It's the Green Mountains, Boys

Sunday, May 16, 2010 Road Junkies 0 Comments

EAST COAST ROAD TRIP, Chapter 16:
IN WHICH WE FIND A TREASURE TROVE
  
Day 16:  Lenox, MA to Brattleboro, VT.  Northward, ever northward. As much as we enjoyed the Berkshires, we continued our trek north this morning, making our first stop in Bennington, Vermont, in the heart of the Green Mountains. Our letterboxing quest led us to Old First Church, a beautiful village church built in 1805 (pictured above).
  
Officially known as First Congregational Church, the congregation was founded in 1762, the first Protestant church in Vermont. The current meeting house was completed in 1805 and is considered one of the best examples of Federal period religious architecture in the state.  More than 200 years since the building's dedication, Old North remains an active church community.

The historic cemetery adjacent to the church has graves dating back to the mid 1700s and is the resting place of 75 veterans of the American Revolution, as well as the poet Robert Frost.  
  
Old First Cemetery
We love that letterboxing frequently takes us to cemeteries, especially an old one like Old First. Often the clue for a cemetery letterbox tells the story of a person who rests there.

Moving east from Bennington, we headed into an area with many hidden letterboxes. Unlike most days of this trip, when we've found three or four boxes, we logged into 12 letterboxes today. Plenty more await us tomorrow, and we should reach a new milestone since we finished today with 995 finds.

DAILY STATS
  • Miles Driven: 143
  • Letterboxes: 12
  • High temp: 68°
  • Inky fingers: 20
SUNDAY, 16 MAY 2010

The 306-ft Bennington Battle monument commemorates a Revolutionary War battle.
Beautiful lunette markers at Old First Cemetery in Bennington, VT
Old First Cemetery