Brattleboro, VT: A Town that is Easy to Call Home

The first town encountered while driving along Route 91 north from Massachusetts, Brattleboro serves as the gateway to Vermont. Here, evergreens usher visitors through a vernal curtain of bucolic joy. With a total area of 34 square miles, most of the approximately twelve thousand residents know each other both through proximity and shared experiences. Make yourself at home through these Brattleboro experiences.

Places to Retreat

While enjoying a picnic-style lunch on a blanket with Stephanie Bonin, Executive Director of Brattleboro Downtown Alliance, and her two daughters, at Retreat Farm, she explained Brattleboro’s close-knit community. “For example, there’s my daughter’s pediatrician sitting on that lawn chair over there.” Retreat Farm is a model, land-based, community anchor institution located on 500 acres of Abenaki homelands at the edge of Downtown Brattleboro. Founded in 2015, Retreat Farm sought to restore the landscape and workings of the historic property. The company also established a sustainable and therapeutic community center. The Food Truck Roundup Event, held every Thursday night during the summer, supplied my lunch choice: a Masala Dosa from Dosa Kitchen, enjoyed to the backdrop of live music and the verdant beauty of the Wantastiquet Mountains.

Nearby, The Inn on Putney Road provides a great place to retreat at the end of a long day in the fresh Vermont air. Owned and operated by Judy and Paul Tokmakian, the inn dates back to 1929. It still maintains some of its original walking paths that merge with the Hogle Wildlife Sanctuary Trail. The property was a community landmark until 1983 when it was sold to a private owner who redesigned the residence to resemble a French chateau. It was converted to a bed and breakfast in 1992. The breakfast is homemade, gourmet, and ample enough to provide energy for a day of exploration. The décor is consistent with the original style of the home, with French doors and antique Martha Washington armchairs adding charm to the warm comfort of the property. The main shared living space offers guests the opportunity to play pool, guitar, cards, or just sit by the fireplace and turn back the clock to a simpler time.

Taste the Brattleboro Flavors

On warmer days and with a sturdy pair of shoes, fit travelers can walk into the heart of Brattleboro but those who wish to drive will find ample parking. In town, there is no shortage of shops, eateries, and “things to do” to fill up a weekend. For instance, Stone Church, formerly All Souls Unitarian Church, was recently restored and renovated to become a food, drink and music venue. The onerous yet satisfying process is described on their website as a “dance between creating a modern venue, and preserving the patina & soul of the 140-year-old building.” Stone Church features local and transplanted artists, hosts weddings and corporate events, serves food and top-shelf drinks, all illuminated by stage lighting and the kaleidoscope of stained glass.

Anytime is a good time for a bit of the national beverage, sour beer. For the people of Brattleboro, the top spot for sour beer is Hermit Thrush Brewery. Made with Brattleboro’s own wild yeast, the beer has a resonating tang that lifts the spirit as it titillates the palate. Though they can only ship their product within Vermont, with flavors like Brattleberry, Mango, Tangerine and Blood Orange, it’s worth the drive.

Brattleboro’s Art Scene

Move from the art of craft brewing to the art of the contemporary creative mind at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center. A showcase for the best of Brattleboro, the museum contains six galleries with rotating exhibits resulting in approximately 15-20 exhibitions per year. The museum offers guided and self-guided tours, art workshops, and even a Climate Change Artist Residency. For those who cannot make it into the Green Mountain State during the winter months, the museum also provides virtual tours on its website.

When the appreciation for art spills out onto the streets of Brattleboro, the Gallery Walk leads pedestrians to a variety of businesses, creative spaces and galleries. Mitchell-Giddings Fine Arts curates innovative work by mid-career and established artists. First Proof Press is a community-based studio dedicated to the many forms of the art of printmaking through their personalized classes and memberships for artists of all levels. 118 Eliot is an open gallery space for shows, events, educational talks and exhibitions.

Historic Latchis Theater beckons to those interested in the cinematic arts. Founded and built by the Latchis family in 1938, the redesigned Latchis Memorial Building now houses four theaters for movies, modeled in the classic style, that is all but disappearing from towns and cities across the country. An arts and culture center as well, the theater is decorated with an ancient Grecian flair, from the marble vestibule with its terrazzo flooring, marble tiling, and statues of Gods and Goddesses such as Hebe, the Goddess of Youth. The ceilings are fashioned with a painting of nymphs, deities, gods and goddesses all upon a deep blue sky. It’s a great experience even before the show begins.

Experience Nature, History and Circus Arts

For a natural element, the West River Trail, which is a 36-mile scenic, all-season route through the West River Valley, is what experienced hikers would call an easy path, flat and well-manicured. Along the way, it is common to see ducks, geese and other wading birds. The occasional songbird might fly overhead like an arpeggio on a page of sheet music along with circling turkey vultures reminding vacationers that everything has a dark side. Overall, the fresh air, smell of nature, and the unknown beauty that awaits at every curve of the road make this a refreshing break from the usual tourist attractions.

While walking, take a stroll down the rocky path of history with the Vermont African American Heritage Trail, founded in 2013 by Curtiss Reed Jr., Executive Director of Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity. Vermont led the charge in the abolitionist movement and continued over the years to be a canvas for African American inclusion and success. The suggested path leads travelers through several towns which are pivotal points on the timeline of African American history.

For anyone who’s had a lifelong love of the circus, visitors can stop by New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA), which offers people of every skill level a chance to indulge the fantasy of being part of a circus. Beginner skill classes are rewarding, and as one moves up the scale of difficulty, the training becomes a rigorous workout and even a path to professional entertaining. From trampoline to trapeze to full-out aerial acrobatics, NECCA is the premiere circus school in the US.

At Home in Brattleboro

I ended the night with a most enjoyable dinner at The Gleanery, just outside of Brattleboro in Putney, VT.  The restaurant managed to provide a great meal with all the trimmings despite being short-staffed due to the pandemic. My feet had not walked on Brattleboro soil for more than 48 hours, yet I began to feel like part of the community. As my pulled pork sandwich arrived at the bar (where I chose to sit), poet Pablo Medina and his guests joined me. Hours earlier, I attended a poetry reading where I was first introduced to the Cuban American poet. We spoke about poetry, the life of the writer, travels and the charm of Brattleboro.

Far from home, I began to absorb the appeal of Brattleboro. I now understand why even Rudyard Kipling chose to live here around the time he published The Jungle Book, a story that takes place as far from Vermont as one can get. I saw how easy it was to feel at home, even if my real home was only 200 miles away.