four towns: Castleton to the south, Benson to the west, Sudbury to the north, and Pittsford to the east. Areas, see: http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/html/townareas.htm

    Flatlanders and Vermonters  Vermont was originally inhabited by the Abenaki and the Iroquois. In 2005 it had an estimated  population of 623,000., Vermont has the second smallest population. With a larger percentage of its population living in communities of fewer than 2,500than any other state, it is the most rural.  I will always be a "Buckeye", as I was born in Ohio and a legal resident of Florida.  I can never be a "Vermonter", as I was not born in Vermont.  A person is a Vermonter by an accident of birth location.  Thank heavens the Flatlanders outnumber the native Vermonters.   See:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1005181/posts They say "The Road to Hell is paved with Republicans."

    Hubbardton:  Hubbardton is a beautiful town.  Its major claim to fame is due to  an important delaying action that took only a few hours on July 7, 1777 in East Hubbardton as American General St Clair was fleeing from the British after abandoning Ft Ticonderoga.   For 45 years there were a number of summer camps for boys and for girls located in Hubbardton.  Hubbardton never had a traffic light and it has no crossroad.  Hubbardton no longer has a school or post office.  Mail is delivered to Hubbardton by five post offices: Bomoseen to Route 30, Castleton to the SE corner, Fair Haven to the SW corner, Orwell to the NW corner, and Brandon to the NE corner.   Some info on the towns that provide mail service to Hubbardton and those that abut Hubbardton is shown below:

   Benson:  This neighboring town to the west stands between Hubbardton and Lake Champlain.  It is known for its annual Burdock Festival and dining at the Wheel Inn.

   Brandon:  Famed 19th century statesman Stephen A. Douglas, the "Little Giant" was born in Brandon in 1813. His birthplace is now the Brandon Museum as well as the town's  Visitor Center. The most important industry ever carried on in town, which contributed most extensively and permanently to the growth of the town, was the iron industry established by John CONANT. In 1820 he built the first blast-furnace in town.  The establishment of the Brandon Training School in 1915 was a significant event, providing many employment opportunities for area residents. At its height, the Training School served over 600 Vermont residents. Brandon's  historic downtown with its entire core of 243 buildings is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Governor has called Brandon:  The Art and Soul of Vermont.  

Brandon resident Warren Kimble http://www.globalgallery.com/artist_biography/warren+kimble/, Liza Myers  http://artmapburlington.com/artistdatabase/?portfolio=liza-myers , Judith Reilly http://www.judithreilly.com/biography/ and others, have contributed to making Brandon a great place to experience art in the state of Vermont.  The biggest festival of its kind in Vermont is held in July each year, the Basin Bluegrass Festival. Be sure to dine at Cafe Provence http://cafeprovencevt.com/about/  and view the beautiful homes on Park Street..

   Castleton: Castleton State College, the oldest college in Vermont, is the 18th oldest college in the United States.  Castleton Medical College, established in 1818,  has roots that go back to October 15, 1787.  http://www.csc.vsc.edu/glance/collegehistory/index.htm  

Fort Warren was located in Castleton. Castleton is known for its mile-long tree-shaded Main Street, with its array of Federal and Greek Revival style houses and public buildings, many by designer builder Thomas Royal Dake http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/DAKE/2001-05/0990744040

Birdseye Mountain, is named for Colonel Bird. He had acquired 40 shares of land when the town was chartered.  He built a permanent residence there in the summer of 1769. The railroad came in 1854, and the last half of the century saw the development of tourism around Lake Bomoseen. Several luxury hotels were built around the west end of the lake. A trolley system ran from the center of town to Lake Bomoseen, a popular place for tourists vacationing during the summer. The Hydeville area flourished in the mid-19th century as a slate quarrying and milling center.

   Fair Haven:  In 1792 Fair Haven was reduced in size as West Haven was split off into a separate town. Fair Haven is noted for its Victorian architecture, considered some of the finest in the state.  In 1783, Colonel Matthew Lyon moved to Fair Haven and began building mills at the falls on the Castleton River. His enterprises included a gristmill, sawmill and paper mill, in addition to a forge. This began Fair Haven's legacy as a small, prosperous mill town, which by 1859 included a marble mill, rolling mill, nail factory, paper mill producing wall paper, three sawmills, a wagon shop, a machine shop, two blacksmith shops, and two shoe shops. The quarrying and manufacture of slate began in 1846.

   Orwell:  Mount Independence on Lake Champlain, across from Fort Ticonderoga, was the largest fortification constructed by the American colonial forces.  The fort was being built at the direction of Continental generals Schuyler and Gates when word came that the Declaration of Independence had been signed, so it was named Fort Mount Independence in honor of that fact. 

In the 1870s, several young men were lost in a thresher accident.  The community banned industrial farming later that year in a special town meeting. Industrialized farm equipment was only allowed back into Orwell after the economic collapse of the early 1900s, and even then, special restrictions were placed to limit the capabilities of such farm instruments. The town's law against the use of "Modern Farm Machinery of All Kinds" was never  actually repealed, and continues to be a curio law on the books that the town  refuses to repeal.

Orwell attempted in the late 1990s to obtain a franchised fast-food restaurant, as a vital link in the food availability between Whitehall, New York, and Vergennes, Vermont, but the residents of the surrounding townships  blocked the move, claiming it would upset the rural beauty of the western Vermont countryside.  Orwell is known as the Fortress of America. The town motto is 'First in Revolution, First in Recreation' .

   Pittsford:  The town was named for William Pitt ("the Great Commoner").  Two historical picket forts used by the militia during the American Revolutionary War: Fort Mott (built in 1777), and Fort Vengeance (built from 1780 to 1781), about a mile north are in Pittsford. This neighbor of Hubbardton to the east has no paved road from Hubbardton.  The Biddie Knob Road from Monument Hill Road, near the East Side Fire Station, over Pittsford Ridge is no longer open, making Pittsford a neighbor that is not easily accessible.

   Sudbury:  Known for the beautiful Congregational Church, the Vail House, and the famous Hyde Manor.  See  http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=174060.0

In September 2011, Don had his second history book printed.  "History of Hubbardton Vermont" was published in 2005. The new book, "History of Sudbury Vermont" was written this summer.                         Here is the Front Cover (Sudbury Meeting House)  Back Cover (Hill School) and the Book.

LAKE BOMOSEEN 

Lake Bomoseen is to the south of Beebe Pond.  It is the largest lake within the borders of Vermont of almost 2400 acres.  It has a maximum depth of 65 feet.  A small part is in Hubbardton and a larger part is in Castleton.  An excellent book titled "Beautiful Lake Bomoseen" described the many hotels on this lake, a dance pavilion, and trolley service from Rutland.  The Trakenseen was one of the oldest hotels. Karen Sondergeld worked there as a waitress one summer.  Neshobe Island , also called Taghkannuc and Kellowanda was named Neshobe at a celebration on July 4, 1881.  Alexander Woollcott owned the island for many years.  He gave money to the Library  in Castleton, which is why his picture adorns the east wall.   The current owners of Neshobe Island, Davene and Jerry Brown, completed their new home on Lake Bomoseen across from the church on Route 30 in 2010.  A more recent book titled "Lake Bomoseen: The Story of Vermont's Largest Little-Known Lake" is also worth reading.

Water ski on Lake Bomoseen:  You can rent  a ski boat for waterskiing or a pontoon boat for touring at Woodard Marina (802-265-3690).  Lake Bomoseen flows into the Castleton River.

Julio Buel often rode his horse to Lake Bomoseen in Vermont to fish. During one of those trips he took a break to eat his lunch. As he turned around to get it, he accidentally knocked a table spoon packed in the lunch overboard. As he was watching the spoon slowly sink to the bottom, a big bass swam up and hit it several times.  The excited angler decided to take another spoon from the kitchen, attach a hook on the concave side of it, and trimmed and drilled a hole in the handle for the fish line to be tied. He then tested his new idea on the next fishing trip to the lake and caught several nice-sized bass with it.  People asked him to make some spoon lures for them and that was the beginning of the Julio T. Buel Bait Company in the mid 1800s.

LAKE   HORTONIA

Lake Hortonia is a 479 acre lake to the north.  It has a maximum depth of 60 feet.  Half of the lake is in Hubbardton and half is in Sudbury.  Hubbardton, the last of New Hampshire Grant on June 15, 1764, initially contained all of Lake Hortonia.  However, inhabitants in the north felt closer to the center of Sudbury and in 1806 successfully petitioned to become part of Sudbury.  There was a large inn in Sudbury on Route 30 (The Hortonia) and a dance pavilion nearby.  The beautiful log home on Walker Grove Road on the site of the dance pavilion was still for sale on July 1, 2010.  The Hubbardton River is the outlet from Lake Hortonia.

LAKE GEORGE

Drive to Hulett's Landing on the east side of Lake George and camp on one of the islands.  That is a terrific experience on a lovely lake.  We spent many days with the Breckenridges camping on the state owned islands. See: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24474.html  Or drive to Lake George Village on the west side and take a cruise. See: http://www.lakegeorgesteamboat.com/

RIVERS OF VERMONT

Vermont's Rivers have provided a means of travel, an early source of power for mills and a way to get logs downstream. Today they are used for recreation, as a source of water and as a way to dispose of treated sewage water.

There are four watersheds in Vermont. They are 1) The Connecticut,  2) Lake Champlain-St. Lawrence,     3) The Hudson, and 4) The Memphremagog-St. Lawrence.

1. The Connecticut River Basin The Connecticut River is one of New England's major waterways. It begins in northern New Hampshire, flows between New Hampshire and Vermont, then through Massachusetts and Connecticut where it reaches the Atlantic Ocean, about 400 miles from its source. Some of the major tributaries of the Connecticut River in Vermont are the Passumpsic, Waits, White, Black and West Rivers. Unlike the few larger rivers that flow into Lake Champlain, there are many smaller, rapid flowing rivers that are also tributaries to the Connecticut River.

2.  The Lake Champlain - St. Lawrence River Basin. Most of Vermont's largest rivers are part of the Lake Champlain drainage basin. Lake Champlain drains north into the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River in Canada. The Winooski, Lamoille and Missisquoi Rivers rise (or begin) well to the east of the main crest of the Green Mountains. They have cut great valleys through the mountains as the land rebounded (or rose back up) after the weight of the glacial ice retreated. The places where the rivers have cut through the mountains are sometimes called water gaps. The Missisquoi River flows through the northern Green Mountains and then into Canada. The river then swings back into Vermont on its way to Lake Champlain. The only national wildlife refuge in Vermont is located at the mouth of the Missisquoi on Lake Champlain.

The Otter Creek is another Vermont river that empties into Lake Champlain. It is the longest river entirely within Vermont. Otter Creek flows out of the Valley of Vermont, through the towns of Rutland, Brandon, Middlebury, and Vergennes, and empties into Lake Champlain in the town of Ferrisburg.

3.  The Hudson River Basin  Part of the Hudson River watershed takes in the southwestern corner of Vermont. The Hudson River flows south through New York State and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City. The Batten Kill and Walloomsac River are the two main Vermont Rivers of this watershed. "Kill" is a Dutch word for river or stream and reminds us that Dutch settlers once lived in this area.

4.  Lake Memphremagog-St. Lawrence River Basin Four Vermont Rivers flow into Lake Memphremagog. The Clyde, Barton, and Black all flow north and reach the lake near Newport. The Johns River flows into Quebec before reaching Lake Memphremagog. A number of small northern Vermont streams, including the Coaticook River, drain north into Quebec's St. Francis River.

Lake Memphremagog

POULTNEY  RIVER

The 40 mile long Poultney River starts on the west facing slope of Tinmouth Mountain near Middletown Springs and flows west to Poultney where it turns north.   Just west of Poultney, it forms the boundary between Vermont and New York.  This river flows north  under Route 4  just west of Fair Haven, Vermont. It then  flows under the bridge on West Street in Fair Haven.  It continues north to West Haven. It turns west near Carver Falls and then turns south past the Coggman Bridge. It continues south and west and empties into the East Bay of Lake Champlain near Whitehall, NY. 

The Poultney River basin  includes the Castleton River and the Hubbardton River.

In the History of Fair Haven (and and later West Haven) we read:  "There are traces still existing confirmatory of early indirect records, that a body of Hessian soldiers came up the East Bay during the war, and abandoning their boats at the foot of "Carvers Falls, " cut a road thence through the woods on the New York side, to Poultney River at a point a little below its junction with the Castleton River (Not the Castleton River, should be Hubbardton River), at the south end of the old Merritt farm, where they threw over a bridge long afterward known and called the " Hessian bridge, " over which they crossed the river and cleared a road eastward toward Castleton and Hubbardton by way of the large hill south of Hiram Hamilton's, which, on account of their hollowing out a stump on the top of the hill was called "Hessian Bowl Hill." By this " Hessian Road, " where it came away from the river, the surveys and deeds of Mr. Merritt's farm were afterwards bounded.  Another detachment of Burgoyne's army passed through this  town after the battle of Hubbardton, in July, 1777, and it is thought made a road south of the river, passing near Otis Eddy's, and along the north side of the cedar swamp below J. W. Estey's house and thence crossing the Poultney river S. and W. either creating or following what was Iong subsequently known as Skeene's road. On a rude map of t his  region, printed in London, in January, 1779, by order of Governor Wm. Tryon, of New York, there are two roads branching out of one, about on the east of this  town, and diverging S. W. across the territory of Gen. Skeene."

CASTLETON RIVER

The Castleton River Basin is comprised of fifty-four subwatersheds covering approximately ninety-nine square miles. It covers all of the town of Castleton and portions of the towns of Fair Haven, Hubbardton, Pittsford, Proctor, West Rutland, Ira and Poultney. It includes Lake Bomoseen, Glen Lake, Pine Pond, and several other smaller ponds. The major tributaries are Pond Hill Brook, North Breton Brook ,and Gully Brook.  The minor tributaries are Belgo Brook and two unnamed tributaries to North Breton Brook. Many projects are on going.  See the Gully Brook Project at: http://www.pmnrcd.org/projects/district_projects/castleton_river_restoration.php

Read the excellent report about the Castleton River.  It begins in the marshes of Whipple Hollow above West Rutland and flows 20 miles to the Poultney River west of Fair Haven. See SLIDE SHOW.

The river flows under many roads on its westward journey to the Poultney River.  In Castleton, you can see it where it flows under Mill Street,  North Road, and Cemetery Road.  It then goes under Route 4A east of Castleton Corners before flowing under Route 30 south of Castleton Corners.  It flows under the Blissville Road 3/10 of a  mile south of The Dog in Hydeville.  The outlet from Lake Bomoseen is a dam on the north side of Route 4 in Hydeville. The water from Bomoseen then  flows a little south under Route 4A and turns west and meets the Castleton River less than a half mile west of Hydeville. 

In Fair Haven we view the river at the corner of Route 4A and Route 22A.   On Adams Street, just south of the Fair Haven Inn, there are waterfalls.  They are shown below:

The river then flows under the Route 4 divided highway. The Castleton River empties into  the Poultney River just south of the West Street bridge over the Poultney River. The Poultney River then empties into the East Bay of Lake Champlain in Whitehall, New York.

HUBBARDTON RIVER

The 20 mile long river begins at Lake Hortonia. This river flows SW though Benson and West Haven and then joins the  Poultney River. There are at least four tributaries that flow into the river that starts at the outlet from Lake Hortonia in Hubbardton.  See Map.

a) The river begins at the dam at the outlet from Lake Hortonia.  It flows west, then south  and then west under Route 144 (the road to Benson)  1.4 miles from the dam, where there is a falls on the west side of Route 144.  Shortly thereafter it is joined by a small tributary from the north, which you can see if you drive north on Pleasant Valley Road.

b) The Hubbardton River  continues west to the northeast corner of Rout 144 and Sunset Lake Road, which is 2.8 miles from the Hortonia dam.  Shortly before this point it is joined by another tributary, the outlet from Sunrise Lake that flows down from the north.

c) The river then flows west under Sunset Lake Road,  .1 mile north of Route 144..  Then it flows  .2 mile west along Route 144 and turns south under Route 144 and continues south to the dam at  Mill Pond.   The outlet to Mill Pond flows southeast along the north side of Mill Pond Road. 

c) After it leaves Mill Pond, it is almost immediately joined by another tributary that flows south from Howard Hill. This tributary comes from Bresee Pond and from Black Pond.  The river flows south under Mill Pond Road.  It continues southwest and flows under Route 22A a half mile north of East Road.  Just west of Route 22A it is joined by another tributary (Beaver Brook) that flows down from Strong Swamp west of the center of Benson.

d) It continues about 3 miles or more and goes under Main Road  in West Haven.  It flows southwest along the west side of River Road for about 2 miles.  Half way down River Road there is a lovely set of rapids.  It then enters the Poultney River just east of the Coggman Bridge. This bridge is 2.1 miles south of West Haven on Book Road, which becomes Route 10 in New York. (If you want to canoe in this area, turn west onto the dirt road just before the bridge on the Vermont side. Travel on the dirt road for 1.1 miles until you arrive at Coggman Creek culvert, where the creek empties into the Poultney River. This is the canoe put-in. Limited roadside parking is available.)

The confluence of the Hubbardton River with the Poultney River can be seen by walking east from Book Road before reaching  the Coggman Bridge.  Alternatively, it can  be seen by driving to the end of Hackadam Road from Main Road in West Haven and then walking in about one mile to Nature Conservancy property.  Don't park in the area labeled parking, but farther down the road, about three houses from the end at Sam Ezzo's and then walk in the dotted lined road.   See topo of the area.

In 1792 it was decided to separate West Haven from  Fair Haven.  One proposal for the dividing line was the Hubbardton River.  Another proposal was Mud Brook, which also flows into the Poultney River, just north of where the Castleton River flows into the Poultney River.   Mud Brook lies east of Inman Pond, the reservoir that supplies water to Fair Haven.  Mud Brook starts near Old Marsh Pond.  Old Marsh Pond is south of Glen Lake in the northeast corner of Fair Haven.  Glen Lake lies in three towns: Fair Haven, Castleton, and Benson. The compromise was a vertical line just east of Route 22A.  The two towns shared one representative until 1823 when each had one.

CARVER FALLS ON THE POULTNEY RIVER

Carver Falls is on the Poultney River about 6 miles northwest of Fair Haven, VT.  It is 126 feet high.  To get there, drive  west on West Street in Fair Haven.  (West street begins by the United Methodist Church on the northeast corner of the Town Green and Route 22A)  After 1.5 miles turn right (north) on Manchester Road. After 3.3 miles, turn right on Carver Falls Lane. (Do not turn left on Carver Falls Road)  Park at the dead end in one half mile. To view the falls, walk down a wooden stairs and turn right, or hike down the embankment at the left land corner of the fence that encircles the CVPS facility.    See topo of the area.    

The following  picture of Carver Falls was taken on July 10, 2010.

METTEWEE RIVER VALLEY

The 40 mile drive from Beebe Pond to Dorset is lovely. The last part goes through the beautiful Taconic Mountains in the Mettewee River Vallley.  The Mettewee River begins south of Dorset and flows north for 17 miles in Vermont to the New York border near Granville (through Dorset, East Rupert, North Rupert, and Pawlet). It crosses into New York and goes through Granville, Middle Granville, Raceville, West Granville and then into the Champlain Canal south of Whitehall.  The outlet to Lake St Catherine is Mill Brook Creek which flows into the Mettewee River in Vermont east of Granville which flows into the Champlain Canal.  Here are the waterfalls in Pawlett:

The 12 mile stretch on the Mettewee between Raceville and Grays' Corner is excellent Class IV whitewater kayaking.  See: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/1343/.mobile  

OTTER CREEK

Otter Creek is one of the major streams located in Vermont. It meanders for 112 miles but its source and mouth are only 68 miles apart.  See:  http://www.vacd.org/~rcd/documents/UpperOtterCreekPhase2Assessment.pdf Here is a slide show.

Otter Creek rises on the western slopes of Mt. Tabor, and flows southwesterly towards East Dorset, thence veering northward into Emerald Lake.. Thence it runs northward passing through Rutland County. On entering Addison County, it generally forms the town line between various townships. It  eventually empties into Lake Champlain in Ferrisburg.  Otter Creek (or "Kill") was known to the French as "La Riviere aux Loutres", whence the English name.

On April 1st, 1690 Capt. Abraham Schuyler was commissioned by the city of Albany to take a party up the Otter Creek about seven miles and there to keep watch and engage any indians. [This would correspond today to the town of Vergennes]. In 1731, the French began construction of a fort at Crown Point to be known as Fort Frederic.  Vergennes, situated on the first falls, 7 miles upstream from the outlet of Otter Creek, was chartered in 1778 only four years after New Haven and Hartford, and thus was the third incorporated city in New England.

The stretch of water between the mouth at Fort Cassin point, Lake Champlain (the site of the former Fort Cassin) and Vergennes is passable by boat, and is frequented by motor boats, canoes, and kayaks. Indeed, Vergennes was a shipyard of some importance in the various wars of the 18th century. Many nesting platforms have been built along the creek, so one is likely to see both Osprey and Bald Eagles in the area. See July 1898 article on Fort Cassin:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9404E0D71738E433A25752C3A9619C94699ED7CF

Here are the Vergennes Falls (37 feet) in Vergennes:

Belden's Falls (30 feet) north of Middlebury: http://www.northeastwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?num=4&p=6

Middlebury Falls (18 feet) are in the town of Middlebury.

Read about the Otter Creek Gorge Preserve at http://www.localmotion.org/trails/trail.php?trail=146  The Gorge, near Weybridge, is shown below:

The Otter Creek drops over 3 dams in the town of Weybridge. Huntington Falls Dam is a 35 foot drop consisting of a dam built right on top of a natural falls.

The Sutherland Falls (118 feet) in Proctor is shown in this old picture.  John William Sutherland purchased more than 300 acres surrounding  the "Great Falls" in 1775 and constructed a sawmill and a gristmill.  That section of the "Rutland Grant" was then named "Sutherland Falls".  In 1825 the Vermont Legislature chartered the "Otter Creek and Castleton River Canal Project" to aid economic development in Vermont.  It failed to proceed due the need for expensive "locks" at Sutherland Falls.

Redfield Proctor (1831-1908) born in Proctorsville, Vermont, a Dartmouth graduate, a lawyer, became manager of the Sutherland Falls Marble Company in 1869.  He was instrumental in growing the marble industry in Vermont. He moved from Rutland  to Sutherland Falls, which was later renamed Proctor.  Proctor was a Governor of Vermont (1878 - 1880) and later a US Senator. He also formed the "Clarendon and Pittsford Railroad" which operated between Florence, Sutherland Falls, Center Rutland, and West Rutland to haul marble.  Due to politics, the "Rutland Grant" became four towns: Rutland City, Rutland Town, West Rutland, and Proctor.

In Center Rutland we see Meade's Falls (18 feet).  James Meade, Rutland's first settler, arrived here in 1769. The next year, he and his family were given shelter by members of the Caughnawag Tribe while they finished their log cabin. Meade built saw and gristmills on the falls and ran a ferry on Otter Creek. He was an ardent defender of the New Hampshire Grants and served as a Colonel in the militia. Mead's Falls was an important military site. The 1759 Crown Point Military Road ran by here. General Arthur St. Clair wrote his report after the Battle of Hubbardton in 1777 at Mead's home on the West Proctor Road and Fort Ranger was built in 1778 on the bluff northeast of the falls.

TRIBUTARIES OF OTTER CREEK

Otter Creek flows north and empties into Lake Champlain.   Its main  tributaries are shown in some maps and listed in the table below:

The pictures on the left, show the Mill River in the Clarendon Gorge. The Middlebury River is at the right. Read the sad story about the Memorial Suspension Bridge, named after Robert Brugman, who drowned on July 4, 1973 attempting to cross the gorge.  http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=63410

LAKE CHAMPLAIN AND THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEYS

Ohio is round on the ends and Hi in the middle.  Vermont is high in the middle and drains east into the Connecticut River and west into Lake Champlain.   Lake Memphremagog and the Massawippi River drain north into Quebec.  Here is a list of those waters.  Just north of the mouth of Otter Creek is Little Otter Creek and just north of Little Otter Creek is Lewis Creek.

SWIMMING HOLES IN VERMONT

Go to http://www.swimmingholes.org/vt.html and view an interactive map of 89 locations in Vermont. Also see a slide show at http://www.swimmingholes.org/phpslideshow2.php?prefix=VT  View my favorite list of swimming holes. 

Drive 40 miles south on Route 30 to the beautiful town of Dorset.  Have lunch at the Inn.  There is a summer Theater in Dorset.  Swimming in the 60 foot deep Dorset Quarry one mile south of Dorset is a must.  The country's first commercial marble quarry was opened in South Dorset by Isaac Underhill in 1785 on the land of Reuben Bloomer. This is the oldest marble quarry in the United States. The popular area along Route 30 is  the lower quarry. Footpaths lead to the quiet upper quarry. http://www.vermontdaily.com/panoramas/quarryswim.html and http://blogs.gonomad.com/beourguest/2008/08/quarry-jumping-in-dorset-vermont.html and http://curlywurlygurly.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/adventures-at-the-swimming-hole-the-dorset-quarry/ and http://www.dorsetvthistory.org/history.html  and  http://www.1877scubausa.com/dive_trips/east_dorset_marble_quarry.htm and  http://www.swimmingholes.org/vt.html#DORSET%20QUARRY

WATERFALLS

See the many Vermont Waterfalls at: http://www.newenglandwaterfalls.com/vermont.php http://www.newenglandwaterfalls.com/otherwaterfalls.php, and at http://www.northeastwaterfalls.com/database.php?browse=st&sort=VT

There are many swimming holes at the bottom of the waterfalls.     Buttermilk Falls in Ludlow at: http://www.newenglandwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?name=Buttermilk%20Falls%20%28Ludlow%29  Falls of Lana in Salisbury: http://www.newenglandwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?name=Falls%20of%20Lana  Bingham Falls at Stowe: http://www.newenglandwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?name=Bingham%20Falls

HIKING FROM BEEBE POND

Take an easy hike to the summit of Eagle Rock or to High Pond.  Examine the topographical map. 

Vermont: A terrific day hike is Camel's Hump which has a granite dome which provides 360 degree views. 

Camel's Hump above

Also, consider hiking the  "Monroe Skyline" on the Long Trail which requires two cars and takes all day or two days.  Many topological maps can be found at http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/nhtopos.htm and at http://docs.unh.edu/towns/HubbardtonVermontMapList.htm  Also consider Mt Philo State Park, a 45 mile drive north on Route 7 in Charlotte. The 168-acre park is located atop Mt. Philo (968' elevation) and overlooks the Lake Champlain Valley and the Adirondack Mountains of New York. This is Vermont's oldest state park, created in 1924. There is a 1.1 mile toll road you can drive to the top for picnicking and camping.   Admission is $3. You can also hike to the summit.  The views are spectacular.

A nearby hike is on "Tim's Trail" an easy 2.8 mile loop along the side of Bald Mountain in West Haven VT near  Whitehall NY.  Bald Mountain  is 1065 feet high, whereas the elevation of Lake Champlain is just under 100 feet.   In 2007 Caitlin Whitney counted 32 Leopard Frogs on Tim's Trail.  You will have great views of the South Bay of  Lake Champlain.  From Rutland, VT, take Route 4 West. Then from Route 4  you will cross the state line from Vermont into New York. From the state line, continue west on Route 4 for about 5.5 miles, crossing a set of Rail Road tracks. Turn north (right) onto Route 9A just across from where there was a garden center. Route 9A takes you by the Skene Valley Country Club.  Travel about 1 mile on Route 9A, and then turn left onto Route 9 at the T intersection.  Take the first right onto Route 10 (Doig Street).  Drive a half mile, then turn left onto the dirt road (the paved road curves right).  Cross the bridge over the Poultney River into Vermont and turn left on the unmarked Galick Road.  (Ward Marsh is to the right) The parking area for Tim's Trail is .7 miles down the dirt road on the right.  Please be advised that this road is often flooded in the spring. The parking for the Susan Bacher Memorial Trail, a 2.5 mile loop trail, is another mile down the road from Tim's Trail.   See Topos of the area. Also, the Long Trail is a hiking trail that goes from the top to the bottom of Vermont. It is part of the Appalachian Trail from the bottom of Vermont to the Long Trail Lodge, near Pico on Route 4. See: http://www.downthetrail.com/the-long-trail/

New York: The very best hikes in the East are in the Adirondacks.  The "High Peaks" in the Keene Valley area are well described in http://adirondackhikingtrails.com/  Also, visit nearby Lake Placid.

New Hampshire: An excellent day hike is Mt Chocorua, which, like Camels Hump in Vermont, has a granite dome with a 360 degree view.   http://www.mountainsummits.com/mountains/newhampshire/chocorua.htm Also see the following site for Mount Washington and other hikes: http://www.slackpacker.com/map_nh.html

DRIVING

The Hubbardton Battlefield and Visitors Center on Monument Hill Road in Hubbardton is terrific.  Also visit  Mt Independence in Orwell only 15 miles away. 

Take the three minute ferry across Lake Champlain at Larabees Point  to NY to visit Fort Ticonderoga. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Ticonderoga  Drive the one mile non toll road to the summit of nearby Mount Defiance, where General Johnny Burgoyne had a cannon dragged to the summi and see the terrific view.  This action made the  situation untenable for the American General St. Clair, who then vacated Fort Ticonderoga in the middle of the night.  The British caught the Americans the next morning and a successful rear guard action at the Battle of Hubbardton on July 7, 1777 saved the main body of the army which subsequently defeated Burgoyne at Saratoga a month later.  Here are pictures of Fort Ti and a lovely view of the narrowing of the lake between Fort Ti and Mount Independence seen from Mount Defiance.

Take a ride on the Carillon (Fort Carillon was the French name for Fort Ticonderoga), an excursion boat at Larabees Point.  http://www.carilloncruises.com/   Consider renting a houseboat for the day at Plunder Bay.

Visit the historic 60 mile long  Champlain Canal. Take an excursion boat tour from Schuylerville, NY south through lock 5 and north to a nineteen foot high  waterfall.  The canal's waters flow south to the Hudson (and Erie Canal) and north to Lake Champlain in Whitehall, New York.  The mules along the towpath are all dead.  See:  http://www.champlaincanal.org/  & http://www.tug44.org/champlain.canal/  & info on the 11 locks at http://www.offshoreblue.com/cruising/champlain-canal.php

Visit the historic Vail House in Sudbury.

Go to Proctor and visit the Marble Exhibit.  Also drive the Marble Trail:  http://dimensionsofmarble.org/thetrail/VermontMarbleTrailWeb.pdf

The beautiful towns of Manchester and Woodstock are well worth the one hour drive.  Brandon and Middlebury are less than 30 minutes away.  In Manchester, drive the 5.5 mile toll road to the 3848 foot summit of Mt Equinox in Manchester, Vermont.  The origin of the word Equinox may be that it is a corruption either of the Indian word Akwanok or Ekwanok. These words can be freely translated to mean the top or the place where the very top is - an appropriate name. A must is a visit to Hildene the summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's son, who was Chairman of the Pullman Company. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildene  Visit the Billings Farm in Woodstock http://www.billingsfarm.org/  .  Visit the Quechee Gorge just east of Woodstock.  Have lunch and watch glassblowing at Simon Pearce in Quechee.

Pond Hill Ranch in Castleton (802-468-4669) has Trail Rides.  See: http://www.pondhillranch.com/  Barrel Races are on Tuesday evenings and Rodeos are held on Saturday nights.

MOUNTAINS IN VERMONT

The Appalachian Mountains extend into Vermont.  Here is a list of the heights of the mountains, starting with Mount Mansfield, the highest at 4393 feet above sea level.

A listing of the physiographic regions of Vermont is found in: http://academics.smcvt.edu/vtgeographic/textbook/physiographic/physiographic_regions_of_vermont.htm

MOUNTAIN ROADS

You can drive up the toll road to the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire.  But there are six mountains in Vermont that have roads to the summit:

Mountain Mansfield (elevation 4395') has a 4 mile toll road built in 1856.

Mount Equinox (elevation 3848') has a 1.4 mile toll road "Skyline Drive toll road built around 1860 or 1870.

Okemo Mountain (elevation 3344') has a free 4.5 mile road that is a ski trail in the winter.

Burke Mountain (elevation 3267').  In 1860, Joseph Hall, a man who had helped build a carriage road up New Hampshire's  Mt. Washington, hacked a small road to the summit.  An improved toll road was completed in 1935 or 1939.

Mount Ascutney (elevation 3144') has a 3.7 mile toll road.

The absence of other nearby mountains makes Ascutney a monadnock. 

Mount Philo (elevation 988') has a 1.4 mile toll road  Vermont's oldest state park, created in 1924, is at the summit.

MOUNTAINS and ROCKS

The Taconic Mountains extend into Vermont as far as Brandon. See: http://academics.smcvt.edu/vtgeographic/textbook/mountains/mountains_of_vermont.htm  Eagle Rock is part of the Taconics.  The three major "rock industries" are Granite, Marble and Slate.  Click here for info on the web. Granite comes from the area around Barre.  The Rock of Ages quarry in Barre is worth a visit.  Marble quarries are in the Rutland area.  Visit the Marble Museum in Proctor.  Slate is found near Fair Haven, VT and Granville,NY. The Slate Museum in Granville is also quite interesting.

CONSERVATIONISTS

Read article on George Perkins Marsh and another one on Frederick Billings (visit the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park in Woodstock), William Seward Webb (Shelburne Farms), and Joseph Battell (who gave the top of Camel's Hump to the state and 30,000 acres to Middlebury College). Also read about Middlebury and Bread Loaf Campus.  And a nearby hike: http://www.summitpost.org/mount-wilson-bread-loaf-mountain/328589  And don't miss reading about  Laurance Rockefeller and his wife Mary French.

BIRDS OF PREY and OTHER BIRDS at BEEBE POND

This Fox was at the Eldens in August 2009.   In June of 2010 a fox and her kits were seen at the Mason's.

SNAKES

We have common water snakes and garter snakes at Beebe Pond

It was fascinating to watch a snake eating a frog at Beebe:

FROGS

Here is a frog at Beebe and a Leopard Frog on "Tim's Trail in West Haven, Vermont:

CONCERTS

There are many free concerts around the state.  Go to free summer concerts:  The "Concerts On The Green" in Castleton are held on Tuesdays at 7 pm.  They are terrific with over 500 people attending each week. See dancers from  Reggie's Red Hot Feetwarmers.

Bandstands on the Town Green: The Brandon Town Band performs on Mondays at 6:30 pm.  It is a small affair, but the trombonist is terrific.   The Orwell Town Band performs on Thursdays in July at 7:30 pm.  There are also concerts on Sundays in July at 6:30 pm in East Poultney.

RESTAURANTS

30 minutes:   Cafe Provence and Lilac Inn in  Brandon.  Fair Haven Inn in Fair Haven.  Countryman's Pleasure in Rutland.    Swift House,  Fire and Ice, and Mr. Ups in Middlebury.  The Waybury Inn in East Middlebury is very nice.

45 minutes:  Victorian Inn in Wallingford.  Cafe Shelburne in Shelburne.  Hemingways east of Killington on Route 4. Have lunch at Pauline's, when in the Burlington area.

INNS

There are four highly rated Inns in Vermont (Dorset Inn in Dorset, Inn at Weathersfield in Perkinsville, Three Mountain Inn in Jamaica, and Henry Farm in Chester). We like the Lilac Inn in Brandon, where Karla was married.  We've stayed at the Inn on The Common in Craftsbury which is interesting..  The Inn at Glimmerstone Mansion in Cavendish opened in December 2011, and should be great.

POTS OF GOLD     

Joe or Mary Wolons took this picture on 10/29/2010.  Steve Buser found two pots of Gold on his property!

MONTREAL

Montreal is less than a three hour drive to the north. Visit the Botanical Gardens.  Across the street is the Olympic Park with its Biodome and  Biosphere.  Drive to the top of Mount Royal, visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and walk thru Old Montreal. Eat at the many great restaurants.  We especially like Chez la Mere Michel at 1209 Rue Guy. See http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/Cuisine/Restaurants/chez-la-mere-michel  See menu at http://www.chezlameremichel.ca/menu_en.php

Also there is a restaurant by the same name in Saratoga CA.  See http://www.lameremichelle.com/  Apparently unrelated.

Drive 85 miles north to Mont Tremblant. Stop in St Sauveur  on the way a lovely town 50 miles from Montreal.

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