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| #stjohnsburyvermont |
St. Johnsbury, Vt. is located in what is referred to as the Northeast Kingdom area of Vermont. When I was a child, we always drove through St. Johnsbury on the way to Quebec on Route 5. Route 5 still exists but most people use I-91 these days. It is a charming town that it almost seems as if time has forgotten it, you will be forgiven for thinking you are in Mayberry. While this area may not be on everyone’s list of hot places, it should be. It has abundant charm, friendly natives, and a few interesting museums. Did I forget to mention great food?
The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum offers programs all summer but feel free to come in anytime and enjoy their fine collection of art including a large Bierstadt painting which takes up one whole wall of the gallery.
The Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium will charm the children in the family and is interesting enough to please adults. It is a science museum in the old-fashioned vein with lots of animals that have been preserved. Our grandson found this a great place to visit when he was 9. Much older than that, the kids might find it a bit low tech.
If there are any dog lovers in the family, the Dog Chapel on Dog Mountain is a must visit. This homage to man's best friend is a non-denominational chapel where both dogs and humans are welcome to come and celebrate the bond that they share. Dogs are welcome to visit the mountain off leash and ponds and trails are not off limits.
Most people, however, come to St. Johnsbury for the myriad of outdoor activities that are offered. The Connecticut River is nearby and hiking, biking, and horseback riding are all favorite ways to spend time in this area of Vermont.
When it comes to places to stay there are not an abundance of choice. The most popular is the Comfort Inn and Suites which is especially family friendly with over-sized rooms that can sleep up to six and with an inclusive breakfast buffet. If you are looking for more romantic sleeping accommodations, the Estabrook House Bed and Breakfast fits the bill with lovely antiques and delicious breakfasts.
Dining in St Johnsbury is eclectic, a favorite is Bailiwicks Restaurant, an award-winning local favorite where the meals are creative and cooked with products grown locally. The food is beautifully prepared and they have a great bar as well with lots of specialty martinis.
Plenty of entertainment is offered in St Johnsbury, Vermont as well. The Star Theatre has first run movies. The Catamount Arts Center offers an almost non-stop selection of art related events. Check their website to see what is being offered. The Artisans Guild offers local artists a place to showcase their creative work and you can find everything from pottery to jewelry.
St. Johnsbury isn't just another small Vermont town, it is a vibrant, artistic community which has a lot to offer summertime visitors. Anyone who has visited here will agree that St. Johnsbury, Vt. is a unique summer destination.
Thomas Jefferson spent seven years of his childhood at the James River plantation of Tuckahoe. His father Peter came here with his family to be the guardian of the Randolph children who had lost both of their parents.
The house is the only frame house on the James River north of Richmond that was not destroyed during the Civil War. Its survival can be credited to the lady of the house who happened to have danced with the Colonel who was charged with burning her home. Instead of burning the house, he stayed to tea and so Tuckahoe was saved.
The front of the house dates from 1733. It was a four-room house, two over two. The additional part of the house was constructed in 1740 after the influx of cash from William Randolph’s marriage to Maria Judith Page. Original slave cabins have survived as well as the overseer’s cottage. On the opposite side of the house is a former gardener’s cottage which was used as a schoolhouse for the Randolph and Jefferson children. The doomed roof may have inspired the young Jefferson.
Formal gardens are located close to the house. They are more formal today than they would have been in the 18th century. A Randolph family cemetery is also located on the grounds. At one time, there was quite an amazing boxwood maze to the east of the house but they have been removed and this lawn is now used as the ceremony space at many wedding that takes place at Tuckahoe.
The inside of the house has very fine wood carving done by an English indentured servant. It has survived in amazing condition for almost 300 years. Photography is not allowed inside the house so you will have to trust that the black walnut is in outstanding condition and the staircase, which was a wedding gift, is still pristine.
Once you leave the original section of the house, the wood paneling goes from black walnut to oak. You get to visit two bedrooms in the original section of the house. No one knows where young Thomas Jefferson actually slept but he was only a child so since the blue bedroom was not the master bedroom, it might just be that room or it may have been in part of the house that is not open to tours.
On the first floor of the original section are the Burnt Parlor and the White Parlor. The names of the rooms are descriptive and honestly, a visit here will fill in the blanks and is highly recommended.
The newer part of the house includes the Great Hall which is a bright and airy space with a door to the side of the house. There are several others rooms that are part of the guided tour of the house.
Plantation Street is the location of the slave cabins which are mostly private residences today but the restroom and a small museum are in one. An herb garden is located outside the kitchens.
From the rear of the house, there are beautiful views all the way down the steep bluff to the James River. At one time, Tuckahoe was a railroad stop and the remnants of the tracks are still clearly visible. The views are so outstanding that on the day of our visit, artists and their easels were lining the ridge overlooking the river.
The house has a fascinating history that continues long beyond the time of the Randolphs and Jeffersons. However, ask about the scandal from the Randolph days, it has it all, intrigue, adultery and murder. Additionally, there is a connection between Tuckahoe and Nemours the great estate of Alfred I DuPont in the Brandywine Valley.
There is also thought to be a resident ghost, Mary Randolph. This is another story you will hear during your fascinating tour of the house and grounds.
Tuckahoe is open to the public only for pre-arranged private tours. There is a small charge for the tour. Our tour lasted about 90 minutes and was fascinating. The history of the home as it relates to Thomas Jefferson is what brought us here but there is so much more to this amazing estate than just this one era in its lengthy history.
Summer is a great time to visit the Northeast. So many things to do and places to see are offered that truly, there is something for everyone.
If you ask anyone who lives in the Northeast they will tell you that New England can get very hot and humid during the summer. That is why beach and lake vacations are so popular with locals and tourists alike. The good news is that the Northeast is packed with gorgeous ocean beaches and crystal clear lakes. Surely one will fit everyone's wants and needs.
Saltwater Beaches
If you want to get a real feel for what summer in the Northeast is all about, pack your car, be sure to have a reservation and get in line to cross the Sagamore or the Bourne Bridge onto Cape Cod. No place is more quintessentially New England than the Cape. There will be crowds, prices will be high, you will have to wait to eat at the most popular restaurants but it is worth it for heaping plates of seafood eaten with the smell of the Atlantic Ocean surrounding you.
Have a bowl of "chowda", picnic on the National Seashore, visit Chatham Light and climb the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown. The National Seashore offers miles of pristine beaches and gorgeous sand dunes. This is what summer is all about on Cape Cod.
If you prefer to run the other way when it comes to crowds, then head farther north to Maine. Crowds flock to the beaches in lower Maine, Old Orchard Beach, York Beach and even much farther up at Bar Harbor, however, in between there are many other beaches where you can enjoy a moment of solitude with the sound of the waves crashing in your ears.
Lakes
If you like the idea of a freshwater beach vacation with lots of activities and amusements, there are lakes in the Northeast that offer that experience. Lake George in New York and Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire are as commercial as anyone could want. You will find go-cart rides, water parks, miniature golf and much more to keep you active all through your vacation.
How about a quiet lake where it is still possible to hear the birds tweet and the crickets chirp? Upper Vermont is home to Lake Willoughby where it seems time has stood still since the 1950's. You can rent a cottage or stay at an old-fashioned motel and enjoy talking to your kids and playing games. There isn't much to do up here except relax and that is just the way it should be.
Historic Villages
If you want to spend a day in a historic village there are four very fine ones in the Northeast:
Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth, N.H.
Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Mass.
Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth Mass.
Old Mystic Village in Mystic, Conn.
Presidential Sites
Presidential sites abound with Coolidge, Pierce, Van Buren, Kennedy and two Adams all having sites that are worthy of a visit. Coolidge has sites in both Vermont and Massachusetts, Van Buren in New Hampshire and the Adams and John F. Kennedy in Massachusetts.
Cities
Plan a visit to some amazing cities in the Northeast. New York, Boston, Hartford, Providence and Portland all have a lot to offer to visitors. Great museums, exciting festivals, and local walking tours are all available to the many tourists who choose summer to visit.
The Northeastern United States is a great place to spend your summer vacation no matter what you consider the perfect getaway. So pack up the car and the kids and head on up, you will find a warm welcome. With seven states to choose from, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, the possibilities are nearly endless. What are you waiting for?
Santa Maria de Belem is the official name of the Monastery of St. Jeronimos. It is one of the most famous monuments in Portugal. Built in the Manueline style, the monastery took over 100 years to build and was home to the Hieronymite Order of monks. The monastery was built on the site of an earlier chapel where sailors came to have their spiritual needs looked after. It was in that chapel that Vasco da Gama prayed before taking off on his journey of discovery.
In 1495 King Manuel I asked the Pope for permission to found a monastery on the site. It was granted and as they say, the rest is history. The connection between the monastery and Vasco da Gama is obvious and his grave is located within the Monastery Church. This is certainly one of the things that you must see on any visit to St Jeronimos.
Belem, pronounced bell-aim is no longer a separate village but part of greater Lisbon and also the home to a number of historic and significant sites to visit. You can combine a visit here with a visit to the National Coaches Museum, the Belem Tower, Monument of the Discoveries and the Ajuda Palace. It is a whole day adventure. The 15 Tram and the 28 Bus come out from downtown and there are several bus companies that also offer cities tours that will take you to the Abbey including Dianatours and Greyline Tours.
The Monastery is an amazing work of art and over the years the many renovations and restorations have changed it, added to it and some cases taken away from it, bringing a little bit of each centuries style along with it. It is not purely Manueline in style but combines many styles and is a strikingly beautiful building.
The South Portal is anchored by a statue of Our Lady of Bethlehem holding the baby Jesus and a coffer with the gifts of the Magi in her free hand. Below her are the twelve apostles. Between the two doors, there is a statue of Henry the Navigator, who by the way never got on a ship to travel because he was very prone to seasickness, but that is another story altogether.
When you enter the Monastery the graves of Vasco de Gamma will be on your left and one the right Luis de Comoes. The Abbey also contains the tombs of King Manuel and also the empty tomb of the young King Sebastian who was killed in a battle in North Africa and his body was never recovered.
Beyond the Nave, you can visit the Chapter House where you will find the tomb of the first mayor of Belem, the chancel where King Manuel I and King Joao III and their wives. To see the purely Manueline style of the monastery visit the Cloister.
In 1834 all religious institutions in Portugal were disbanded and the order of St Jerome was no exception. Today you can visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Monastery of St. Jeronimos.
The church is free to visit and the Cloister was 4.50 Euros.
