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This was originally posted in dailyUV.com in May 2019 Reminders of the Laborious Past: Walking with the Strafford Historical Society. The moss covered stone foundations had a story to tell. It was a story of folks who lived in the early years of Strafford's settlement. They built the stone foundations without mortar. Only the weight of the stones, carefully balanced and weaved, keeps them in place, even after two hundred years. They built their foundations somewhere near a water source. The cellar did not support the entire structure. There may also have been attached sheds, additions, or ells, that were set on stones, some buried and hidden long ago, some peeking out from the forest floor today. nThey cleared the land for the homestead, and they continued to clear the land, for grazing livestock, cultivation, and for heating fuel. The area looked different back in the heyday, as the forest continued to be cleared. Today, the forest has grown back, as it does, when left alone. Interesting "Survivor" Tree near one of the foundations. As we walked along the old road, surveyed and built many years ago, we could easily see the stone walls that lined each side of the road, where they were above ground. Back then the town roads were built to be three rods wide, or forty nine and one half feet. We were now traveling along an unmaintained area of this old, beautiful, historic pathway bordered by stone walls, and drained by vintage stone culverts. As we continued on, we came across a third, small foundation, below. The view from here must have been beautiful back when the woods were cleared. Third, smallest foundation. These rock wall foundations were built just after the first generation of log cabins had been used during the initial clearing of the land. As local saw mills developed along the streams and rivers, posts, beams and boards became available for building sturdier frame houses to replace the early, temporary, log cabins. One wall of the third, smallest foundation. On Sunday, May 5th, 2019, the Strafford Historical Society presented a walking tour of some of the old stone foundations from the early days of town settlement. As we hiked along the old road, we eventually came upon the most impressive foundation of the tour, seen below. This was an old Tavern, back in the day when this road was traveled much more frequently. The old Tavern had a grand location. One can imagine riding a horse or traveling in a carriage, and coming upon the tavern at this beautiful location, after a long trip. Foundation of the Tavern. This tavern's foundation was beautifully preserved, and fascinating to view. Below are some more photographs of the Tavern foundation/cellar hole. While we visited the foundations that we found, Stephanie Johnston read to us of the history of the folks who used to live at these locations. It was a very interesting history, to say the least. Bulkhead area of Tavern cellar There were about a dozen or so people on the trek. Paul Kristensen was on hand to help interpret the sites. Conversation was lively, and it was fun imagining the activities that went on at those spots, so long ago The foundation walls were really spectacular, especially at this time of year, when the mosses are so beautiful in contrast to the forest that was just starting to wake up after a long winter. Comments 5
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AuthorI'm Bob Totz, retired VT postmaster, and historical geographer ARCHIVES:
October 2021
EXPANDED ARCHIVES: AUGUST 2021 1858 Johnson Map of North America MAY 2021 1795 - "Road Over the Mountain" - Part Two Historic Toll House For Sale 1795 - "Road Over the Mountain" Part One OCTOBER 2020 Finding That Special Peaceful Place AUGUST 2020 Kayaking on the Pompy JULY 2020 Pt. 2: What the Heck Are These Things? JUNE 2020 Bob's Bio... What the Heck Are These Things? Pt. 1 MAY 2020 Stone Walls and Spirits The View APRIL 2020 Sunny Brook Farm Relics: Pt 2. Sunny Brook Farm Relics: Pt 1. MARCH 2020 Signs of Norwich Pt. 2 COVID-19 Tracking Map Centertown and Valleyquest Signs of Norwich Pt. 1 "Imperfect Union" - Book Review Historic Centertown FEBRUARY 2020 King's Hwy Pt. 2 WRJ Museum at Post Mills Airport Chatauguay Vermont The Independent Farmer poem Traveling Along the King's Highway - Lebanon NH JANUARY 2020 Finding Parkhurst Cemetery In Search of Parkhurst Cemetery Affordable Housing The Old Stone Grill Two Rivers Trail-Kmart License and Registration, Please! Prohibition, Murder and Dr. Seuss Peace, Paris, & P.O. DECEMBER 2019 BLOGGER'S LINKS Welcome to Old Roads Love-Quail Hollow fun Dartmouth Cemetery SEPTEMBER 2019 E. Thetford Cemetery JUNE 2019
Taps: Meetinghouse Cemetery 4-Corners Borders Quest Old Iron Gate Stumbling Upon History Sunrise Walk MAY 2019 4 Corners Cemetery Strafford's Abandoned Foundations Art in Old Stonework APRIL 2019 Strafford Tpke Pt 2 Strafford Tpke Pt 1 White River Valley FEBRUARY 2019 Learning from Historic Maps of the Upper Valley Change in Lewiston VT JANUARY 2019 A Vermont Ski Waltz John Ledyard 1773 What is the Upper Valley? DECEMBER 2018 Dartmouth Green Music Video: Sometimes Music Video: Montreal Express Railway Disaster of 1887 |