Interesting Places in Northern Vermont

The very last weekend in September 2015 and summer kept hanging on. Oh, how great it was to have the car windows open, and the sun gleamed, as Jeff and I set our sights North to find fall foliage! We headed up I-93, then scooted over to Vermont and up to Derby Line.

Our destination was the Haskell Free Library and Opera House which was intentionally built right on the US-Canadian border by the benefactor, Martha Stewart Haskell. (the original Martha Stewart!)

When arriving in Derby Line, you might find it odd that the border runs right down the middle of the towns of Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec. Way back when, the communities were seamless, people coming and going about their business, with little mind to the imaginary line. You can imagine that now, things are a little different. Residential streets are blocked off to prohibit travel, and if you take a wrong turn, border patrol agents seem to appear out of nowhere to reprimand the unknowing. (believe me, it happened to us!)

But inside the Library, things are just the same as they always were.

Citizens of the US and Canada use the library and opera house, with only the black tape line on the floor to remind you that you are straddling an international boundary.

And the interior of the building is much as it was back when it was built, with original woodwork, and fireplaces. The opera house is one of the few around with the original carvings, moldings, and painted backdrops. Tours are given about every half hour, some in English, some in French, so you can learn the history of the building.

We took Route 3 north, to Route 110, as we worked our way over to Stark New Hampshire where we had reservations at the Stark Village Inn this evening.

Find more about this trip and about our stay at Stark Village Inn Here.

Thanks for reading! ~Lisa

Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

Visit my Amazon affiliate store for items that Lisa and I have curated for you. These items are either New England-made or things we think will make your fall foliage trip more successful.