Vermont Country Store:

The Vermont Country Store (with locations in Weston and Rockingham, VT) bills itself as “Purveyors of the Practical and Hard-to-Find,” offering all sorts of intriguing merchandise for the home and body, from long-johns to aged cheddar off the wheel -there’s even an old-time candy counter. While onsite at the Rockingham store, visitors can explore the Stone Grist Mill and Water Wheel (built 1810), the Covered Bridge (built 1872) and the nature trails.

Website: http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/ - click on ‘Visit our Stores’

Location: Route 103, Rockingham, VT

Dates and Hours of Operation:

9am – 5:30pm, daily

Days Closed: Thanksgiving and Christmas

Phone: (802) 463-2224 Rockingham Store

 (802) 362-8460 Manchester Business Office

Fax: (802) 362-8288

E-mail: customerservice@vermontcountrystore.com

Mailing Address: 5650 Main St., P.O. Box 1108, Manchester, VT 05255-1108

And look out for this very special collaboration starting November 1^st, 2008:

Cut-Your-Own Christmas Tree Package:

The Vermont Country Store and the Holiday Inn Express hotel in Springfield, VT are working together to make your holidays more magical. Come stay with us in Springfield, just 15 minutes from the Rockingham location of the Vermont Country Store, and we’ll send you off on an adventure. At the Vermont Country store, you’ll select and cut your own tree, and then be swept away on a hayride over scenic nature trails. Enjoy a visit with Santa and a steaming cup of hot chocolate, but don’t leave before choosing an ornament from their extensive selection to decorate your tree!

Visit www.holidayinnexpress.com/springfieldvt, or call 802-885-4516 for rates and details.

Week One Focus on:  Windsor, VT

The town of Windsor (located at the base of Mt. Ascutney) dates back to 1777, when it became the “Birthplace of Vermont.” It boasts a variety of museums and offers a walking tour featuring examples of 18^th, 19^th and 20^th century architecture that also highlights two national engineering landmarks, the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge and the Ascutney Mill Dam. Windsor is also home to the Vermont State Craft Center, and the workshop of Simon Pearce, the renowned artisans of earthenware and hand-blown glass.

The American Precision Museum

“A National Historic Landmark celebrating the birthplace of America’s Industrial revolution.” The museum is home to the largest collection of historically significant machine tools in the nation.

Website: http://www.americanprecision.org/

Location: 196 Main Street, Windsor, VT

Dates and Hours of Operation:

Memorial Day to October 31st, 10am – 5pm daily (including Sundays and Holidays)

Days Closed: Balance of the year

The Cornish Colony Museum

This museum is dedicated to preserving the artistic accomplishments of the Cornish Colony artists, the most well known of whom being Maxfield Parrish, who lived in the twin communities settled on both sides of the Connecticut River at the turn-of-the-century era.

Website: http://www.cornishmuseum.com/Site3C/Home.html

Location: 147 Main Street, Windsor, VT

Dates and Hours of Operation:

Memorial Day to the end of October, 10am – 5pm Tuesday – Saturday, 12pm – 5pm on Sunday

Days Closed: Balance of the year, all Mondays throughout the year

Old Constitution House Museum

This museum celebrates the early years of the state’s history, and is located in the tavern in which the first Constitution of the “Free and Independent State of Vermont” was adopted on July 8, 1777.

Informational Website: http://www.dhca.state.vt.us/HistoricSites/html/constitution.html

Location: North Main St., Windsor, VT

Dates and Hours of Operation:

Late May through mid-October, 11am – 5pm Wednesday – Sunday

Days Closed: Balance of the year, all Mondays and Tuesdays throughout the year

Vermont State Craft Center

Housed in the historic Windsor House building on Main Street, the retail sales gallery features the work of 250-juried Vermont crafts makers. The center hosts craft education programs for adults and children and is home to ongoing arts and crafts exhibits.

Website: http://www.vmga.org/windsor/vsscwindsor.html

Location: 54 Main Street, Windsor, VT

Dates and Hours of Operation:

January through May: 10am – 6pm Thursday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm on Sunday

June through December: 10am – 6pm Monday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm on Sunday

Simon Pearce

Visitors to Simon Pearce’s Windsor workshop can observe teams of glassblowers creating clear glass pieces, watch pottery being shaped and browse through all sorts of glass and earthenware creations by the renowned artist and his team. Simon Pearce, who originates from County Cork Ireland and trained at the Royal College of Art in London, has created an empire of custom-made glass and pottery, with workshop facilities also located in Quechee, VT, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and retail stores scattered around the nation. The Quechee store also boasts his first restaurant, located in the Mill overlooking the Ottauqhechee River.

Website: http://www.simonpearce.com/

Location: Route 5 North, Windsor, VT

Dates and Hours of Operation:

Glassblowing: 9am – 5pm, daily except for Sunday, 12pm – 5pm

Pottery: 9am – 3pm, Monday through Friday

Cornish-Windsor Bridge

Built in 1866, this 460-foot long bridge spans the Connecticut River joining the towns of Cornish, NH and Windsor, VT. The bridge is located at the end of Bridge Street in Windsor, VT (0.3 miles south of the junction of VT44 at Windsor on US5 then 0.2 miles left). More parking is available on the NH side.

Informational Websites:

http://www.coveredbridgesite.com/vt/windsor_cornish.html

http://www.crjc.org/heritage/N08-5.htm

Join us at the newly-renovated Holiday Inn Express – Springfield, Vermont, where high-quality service, life-styled amenities and state-of-the art facilities create a comfortable and unforgettable hotel experience. Discover Vermont’s quintessential charm, history and outdoor splendor by exploring our magnificent Green Mountains, Connecticut River, ski resorts and the natural playscapes that surround our hotel in every direction.