The marker and a monument stand in front of the Stephen A. Douglas Birthplace and Museum which was…read moreclosed when I was here, so here's the monument and marker. Prior to the crucial Lincoln-Douglas debates, Douglas had defeated Lincoln in the 1858 US Senate election in Illinois. Douglas became the leading proponent of popular sovereignty, which held that each territory should be allowed to decide whether to allow slavery within its borders, in order to deal with the contentious issue of extending slavery into the territories. He was one of the brokers of the "Compromise of 1850", which sought to avert a sectional crisis. Both pro- and anti-slavery activists rejected this approach to resolve the problem. Ultimately, Lincoln's strong support in the North led to his victory in the election. After the Battle of Fort Sumter, Douglas rallied support for the Union, but he died in June 1861 as the Civil War began. It reads, "The 'little giant' of national politics, born in Brandon in 1813, later moved to Middlebury to learn cabinet making. Returning to Brandon, he attended the Academy. Moving to Illinois in 1833, his career merged with the stream of American politics, reaching the height in his famous debates with Abraham Lincoln in 1858. Although Lincoln's opponent during the campaign, he supported the Union until his death in June, 1861." The marker was erected in 1957 by the Vermont Historic Sites Commission and it appears to have been updated recently as it is in excellent condition. Adjacent to the marker is a stone marker with a bas relief of Douglas and it reads, "Stephen A. Douglas. Teacher, Lawyer, Orator, Statesman. United States Senator from Illinois 1847 to 1861 Democratic candidate for President of the United States against Abraham Lincoln. Loyal supporter of Lincoln and the Union in the early days of the War of the Rebellion. Born at Brandon April 23 1813 in the cottage west of this site. Died in Chicago June 3 1861." [Review 18486 overall - 85 in Vermont - 2008 of 2022.]

If you are someone that loves history Fort Ticonderoga has a really impressive collection of…read moremilitary memorabilia and well preserved buildings. The entrance fee is $30 per person but includes access to all of the buildings and Mount Defiance (short drive). If you're not too into the military aspect you can just walk around and enjoy the beautiful views and immaculate grounds. The garden is stunning and they even have a small working farm with seeds and veggies for sale.

We had such a blast! The musket and cannon demonstrations were so fun. There was a lot for the kids…read moreto enjoy. Walking throughout the fort there were games for the kids to play, they tried writing with a qu'il, and were given small wool scraps to take home. We explored the gardens and the kids ran and got all of their energy out in those wide open spaces! There were beautiful apple trees and more buildings to explore. We didn't sign up to do the boat ride but that is available and is a great way to extend your stay at the fort! The staff was all incredibly friendly understanding of children's needs. We couldn't ask for more with a family day out at a historical site! It was such a joy to enjoy! The gift shop had so many gems it could be very easy to end up with super cool toys Tshirts and yummy treats. Drive out slow and be ready to pull over to read the informative stones on the way out. Worth it!! Don't forget to check out mount defiance after visiting (otherwise it's $10 a car to check out) and on your way there there is a park with a beautiful waterfall to look at.

I love that Vermont's welcome centers allow overnight parking. This is a fabulous service and as an…read moreavid RV'er, I appreciate it. As long as we're not camping, it's cool! The only minus here is that the welcome center is only open from 7a to 7p and when it's closed, the restrooms are also closed. That's not a huge problem for me as I have facilities on board, but passenger vehicles do not. US-4 is a pretty quiet road. I arrived here at 9:00 pm and departed at 6:30 am. I took a spot was not disturbed. I woke up when the sun woke me up. No noise at all. [Review 18473 overall - 72 in Vermont - 1995 of 2022.]

Vermont is a state unlike any other. Then again, this can probably be said about all the states…read more Each has something unique to offer. The state is up north and its claim to fame is maple syrup. That and the tons and tons of snow it gets during the winter. Or at the very least that's why we went. We wanted to experience it firsthand. We stopped at the welcome center and learned quite a bit. There are pamphlets everywhere. Charts, too, depicting who is from the state, who died from the military, and even movies made in the state. Did you know that Beetlejuice was filmed there? Other than that, I cannot say much. There are bathrooms, but I did not use them. There is coffee, but I did not have any. Oh, and there are soda machines for snacks. Come to think about it, there were attendants, but they were having a cup of coffee. Then again, it was Christmas Eve and it was in the teens. I really didn't notice them until the end. This is just a tranquil place that you can go at your own pace. Feels attendants are there just in case.

Everyone had to be born somewhere so Rutland Vermont is the birthplace of the famous John Deere and…read morethere is a marker here to commemorate the spot. The marker reads, "John Deere was born February, 7th, 1804 the third son of William Rinold Deere and Sarah Yates Deere. It is presumed that Sarah gave birth to John at home; over William Deere's Rutland tailor shop located on the east side of Main St. across from the park. In 1805, the family moved to Middlebury, Vermont where at the age of 17, he learned the blacksmith trade as an apprentice. When hard times hit the region in the 1830s, Deere decided to leave his wife and family temporarily and venture west. In 1836 Deere moved to Grand Detour, Illinois where, in 1837 he built the world's first steel moldboard plow - "The Plow that Tamed The West"." The marker was erected in 2012 by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. The sign is in near mint condition. There is parking nearby at a convenience store. [Review 18466 overall - 65 in Vermont - 1988 of 2022.]

It's a super great place to stay! Susan and Franco are the greatest hosts and they provide free…read morebreakfast and wonderful dinner. Italian style tiramisu and lasagna are so great. Also recommend onion soup. We also tried salmon and chicken. All are awesome. We really enjoyed breakfast and dinners here. Especially after several days snowboarding, it's a warm and comfortable place to go.

We have stayed at Casa Bella 6 times and love it! Franco and Susan are the best ever! They have…read morebecome dear friends. The rooms ate cute and clean and the beds are comfortable and the breakfasts serves are delicious! Just love this place ! Sharon and Ed Bakker Whitinsville, MA

I am so glad my daughter discovered this historic site. It was a great experience!…read more Yes, originally I thought to myself...why did I have to pay $8 per person to visit the site and walked the trail....Well, after the experience, I did not regret paying the $8. The visitor center was well kept. There was a 10 minute video, and so many items discovered from the war displayed neatly inside the museum. We took the green/Baldwin trail. On this beautiful cool breezy day, my daughter and I walked around and saw all the special locations marked along the trail. The trail was well kept. The views were stunning. Highly recommend!

Lived in Vermont most of my life and this place was always on my lists of places to visit: every…read morething is extremely well maintained and the actual visitors center was extremely clean: they do have one unisex bathroom with a changing table in the back stall area. We really enjoyed the extremely informative staff member we spoke with and gave excellent suggestions for hiking with little ones. The views from the top was extremely beautiful. The trail we hiked provided shade most of the way so even on an extremely hot morning we enjoyed our visit

Located alongside US-7 just north of Pittsford, this marker points out some of the early industrial…read morehistory of the town that is no longer. There is parking nearby so that you can read the sign. On the front, "In 1791, Israel Keith built an iron blast furnace two miles east of here, adjacent to what is now Furnace Brook. Materials for the smelting process included iron ore, manganese, and charcoal from Chittenden, with limestone flux from Pittsford. In 1826, Simeon Granger & Sons purchased the furnace from Keith's successor, Nathan Gibbs. The furnace was rebuilt after a fire and in 1829, the Grangers erected a foundry nearby. Worker housing, a company store, school, and the Granger family's brick house surrounded the foundry to form the village of Grangerville." And on the rear, "At its peak, the Granger foundry produced 300 tons of cast iron stoves a year for kitchens, laundries, parlors, and bedrooms, which were shipped across the eastern seaboard. They also produced kettles, griddles, basins, flatirons, and door hardware. Later owners included C. & E.L. Granger; Granger, Hodges & Co.; Pittsford Iron Co.; Vermont Iron Co.; and Jeremiah Pritchard. Under Pritchard, sixty men were employed at the furnace, foundry, mines and charcoal kilns. As local resources were depleted, iron ore from eastern New York was shipped by rail to Pittsford. In 1882, operations ceased and Vermont's last operating iron furnace closed. Several stoves are in the collection of the Pittsford Historical Society Museum." The marker was erected in 2016 by the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation. [Review 18482 overall - 81 in Vermont - 2004 of 2022.]

My wife and I just spent 4 lovely days at the most beautiful Bed & Breakfast in Vermont. Our hosts…read more(Maggie & Don) were most gracious and made us feel truly at home. This Bed & Breakfast offers stunning views of foliage,mountains and wildlife. If you plan to visit Vermont -- you MUST stay here - I strongly recommend it !