2 - VERGENNES DAY 2012
THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
Vergennes Day Schedule of Events Aug. 25, 2012
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he City of Vergennes and the Addison County Chamber of Commerce invite you to the 31st annual citywide celebration with festivities to appeal to all ages. Free shuttle service is provided by Bet-Cha Transit; it will be available to all venues and VUHS parking lot from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The event’s public restrooms are located at City Park and inside Vergennes City Hall. •Friday, Aug. 24 Time: 7 - 10 p.m. Event: Street Dance. Vergennes Day Kick-off featuring Panton Flats Park St. (behind bandstand in City Park) Admission: Donations accepted Snacks available •Saturday, Aug. 25 Time: 7 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Location: Fire Dept. Event: Pancake Breakfast (adults $8, children under 12 $6, under 6 free) Time: 9 a.m. Location: City Park Event: Little City 5K Walk and 10K Race started in front of City Hall. Pre Registration at: www.RunVermont.org Click on Other Upcoming Races and Events tab. Race day registration 8-8:45 a.m. at the Stevens House – corner of Main and North Green streets Time: 10 – 11 a.m. Location: City Park
Event: Vergennes City Band Time: 10 a.m. – noon Location: VUHS Baseball Field Event: Radio-controlled model airplane show by the Champlain Valley Flyers Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Location: Bixby Library Event: Book sale: Vergennes Area Rescue Squad will provide food, give out goodie bags; Safe Kids Addison County will inspect and fit a limited supply of bike helmets. Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m Location: VUHS, Vergennes Union High School Event: Car Show. Cars, tractors, trucks and engines, Green Mountain Cobras. Vote for your favorite. Awards at 3 p.m. including Green Mountain Flywheelers Antique Gas and Steam Engine Club. Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Location: City Park Event: Craft Show. Over 75 crafters and vendors on display. Painting hands (for children) with Grandma Phyllis. Time: 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Location: City Park Event: The Benoits, musical group
Location: City Park Event: “Books for Bikes” drawing sponsored by Bixby Library, Vergennes Rotary and Safe Kids Addison County Time: 1 p.m. until gone Location: City Park Event: Lions Chicken BBQ. Prices $12 half chicken, $9 quarter chicken Time: 1:15 – 2:15 p.m. Location: City Park Event: The Would Is, musical group Time: 2:30 – 4 p.m. Location: City Park Event: Little City Jazz Band performs Time: 3:30 p.m. Location: Falls Park at the Basin Event: Rubber Duckie Race by Rotary (tickets available at Rotary booth in City Park) Time: All Day Event: Vergennes Merchant Special Sales Shuttle by Bet-cha Transit to all venues & VUHS Parking Lot from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Free
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.Location: Vergennes Fire Department Event: Open House and Bubble Pit Time: 12:30 - 1 p.m.
American Legion Post 14, Dorchester Masonic Lodge of Vergennes, Gaines Insurance Agency, Inc., J.W.&D.E. Ryan, Inc., Merchants Bank, Neat Repeats, National Bank of Middlebury, Vergennes Animal Hospital; Vergennes Redemption Center LLC.
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VERGENNES DAY 2012 - 3
Vergennes: Little City with a big heart T
he history of Vergennes is unique. Rather than being home to traditional Vermont farmers, a different type of individual settled in the Little City—manufacturers, merchants, and professionals including mechanics and laborers. The restrictions of the city’s “little” 1,200 acres did not afford many to use the land for farming. Vergennes found its way as a commercial center for the surrounding agricultural areas. Early in Vergennes’ history rapid industrial growth appeared with forges, blast furnaces, a wire factory, and other facilities. Such growth made Vergennes the most suitable location for and played an integral part of the War of 1812. It was during the War of 1812 that Commodore Thomas Macdonough established a shipyard at the foot of Otter Creek where he prepared his navy and built numerous ships including, the flagship Saratoga, the largest military vessel ever launched in Vermont. Commodore Macdonough commandeered the banks and eventually put an end to the British invasion. It was his ships that defeated the British at the Battle of Plattsburgh Bay in September 1814. Owners of many of the shops in Vergennes can recount the family history and tales of the War of 1812. One shop owner stated that one gunboat being transported from one location to another with no military forces on it somehow discouraged the British from coming closer to the banks of Vergennes. After the war and within ten years, the Lake Champlain Steamship Company built four lake steamers at the same shipyard Macdonough established. In 1824 the opening of the Champlain Canal connected Lake Champlain with the Hudson River and led to increased passenger traffic on the lake. The railroad in 1855 also increased production as lumber was transported. To date, Vergennes maintains a strong industrial base with two major companies, Goodrich Aerospace (where vital parts for NASA’s recently retired space-shuttle fleet and defense craft have been manufactured) and Nathaniel Electronics. The convenience of Otter Creek and the presence of the Monkton Iron Company, one of the largest iron works in the United States, enhanced the growth of Vergennes into a visible commercial success. With the success, elaborate homes appeared block after block with
diverse architectural structures. Aside from Vergennes’ history, there are also cultural and recreational attractions. Visit the Opera House, the Greek Revival style Bixby Library, Rokeby Museum, Round Barn Merinos, and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Picnic on the banks of the Otter Creek or the city green where one can experience a true farmer ’s market. Another
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fabulous idea would be take a cruise down the Otter Creek to Lake Champlain. Whether one wants adventure or serenity, Vergennes will satisfy all needs in a hometown away from home. Vergennes will have one in awe viewing the historic buildings and picturesque Main Street with plenty of things to see and do.
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4 - VERGENNES DAY 2012
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Commodore Macdonough: Hero of Lake Champlain By Russ Picket
An engraving of Macdonough’s corvette the USS Saratoga built in Vergennes ship basin. the British began impressing American sailors. This act, of course, helped lead the United States into the war of 1812. While in Liverpool, England, Macdonough was impressed into the British Navy. The story is related that he was taken on board a British ship and assigned sleeping quarters with the
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Thomas Macdonough
Thomas Macdonough Jr. was born in Trap (McDonough), Del., on Dec. 31, 1783, the sixth child and second son of Thomas Sr. and Mary Vance McDonough. Thomas Sr. was a well respected physician in Delaware. He is claimed by Vergennes as a part-time resident and its most notable local hero, as well. Thomas Jr. worked as a clerk in a store in Middletown, Del., while a teenager. He requested an appointment to the United States Navy with the help of U.S. Sen. Latimer of Delaware. On Feb. 5, 1800, at the age of 16, he received a warrant as a midshipman in the navy. Prior to entering the Navy, Thomas, Jr., for unknown reasons, changed the spelling of his last name from "McDonough" to "Macdonough." On Dec. 14, 1803, he was assigned to the "Enterprise", a 12-gun schooner. The "Enterprise" along with the "Constitution" was sent out to either retake the "Philadelphia" or destroy it so that Tripoli could not use her against the U.S. During the coming years,
corporal of the guard. Once the corporal fell asleep Macdonough put on his clothes and went out onto the deck. He saw the corporal poke his head out of the hatchway and Macdonough immediately knocked him down, jumped into a small boat, broke loose and was on his way. The sentry shot at Macdonough, but he safely made his way to shore. Thomas swore "If I live, I'll make England remember the day she impressed an American soldier." On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain. On June 26, Macdonough wrote the following note to the Secretary of the Navy, Alexander Hamilton: "Sir: The United States now being at war, I solicit your order for service in the navy and hope you will favor me with such a situation as in your opinion I am suited to hold. I have the honor to be, your most obt. (obedient) sert. (servant)� T. Macdonough In August, Macdonough received orders to command a division of gunboats, this time in Burlington, Vt. The new division included six sloops and 2 gunboats. The vessels were located on Lake Champlain, between New York and Vermont. When he first arrived he saw the gunboats "one was partly sunk and the seams of both were so open as almost to admit the hand." He immediately hired carpenters to prepare the vessels for war. After repairs, he took his converted, patched-up warships down the lake (north) to the Plattsburgh, N.Y., area to start patrols. On June 2, 1813, Macdonough ordered Lt. Sidney Smith with the sloop "Growler" and Sailing Master Loomis with the "Eagle" to sail north to the Canadian border. There they were to block the mouth of the Richelieu River to prevent British warships from entering Lake Champlain. Macdonough gave specific orders not to cross the border. However, Smith deliberately sailed into British territory where they
met up with British warships. After a four hour battle the British captured both sloops and sent all the men to prison. Now that the British could add two more sloops to their fleet, they had complete control of the Lake. At this point Macdonough moved his fleet farther down the lake to Burlington. On July 24, 1813, Lt. Thomas Macdonough was designated Master Commandant. He was there after called "Commodore" out of respect or courtesy even though that rank did not exist at that time. The last of July 1813, a British flotilla landed at Plattsburgh's wharf with 1,000 soldiers. They promised the frightened citizens that they would not destroy private property. However, they started burning public property and stole the contents of many of the private homes in the area. They then sailed south and attacked Macdonough at Burlington. After a small battle they sailed on and continued to raid villages. The American fleet was no where near ready to battle on the open lake at this time. After repairs were completed on his fleet, he moved the fleet to Vergennes for the winter. There he received authorization in January 1814 from Secretary Jones to construct a new ship. The brothers Adam and Noah Brown promised to construct a ship in Vergennes within 60 days. To everyone's delight, the Browns completed the new ship in 40 days. On April 11, 1814, Lucy Ann Macdonough, Thomas' wife, christened the 26-gun ship "Saratoga". Macdonough was now ready to do battle with the enemy. A few months later, the Macdonough and the Saratoga defeating the British in the maritime phase of the Battle of Plattsburgh. Thomas and his wife are buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Middletown, Conn. Together they had five children, James, Charles Shaler, Augustus Rodney, Thomas, and Charlotte. Printed with permission
THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
VERGENNES DAY 2012 - 5
What lies beneath the lake? N
ot too far from downtown Vergennes you’ll find Lake Champlain. The Otter Creek has been a waterway linking the Little City to the big lake. Along with the waterway comes sightings of a strange denzien of the deep. Champ the lake monster embodies the mysteries, wonders and importance of the Lake and the creatures that may or may not live within. The fact that we do not know whether Champ exists, means there is still an undiscovered and protected portion of the Lake left to discover. Perhaps most importantly, Champ helps educate the public about this beautiful place and gives us all a reason to sit quietly by the Lake and ponder what lies beneath. What is Champ—a dinosaur, a plesiosaur, a whale? Part of believing that Champ exists means you need to have a fairly good explanation for what he might be. Theories abound. One theory suggests that Champ is a dinosaur that managed to escape extinction and lives on in Lake Champlain. Another suggests that the creatures could be surviving zeuglodons, a primitive form of whale with a long snake like body. These creatures have been thought to be long extinct, however fossils of them have been found a few miles form Lake Champlain in Charlotte. Champ might also be a Lake Sturgeon. There are sturgeon in Lake Champlain and they can grow to great lengths. They are a very old, almost prehistoric fish with a scale-less body that is supported by a partially cartilaginous skeleton along with rows of scutes. Its single dorsal fin, running along its spine, would match many descriptions of Champ, although its sharp, shark-like tail would not. Another theory is that Champ could be related to a plesiosaur. A plesiosaur is a prehistoric water
dwelling reptile (not a dinosaur) with a long snakelike head and four large flippers. Plesiosaurs loved fish and other aquatic animals. Scientists date the plesiosaur to the Triassic period, 200 million years ago, through the Cretaceous period, about 65 million years ago (when all dinosaurs are thought to have gone extinct). It would take approximately 50 mature Champs, at the least, to have a breeding population of Champs in the Lake and 500 to keep the species alive in the long term. While the numbers are daunting, Lake Champlain does provide an ideal habitat for such a creature. The Lake is 120 miles long, 400 feet deep in places and home to a diverse population of birds and aquatic life which would be more than enough to sustain the belly of this great beast. Additionally, the lake, in its present form, has been around quite awhile —around 10,000 years. There have been at least 300 reported unex-
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plained sightings of Champ over the years' There is no certainty when the first sighting of Champ was; however, the creature was depicted by Native Americans. It was said that Samuel de Champlain saw Champ in 1609. This claim that he spotted a “strange monster” has been traced by historians to actually have occurred in the St. Lawrence estuary however. In 1819 in Port Henry, N.Y., a railroad crew reported to have spotted a “head of an enormous serpent sticking out of the water and approaching them from the opposite shore.” Around the time of this sighting, farmers nearby claimed to have missing livestock, with drag marks leading to the shore. There was also an early Champ sighting reported in the New York Times in 1873. There is now a website dedicated to recording Champ sightings. To learn more about specific sightings at Champ Quest.com. Special thanks to the Lake Champlain Land Trust
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Little City school program is national model
W
hen the Walden Project was featured in Edutopia magazine a few years ago, the Little City school program received nationwide attention. The educational magazine, published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF), encourages innovation in schools; it also advocates for exemplary programs in K-12 public schools to help practices spread nationwide. That’s why the Walden Project became the talk of school teachers coast-to-coast when the article first appeared in 2007. Public Radio International also featured the project on a broadcast the following year. The Walden Project is a public alternative education program supported by the Willowell Foundation. Approximately 20-25 students attend the program yearly, which is located on a 230-acre parcel of land in Monkton and is operated through the Addison Northwest Supervisory Union. As noted in the Edutopia article, the project is not a traditional school program; it is a community of students and teachers who use the former farmland for what founder Matt Schlein calls a “great, living template for education.” Students spend three days a week outdoors on the land, even through the winter. Schlein, who has taught English, drama, and psychology at Vergennes Union High School, founded the project in 2000 with a vision of authentic, student-directed learning based in nature. The point of the program, according to Schlein, is to step outside the chaos of everyday expectations to “think deeply about where I am right now and what's essential,” searching nature and oneself for inspiration. Despite Walden's unconventional approach and the apparent lack of structure visitors may
VUHS: Home of the Walden Project experience, student performance on the SAT matches that of their peers at VUHS. An impressive 80 to 90 percent of Walden graduates go on to attend college, compared to just over half of the traditional VUHS program graduates. VUHS parents are among Walden's biggest supporters. Through its inquiry-based
approach, Walden satisfies state content standards in greater depth than a conventional classroom could. The program also surpasses the high school on teaching the state's vital results standards for personal growth, he adds. “Instead of reading 16 chapters in a science textbook,” one student said, “we do science.”
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MAKING GRANDPOP PROUD — Former Vermont State Sen. Tom Bahre of Addison County was justifiably proud to watch his grand-daughter Amanda Morse of Vergennes compete at the Vermont State Logging Competition held at the Hannaford Career Center’s North Campus earlier this year. Morse is a student at the center. When not selling advertising for the Addison Eagle, Bahre is a Christmas-tree farmer and lumberman; he has passed along his love of trees and working with wood to other family members. Teens had to qualify to compete in the contest which involved a variety of chainsaw and log handling techniques. The winner received a chainsaw valued at $700.
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8 - VERGENNES DAY 2012
THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
Vergennes hometown of first woman steamboat skipper By Members of the Otter Creek Basin Student History Club The Otter Creek Student History Club was started in September 2002, in hopes of having a good time in the process of learning and sharing the history of our town. We meet weekly and do just that, learn about our town and the changes it has been through to make it what it is today. We are mostly made up of high school students but all are welcome. Some of the students in the history club went to Vermont History Day this year with stories on the Fire of 1958 and Philomene Daniels, both stories have a huge impact on Vergennes history. We are hoping this website will bring you a little of what we learned. Our group has a two-fold purpose. We are working with the Vermont Historical Society Community History Project to capture and preserve the stories that make
our community special. This involves us with our adult history counterparts, the Otter Creek Basin History Club and brings in the talents of local people and history buffs. We interview, photograph, listen, process and then record the stories we have learned. Some members of our group prefer dramatic presentations, some prefer storyboards, other write great term papers, and still others love to utilize technology to tell the stories. Each of us contributes in a small way to bringing to life for our generation and those to come the wealth of history that has occurred in the Otter Creek Basin and surrounding towns. We welcome you to visit the Vermont Historical Society Community History Project’s website (www.vermonthistory.org) and invite you to share a brief glimpse of our journey as we learn about the five-town region we proudly call home.
Philomene Daniels: the World’s First Femail Steamboat
Captain Steaming Out of the Past: Philomene Ostiguy Domingue Daniels Caisse and The Daniels Steamboat Line (1877-1916) To many of us as teenagers it seems that Vergennes is a typical, quiet and sometimes predictable Vermont town. It shocked us to no end to learn that Vergennes was not only a central point in the history of the region, but that the town falls we fish in was once the center of an economic boom that was critical to the development of the region. Our story begins with the steamship whistles that used to resound down the banks of Otter Creek. The Otter Creek Basin at Vergennes Falls was alive with the sounds of people at work. Factories making horse nails, furniture, shade-rollers, grinding crops and ironworks spanned the top of the falls. Cargo and raw materials came and went by horsedrawn wagon and the Otter Creek, which served as the
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highway of the region. People, cargo and mail needed to move up and down the river, out on to Lake Champlain and down the coastline to meet trains and other methods of transport. It was an exciting time to live in the little city. Onto the river go Louis Daniels and his new wife Philomene. Having moved to Vergennes after their marriage in 1865, the couple settled in a home across the street from the docks. Louis took jobs for W.R. Bixby and later at the Hayes and Falardo Shop. His true love was the Otter Creek and in 1869 he writes himself that he is employed on a steamer the Curlew, which was an 80ft double decker steamer. His first license, issued to him in 1873, showed him as the engineer. In January of 1877, he bought the Water Lily and for the first three years had Sam Ives as a partner. On June 10, 1880, he paid his former partner, $ 150 for his share in the business and the Daniels Steamship Line was born. For the first couple of years Captain Louas he was known to the townspeople was always seen on the Water Lily with his wife at his side. She was a determined and feisty young woman who was a presence at any gathering. Dressed in the latest of fashion, she had the appearance of a lady. Her skills and determination earned her the trust and respect of her husband and brought about a change in the family business and the history of the country. Louis was an enterprising businessman and wanted to expand the steamship line to include more boats and pilots. He and Philomene had two sons, Mitchell and Fred. Both of the boys were raised on the boat and learned the over twentyseven channels that were taken in traversing the Otter Creek from the docks, up to Fort Cassin, where the
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Otter Creek met the Lake. By 1897, the demands of increased commerce and the beginning of excursion travel made the Water Lily and the second boat the Little Nellie almost obsolete. In the winter of 1897, Captain Louis built in a shed near his house the steamer "The Victor. The steamer was 63.2 feet long and could accommodate 275 passengers. With all three boats on the river, Louis needed help. It came from an unpredicted, but colorful source, his 42year-old wife Philomene. Philomene had always had a strong constitution and was known for saying that she was “as good a pilot as any man on the river.” She also felt her skills could have her “perform any task on the boat, except for the engineer, because that would require her to wear pants, and she could not bring herself to do that. She was a lady, you know.” Encouraged by her husband, and armored with her knowledge of what she was capable of, Philomene presented herself at the Coast Guard Station in Burlington to test for a steamship pilot's license. They were at first amused, but quickly alarmed when a determined Philomene demanded, “it was her right to test, and she wasn't going home until she did.” This was 1887 and history records her as the world's first licensed steamship captain. From 1887-1903 you can see images of the steamers moving up and down the Otter Creek. Many have the famed hat and dress silhouette of Captain Phil at the helm and many are of Captain Lou. Much of our understanding of the life of Philomene comes to us through the work and efforts of her great-great-granddaughter Jane Vincent. Jane grew up hearing stories of Captain Phil, but didn't seriously begin documenting and recording her ancestor's story until about four years ago. She interviewed surviving family members, and spent countless hours in records from here to Canada tracing the path of Captain Phil. Ms. Vincent even began performing as her ancestor in reenactments at local history museums. Many people are shocked at the refined lady like image Vincent shows, as most would guess Philomene was more a tomboy and rough around the edges. Remaining photographs and stories passed down document that while she piloted the boat as a man would, she was dressed in the latest of fashion and insisted on appearing as a lady. “I was never one to get out in front of a group of people,” said Jane Vincent. “It’s as if she is giving me a push to get out there. I feel deeply inside that she wasn't given enough credits in history.” The untimely death of Captain Louis in 1903 brought into reality another chapter of the Daniels' steamship line. Mitchell's wife Helen was a petite woman who excelled in the tasks of a homemaker. She could cook, sew and often made dresses and cakes for
Philomene Daniels the best families in town. She had eight children and kept an impeccable home. While she had worked the boats extensively herself with her husband, she did not have Philomene's drive to work outside the home. At the death of Louis she approached Philomene and offered to help out by testing and taking her place as the third pilot in the family business. She and Philomene continued to pilot the steamers until the business was turned over to Louis and Helen full time. Our research shows that the Daniels Family Steamship line stopped in 1916. The development of the horseless carriage changed the way that goods and services moved in the Otter Creek Basin. The era of the steamers was over and the business closed. Philomene lived until 1926 and was buried in the Catholic cemetery in Vergennes. Her stories and memory were really not heralded until her descendants began tracing the family history and recording the life of this lively and determined woman. The Burlington Free Press and Times of May 5, 1887, called her “undoubtedly the first woman to receive a pilot's license in this country, if not the world.” Captain Phil’s career opened our eyes to a time when Vergennes was the economic center of the region and the Falls was alive with daily commerce and business. Our favorite story was when Captain Phil found herself facing one particularly obnoxious male passenger who followed her into the wheelhouse and informed her that she was “trying” to pilot the ship. After asking the man to leave four times, Captain Phil altered his attitude by pushing him overboard. When he was fished out he had a new appreciation for her authority and did not question her again! As a history club we have turned our understanding of this colorful local person into a play, which we presented at Vermont History Day. It was well received and will again be presented at the national level competition in College Park, Md., in June of this year. We cannot help but think that this must please Captain Phil. She was ahead of her time, a strong believer in doing what was necessary for her family to be prosperous. It would tickle her, we think, for the country to learn that the captain of the Daniels Steamship line did indeed wear petticoats and was very much a lady. Printed with permission of the Vermont Historical Society.
THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
VERGENNES DAY 2012 - 9
History of Vermont’s ‘Little City’ is unique Rather than being home to traditional Vermont farmers, a different type of individual settled in the Little City of Vergennes—manufacturers, merchants, and professionals including mechanics and laborers. The restrictions of the city’s “little” 1,200 acres did not afford many to use the land for farming. Vergennes found its way as a commercial center for the surrounding agricultural areas. Early in Vergennes’ history rapid industrial growth appeared with forges, blast furnaces, a wire factory, and other facilities. It was during the War of 1812 that Commodore Thomas Macdonough established a shipyard at the foot of Otter Creek where he prepared his navy and built numerous ships including, the flagship Saratoga, the largest military vessel ever launched in Vermont. Commodore Macdonough commandeered the banks and eventually put an end to the British invasion. It was his ships that defeated the British at the Battle of Plattsburgh Bay in September 1814. Owners of many of the shops in Vergennes can recount the family history and tales of the War of 1812. One shop owner stated that one gunboat being transported from one location to another with no military forces on it somehow discouraged the British from coming closer to the banks of Vergennes. After the war and within ten years, the Lake Champlain Steamship Company built four lake steamers at the same shipyard
Macdonough established. In 1824 the opening of the Champlain Canal connected Lake Champlain with the Hudson River and led to increased passenger traffic on the lake. The railroad in 1855 also increased production as lumber was transported. To date, Vergennes maintains a strong industrial base with two major companies, Goodrich Aerospace (where vital parts for NASA’s space-shuttle fleet and defense craft are manufactured) and Nathaniel Electronics. The convenience of Otter Creek and the presence of the Monkton Iron Company, one of the largest iron works in the United States, enhanced the growth of Vergennes into a visible commercial success. With the success, elaborate homes appeared block after block with diverse architectural structures. Aside from Vergennes’ history, there are also cultural and recreational attractions. Visit the Opera House, the Greek Revival style Bixby Library, Rokeby Museum, Round Barn Merinos, and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Picnic on the banks of the Otter Creek or the city green where one can experience a true farmer ’s market. Another fabulous idea would be take a cruise down the Otter Creek to Lake Champlain. Whether one wants adventure or serenity, Vergennes will satisfy all needs in a hometown away from home. Vergennes will have one in awe viewing the historic buildings and picturesque Main Street with plenty of things to see and do.
Have a pleasant Vergennes Day! from Dr. Greg Maurer & Staff
From left to right: Melinda, Pat, Greg, Erin, Julie, and Chelsea 35595
Vergennes Animal Hospital ranks medical care no. 1
The Vergennes Animal Hospital is a progressive small animal hospital with a highly trained medical staff. Animal lovers around Addison County have long appreciated the caring and highly skilled staff of this professional pet medical center. Located at 20 Main St. in America’s smallest city–Vergennes–the hospital’s progressive practice has been serving the health care needs of pets in Vergennes and the surrounding communities since 1940. Many people make up the behind-the-scenes and front line activity at Vergennes Animal Hospital. From the minute you enter the hospital, any number of staff members will be there to assist you and your pets. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Mark Basol, DVM, CVA, moving to Vermont , all the while, practicing veterinary medicine at Vergennes Animal Hospital. “I appreciate the opportunity to provide service and care to the many pets throughout Addison County and beyond. Vergennes is a great place,” according to Dr. Basol. In 1998, Dr. Anja Wurm, DVM, joined Vergennes Animal Hospital right out of veterinary school at Tufts University. With an undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, she brings a lot of energy to the practice and keen understanding of people and their pets. Veterinary technicians are an integral member of the Vergennes Animal Hospital’s veterinary health care team; they have been educated in the care and handling of animals, the basic principles of normal and abnormal life processes, and in routine laboratory and clinical procedures. All veterinary technicians work under the supervision of one of the hospital’s licensed veterinarians. Vergennes Animal Hospital, 20 Main St., Vergennes, Vt. 05491, 802-877-3371
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THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
Little City with big father: Comte de Vergennes The City of Vergennes, Vt., takes it name from one of the 18th century’s most dynamic individuals—Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes (1719–1787). Vergennes was a French statesman and diplomat. He served as Foreign Minister from 1774 during the reign of Louis XVI, notably during the American War of Independence. Vergennes hoped that by giving French aid to the American rebels, he would be able to weaken Britain's dominance of the international stage in the wake of their victory in the Seven Years War. Vergennes was introduced to the profession of diplomacy by his uncle in 1739. In 1768, he married the widow Anne Duvivier (1730-1798)—Comtesse de Vergennes. Vergennes’ rivalry with the British, and his desire to avenge the disasters of the Seven Years' War, led to his support of the Thirteen Colonies in the American War of Independence, a step which would help, ultimately, bring about the French Revolution of 1789. As early as 1765 he had predicted that the loss of the French threat in North America would lead ultimately to the Americans striking off their chains. Vergennes sought by a series of negotiations to secure the armed neutrality of the northern European states, eventually carried out by Catherine II of Russia; at the same time, Vergennes approved of the Pierre Beaumarchais's support for secret French assistance, as arms and volunteers supplied to the Americans. In 1777, he informed the Thirteen Colonies' commissioners that France acknowledged the United States, and was willing to form an offensive and defensive alliance with the new state. In French domestic affairs, Vergennes remained a conservative. In 1781, he became chief of the council of finance,
Vergennes namesake: The Comte de Vergennes and, in 1783, he supported the nomination of Charles Alexandre de Calonne as Controller-General. Vergennes has often been portrayed by Americans as a visionary, because of his support for American independence. His support for Republican insurrection, and the enormous cost France incurred in the war, are generally considered the cause of the French Revolution. Vergennes was played true-to-life by actor by Guillaume Gallienne in the 2006 film “Marie Antoinette.”
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Paid for by Rep. Harvey Smith
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THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
VERGENNES DAY 2012 - 11
Salmon making big comeback in Lake Champlain From Staff & News Reports
After a regimen of lampricide treatments around Lake Champlain, sea lamprey populations shrank and salmon are now more numerous and healthier. Photo courtesy of Summit to Stream
Landlocked Atlantic Salmon have a long history in Lake Champlain. The fish even have a history of in the Otter Creek as far as the falls at Vergennes. “You go back to the 1700s salmon were very abundant in the lake,” said Vermont fisheries biologist Bernie Pientka. That changed. “Through all the logging, through development, through all of that the rivers were impacted; the salmon were impacted,” said Pientka. “By the 1800s they were pretty much gone from the lake." So scientists in New York and Vermont partnered up to try to bring them back started around the 1970s. Salmon were stocked in the lake, but there was a problem—sea lamprey. The eel-like creatures attach to fish, rasp a hole in their skin with a toothy tongue, and suck the blood and fluids out them. The parasitic lamprey made it hard for scientists to bring back the salmon population, so biologists targeted the lamprey. After a regimen of lampricide treatments in rivers around Lake Champlain, sea lamprey populations shrank and fish become more numerous and healthier. “Decreasing number of wounds, also seeing larger older salmon than we have in the past,” said Pientka. “So we're starting to see some two lake-year, three lakeyear fish.” And Pientka said the fishing is good. He said anglers willing to brave chilly weather can do well this time of year. The fish run shallow now, and can also be caught from shore. A license is needed, and all lake trout and salmon must be at least 15 inches long. There is a limit of two fish, all others must be released. Anyone thinking of fishing or going out on the lake for anything should check the weather forecast and keep a close eye on conditions, since the lake can be treacherous, especially in the winter.
Celebrating Vergennes Day! JAMES H. OUIMETTE & JAMES W. RUNCIE ATTORNEYS AT LAW Ouimette & Runcie 257 Main Street Vergennes, Vermont 05491
(802) 877-3372 FAX (802) 877-3723 35597
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BJ’s Farm Supply. Inc. 1326 Panton Road, Vergennes, VT 05491 802-475-2492 • Hours: M-F 9-5, Sat. 9-1
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12 - VERGENNES DAY 2012
THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
Bixby Library celebrates 100 years in 2012 Library is classic Beaux-Arts building By Lou Varricchio newmarketpress@denpubs.com VERGENNES — Seven months after the sinking of the RMS Titanic in April 1912, which celebrated its worldwide memorial centennial during the spring of this year, the Bixby Memorial Library in Vergennes opened its doors to the public with considerable fanfare. Located on Main Street in downtown Vergennes this small public library, from its glass dome to its front facade of Grecian columns, is a classic example of Beaux Arts-style architecture rarely seen in Vermont. The Beaux Arts style is a neoclassical architectural style that was taught at the École des BeauxArts School in Paris during the late 19th and early centuries. This building style, while heavily influencing the architecture in great cities such as New York, London and Paris between 1880 and 1920, was mostly ignored in rural Vermont. However, the Bixby is a grand, local testament to a vanished pre-war era of elegance and style. On May 12, the community helped celebrate the centennial of the Bixby Memorial Library at the institution’s annual gala held at Basin Harbor Club on Lake Champlain in Ferrisburgh. Fine food, music, dancing demonstrations, a silent auction, and raffle items were part of the evening festivities. According to the library, this year ’s gala theme was “Happy Birthday, Bixby Library”. The event kicked off a year-long centennial. Gala music was provided by Chris Wyckoff, Justin Levinson and the Little City Jazz Band. Dancing was held and attendees enjoyed several dance demonstrations by Jim Condon and others illustrating various decades since 1912. A silent auction, featuring items from local artisans and businesses was on display. A raffle drawing, which included two tickets and transportation to a Red Sox-Yankees game at Fenway Park (Fenway Park also celebrates its centennial along with a Red Sox 1912 World Series appearance) went to Ted and Marian Nickerson of Vergennes.
1912-2012: 100 years of the Bixby memorial Library in Vergennes, Vt. The classic Beau Arts-style building had a birthday party at the Basin Harbor Club May 12. Photos by Lou Varricchio
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The Staff at Champlain Discount Foods thanks our local customers for their patronage as we welcome new customers every day!
THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
VERGENNES DAY 2012 - 13
Green technology: Vergennes goes solar Vermont’s largest solar-electric array stands along the municipal line between Vergennes and Ferrisburgh. While technically on the Ferrisburgh side of the line, the power station is seen as serving the greater Vergennes area. The plant officially started generating electricity from sunlight in early December 2010. The energy station stands on 15-acres on the west side of U.S. Route 7, adjacent to the Vergennes Union High School athletic fields. It “harvests” one-megawatt of electricity from the Sun that powers the equivalent of nearly 200 homes. The photovoltaic electricity generated is fed, via electrical inverter, to Green Mountain Power and the power grid. Built and maintained by Ferrisburgh Solar Farm, LLC—a project developed by Pomerleau Real Estate of Burlington—owner Ernest A. Pomerleau conceived of the big solar array and was the driving force in making the ambitious commercial venture a reality. “If you think about what we’re trying to accomplish here,” said Steve Ploesser, vice president of construction management for Pomerleau, “we’re trying to take sunlight and absorb as much of it as we can because it’s the sunlight that activates the electrons in the silicon cells. The electrons are moving, they jump on to the wires embedded in the silicon and they shoot up to the main line. The dark panels are designed to absorb as much sunlight as is technologically possible. These panels have under three percent reflectivity, so there isn’t much sunlight to reflect here. The alternative energy engineering firm Alteris of Connecticut provided the technical skill to create a solar array that works in cloudy Vermont. “We went to the professionals,” said Ploesser. “They have expertise in building solar arrays.” According to Brian Waxler, executive vice president of Pomerleau, most of the design and construction work was done by Vermonters. “The Alteris group is out of Montpelier,” Waxler said. “At all times we tried to use Vermont people. We wanted to keep the money here.” Solar energy and Vermont isn’t always an intuitive pairing, but Ploesser said there’s plenty of sunlight, even on a cloudy day, to keep the silicon cells generating electricity. Even Vermont’s heavy snowfall shouldn’t prevent the solar farm from “harvesting” the Sun. “There a misconception about photovoltaics,” Waxler noted. “You don’t necessarily need direct sunlight. Germany and Spain are the leaders currently and those nations have less direct sunlight than Vermont. Of course Arizona has a higher efficiency but we can generate a lot of electricity from the Sun here.” According to Ploesser, even Vermont’s heavy snowfall doesn’t stop the Solar Farm from producing electricity. “Snow slides right off the panels,” Ploesser said. “It’s like a metal roof. We even left room for snow to accumulate. If it gets above four feet, we plow in between the array rows to remove the white stuff.” The array panels are modular, each panel connects to another with wiring that is akin to a home extension chord. “At the middle of the array set,” Ploesser said, “the wiring goes underground through a series of underground conduits to the inverter. There are no batteries involved, no electrical storage here.” To help educate the public about the benefits of solar energy and the Ferrisburgh Solar Farm in particular, Tracey Schoonmaker, Pomerleau development coordinator, created an information kiosk at the array site that explains the marvels of science and engineering behind photovoltaic technology. Schoonmaker said VUHS science students are involved with the solar farm project, making it a perfect partnership with an energy learning lab located next door to the high school. Right now, there are a lot of folks banking on alternative energy. While there’s risk in putting your energy eggs in one basket, there’s still a lot of promise. Perhaps the best endorsement for solar power came from America’s brightest inventor, Thomas Edison—”I’d put my money on the Sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”
At the time the solar-power station on the Vergennes-Ferrisburgh municipal line was completed last year, the one-megawatt solar array was the largest facility of its kind north of New Jersey. Photo by Lou Varricchio
Vergennes Day
2011 “A great day to renew old friendships Representative and celebrate the beauty of the city.” GregC lark
Paid for by Rep. Clark 35598
In the past we said... we don’t do ducks! But on Vergennes Day Classic Stitching does do ducks... for the Vergennes Rotary Club! Get your tickets for the Rubber Duckie Race at Classic Stitching Main Street • Vergennes • 877-3659
THE CLOCK SHOP
36084
Lang, McLaughry, Spera ~ Vergennes ~
Sales, Repair, & Consignments “BUYS OME TIME FROMU S” SEE ME AND MY OLD ENGINES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL
Connie
Richard
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‘Opening New Doors Everyday!’
Come fisit us at Vergennes Day! 35590
33 GREEN STREET VERGENNES, VT 05491 DAVID WELCH • 802-877-2207
We’re Proud To Support The Community Of Vergennes! 268 Main Street, Vergennes • 877-3232
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THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
Cruising Vergennes and the lake Aboard the MV Carillon The MV Carillon is equipped to carry 49 passengers and the large cruiseboat is a U.S. Coast Guardlicensed luxury vessel with a smooth and comfortable feel. The cabin design of the Carillon creates an open experience in warm weather or a warm, cozy experience during fall foliage weather with the windows closed and the heat on. Special event cruises depart from docks at Shoreham, Whitehall, Vergennes, or Crown Point, N.Y. during the year. The Carillon’s one-way cruises motor between Shoreham and Whitehall, N.Y., and between Shoreham and Vergennes. Watch the online reservation calendar (www.carilloncruises.com) for dates that cruises are available. During the Quadricentennial celebration, a special one-way trip from Vergennes to Shoreham as part of the Vergennes Day Cruise event was held. Passengers sailed eight miles from Vergennes to Lake Champlain via Otter Creek. Cruises often include views of historic lake wrecks still resting in their watery graves—the Waterwitch and the Champlain steamboat wreck sites. The vessel frequently sails past Basin Harbor Club and on to the palisades and Westport Harbor. Cruises often offers wonderful views of Crown Point and Arnold’s Bay, where American traitor Benedict Arnold scuttled his fleet in 1776. Included are views of the sites of amphibious landings of Carleton’s Raid in 1778—when the Otter Valley, from Middlebury to Vergennes, was attacked by marauding British and their Indian allies.
Explore Lake Champlain aboard the MV Carillon
Jackman Fuels, Inc. Serving the Champlain Valley since 1935
Supporting Vergennes Day! JACKMAN FUELS
Groceries • Deli Pizza • Beer Soda • Wine Vergennes • 877-2416
35510
Pay and View Your Account at: jackmanfuels.com
205 Main Street, Vergennes • 877-2661
35596
Gaines Insurance Agency, Inc.
Main Street Footworks
Proud Supporters Of Vergennes Day.
FINE F OOTWEAR
Measuring feet and fitting shoes since 1999
Rubber Duck Race Tickets available at our office.
245 MAIN STREET, VERGENNES, VERMONT 05491
36086
802.877.1518
154 Monkton Road • Vergennes, VT • 877-2878 35508
THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE U.S.A.
VERGENNES DAY 2012 - 15
Otter Creek: Artery of the Little City For most of its long history, the City of Vergennes has relied on the Otter Creek as a highway to Lake Champlain. The creek is one of the major streams located in Vermont. Roughly 112 miles (180 km) in length, it is the primary stream running through Rutland County and Addison County. Otter Creek rises in the Green Mountain National Forest on the western slopes of Mt. Tabor in Peru township in Bennington County, and flows southwesterly towards East Dorset, thence veering northward into Emerald Lake in Dorset township. Thence it runs northward passing through the townships of Danby, Wallingford, Clarendon, Rutland, Pittsford, Brandon, in Rutland County. On entering Addison County, it generally forms the town line between various townships. It next passes through Middlebury, Weybridge and Vergennes and eventually empties into Lake Champlain at Ferrisburgh. Otter Creek (or "Kill") was known to the French as "La Rivière aux Loutres", whence the English name. On April 1st, 1690 Capt. Abraham Schuyler was commissioned by the city of Albany to take a party up the Otter Creek about seven miles and there to keep watch and engage any indians. [This would correspond today to the town of Vergennes]. In 1731, the French began construction of a fort at Crown Point to be known as Fort Frederic. Before construction began, they founded a new settlement called Addison. Vergennes, situated on the first falls, 7 miles (11 km) upstream from the outlet of Otter Creek, was chartered in 1778 only four years after New Haven and Hartford, and thus was the third incorporated city in New England. The stretch of water between the mouth at Fort Cassin point, Lake Champlain (the site of the former Fort Cassin) and Vergennes is passable by boat, and is frequented by motor boats, canoes, and
Otter Creek at Vergennes Photo by Lou Varricchio
kayaks. Indeed, Vergennes was a shipyard of some importance in the various wars of the 18th century. Many nesting platforms have been built along the creek, so one is likely to see both Osprey and Bald Eagles in the area. The second set of falls, the Otter Creek
Falls, is in the town of Middlebury, the site chosen in 1800 to be Vermont's original seat of higher education, Middlebury College. According to Around Middlebury[2], Otter Creek is the longest river in Vermont and was once an important "highway" through the western part of what is now the state. In Addison County, Otter Creek passes through significant wetlands, in particular
Cornwall Marsh, Little Otter Creek Marsh and the Brandon Swamp. Because it is called a creek, the unusual situation of a river emptying into a creek occurs several times along its length. The source and mouth are separated by 68 miles (109 km) miles distance—the (approximate) additional 44 miles (71 km) are due to meandering.
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www.edwardjones.com 36082
Carl Cole Principal Broker 165 Main Street, Vergennes, VT 05491 Phone: (802) 877-3675 Email: carl@carlcolerealty.com www.carlcolerealty.com 35937
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