Haskell Free Library and Opera House
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16September is here and that means some of you are already anticipating the first rides north, (I know I am). Some of you are wondering:
How far north do I drive to see fall colors in September?
Well, this depends on what Mother Nature is giving us. You might also wonder what do I do when I get there. Today’s journey is going to take you to the Canadian border. I don’t mean within 20 miles, like Troy VT, I mean put one foot into Canada and the other in America. So let’s go exploring! At any time of the year it can be done but if you do this in the last week of September, you “should” be greeted by more fall colors than we found on 26 Sept.
Haskell Free Library and Opera House
We’re driving all the way to Derby Line Vermont. Before we begin I don’t want you to pull a Jeff. so have the library address in your GPS so it takes you to the front door. Lisa and I were using a paper map and got confused so I saw a left turn and took it (no signage) and stopped to read the map.
Lisa then pointed out a hundred yards ahead was the border crossing so I turned the car around and went back to the main road. There were two border guards waiting to talk to me.
They asked me what I was doing and I told them I made a wrong turn, they were not impressed by my stupidity, you see by turning down that road I had left the country… OH! And I didn’t bring my passport with me.
So they directed me to the entrance building where we pull up and explain that we got confused and they finally understood where we were going and that we were not running drugs or some other illicit activity.
We then proceeded on to the Haskell Free Library, it’s the next left after the wrong one. 🙂
Once you enter this 1900’s neoclassical building, you would think you were in any small and quaint library from either side of the border. That is until you cross the line.
Remember the border runs down the middle of the building so depending on where you are standing, you can be in Quebec or Vermont. They are more forgiving inside the building than the border patrol is outside.
I actually wanted to slide a chair over on top of the line to sit a cheek on each side of the border but sorry, no pictures of that… You’ll have to make do with one foot on each side of the border.
We wandered through different rooms with books in English and some in French. Then we started talking to one of the librarians. She said there was a free tour (for donations) and we signed up.
The Opera House
We took a winding set of stairs up from the library and we were amazed at all the architectural details on the floors, walls, and ceiling. When you finally walk out into the back of the Opera House and walk down the aisle, there are details to catch your eyes everywhere.
Newport Vermont Ciderhouse– UPDATE 2021-this establishment is now closed
I wanted to keep up the photo of their menu board because it was so nicely done and we loved the Benjamin Franklin quote in the bottom right corner, “He who drinks his cider alone, let him catch his horse alone.”
Soon we were on the road in search of more scenes but since this was still early in the fall foliage season, we had to be happy exploring the Haskell Free Library and having a great lunch next week. Well, that is a story for another time.
Happy fall foliage leaf peeping my friends.
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
- Visit my Fine Art America Gallery
- Visit my Amazon store to pick up New England-related materials
- Visit my Pictorem Gallery (Free shipping in the US and Canada)
- My Facebook foliage page
- Threads.net/@Jeff_Foliage
- Follow our new Fall Foliage FB Group!
- You can visit Lisa’s Artist Facebook Page by clicking here
Thanks for the update. I was going to head to Vermont but now I’ll wait 🙂
You know there is a Pumpkin Chunking event coming up in NH? Right? Let me see if I can find the dates… http://www.extremechunkin.com/ EXTREME CHUNKIN
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
On October 14 and 15, teams from all across the country will go the distance in an all-out battle for greatness and the chance to be Number One. Teams will use machines such as trebuchets, catapults, and air cannons to launch pumpkins and other extreme items. To add to the fun, there will be lots of harvest festival activities which include pumpkin carving, face painting, and more.
Are these the Pumpkins you were looking for? I assume you saw the pumpkin lighting events on my fall festivals, right? Or are you just looking to buy a pumpkin?
Thanks for the update. I was going to head to Vermont but now I’ll wait 🙂
You know there is a Pumpkin Chunking event coming up in NH? Right? Let me see if I can find the dates… http://www.extremechunkin.com/ EXTREME CHUNKIN
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
On October 14 and 15, teams from all across the country will go the distance in an all-out battle for greatness and the chance to be Number One. Teams will use machines such as trebuchets, catapults, and air cannons to launch pumpkins and other extreme items. To add to the fun, there will be lots of harvest festival activities which include pumpkin carving, face painting, and more.
Are these the Pumpkins you were looking for? I assume you saw the pumpkin lighting events on my fall festivals, right? Or are you just looking to buy a pumpkin?
Thanks for the heads up re border crossings. Looking forward to our 6th trip to New England this fall. Have reservations at Abel Mt campground in VT for 4 days starting Oct 1, another 4 days near Plymouth, NH, and finally 4 days near Freeport, ME. What do you think of our timing for good color?
Well guys, I think it all looks good but you might be a bit early at Freeport but that is mostly about shopping at L.L. Bean, right?
Thanks for the heads up re border crossings. Looking forward to our 6th trip to New England this fall. Have reservations at Abel Mt campground in VT for 4 days starting Oct 1, another 4 days near Plymouth, NH, and finally 4 days near Freeport, ME. What do you think of our timing for good color?
Well guys, I think it all looks good but you might be a bit early at Freeport but that is mostly about shopping at L.L. Bean, right?
Hello Jeff. Our travel plans had to change and are wondering if there will be any good colors the last week of September? We were going the first week of October but plans changed and we fear waiting until the second or third week of October may be too late.
Well Robin, you’ll have to refresh my memory as I can’t find you original post so It depends on your locations but as of today I had a report of reds being spotted (mere dots) along the Kancamagus (so Don’t panic) but it is at least a week early so if your locations were in Northern NH/VT or ME then you are looking good.
Hello Jeff. Our travel plans had to change and are wondering if there will be any good colors the last week of September? We were going the first week of October but plans changed and we fear waiting until the second or third week of October may be too late.
Well Robin, you’ll have to refresh my memory as I can’t find you original post so It depends on your locations but as of today I had a report of reds being spotted (mere dots) along the Kancamagus (so Don’t panic) but it is at least a week early so if your locations were in Northern NH/VT or ME then you are looking good.
I’m sorry Jeff. We will be coming up from N. Georgia probably using 95. Our exact destination isn’t etched in stone and we just want to go where the colors will be the best. Our original plans had to be changed so now we are either on the last week of sept or the third week of October. As mentioned earlier, we just want to see colors.
Well at the end of Sept you will be heading up to northern NH or VT or Greenville Maine.. A long drive. But the third week of Oct will be in MA or CT or RI. More coastal.
I’m sorry Jeff. We will be coming up from N. Georgia probably using 95. Our exact destination isn’t etched in stone and we just want to go where the colors will be the best. Our original plans had to be changed so now we are either on the last week of sept or the third week of October. As mentioned earlier, we just want to see colors.
Well at the end of Sept you will be heading up to northern NH or VT or Greenville Maine.. A long drive. But the third week of Oct will be in MA or CT or RI. More coastal.