Vermont - Lake Champlain, Shelburne, Weybridge

August 26, 2019 - August 30, 2019

From Ogdensburg, NY we drove to Alburgh, VT and finally got a look at Lake Champlain, the site of many famous battles during the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.  

The bridge from NY to VT over part of Lake Champlain.

A small cove across from our campground at Alburgh, VT.

Lake Champlain with the White Mountains in the distance.

We drove from Alburgh down to Weybridge and back to see the UVM (Univ. of Vermont) Morgan Horse Farm.

The stallion Figure, the originator of the entire Morgan Horse line.  His owner, Justin Morgan, won him on a bet and he eventually became knows as Justin Morgan because he was constantly referred to as Justin Morgan's horse.

The pedigree chart for Justin Morgan (the horse).

One of the Morgan mares and her filly.

It wasn't until I read this sign that I understood what they meant by Remount Barn.

One of the mares and her foal.

We moved from Alburgh, VT to Shelburne in order to see the Shelburne Museum, an truly amazing place which exists due to the efforts of Electra Havemeyer Webb.  She was born into a wealthy family and married a member of the Vanderbilt family - so money was no object.  She began collecting folk art at a young age and expanded her interests to other objects as she got older.  There is no possible way to do justice to the Shelburne Museum.  It's collections run from carpenter and blacksmith tools to carousels, from scrimshaw to ships, from carriages to glassware and everything in between.  Luckily your ticket is good for two days and to see it all you need every minute.

Most of not all of the buildings on the Shelburne Museum's property were moved there from other places.  Every brick, timber, shingle, mantle, floorboard, etc. was numbered as it was dismantled so the building could be put back together again once it arrived.

Here are some highlights from the museum.

Good example of how some covered bridges are constructed.  Most don't have a wall in the center as this one does. 
If you look closely on the left side you'll see a separate covered section for pedestrians.

Big round, 3 story barn.  It's used to house an impressive carriage and sleigh collection.

Traverse - c. 1903. 
It carried 8-10 people down a snow covered slop.  The person at the front did the steering.
Supposedly there's a rod somewhere that helps with braking.

Beehive chimney.  It may not look impressive but it houses the flues of 7 fireplaces on the main floor.

Stenciling was a popular way to decorate a home in the late 1700's.
A stenciler made his own patterns and mixed his own paint.  Just imagine how long this job must have taken to complete.

Hand made glass windows.

Jacquard loom and the printed card (see below) which operated the power loom.
It allowed manufacturers to make very complex patterns such as brocade and damask.
The jacquard loom operates off a series of cards with punched holes much like a player piano operates off a roll with punched holes.

The Circus Building - an enormously wide U shaped building that was designed and built to house the "Arnold Circus Parade," a hand carved miniature parade that stretches nearly the full 518 feet length of the building. 

25 years to create!!!!!

Just a portion of the hand carved miniature circus parade. 

The steamboat Ticonderoga which once plied the waters of Lake Champlain.
The story of how they got the ship from the lake to the museum grounds (2 miles away) is amazing.

View from the wheelhouse.
This also gives you a sense of how large museum is.

Scale model of the Ticonderoga.

Dining Room

The Salon

Rear deck lounge where you can get some fresh lake air.

If you've ever watched Antiques Roadshow you have probably seen some of the amazing folk art that people have collected over the years.  Folk art was the first thing Electra Havemeyer Webb began to collect and the museum has a nice display of many items in her collection.  Here is a very small sample of what we saw.

Spinning woman - c. 1850-1875

Ships figurehead of a Robin.

Maple sugaring scene