Vermont

After our ferry ride across Lake Champlain, one of America’s most historic waterways, we drove only a few miles to the Burlington suburb of Shelburne. The campground was mediocre, but the location was convenient. Jerry had driven off in haste with the trailer jack down after our last night in Pennsylvania, so the first priority was to order a new jack from the local Airstream dealer. While awaiting shipmenf the jack, we stayed connected to our trailer for a few days and rode with Lloyd and Elaine to points of interest. The wonderful Shelburne Museum was a gift from Electra Webb (1888-1960). She was the wealthy New York heiress daughter of Henry Havemeyer, founder of the Domino Sugar Company. Electra never had time to earn money, as her entire life, beginning at age 18, was devoted to collecting things—all kinds of things. The museum boasts over 150,000 artifacts, including many fine works of art. A Tiffany exhibit was featured during our visit. The 39 old museum buildings, scattered over 45 acres, are filled with relics, to include a huge display of buggies, wagons, sleighs, and Early American furniture, art and tools. It resembles Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI. A leading magazine once called Shelburne Museum one of the seven wonders of New England. The white columned Electra Webb Memorial Mansion was a gift from the Webb children. It is tastefully decorated with original paneling, furnishings and myriad works of art from James and Electra Webb’s New York Park Avenue penthouse.

We were surprised to find an Airstreamer motorcycle sidecar at the museum entrance. It was commissioned by the Airstream Company to honor of its 75th Anniversary and designed by Jesse James of West Coast Choppers fame. He is the husband of actress Sandra Bullock; she was given a new classic Airstream trailer by the company in return for Jesse's work on the sidecar.

A fascinating exhibit at the museum is the famous 220-foot long ship, Ticonderoga. It is the only sidewheeler steamer left in the world. It launched in 1906 and shipped goods and people from ports in New York and Vermont around Lake Champlain for 47 years. By 1953 newer transportation modes prevailed, and the once proud ship was in a sad state of repair and could not even pay her coal bills. Mrs. Webb, who always spent her summers in Burlington, loved the old vessel and was bound to save her from destruction. It was a crazy “impossible” scheme, but in 1955, Electra bankrolled a plan to move the Ticonderoga across land to her remarkable museum. After two years of planning, rails were laid and the ship was loaded on a special bed and moved two miles overland on tracks. The arduous trip began over frozen turf in 20 degree below zero weather. It was one of the most remarkable engineering feats in maritime preservation history. After a massive refurbishing, the carved and beautifully varnished woodwork, gilded ceilings, staterooms, grand staircase, and dining room bring to life the old-fashioned elegance of steamboat travel as it was in the 1920’s. We were given a guided tour of the Ticonderoga's massive engine, four decks, pilot's house, galley, and crew's quarters.

The next morning we drove to Montpelier, the State Capital, which is celebrating 150 years of history. This is America’s smallest capital city and the only one that has no McDonalds. The great domed capitol edifice is elegant in its simplicity. The House and Senate chambers are small compared with most other capitols. Vermont boasts two U.S. presidents, Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge; neither is rated highly by historians. Flamboyant frontiersman, military general, and one of Vermont’s founders, Ethan Allen, is a favorite son. Admiral George Dewey, famous for his victory without losing a man at Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War, was born near the Vermont State House. All of the above leaders have their esteemed place in the Capitol. Vermont is proud of her fighting Green Mountain Boys of the Civil War. No VT unit ever lost a flag to the the Confederacy, and they captured more Rebel flags than any other state.

In the afternoon, we traveled to the quaint old town of Stowe after touring Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Plant and the Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center, sampling products from each. The highlight of Stowe is the country resort hotel founded by the famous Von Trapp Family of Sound of Music fame. Both the Captain and Maria, along with some of their children, are buried on a lovely, quiet hillside near the hotel. In case you are planning a stay at the resort, be sure that your checkbook has a healthy balance. The four of us were glad to return to our humble Airstreams for our last night in Vermont. Our new electric jack was installed at a cost of $424 at the Airstream dealership in time for our planned departure day. We also made an emergency run to a dental clinic when Jerry lost half of a molar. However, after a brief consultation with a busy dentist, the patient elected to keep traveling with his, painless broken tooth.