Discover serenity in the Shires
There’s a corner of Vermont that fans have been flocking to for decades. Those passionate about food, history, arts and culture, recreation and a true entrepreneurial spirit have been finding the “Shires of Vermont” and settling right in. Today, that region of pristine countryside with two county “seats,” Manchester and Bennington, has blossomed into a perfect fall foliage escape. The Shires has all the things we love about a great vacation (the food, the history, activities, great shopping), wrapped up in breathtaking beauty. Call it an oasis; the Shires is a spot where families, couples, single folks — anyone who loves serenity and beauty — can just unplug and tune into nature at its best. They even have a theme for it: Explore the Shires.
Traveling from Greater Boston to the Shires is relaxing in itself — because you head west, there’s less traffic to battle and lots of lovely vistas.
The Shires is tucked into south-
west Vermont, with Manchester at its north, Bennington at its south, and lots of byways and towns in between.
You’ll find a wealth of trails to hike and lakes to admire (and even kayak on). Nature abounds, with mountains and rolling hills thick with vivid foliage, bright blue lakes and lush green rolling fields.
CULTURE
Southern Vermont College’s Laumeister Art Center (44 Gypsy Lane, Bennington) is an art gallery, theater and museum, all in one beautiful setting. Seven galleries feature both current exhibitions and a large permanent collection. Its Covered Bridge Museum, which replicates an actual bridge, takes visitors through the history of construction, offering regional information as well as the history and folklore around this popular architectural attraction.
Accenting that experience is a permanent display of paintings by Eric Sloane, known for depicting American landscapes from the 1920s-1980s; this particular collection features subjects typical of New England including barns and covered bridges. Master carver Floyd Scholz has more than 20 of his birds on display, from the miniature burrowing owl to the majestic eagle. Lively copper and steel wind sculptures by Lyman Whitaker can be found around the property and are available for purchase. There’s also an impressive array of Native American art. The Art Center also houses a 315-seat proscenium theater, which showcases musical performances and stage productions throughout the year. Learn more at artcenter. svc.edu.
The Bennington Museum is always a must with its amazing permanent installations on Grandma Moses, Bennington modernism and early Vermont. Each of those installations is world-renowned and worth a visit.
Bennington Museum (75 Main St., Bennington) holds the largest public collection in the world of paintings by Grandma Moses, the great 20th century folk artist who painted scenes of rural life embodying a sense of an idyllic bygone America. The Bennington Modernism Gallery features works from the early 1950s through the mid1970s created by a group of avant-garde artists working in and around the town who led the nation in artis-
tic thought and innovation.
A permanent installation with rotating textiles, the Early Vermont Gallery presents life in Vermont from the time of the earliest European settlers in 1761 to the early 1800s, when Vermont craftsmen achieved a level of sophistication rivaling Boston.
This year, through Nov. 5, the museum is also home to “Crash to Creativity: The New Deal in Vermont,” which sheds light on the important, under-studied aspect of Vermont’s history, focusing on the role of many government-sponsored New Deal projects.
“Inventing the Present”
looks at how artwork and story shaped Vermont’s image as an idyllic tourist destination, while “Building The Future” examines how the state’s infrastructure was developed over the years. Learn more about the extensive exhibits at benningtonmuseum.org.
For some great performances, Oldcastle Theatre of Bennington (331 Main St.) is now in its 47th season. Founded in New York City by five young actors, the company toured to various sites in New York, New Jersey and Vermont before settling in Bennington. The company has put on more than 350 productions featuring Oscar, Tony and Emmy winners. The company’s work has won awards from the New England Theatre Conference, Yankee Magazine, the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association and earned praise from, among many others, the Wall Street Journal. Their Main Street home is in the middle of a major $54 million renovation of downtown Bennington.
For a special twist on performance, immerse yourself in music and take home a wonderful souvenir: the discovery of your own talent. Sonata and Summer Sonatina International Piano Camps (5 Catamount Lane) are family-run, immersive live-in programs for adults and young pianists of all skill levels who enjoy studying piano in a concentrated, supportive and motivating atmosphere with highly qualified piano teachers, surrounded by 30 pianos in a comfortable, historic mansion in Old Bennington, Vt.
The 10-day adult piano camps are held almost every month except during the summer, when the young pianists are in residence from one to five weeks. No auditions are required. Learn more at sonatina.com.
For a combination of history, education and fun, the campus of Southern Vermont College (982 Mansion Drive), particularly lovely in fall, is a great stop. Founded in 1974 but with roots extending to 1926, Southern Vermont College and its historic Everett Mansion are located on a 400-acre campus overlooking the Green Mountains. Offering a select range of strong, personalized academic programs grounded in the liberal arts and laying the foundations for further education and productive careers, fostering engaged citizenship and promoting student success in all its endeavors, the college is known for its student outcomes and its missiondriven commitment to all members of its community.
Southern Vermont College offers many events during fall that are open to the general public, such as lectures, festivals and art