Seniors Enjoy Upstate Vermont

 This senior was having breakfast with his wife at Cracker Barrel recently and noted that the syrup bottle came from St. Johnsbury, Vermont. I said to my wife, who is my editor here…”looks like a blog to me”. So let’s go check it out.

St. Johnsbury is the shire town of Caledonia County, Vermont with a population of just under 7,000. The town is located approximately 10 miles northwest of the Connecticut River and 48 miles south of the Canadian border…great place for maple trees and maple syrup. The town was originally granted in 1760 as part of the New Hampshire Grants and named Bessborough. It was re-granted by Vermont in 1786 as Dunmore, and settled the same year. The locals like to refer to the town as St. Jay.

Senior visitors will find plenty to see and do in St. Jay. The St. Johnsbury Athenaeum is the only National Historic Landmark in the Northeast Kingdom. Colby Hall on the St. Johnsbury Academy campus is a beautiful old building.

You will want to take a walk along Railroad Street and get a feel for this historic town. Look for a monument in Courthouse Park that honors volunteers who died in the Civil WAR. It stands high and is quite attractive. St. Jay is a great place to watch trains go zipping by.

 Senior Dog Lovers Visit Dog Mountain

TripAdvisor has paid a visit to St. Jay and has ten things not to be missed starting with Dog Mountain. Dog Mountain is set on 150 acres on a mountain top location in St. Johnsbury. The grounds are always open to people and their dogs. This unspoiled haven is covered with hiking trails and dog ponds. Dogs are not just welcome here, they are cherished!

Stephen Huneck’s home and studio were in St. Johnsbury, Vermont which he shared with his wife, Gwen, and his three dogs. Stephen wrote 10 books inspired by his black Lab, Sally, and carved out a niche in the art world as a sculptor with a playful twist. So bring along your dog and enjoy the scenery.

Senior shoppers, Green Mountain Mall is a shopping mall north of downtown St. Johnsbury on U.S. Route 5. There has been an annual First Night community celebration of the arts on New Year’s Eve since 1993. The town also has 12 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, the most in Caledonia County. So plan to drive around town checking out all the historic buildings. I know that this is what my wife and I would do.

Seniors, set your GPS for St. Johnsbury VT. Stop by the St. Johnsbury History and Heritage Center to gain an authentic feel for the community and its past. And enjoy some pancakes with the local maple syrup. -jeb