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One of the great things
about the Springfield region is our “Vermont Quality of Life”. Springfield is a full-service community, but travel a mile or two in any direction from the town center and you will find the quintessential Vermont experience. Whether you’re driving along the Connecticut River, teeing it up at Crown Point County Club or hiking through Springweather Nature area, you’ll find endless opportunties to enjoy all that Vermont has to offer! Historical Sites/Points of InterestEureka Schoolhouse Vermont’s oldest one-room schoolhouse, built in 1785, is located on Route 11 as you enter Springfield from the east. The Schoolhouse is a square, pyramidal, hipped-roof structure, sheathed in pine boards, scored to simulate “Ashlar” or cut stone blocks. Some 19th century materials have been collected and are displayed offering a nostalgic look at what learning was like during that period. Open to the public daily (except Tuesdays) from Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day, from 10 am - 4 pm. The Schoolhouse also serves as the local tourist information center. Fort at Number 4 Originally built 250 years ago during the French and Indian Wars, this reconstruction of the fortified village of Fort at Number 4 includes a palisade, province hours and lookout tower. Furnishings, crafts and tools have been assembled to enable period-costumed volunteers to depict frontier life in this 18th century, pre-revolutionary community. Open 10:00 am - 4 pm, from late May to mid October, the Fort is located six miles south of Springfield in Charlestown, New Hampshire, one-half mile east of Exit 7, I-91 on scenic Route 11. For more information, call (603) 826-5700. Hartness House and Hartness-Porter Museum Now an elegant inn set on thirty-two acres of gardens and woodland, this rambling turn-of-the-century house was built in 1904 for James Hartness. Governor of Vermont from 1921-1923, a leading amateur astronomer and Vermont’s first licensed pilot, Hartness designed and built the Turret Equatorial telescope (in 1910), one of the first tracking telescopes in America. It remains in working condition to this day on the front lawn of the Hartness House(link to member listing). As owner of Jones and Lamsom Machine Tool Company, Hartness hired Russell Porter, an engineer, to run the optical department of his firm. in 1937, Porter was approached to work on the Mt. Palomar Observatory, which was completed in 1948. Some of Porter’s conceptual sketches from this project are on display in the “catacombs” some 240 feet from the Hartness House. This five-room underground apartment, which serves as a museum for the Springfield Telescope Makers, houses a collection of telescopes and unique drawings and paintings. Regular tours of this area are available. Main Street Listed on the National Register of Historical Places, the Main Street offers a variety of architectural styles and character, all backboned by the Black River. Visitors can get a birds-eye view of the cascading Comtu Falls, a spectacular sight in any season. The Miller Art Center--
Now the home of the Springfield Art & Historical Society, this Civil War era mansion overlooks the downtown Main Street of Springfield. Located at 9 Elm Street, the museum offers a variety of changing art and historical exhibits. Its permanent collections include, Bennington Pottery, Lew Pewter, Dolls and Carriages from Springfield’s early toy industry, 19th and 20th century paintings and early Machine Tool Industry photographs and artifacts. A large collection of genealogy and historical research materials are also available. The Center is open mid April to November 1. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 10:00 am - 4 pm, Saturday 2 pm - 5 pm. Winter months by appointment. Admission is free. Call the Center at (802) 885-2415 for a list of upcoming events. The Crown Point Road Crown Point Road, 20 feet wide and 77 1/2 miles long, was carved out of the wilderness in 1759 by 200 rangers under the command of Captain Stark. Originally known as the “Indian Road”, it begins at the Fort at Number Four on the Connecticut River and continues to Lake Champlain. The southeastern part of this route, which passes through Plymouth, Ludlow, Cavendish, Weathersfield and Springfield is well marked and is frequently used as a hiking trail. Weathersfield Historical Buildings Located in the Weathersfield Center Historic District, six miles north of Springfield, is the Weathersfield Historical Society museum, the Reverend Dan Foster House. The historic Weathersfield Center Meeting House is just across the road. The museum, a 1785 parsonage and barn, houses a collection of furniture, textiles, toys, household items, farm tools and a research library. An old forge contains a working furnace and bellows. No admission is charged. Open late June to early October, Thursday through Monday from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Activities Bicycling Cyclists can enjoy a unique experience as they ride along Vermont highways and byways. Whether it’s spring, summer of fall, the scenery is breathtaking and the country air invigorating. Springfield’s Toonerville Trail (link) provides a pathway leading to the Connecticut River and there are a number of major bicycle tours that come through the community. Camping Facilities for overnight camping are available on state and national forest land and at privately operated campgrounds (link to Campgrounds – Member Directory) Flea Market – Farmers Market
Held every Saturday May 6th through October, at the Rusty Rooster Field, Route 106, No Springfield. Opens at 7:30am. Fishing & Boating Fishing in Vermont can range from a guided charter fishing trip for landlocked salmon and trout on 100-mile-long Lake Champlain (less than two hours from Springfield) to just dropping a line in a remote pond or tumbling stream. The Springfield area features some terrific fishing spots. Access to the Connecticut River is convenient at Hoyt’s Landing. The Connecticut is fed by its tributaries, the Black and Williams River, which offers their own ideal opportunities for trout and smallmouth bass. Wilgus State Park, on the banks of the Connecticut River off Rt. 5 in Weathersfield, is a very popular spot for canoeing and fishing. Many canoe groups make Wilgus an annual stop on their way down the river. North Springfield Lake/Stoughton Pond Recreation Area is located in North Springfield, at Route 106 and Reservoir Road. The 90-acre lake offers fishing for large-mouth bass and other warm water fish. The boat ramp is usable by canoes and small, flat-bottomed boats only. Stoughton Pond encompasses 48 acres and is stocked with rainbow trout and has a boat landing. Stoughton Pond also features a swimming area and picnic sites, with restrooms, changing house, picnic tables, grills and drinking water all available. A picnic shelter on-site can also be reserved for a small fee. Hunting, fishing, trapping and snowmobiling are allowed with the applicable licenses and permits and in accordance with state and federal regulations. For current information, call 802-886-2775
A license is needed to fish in the waters of Vermont. Non-resident licenses are not valid beyond the ordinary low water mark on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River. Licenses are sold at all town or city clerk’s offices and at many general and sporting good stores. Golfing and Tennis Springfield is the home of one of the premier golf courses in the state. Crown Point Country Club is an 18-hole championship course that regularly hosts statewide and regional tournaments. The layout of the course not only offers a challenge no matter the handicap but the stunning vistas, especially on the back nine, are a must for any golfer who wants the ultimate Vermont experience. (link to their listing) Tennis courts are available throughout the community at Riverside Park and Freedom Park. Hiking & Nature Areas-- Springweather Nature Area Springweather is a 70-acre area overlooking North Springfield Lake. There are foot trails through different habitat, including fields, forest, a small pond and a shallow lake. It’s a great spot to bring your field guide books for studying nature. You can enjoy the Vermont outdoors thoughout the year. There is parking within the area, except in winter. During those months, there is a nearby parking lot for snowmobilers, cross-country skiers and other to use. State Parks There are two state parks in our area. Wilgus State Park is on the banks of the Connecticut River off Rt. 5 in Weathersfield. A hiking trail to the top of a nearby pinnacle boasts a wonderful view of the river and the New England landscape. Mt. Ascutney State Park includes 4 hiking trails and a mountain road that winds up to the fire town on the 3144’ summit. At that point, visitors have breathtaking views of the Green Mountains, White Mountains and the Connecticut River Valley. Hartness Park Hartness Park is an 85 acre tract of land owned by the Town of Springfield and is located off Woodbury Road. The park is criss-crossed by many old roads which make wonderful walking trails, which will take you to varied habitats. Along the top ridge, there is evidence of the 1938 hurricane which destroyed most of the larger trees at that time. There are also picnic areas wihin the park. Access is available opposite East School on Summer Street, at the intersection of Summer Street and Maple Dell , from a cul-de-sac on Dell Road, and from Woodbury Road. North Springfield Bog The Bog has a boardwalk that provides access to a 10,000 year-old bog located off Fairground Road, approximately 2 1/2 miles north of Riverside Middle School. Thanks to the efforts of students over the years, and partially funded by a Land and Water Conservation grant, this area is now open for nature study. The bog has some of the finest example of bog plants in the state. Skiing, Snowmobiling and other Winter Recreation Vermont offers some of the best alpine skiing in the country and there are several ski areas nearby. Within a half-hour’s drive are Ascutney Mountain Resort (link to member listing), Magic Mountain and Okemo Mountain. Less than an hour from Springfield are Killington, Bromley, Mt. Snow and Stratton Mountain. State-of-the-art snowmaking continues to assist Mother Nature is providing great conditions throughout the ski season. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are permitted at Crown Point Country Club, on public land, in state forests and parks and at Green Mountain National Forest, but trails are not groomed or patrolled. Numerous cross-country centers throughout the state offer well-groomed trails and equipment rentals, including in nearby Grafton (link to Old Tavern listing). Snowmobiling is also popular in the state. There is a network of trails that run throughout the area which connects to a statewide trail system which is built and maintained by the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers and local clubs. For more information on snowmobiling in Vermont, and to purchase a map of the trail system, contact V.A.S.T., P.O. Box 839, Montpelier, VT 05602. Call them at 802-229-0005 or visit their web site www.vtvast.org (no link!). Skating is always another popular winter pastime. The town provides outdoor skating areas at the Common and in North Springfield each winter. Other Activities Springfield is the home of two movie venues at the Ellis Theatre, including the traditional big-screen. For bowlers, there are two centers in town, one offering ten-pin and the other, candlepin bowling. Both facilities have open bowling in addition to a wide variety of league play. |