Points of interest in Vermont

[Nick Clayton]

I'm headed to Ludlow Vermont the last week in July. My wife is taking a split oak basket class and I was wondering if there was anything that you knew of in terms of wood working or turning in that gerneral area. I would be happy to take a course, visit a mill or lumber yard that sells interesting wood, or a place that might be good for hunting older tools etc. Thanks for your suggestions

[Brian W Evans]

Nick,

I live in VT, but I'm not that familiar with that part of the state. However, here are a few ideas:

American Precision Museum (for tool buffs)

Charles Shackleton furniture (can tour the workshops, I think)

Montshire Museum (awesome, but really for kids)

Vermont Institute of Natural Science (self-explanatory, I guess)

Hanover, NH (home of Dartmouth, great restaurants, upscale shops)

Have fun on your trip. If I can think of anything else, I'll repost. HTH.

[Nick Clayton]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the info. My wife and I usually stay in Fairlee when we are in Vt and have been to the Shackleton Furniture shop before; very nice folks. The institute of natural science looks interesting. Is that the museum that has the audio recordings of the sugar maples literally exploding?

[Greg Cole]

Russ,
Ludlow & the surrounding area is all but home to most of my family. When you see the Okemo sprawl of new development & ridiculous seasonal vacation homes... you are looking at what was once my stomping grounds as a kid, my uncle owned all the land that is now multi million dollar barely lived in houses.
Anyway... Weston Country Store & Bowl Mill is a good visit for just about everyone & it's "just over the hill". The Crowley Cheese Factory (once again was once part of the distant family) is neat too, one of the oldest factories in the US & still done the "good old fashioned way". The store is right on the west side of Rte 103 after ya head north out of Ludlow.
The Tubbs snowshoe factory is in the Stowe area and they still make some wood ones. There's an Ethan Allen Factory in Beecher Falls, but that's WAY up in the north east corner.
And if ya see any syrup for sale with "my last name on it" buy it, and give my uncle Gary some of your $. And if you meet anyone named Cole, tell my relative I said hi...LOLOL
Garrett Hack works out of Thetford.
Catamount Brewery (now owned by Harpoon) is in White River.
Shelburne Museum is awesome if you get in the Burlington area. So is the Lake Champlain Science Center. Magic Hat Brewery in Burlington too...

If you have any other interests etc just speak up and I'll see what else is between the ears today.

Greg- who doesn't live in VT any longer but will always be a Vermonter.

[Brian W Evans]

Nick,

Not sure about the exploding sugar maples, but I'd like to second Greg's suggestions about the Shelburne museum and Shelburne Farms - wonderful places to visit and just beautiful this time of year. It's been a few years since I've been there, but I think there is a woodworking shop at Shelburne Farms and I know they sometimes have WW classes there. I'd also like to second his suggestion about Magic Hat Brewery. The tour isn't much to write home about, but there's lots of free beer directly out of the vats.

[Tim Morton]

Greg....you are welcome back anytime

Nick..I work at Okemo Mountain and would be happy to help you anyway I can with the area.

As for wood turning this is the man to get in touch with,,,he offers classes right down the road from my house, which is about 45 minutes from ludlow/okemo.

http://www.woodhat.com/

Whare are you staying when you are here?

[Greg Cole]

Hey Tim,
Have to ask.... you know anyone named Cole?

Greg

[Tim Morton]

Hey Tim,
Have to ask.... you know anyone named Cole?

Greg

I do know an "irene cole" who lives in manchester, and I do know that the little brown house leading up to the jackson gore side of okemo is called the "cole house" so I am assuming that it is named after someone you might know.

[Greg Cole]

Ahh, yeah you could say I might know whom the "Cole House" is named for....
Jackson Gore is all built on land I alebit grew up on. An aunt & uncle with a son similar age to me lived there for 20+ years. All our snowmobile & 4 wheeler trails gone... the brook trout pond.. gone.
Memories live on forever though.

Cheers.
Greg

[Tim Morton]

Ahh, yeah you could say I might know whom the "Cole House" is named for....
Jackson Gore is all built on land I alebit grew up on. An aunt & uncle with a son similar age to me lived there for 20+ years. All our snowmobile & 4 wheeler trails gone... the brook trout pond.. gone.
Memories live on forever though.

Cheers.
Greg

There is one remaining public house on the JG property....its barely standing and the woman who owns it and still lives there is quite old. I do knot know if that is also a cole property. I will post some pics if you are interested.

On a side note, the couple that owns okemo are 2 of the nicest individuals I have ever met....although maybe you see them as otherwise.

And for those of you reading this and not living in vermont....the urban sprawl that greg speaks of consists of 2 small townhouse complexes and one medium sized inn. Even by vermont standards is relatively undeveloped