Tag Archives: Odds & Ends

Odd, weird and unusual attractions

Burlington Ranked an Underrated Summer Vacation Destination

Burlington, Vermont an Underrated Summer Vacation Destination

Burlington Ranked as Underrated Summer Vacation Destination

Burlington, Vermont, as seen from Lake Champlain

The web site Travel Pulse recently listed Burlington, Vermont as one of the top ‘7 Underrated U.S. Summer Vacation Destinations’. To those of us who are fortunate enough to live in the area this is no surprise. Burlington, Plattsburgh, the Adirondacks, the Green Mountains and especially Lake Champlain are all treasures.

What I found surprising was that with all of the features and attractions in our area the only mention was of the World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet.

Here’s an excerpt of the section on Burlington (from Travel Pulse’s ‘7 Underrated U.S. Summer Vacation Destinations‘ :

“Sometimes the hardest part of planning a summer vacation is figuring out where to go. Whether you’re looking to hit the beach, unplug and get closer to nature or simply get out of town, consider these underrated U.S. summer vacation destinations.  You’ll be glad you did……

Burlington, Vermont

Home of the World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet, Burlington is known for being different, but different can be fun if you’ve grown tired of the same old summer vacation.

Situated along the eastern shore of Lake Champlain not far from the Adirondack Mountains, Burlington has a reputation of being a college town thanks to the nearby University of Vermont. But there are a plethora of unique attractions beside the 38-foot-tall filing cabinet.

And since Burlington is just a few miles away from the U.S.-Canada border, you’re less likely to melt in the summer and just a short drive away from Montreal (bring your passport).”

Now, what about the World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet?

The World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet is 38 feet tall and is made of real file cabinets that have been welded one on top of the other. This towering sculpture was built in 2002 by Bren Alvarez, a local artist.

The sculpture stands in a field on Flynn Avenue in Burlington’s South End. It’s location is in the proposed path of Burlington’s famous (or infamous) Southern Connector. Each of the 38 drawers is said to represent a year’s paperwork accumulated by the project.  For the full story, visit World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet.

 

World's Tallest Filing Cabinet in Burlington, VT. Ranked Underrated Summer Vacation Destination

The World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet

 

Location: The World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet is located at 208 Flynn Avenue in Burlington, and is easy to find. To get there:

From I-189, drive north on Shelburne Rd./US 7 for five blocks,

Turn left (west) onto Flynn Avenue,

The file cabinet is in a field on the right, between Foster and Briggs Streets.

 

 

 

More Articles About Odds & Ends Around Lake Champlain:

Weird New England
Joe Citro’s classic look at local legends and oddities from all over New England.
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Other Lake Champlain Points of Interest:

 

South Hero Stone Castles

Stone Castles in South Hero, Vermont

South Hero Stone Castles 1

The Lake Champlain Islands are well-known for their water sports, fishing and spectacular sunsets but they have something a casual tourist (or local) might not expect… castles. In the town of South Hero stone castles are scattered throughout, but they are very small and are hard to find.

I remember driving along West Shore Road in South Hero about 25 years ago and seeing miniature castles, bird feeders, planters and fountains made of stone. I wondered why there were so many of these works of art in such a small area. Was this a local custom, or were they the work of one person?

Well, here’s the story:

A Change of Plan

Harry Barber was born in Switzerland and always had a strong fondness for the castles found throughout the country. After he was injured in a mining accident, and received a large settlement from the government in the 1920’s, he decided he wanted to travel to Chile in South America. On his way through France he was robbed, and decided he would work his way to the Americas aboard a freighter. The only one that he could find was bound for Montreal – a long way from his dream of Chile.

South Hero Stone Castles

After arriving in Montreal, he began his journey to Chile on foot, and traveled south into Vermont. When he reached Grand Isle he met a young woman selling fruit. She saw that he was hungry, and offered him an orange.

Appreciative of her kindness, Harry decided to stay in the Islands for a while. With the woman’s help, he found work as a farm hand on nearby Providence Island, just off the coast of South Hero. He continued to see the girl, and fell in love with her. They eventually married and bought a home in South Hero.

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Harry Barber’s Passion

Harry worked at a variety of jobs, but his true passion was always the castles that he remembered from his homeland. He created miniature buildings from local Vermont field stone. He was a passionate gardener and groundskeeper, and often loved to enhance the look of his properties by constructing beautiful castles, fountains and stone walls made from local field stone. The South Hero stone castles, of course, were all modeled after the castles of his homeland. He put such craftsmanship and detail into them, that he soon developed a reputation. Soon, he worked for wealthy patrons – building his miniature castles on their lawns or near their gardens. He also built a few fountains.

South Hero Stone Castles

 

Harry became truly inspired by his passion of constructing these castles, and tried unsuccessfully to persuade a local museum to display some of his work. But the museum turned him down, and told him they were not interested. Devastated, he committed suicide in 1966 at the age of 66. Though his motives were unclear, some say it was due to a broken heart. He deemed himself a failure after being rejected.

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The South Hero Stone Castles Today

South Hero Stone Castles

But Harry’s passion lives on. There are still some of these fountains and planters displayed on the lawns of several homes in South Hero. You can see examples of his passionate craftsmanship by touring the south end of South Hero, especially along West Shore Road.

Many of his original  stone castles in South Hero, along with his planters and water fountains can still be seen scattered around many lawns or properties. The exact number of structures he built, and the number of those that survive are unknown. Most are on private property, and trespassing is inappropriate;  others are hidden behind obstructions like plants. They are beautiful and unique reminders of a man with a dream and a fascinating story.

“Five castles, three houses, and several garden structures remain in the Islands. They vary in complexity. Some castles feature glazed windows, interior fireplaces, or dungeons. Others are wired for electricity and have the capability of running water in the moat. … All his creations are privately owned, and public access is not permitted; however four out of the five castles can be seen from the road.”   –  From a brochure issued by the Lake Champlain Bikeways.

South Hero Stone Castles

 

 

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Other Articles About Lake Champlain Islands:   List of Lake Champlain's Islands

Alburgh, Vermont – an Exclave

Alburgh, Vermont

 

Map of Alburgh, Vermont, USA

Map of Alburgh, Vermont, USA

Although considered part of the Lake Champlain Islands, Alburgh, Vermont is not on an island. It is, in fact, a peninsula of land that extends southward from Quebec into Lake Champlain. The Alburgh Peninsula (also known as the Alburgh Tongue) has the distinction of being reachable by land only through Canada.

Alburgh shares this distinction with only two other places in the United States – Point Roberts, Washington, and the Northwest Angle in Minnesota. Unlike the other two cases, this isn’t really significant any more since there are bridges to provide access to the peninsula from within the United States. These bridges connect the town to Rouse’s Point, New York, West Swanton, Vermont and North Hero, Vermont.

There is a fourth bridge connecting Alburgh to Isle LaMotte, Vermont, but Isle LaMotte is an island without any other connection to land other than that bridge.

Province Point boundary marker

Province Point boundary marker

 

Province Point, Alburgh, Vermont

Province Point Boundary marker

Province Point, Alburgh, Vermont

Just to the northeast of the east shore of Alburgh is the southernmost tip of a small promontory roughly 2 acres in size (45.013351°N 73.193257°W).The promontory is cut through by the US-Canadian border making the area an exclave of the United States contiguous with Canada.

An exclave is a territory legally or politically attached to a territory with which it is not physically contiguous. In this case Province Point is a part of the United States although it is not physically connected to the U.S.

South Hero Bird House Forest

South Hero Painted Bird House Forest

The Champlain Islands are typically Vermont, but they also have a quirkiness that gives them their own unique charm. One of these unique locations is the South Hero Bird House Forest.

 South Hero Bird House Forest

 

The South Hero Bird House Forest

South Hero’s West Shore Road is a narrow dirt road that winds along the many inlets and bays of South Hero’s west coast. Here you’ll find classic old summer camps, stony beaches, new multi-million dollar vacation homes, vineyards and wineries, and spectacular views and sunsets.

There are a few out-of-the-way, hidden, yet fascinating sites to explore, if you know where to look.

 

Hundreds of Bird Houses in South Hero, Vermont

Just north of Whites Beach, a few feet from the roadside, are hundreds of brilliantly colored bird houses hanging from the trees along the swampland. It’s almost impossible not to notice, and on summer days, it’s not uncommon to see someone slow down for a better look.

 

South Hero Bird House Forest

 

According to the property owners, they were trying to deal with the mosquitoes that came from the nearby swamp. The bird houses are home to tree swallows that eat mosquitoes. This natural pest control allows the owners to sit outside in the evening and enjoy themselves.

The project started 15 years ago, with 20 bird houses; when the owner checked after a year, he found each one occupied. He built more, and more; and now has over 400 bird houses. His wife was the one who convinced him to paint them the striking bold colors.

 

Want to see this for yourself?

Take Route 2 to South Hero, and turn onto South Street in South Hero village. Follow South Street until you reach West Shore Road, past Allenholm Orchards; then follow West Shore Road until you get to Whites Beach. The bird houses will be on your right, just past the parking lot.

Other Articles About Lake Champlain Islands:   List of Lake Champlain's Islands

Fort Blunder

Posted May 25, 2012 – 9:18am by Eric_LaMontagne

Fort Montgomery or 'Fort Blunder' Lake Champlain historic sites

A 1906 post card of Fort Montgomery, the site where Fort Blunder once not-so-proudly stood.

Off the Lake Champlain shore in Rouses Point, NY, where Fort Montgomery currently stands, is the site of a big mistake.

It was 1816 and Canada was still under British control. American troops were coming off of their victory at The Battle of Plattsburgh two years earlier and had started to think about how they could protect themselves from future aggression out of the North. Island Point has been identified as a key strategic area for the US military due to its proximity to the Richelieu River and the relative narrowness of the lake. It became a priority of President James Monroe that a fort be erected there to ward off further confrontation. Construction soon started on an enormous, octagon-shaped fort with 30-foot tall walls.

In the fall of 1818, after only two years of construction, President Monroe paid the site a visit and to check in with the Joseph Totten, the site supervisor. Despite the great progress with the construction, it was soon discovered that the fort had been placed a little too far north. New survey standards revealed the site was nearly a mile north of the boarder, putting it solidly on Canadian ground!

The site was immediately abandoned. Materials from the partially-built building were left to be scavenged by impoverished residents for their own needs. The lifespan of the fort was so short that it never even got to the stage of being named. Records only refer to it as The Fort, The Works, or The Battery at Rouse’s Point. As a salute to this monument to poor-planning, the site soon became widely known as “Fort Blunder.”

The site stayed empty for 27 years. In 1844, two years after British Canada ceded the land to the US as part of the Webster-Ashburn Treat of 1842, the US government began construction of a new fort on the strategic location. After roughly 30 years of construction, the still-standing Fort Montgomery was completed.

Sources-

http://www.historiclakes.org/explore/Montgomery.html

http://wn.com/Fort_Montgomery_Lake_Champlain

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Fort Montgomery or Fort Blunder

Note: This is what Fort Montgomery looks like today >>