Orleans County Quests: Troy River Road Quest (Wingnut Photos)

As the Missisquoi River flows north to Canada it comes to an 80 foot gorge in North Troy. This is where Big Falls State Park is and was the site for our Friday quest. Wingnut took the trail down the gorge to the river to find the treasure box, which was not there. Above and below you see the rapids at the top of the gorge.


Here are Wingnut's photos of the falls. There is one short waterfall and then a large one. I have never seen the falls with my own eyes because of the dangerous cliff that you stand on to view them and my fear of heights. Wingnut's photos are my first glimpse of the falls.


Below are some photos of the various caves in which Matt and Wingnut searched for the treasure box:

And here are photos of the Missisquoi River at the bottom of the gorge:

Big Falls State Park: Sixteen acres, Town of Troy. This site includes the largest undammed cascade and gorge remaining on a major Vermont river. The area includes big old hemlock and white pine trees. The plant life in this Natural Area is diverse and includes several uncommon species. The falls are a popular recreation attraction (swimming, fishing and viewing) as the site is readily accessible from Vermont Route 105. (Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, Lands Administration Division).

Down the road is the The River Road Bridge (also called the Schoolhouse Bridge), built in 1910, which carries Vielleux Road across the Missisquoi River. Lattice work truss.

Fall Guy, an article about waterfalls in Vermont.

More photos can be seen at my Barton Daily Photo blog — Troy River Road Quest
Also, visit my Flickr Troy River Road Quest set.

Technorati Tags: Missisquoi River, Orleans County Quests, Troy River Road Quest, Big Falls State Park, North Troy, Vermont
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Orleans County Quests: Orleans Village Quest

The quest began at Orleans Elementary School

The Dana Carbonneau Memorial Garden

Dana Carbonneau, the principal of Orleans Elementary School, was estimated to be the eleventh person ever killed in Vermont because of a collision with a moose after he hit one in Woodbury on June 13, 2003. The first human fatality was in the early 1980s, said Mr. Hamelin.

For an excellent article on moose safety, reprinted from the Barton Chronicle, click here.

The photo above is by Wingnut. He was very interested in this because it is so different than the ones in Connecticut.


The first log cabin in Orleans, built by Paul and David McNeal in 1827. It is only 15 square feet. There was no sugarhouse vent then, of course. Seen on Cottage St, Orleans in somebody's backyard.

Orleans Post Office

The first church of Orleans and the Orleans Brickyard
were originally on this site of the post office.

Jones Memorial Library, Orleans
which is where I first saw this sign
(click the sign to read more about this Vermont phenomenon):

Barton River; taken on the Rt. 58 bridge in Orleans Village

Orleans Mural Project, 1996
Randi left me a comment at Flickr that she helped paint this in school!

The first blacksmith shop in Orleans. Now this is the Senior Center (the Orleans Mural is on the left side as seen in this photo).

Site of the railroad staton. The factory is Ethan Allen Furniture. The station was in the area of the grass and trees.

Orleans General Store

Cole's Market, formerly Orleans's second school, built in 1855. The back of this building still contains part of the original school.

Metal footbridge over the Barton River.
For more photos of this footbridge, click here.

Another view of Ethan Allen from the footbridge.

A house built in 1855.

Two dalmatians across the road from the 1855 house.

Orleans Federated Church, on the site of Orleans's second school.
You can view this church in winter here.

The original bell from the Orleans Church. The bell is engraved:
"McShane Bell Foundry, Baltimore, Maryland, 1891"

The quest returned us to the school where we began. The treasure box was supposed to be near the cornerstone but was not there. Please see my Flickr Orleans Village Quest Set for a few more photos and to view these photos full size.

Technorati Tags: Orleans County Quests, Orleans Village Quest, Vermont, Orleans Federated Church, McShane Bell Foundry, Jones Memorial Library, Dana Carbonneau, Ethan Allen Furniture, Orleans General Store, Orleans Mural Project
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Wingnut: Brownington Prospect Hill Observatory Quest

Brownington Congregational Church

We did this quest on Wednesday, July 16 — a very short quest, appropriate for our schedule that day. I've been to Prospect Hill many times and always am astounded at the views. Wingnut didn't take any photographs of the mountains and lakes. But these photos give you a feeling for the area of the quest.

Old church bell.

The sign on the road to the observatory.

Hayfield sign.

Common milkweek

The observatory.

The original observatory was built in 1890 by William Barstow Strong. The present day observatory is a replica of the original and was built in 1976 as a Town Bicentennial project. Strong had attended the Orleans County Grammar School and gone on to become a prominent railroad builder. He also paid for extensive remodeling of the Brownington Congregational Church's interior and furnished a large bell and spire for the belfry.

Amelia and one-half of Scout

The treasure box!

The stamp for our quest book

A gentleman from Massachusetts was able to reach the treasure box in the rafters for us and he took this photo of me and Wingnut.

Red berries.

Technorati Tags: William Barstow Strong, Brownington Prospect Hill Observatory Quest, Orleans County Quests, Vermont
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