Stowe-Away

Yes, that was an awful pun as this post title is a hint to where we went on our anniversary getaway last week, Stowe VT. Living in Nashua, NH makes neighboring New England states easily accessible. The one-way trip was about 166 miles and took just over 2-1/2 hours.

Stowe is the second largest town in VT with a total area of 72.7 square miles and a population under 4,500 at the 2010 U.S. census. It’s in a broad valley between Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest mountain, and other peaks of the Green Mountains to the west, and the Worcester Range to the east. 

By the mid-1800’s, Stowe had developed into a well-known summer resort due to spectacular mountain scenery and good transportation connections. The Toll Road to the top of Mt. Mansfield was completed by 1870; the Summit House on the top of Mt. Mansfield was finished just as the Civil War broke out, and the 300-room Mansfield House occupied much of the present village on Main Street. Known as the “Big Hotel”, it burned to the ground in 1889.

Driving along VT roadways and mountain views

Today, Main Street includes the Green Mountain Inn, Butler House, Shaw’s General Store, the Community Church with its white steeple, a New England standard.

Community Church, Main St, Stowe, VT

The municipal  building also has a theater as do many New England town halls. A major manufacturer, the Tubbs Snowshoe Co. closed in 2009 and moved its operations overseas.

Stowe, VT Municipal Building and 2nd floor theater 

The Malt Shop is a 1950's style soda fountain and full service family restaurant open year-round, except on Tuesdays. It's where we shared a celebratory banana split.

A short distance drive from Stowe we passed several tourist attractions: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream (we visited a couple of years ago and not this time). We did re-visit the Cold Hollow Cider Mill for a fresh-baked apple cider donut.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Waterbury, VT

Other stops included: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Visitor’s Center and Cafe, Lake Champlain Chocolates, and the Cabot Creamery Annex in nearby Waterbury, VT. Craft beer brewing is popular in VT with many breweries, vintners, distillers and cider-makers. The Green Mountain state produces 15.1 gallons of beer annually per every adult 21 and older. We stopped for a tour and samples at the Magic Hat brewery in Shelburne, VT.

Magic Hat brewery, Shelburne, VT

Nearby places where we stopped included the Trapp Family Lodge (think Sound of Music fame), and the Stowe Mountain Inn. Since our visit was after ski season and before the start of summer tourist season, many places were well below occupancy.

Trapp Family Lodge and views

Stowe Mountain Inn and Grenville with "loaner" car

Our stay was at the Green Mountain Inn on Main Street. It was built as a private residence in 1833, and converted to a hotel in the mid-1800s. It became a favored stop for visitors. Famous visitors have included broadcaster Lowell Thomas, U.S. presidents Chester Arthur and Gerald Ford, inventor Thomas Edison and auto magnate Henry Ford. 

The GMI has 103 unique rooms in 8 buildings in the heart of Stowe Village. We were in the Depot Building, built in 1897 as a depot for the Mt. Mansfield Electric Railway and located adjacent to the GMI. The train ran 11 miles between Waterbury and Stowe carrying passengers and freight until 1932. A bridge connects the Depot Building to the Inn. It houses 16 guest rooms on the upper level and shops on the lower level.

Our room at The Green Mountain Inn, Stowe, VT

The GMI has been home to a railroad company offices, site of a grand dance. The Main Inn and Old Depot buildings and Sanborn House are listed as Numbers 13, 14 and 105, on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. A large stable housing over 100 horses, tack, carriages and stable hands was located behind the former Mount Mansfield (“Big Hotel”) at the present site of the GMI’s Annex wing. 

First Date, 20th Anniversary at The Whip & Bar Grill, Stowe, VT

The barn was torn down as a fire hazard in 1953 and several of the original beams were used in constructing The Whip Bar & Grill in the Green Mountain Inn. It's where we dined to celebrate our. The shared chocolate mousse dessert was delicious!

We visited several other places during our stay including the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in Shelburne, VT and Smuggler's Notch. (These will be shown in future posts.)

We plan to continue celebrating annually and look forward to our 20th wedding anniversary in 2019. 🍾

Thanks for sharing this first part of our getaway trip. Also thanks for all your well wishes and comments on our May 16 anniversary post.