In Search of Carthusians

After a few cocktails and a good night’s sleep, we decided to venture back to the Albany airport, 59 miles, and retrieve our luggage. Collette didn’t think we could last a week on what we had on and from what we heard, American Airlines thinks they don’t have to reimburse folks for any inconvenience. We’ll see about that. Not only will the US Department of Transportation hear about this, but also the possibility of a lawyer who specializes in air transportation class action suits. What they are doing is wrong.

Now, a couple of comments on the pics from last post. Our drive was planned to allow us to see two covered bridges before heading up to Manchester, Vermont for our stay. We saw the Paper Mill Covered Bridge, and the Henry Covered Bridge. Both were built in the 1800’s and have been refurbished or rebuilt.

Our first stop was the Paper Mill Covered Bridge, so named due to the paper mill which operated at the riverside from the late 1800’s to 1990. Power to the mill was provided by a hydroelectric dam located just upstream from the bridge.

The current Paper Mill Covered Bridge was built in 2000 and is a replacement of the original that was built in 1889. This is a Town lattice truss design spanning 122 feet along Murphy Road. The Paper Mill Covered Bridge is the longest covered bridge in Bennington County.

The Burt Henry Bridge was built in 1840 and has a span of 122’. The name comes from Elnathan Henry, who built the Henry House across the street from the bridge. The house is still there and is an operating bed & breakfast.

The Henry House is a part of Vermont’s history dating back to the Revolutionary War when the town of Bennington fought for its independence in what is now known as the Battle of Bennington (duh). A Revolutionary War hero and participant in the Battle of Bennington, Lt. William Henry, resided in The Henry House in 1769, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

That was yesterday. Today we set off to see another bridge, along with other sites. First up, the Chiselville Covered Bridge.

The Chiselville Covered Bridge was built in 1870 and is notable for a few reasons. First, it sits above the Roaring Branch River, almost 40 feet. And, the bridge also experienced a brief moment of fame in the 1987 movie Baby Boom, when Diane Keaton’s character leaves New York City for a more idyllic existence in Vermont. The Chiselville Covered Bridge is a Town lattice truss design spanning 117 feet along Chiselville Road.

A sign above the bridge’s entrance lets travelers know that they will incur a “One Dollar Fine For Driving Faster Than A Walk On This Bridge.”

Next up was the Lincoln Family Summer Home. Sorry, not Abe, his son Robert Todd Lincoln and his family.

Robert Todd Lincoln, the eldest son of President Abraham Lincoln, was born August 1, 1843. He was twenty-one years old when his father was assassinated. Robert was the only one of the Lincoln sons who lived into adulthood, and he distinguished himself in many ways. He graduated from Harvard College in 1864. After four months at Harvard Law School, he was commissioned a captain on the staff of General Ulysses S. Grant and was present at the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Courthouse.

In 1867, he was admitted to the Illinois bar (been there), thus beginning a prosperous law practice (uh, wrong bar).  In 1877, he turned down an offer by President Rutherford B. Hayes to appoint him assistant Secretary of State. In 1881, he accepted President James Garfield’s appointment as Secretary of War, serving until 1885. In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison appointed him Minister to England, and he spent the next four years in that position. (The equivalent of an ambassador) From 1897 to 1911, he was president of the Pullman Palace Company.

Throughout his lifetime, Robert was very protective of his father’s name and reputation. He controlled his father’s presidential papers and allowed only John Hay and John G. Nicolay, authors of Abraham Lincoln: A History (1890), to view them. The book was published only after Robert’s approval. Robert later willed the Lincoln papers to the Library of Congress, stipulating that they could not be opened until twenty-one years after his death.

Robert lived long enough to attend the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1922. He died in 1926 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Last for the day is a drive up Mount Equinox for a look see out over the Big Branch Wilderness. The road is private so we had to pony up $30 to enter. But before we could drive up the 5-mile long road that ends at 3,848’ elevation, we had to hear the warnings given by the ticket agent. She said to be aware of altitude sickness, drink plenty of water, and before we head down the steep hill, pump our brakes. Didn’t have the heart to tell her we live at 10,000’ feet in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

At the top of the drive is the Saint Bruno Scenic Viewing Center, a somewhat religious center that is used by a sect called the “Carthusians”. Not the Cardashians, these people can still walk two abreast down a hallway. The Carthusians are a sect originating in France as a Latin enclosed religious order (separated from the World) of the Catholic Church. They do not speak except for once per week and then only to each other. They eat their meals in their “cells” and spend most of their awake time reading scripture and meditating. Sounds great, huh!

Anyway, the view from here is really amazing. To the east, the Green Mountains, Manchester Valley, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire can be seen. To the west, the Adirondacks, and to the south, the Taconic and Berkshire mountain ranges. In all you can see 5 states and Canada from this viewing center (on a clear, very clear day)

That’s was our day. Drove to our condo in Stowe, VT, checked in, then out for groceries. Tomorrow off for more adventure, Stowe Gondola ride; Ben & Jerry’s Factory tour & a walk through the Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard; and a stop at Cold Hollow Cider Donuts. Till then, cheers.