This morning we finished up a few stops in New York and took the scenic route to the historic Crafts Inn in Wilmington, Vermont. By the looks of this small town, it was going to be a great week! With lots of restaurants, bars and shops and lots to see in close proximity, we’ll be keeping plenty busy.

Click on the first photo in each group and scroll to see the square photos at full size.
To start at the beginning of this series, visit Fall for New England 2021.

On the Road Again

After breakfast at our BB&B in Sodus, NY, we made a quick stop at Sodus Point Beach Park on our way to our next accommodations. Although we decided not to walk out on the pier, we stretched our legs for a bit and were reminded of the fabulous weather we’ve been blessed with so far on this trip.

The Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum (third photo) was a find only with my zoom lens, since we decided not to pursue it further. We did take quite a few side trips since a Great Lake coastline – or any body of water for that matter – is oh, so tempting. We checked in just as the sun was setting.

Beautiful Vermont Revisited

Our first visit to Beautiful Vermont was a day trip in June of 2012 where we barely scratched the surface. Earlier this year we secured a week at Crafts Inn in Wilmington, VT thru RCI – a clearing house of sorts for owners wanting to exchange a location that their timeshare provides for one that it doesn’t.

Crafts Inn stands on the site of Wilmington’s first hotel Childs Tavern, which burned in 1885. The land was passed down to the son – Frederick Childs, who financed the re-build. It re-opened in 1903 as more of an extended-stay resort, which was very popular for folks wanting an escape from the city for a month or so in the fresh, country air during the summer. The fabulous front porch is a perfect place to do just that!

The Tavern was sold to the Crafts family in 1911, but it wasn’t renamed Crafts Inn until the 1950s. It was sold again in 1980, when it became an RCI timeshare. Like with any name that starts with the word historic, it may not have been the most updated accommodations of the trip, but it was very clean and cozy and close to everything. We would come back in a heartbeat.

Memorial Hall (last photo below) was opened December of 1902 – just in time for Christmas celebrations in the town. It was built to house the town’s first theatre and serve as a memorial to the Childs family and other prominent citizens. Today the hall continues as an entertainment venue, hosting holiday events and school functions. Its interior offers exquisite moldings, a beautiful proscenium arch and portraits of war veterans on its walls. In its day, it was considered the finest building in town. A website with rental information for the hall shows several photos of its interior.

Our first day in Wilmington was a rainy one, so we used it as a down day to get groceries, unpack and get settled in. We picked up a pamphlet about an Historic Walking Tour at checkin, which we set our sights on for the days to come.

Historic Walking Tour

“Founded in 1751 on land granted by Banning Wentworth – provincial governor of New Hampshire – Wilmington’s original settlement was on Lisle Hill, northeast of today’s town center. But in 1833 town leaders moved [eight buildings] into the valley, with better access to the Deerfield River and closer to the sawmill at the foot of the hill. Known as “Mill Hollow,” the new town center was on the Windham County Turnpike (today’s Route 9), which linked Brattleboro and Bennington. Commerce generated by this road attracted new business and residents.”

Since most of the buildings have been repurposed, we were not able to visit the 25 buildings in the brochure like a typical walking tour. We used it more as a guide to the original intent of each building with tidbits of history while we visited them as shops, restaurants or bars. Crafts Inn and Memorial Hall are two significant stops on the map.

Some History behind the Buildings

The photos above: 1) The lawn next to the Deerfield River is to the east of Crafts Inn, and where the town’s first newspaper stood (the Deerfield Times). 2) Childs Garage (now Bartleby’s Books) is located in 3) The Vermont House  which was built as an inn (and still is), restaurant and tavern, and was a stopover for the stagecoach that ran between Bennington and Brattleboro. Its porch was the judge’s stand for parade float entries and in later years the third floor was used as a dancehall, similar to other hotels around the country in the early 1900s.

The photos below: 1) The Lyman House was built in 1836 and now houses Jezebel’s Eatery which offers craft beers and farm fresh comfort food. 2) Right next door is Norton House Quilting. The old metal sign out front reads: The Norton House circa late 1700s, one of the oldest houses left in town, was originally built on Lisle Hill in the first town of Wilmington. It was moved to its present site by ox cart in the 1830s. 3) Pickwell’s Barn has been a women’s clothing boutique since 1994, but the building was built in 1836 as the backyard barn of original owners Fred and Nellie Pickwell. 4) Wheeler Woven & Mosaic is run by a delightful woman who does fabulous work with her dog Rex in the back portion of Pickwell’s Barn. 5) Reardon’s Crossing is a beautiful footbridge over the Deerfield River where the Hoot, Toot and Whistle Trail starts. The unpaved trail provides a relaxing journey through peaceful woodlands on the west edge of town.

A Church, Library and a Bank

The photos below: 1) The Valley Town Church was undergoing some renovations, which doesn’t surprise me since it was built some time after 1835. Before it was built, early meetings of the Universalist Church held their meetings in members’ homes. 2) Pettee Memorial Library. Before there were public libraries, there were social libraries where residents purchased a membership to borrow from a private collection. 3) Seasonal events are held where this beautiful sun-lit flag hangs, but from 1885-1970 this park was the site of the town’s first bank, which burned in 2007.

What a spectacular little town! When we came outside after our lunch stop on the next day, we realized it had rained while we ate and had beers. Fingers crossed that our luck continues!

Next up: Vermont Covered Bridges

Happy trails,
Barb