4 minute read
SPORTS, REC & TRAVEL
EXPERIENCE A BIT OF AUSTRIA IN VERMONT AT THE TRAPP FAMILY LODGE
by Debbie Stone
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Icould almost hear the cowbells and picture Maria traipsing down the mountains, singing, “The Hills are Alive,” as I gazed upon the pastoral scene. Though it was Vermont, and not Austria, the movie’s images were omnipresent at the Trapp Family Lodge.
Perched atop a mountain in Stowe, Vermont, the lodge is famed for its von Trapp family heritage. The property looked as I had imagined it, with its rustic, Austrian chalet design and Old-World European décor. Family photos, playbills and movie posters bedeck the walls.
To learn about the family, take a guided tour around the property. Born in 1905, Maria Kutschera was orphaned at two and raised by a cousin. An encounter with a priest led her to convent life. However, she always sought reasons to escape to her beloved mountains. This errant behavior spurred the Abbess to send her to the home of Baron Georg von Trapp. There she served as a governess to one of the captain’s daughters, who was ill.
The rest is history. Maria married Georg and became step-mother to his seven children. The couple subsequently added two more daughters and one son to their clan.
A priest, who happened to hear the children sing convinced Maria to start the Trapp Family Singers. This was the start of the family’s music career.
Trapp Family Lodge
Welcome to the Trapp Family Lodge After the Nazis annexed Austria, the von Trapps fled the country and emigrated to the U.S., where they later purchased a farm in Stowe, VT. They began hosting skiers and the family home became a lodge. Sadly, Georg passed away in 1947, leaving Maria with ten children to support.
The story of the von Trapps came to light via a book Maria wrote in 1949, which became a best seller and spurred films in Germany, as well as a Broadway play. Then Hollywood got in on the action with “The Sound of Music.”
Maria died in 1987 and today, only three of her children remain. Members are buried in a cemetery on the property.
Though the movie connection is often the initial draw of this iconic property, most visitors soon discover there is more to the lodge than its history. It’s an all-ages playground of recreational activities.
When hunger strikes, the dining room, which specializes in European-style cuisine, is the perfect spot to feast on Wiener Schnitzel, Maple Glazed Chicken, Stuffed Rainbow Trout and more.
Or try the Trapp Brewing Bierhall. It’s a lively place with a menu of brats, schnitzel, sauerkraut mashed potatoes, and of course there’s beer—craft lagers like those in Austria—brewed on site.
As for accommodations, take your pick from cozy studio suites and spacious twobedroom family suites, to expansive villas and guest houses available for rent.
Though you never need to leave this full-service resort, I recommend getting out to explore the charming town of Stowe and its surrounds. You’ll find quaint shops, covered bridges, waterfalls and one of my favorite destinations—Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, in nearby Waterbury. Make sure to check out the Flavor Graveyard!
von Trapp beer brewed on site Bierhall Restaurant
Linzertorte
The von Trapp family
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