Spring Fling 2026 - Day 44: More History Enroute to Friends in Vermont

We left the RV at Otto's place in Jaffrey, NH and drove the Honda CR-V the 3 hours or so north into Vermont.  

Enroute, we visited a few places.

First was the Saint-Gauden National Historic Park.  Run by the National Park Service, the site is dedicated to the Gilded Age sculptor: Augustus Saint-Gauden.  I'll be the first to admit I'd never heard of the man, but I do like his work!

The realism and sense of motive created in his work is quite striking and one can see why he acquired the fame and following he enjoyed.

Admiral Farragut

"Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead!"

Across from the admiral above, there's a small reflection pool with Golden Turtles acting as water fountains.

We toured Saint-Gauden home, very nice.  Sorry, but nothing eye-catching to me within.

Next was his studio, here's the long bas-relief mural over the entrance:

Diana of the Tower, a smaller version of the original sculpture that once stood atop the tower on the Madison Square Garden, in NY.  Diana was the Roman Goddess of the Hunt.

Victory, this winged statue was originally conceived as part of the Sherman Monument in New York City.

Saint-Gauden Studio

One of his more famous, and to me, striking works:  the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, he commanded the 54th Massachusetts Regiment in the US Civil War.  One of the first African American Regiments.  

We next headed over to the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Historical Park.  The site seems to educate the visitor on the birth of Nature Conservation and Preservation for future generations.  

The land was once exploited for its lumber resources, as was most of Early America, and the damage through erosion and such inspire the early efforts to repair and learn to balance the use of resources with future conservancy uses.

The 1885 version of the mansion

The efforts of Marsh (diplomat), Billings (Lawyer and namesake for Billings, Mt, and Laurance Rockefeller); all tied together by sequential ownership of this land, helped educate and pave the way for similar efforts nationwide along with such regulations as the Clean Water Act which came much later.

The mansion's interiors showcased the wealth which allowed the conservancy efforts:

Sunset in Yellowstone 

Next stop was a farmer's market were we picked up sandwiches and sodas for lunch at a small town park nearby. 

After lunch, we went to the Simon Pearce Glass Blowing Workshop in the town of Quechee, VT.  Along The way we saw a couple of covered bridges:

I believe part of the large power demands of the glass furnaces is provided by a generator that is powered by the waterfall next door.

Simon Pearce back in the beginning....

The offerings of glass items were nice but a bit pricey for us.  Once we were finished with the glassware place, we headed to Adamant, VT to visit with friends who have moved there from Colorado.

Will be in Vermont for the next two nights, returning to New Hampshire on Saturday evening.