Vermont Icons
The Mad River Valley is truly Vermont as you would imagine it – small towns offering a hearty welcome, covered bridges, hillside farms, church steeples and even a general store! You’ll find first class shopping and dining and even a few night spots, but you won’t find any traffic lights, traffic jams and no hustle and bustle. Just pure Vermont.
VERMONT ICONS: COVERED BRIDGES
The covered bridges of Vermont are among its most cherished and symbolic historic resources. Two remain in the Village of Waitsfield, the Great Eddy and the Pine Brook. Both reflect the widespread construction of covered bridges on Vermont's public highways from around 1820 to 1904, one of the highlights in Vermont's transportation history. Covered bridges were roofed and enclosed to protect the wooden structural elements from the weather, which in Vermont can be quite harsh. Little more than 100 covered bridges remain in the state, the result of expanding highway systems, intensive commercial development, and physical neglect. Still, Vermont has the greatest concentration of covered bridges in the country, and in the recent past has become dedicated to their preservation. Vermont law now protects all covered bridges and none can be torn down without the permission of the Governor and the Board of Historic Sites.
Find out more about our historic covered bridgesVERMONT ICONS: BARNS
Historic buildings in our district are found in farmstead clusters. Most are vernacular, wooden, gable-roofed barns and farm structures from the late 1700s to the early 1900s, some with features from the Greek and Gothic Revival styles. There are examples within the district of the typical New England building practices, such as the process of additive architecture in which a small structure is expanded through more stylish additions. Another New England tradition found in the valley is the continuous architecture of connected barns and living spaces, a building type accurately termed Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn.
Find out more about our historic barns & farms
VERMONT ICONS: WARREN STORE
The Warren Store believes that the age old concept that the country store, as the hub of its community, should serve as a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, and they work hard to carry on that tradition. And they have a lot of fun doing doing it, too!
The Warren Store has always been the place to exchange ideas and to swap stories, (some taller than others!), the place to eat good food in good company, and the place to sip a hot coffee before skiing, or afterwards, tired and cold. The Warren Store is also the place to buy provisions for camp, condo, or home, offering prepared and specialty foods, fresh baked goods, excellent wines, and exceptional clothing, jewelry, and gifts to meet any need.
VERMONT ICONS: ANTIQUE STORES
Vermont shares part of New England's long cultural history. Much of that history is evident in the products that Vermont has been proud to produce for hundreds of years. Many enjoy experiencing this rich cultural heritage through antique stores throughout the Mad River Valley & Vermont.
View a directory of Vermont Antique Stores
VERMONT ICONS: HISTORICAL SITES
Vermont has a rich heritage of historic resources, ranging from 10,000-year-old Native American sites to rambling 19th century farm complexes, to railroad-spawned villages of the 1870s, to gleaming streamlined diners built to serve auto-borne patrons of the 1930s. Each of these buildings, structures, and sites is important for what it can tell us about our history.
Prehistoric archaeological sites supply information on the lives of the original inhabitants of Vermont, who have no written records to speak for them. Standing buildings and structures may be important because of their significant architectural design and fine materials and craftsmanship or because they illustrate an important aspect of history. Often, however, they also tell the stories of everyday life that were never written down.
Historic structures, through their locations, architectural features, and historical associations, testify to patterns of Vermont life in the late 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and serve as the visible reminders of the occupations, activities, philosophies, and priorities of Vermonters who came before us. It is the role of the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation to protect and preserve these links to our collective past.
Visit some Vermont historical sites at the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
VERMONT ICONS: MUSEUMS & GALLERIES
From a 220 foot steamship to Egyptian sculpture, Vermont museums offer something of interest to everyone! History buffs and art afficionados alike will find something to discover when they delve into Vermont's rich culture.
Take a look at an official list of Vermont museums
VERMONT ICONS: BUNDY
When The Bundy opened in 1962, gallery director and Bundy architect Harlow Carpenter envisioned an alternative to overcrowded, stuffy city museums and created a space where art and nature could coexist. By erecting a decidedly modern structure next to the old cellar hole of the Lizzie Long farmhouse, Carpenter brought to life his vision of urban sophistication within a gorgeous natural setting. Forty years later The Bundy has become a piece of architectural history itself, typifying the Bauhaus school of design so prevalent during the sixties. Now, lovingly restored by its new tenants, The Bundy is being brought into the new millennium with a large assortment of modern amenities that will help make your event both more successful and more enjoyable.
Visit the Bundy Center for the Arts
