Montpelier is the capitol city of the the state of Vermont and is located in its northern region. It is the lifelong home of James Madison, Father of the Constitution, Architect of the Bill of Rights, and fourth President of the United States.
- Vermont State Capitol Building
- Ben and Jerry’s
- Quechee Gorge
Vermont State Capitol Building – Built between 1857-1858, the Vermont State House is the smallest state house in the United States and was occupied in 1859. Its copper dome was originally gilded in the 20th century. The building and its distinctive gold leaf dome are easily visible while approaching Montpelier, the smallest city to serve as capital of a U.S. state. The dome is topped by a statue named Agriculture, a representation of Ceres, an ancient Roman goddess of agriculture.
Vermont State Capitol Building, Interior – The State House contains two primary floors accessible by a pair of circular stairways opening into the ground-floor Cross Hall. The ceremonial office of the Governor of Vermont, used during legislative sessions for meetings and bill-signings, is located in the second-floor west wing of the building.
The second floor of the west wing includes the Cedar Creek Room, a large reception room featuring a mural painting. The room is illuminated by two stained glass skylights in the deeply coffered ceiling dating to 1859 when the room housed the State Library.
There is a bust of Abraham Lincoln within the Hall of Inscriptions.
In the Vermont State House, the Senate chamber is located on the first floor and the House of Representative chamber on the second floor. Visitors can observe legislative sessions from the galleries located on the third floor of the building.
Ben and Jerry’s – We visited the Waterbury site which is the only Ben & Jerry’s factory open to the public. Built in 1985, the factory manufactures upwards of 350,000 pints of ice cream per day.
Guided tours of the factory for visitors have been available since 1986. The 30 minute guided tour begins with a quick MOO-vie to learn about the company culture followed by a short walk to a glassed-in mezzanine overlooking the production room floor where the tour guide will explain how ice creams are made. The tour ends in the Flavor Room with a tasting of a few flavors (nondairy, vegan options are available).
There is a vintage vehicle adorned with the iconic Ben & Jerry’s branding outside the factory
Quechee Gorge – 50 miles south of Montpelier, Quechee Gorge is Vermont’s deepest gorge formed by glaciers about 13,000 years ago, and has continued to deepen by the constant action of the Ottauquechee River, which you see flowing 165 feet below. There are viewing points along Route 4 from where visitors can take a peek.
Quechee Gorge Trail – From the visitor’s center, a 1.3 mile hike takes you to the bottom of the gorge with scenic views of the surrounding.
The land on which the park is located was originally owned by the A. G. Dewey Company, who had established a woolen mill. Water from falls and the mill pond just above the gorge were used to power the facility. By 1936 this was the oldest mill in the country making shoddy. Some of the material was used to make baseball uniforms and blankets for the US Army and Navy. The mill was closed in 1952, and relocated to Enfield, New Hampshire. Over the next several years, nearly all of the mill houses and buildings were demolished. Remains of mill and hydroelectric dam can still be seen at the head of the gorge. Today, the park campground is located in what used to be the mill’s recreation area.
