Joe’s Pond in West Danville, Vermont. Photo © Rob Stemple, licensed Creative Commons Attribution No-Derivatives.
Northeast Kingdom
An air of quietude blankets the landscape south and west of St. Johnsbury. The little town of Barnet is so tranquil, in fact, that it was chosen as a site for a Tibetan monastery associated with best-selling author American Buddhist Pema Chödrön. By contrast, neighboring Peacham has gone Hollywood (sort of), starring in films including Ethan Frome and The Spitfire Grill as the quintessential small-town New England village. One glance at its town green and white church spire, and you’ll see why. Farther west on Route 2, lovely Danville is situated around two ponds, Joe’s Pond and Molly’s Pond, supposedly named after a Native American and his wife who befriended early settlers. Its ordinariness belies the fact that it is home to two of the area’s stranger attractions, a giant corn maze and a center for the medieval practice of water-witching.If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a lab rat, venture into the rows at the Great Vermont Corn Maze (1404 Wheelock Rd., Danville, 802/748-1399, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. daily Aug.–Sept., 10 a.m.–3 p.m. daily Oct., $12 adults, $9 seniors and children 4–14, children under 4 free), more than two miles of twisting confusion carved each year amidst 12-foot-tall corn stalks. Owners Mike and Dayna Boudreau have been constructing the maze for better than five years, getting progressively trickier with each course. Participants quest for the elusive “bell of success” in the center of the maze, which can take anywhere from one to four hours. If that sounds too tough, the complex has a smaller corn maze for kids, along with a barnyard mini-golf course among the animal paddocks. To relive the ’80s horror film Children of the Corn, come in October when the farm is transformed into “Dead North: Farmland of Terror” just in time for Halloween.
White-and-black spotted Holsteins dot the pasture at Emergo Farm (261 Webster Hill, Danville, 888/383-1185, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. daily, by appt.) like they were paid to be a Ben & Jerry’s advertisement. Sixth-generation family farm owners Bebo and Lori Webster somehow find time in between milking 90 head of Holsteins to lead farm heritage tours explaining farming techniques going back to the 19th century. Visitors wanting to put education into practice can stay the night in the farm’s stately white farmhouse B&B and help out with chores in the morning.
An instant trip back to the Vermont of yesteryear, Ben Thresher’s Mill (2236 W. Barnet Rd., Barnet, 802/748-8180, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Sat.–Sun. late May–early Oct.) was a major center of industry in the late 19th century—operating first as a dye and print shop, then a woodworking shop, and finally as a machine shop churning out tools for local farmers. Incredibly, all of its machinery is still in working order—one of the last, if not the last, buildings of its kind in the country. Much of that is the result of yeoman’s work by local residents who have kept the machinery active and literally shored up the foundation of the building. They’ll give tours on request, but be prepared to have your ear bent with decades of local yore.
It says something about the Northeast Kingdom that one of its most exciting seasonal rituals is the annual Joe’s Pond Ice Out, a West Danville tradition wherein residents pay $1 each to guess the exact moment that the ice will crack on a local pond. In past years, the winner has claimed more than $4,000, while the same amount goes to upkeep of a recreational area. If nothing else, the anticipation helps pass the time during long NEK winters.
Danville is also home to the large Autumn on the Green (Oct.) festival, which brings more than 100 artisans, craft vendors, and live music performers to share in the pleasures of the fall foliage.
A jumble of specialty cheeses, quality chocolates, old-fashioned candy, and locally made snacks, Diamond Hill Store (Rte. 2 11 E., Danville, 802/684-9797, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Sat., noon–4 p.m. Sun.) is also both a wine and liquor store and an antiques shop. More edible souvenirs await at West Barnet General Store (376 W. Main St., West Barnet, 802/633-9392, 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Sat., 8 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun.), which brings together handmade fudge, locally made jellies in flavors like jalapeno-peach and wild mint, and scads of maple syrup.
The crowd at Goodfella’s Restaurant and Tavern keeps it real with a casual, unstuffy, and classic pub atmosphere (59 Parker Rd., Danville, 802/748-4249, 4–9 p.m. Wed.–Sat., 11:30 a.m.–8 p.m. Sun., $8–17), along with nightly specials that arrive heaped on plates. On weekends, it gets particularly crowded.
For more info on the area, contact the Danville Chamber of Commerce (802/684-2528). Free Wi-Fi is available at the Barnet Public Library (147 Church St., 802/633-4436, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Mon., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tues., 12:30–4 p.m. Wed.–Thurs., 10 a.m.–2 p.m.).
Excerpted from the Third Edition of Moon Vermont.
